I would advise IBS sufferers to stay away from cheese

As most of you have probably read before, I am a sufferer of IBS-D and quite severe. I'm writing this to advise people as to what I think they should avoid. As we all know it is important not to get too stuck on the fodmap diets. From the things I have read on here that a lot of people are still trying to find foods that are right for them, as am I. So anyway, yesterday I was having a quick glance down the fodmap list to see if there's anything I think I may be okay with eating and I saw cheddar cheese. Before I began with IBS I was a big lover of cheese, especially in sandwiches. So I decided to have a little bit of cheddar yesterday afternoon and it is safe to say I am completely regretting it today. I have been up since 5:30 this morning with really bad pains so I couldn't get back to sleep and has gone on throughout the day, I will not be eating it again which is a shame because I used to love it and it just isn't worth the consequences. With a lot of us it is definitely a case of trial and error and it is for sure going on my not to eat list. I sympathise with anyone who can no longer eat what they used to love eating and wish everyone the best with dealing with it and most importantly finding the right food for you. I would also just like to point out that I am not lactose intolerant.

[Jackdaw90]

This sounds so much like me - had cheese yesterday - don't normally eat a lot but someone made a pie with a lot of cheese and I woke at 2.30 with terrible pains and very loose motions. Feel totally wiped out today and to make it even better am on holiday.

[Hidden in reply to Jackdaw90]

It's absolutely horrible. I hope you recover quickly.

[Jackdaw90 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks - living on toast today.lolxxxx

[Hidden in reply to Jackdaw90]

I don't blame you. I've cut bread out of my diet cos it gives me these tight knotting pains. I do miss it though!

[Jackdaw90]

Never had any problems with bread. Onions and leeks seem to be a trigger for me. And the pie had leeks and cheese in it. Will not be trying that one again.xx

[Hidden in reply to Jackdaw90]

Hmm, yeah. We might really enjoy eating foods which unfortunately set things off but it just isn't worth the consequences at all.

[woodgut8]

Funny about the cheese thing. Am lactose intolerant the only test my NHS gastro would allow me. And he said cheese OK as lactose is lost in the cheese processing. He has now said I have to find out myself just eliminating by trial and error. No fodmap no dietician no tests - no interest obviously.

[ShirleyRolles in reply to woodgut8]

A paediatrician specialising in gut disorders tells me that parmesan is the only cheese which loses lactose in the processing. I think pecorino, sheep's cheese, is safer but am in process of trying the Fodmap diet and yet to re-test it.SR

[Siapa in reply to ShirleyRolles]

didnt try fodmap. did try the nhs dietitian ibs list of food to avoid. works a bundle for me. got it from bristol. very nice helpful ladies. then google a brilliant gastroenterologist in surrey who understand that food have everything to do with it. now the pain had been eliminated. happy days

[Hidden in reply to Siapa]

Can I just say that food isn't 100% the answer. If food is completely the cause of it then it must be either some sort of allergy or intolerance. A lot of people who suffer with it just have trigger foods which make the symptoms worse so they avoid them but it doesn't mean you have an allergy to them or anything. Many people with ibs could have inherited it from family or from a past infection or just appear out of the blue.

[crazyat50]

Same here, I usually stay away from cheese and then I tried the FODMAP diet and it says you can have cheese, big mistake.

[yorkshire_lass]

Seems to be bread and, to a lesser extent, other carbohydrate foods for me. Have been eating cheese without bread/crackers etc and it doesn't seem to affect me. Bread however does create a 'bloated' feeling. Really sad because I love bread and pasta!

[Hidden]

I find I can eat a bit of cheddar cheese with a bag of plain crisps which is on the Fodmap diet.But I have found I can eat goats cheese with no problem at all,the trouble is it's expensive and once open you only have about 5days to eat it before date runs out.

[Siapa]

did they do lactose lactulose and fructose breathtest? mine did and it is positive! got a ibs food list to avoid from bristol nhs dietitan. very helpful staff and friendly. only broccolli and bakebeans are in our diet. cut it out as it create a lot of gas and bloating tummy. stop pain from 24/7 to half. the sugar test did the trick. fine now. i think the food that most find to be the culprit tend to be the ones they loves and eat the most or in their diet constantly from childhood as in my case. we also had to avoid dairy product unless it is lacto free milk and butter. no fibre. if loose stools, use loperamide to stop it. paracetamol to help with pain. now no more loose stool. feel tons better without having to keep running off to toilet or on lookout for one when out.

[Hidden in reply to Siapa]

I haven't had a breath test. I didn't even know that existed. I am back at my doctors in a couple of weeks and I am just going to double check if I have had blood work on on things like that but I think I have and was negative but it doesn't hurt to be sure. I have recently been having a lot of painful flare ups but I don't think I eat anything with lactose in, that I know of anyway so it wouldn't really add up. But like I said I am going to double check on things like that

[Trampas]

Cheese is an absolute no no for me as is any milk based product. Though I take porridge with water OK. I can get away with some dairy stuff but no hard bits. Nuts, crisps seeded bread are out. Only eat whole meal brown.