In the past few months I gave up trying to convince myself that my bloat is me getting fat. I train daily, resistance and conditioning work, until recently ate clean, unprocessed foods, predominantly raw veg, and protein from fish, whey and some dairy (low-fat cottage and ricotta cheeses and un-sweetened natural yoghurt). I avoided additives, thickeners, anything that I couldn't understand in the packaging (WHEN I bought anything in a packet).
It is so disheartening to think that my having been careful for so long may be the cause of my growing intolerance to, what feels like, EVERYTHING!
I am at a loss. I miss my raw veg so so much, as 5 weeks ago I started my self-implementation of the FODMAP diet. And yet 5 weeks in and I have still not had my symptoms subside. In which case the prospect of starting to bring back some foods gradually into my diet is looking doubtful
I have joined this network for support and assistance as I try to get back my comfort with food - I lost it for so long with an eating disorder, and have finally learned to love clean healthy foods again over the past few years.. I don't want to go back down the ED path to avoid the stabbing screwdriver pains and pregnant-looking distension I get from my gut
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new2IBS
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You can eat a healthy diet on fodmaps. Have you also cut out gluten and lactose? Those I found helped me the most. I have coconut or oat milk, no soya as can cause a good deal of bloating in some people. Biggest thing which seems to affect many people is onions - cut out completely and use only garlic infused oil not whole garlic.
Recommended reading Patsy Catsos IBS Free at Last and Sue Shepherd cook book. I also went on the Fodmaps of my own volition using only to begin with the app from Monash University, this has a trafficlight system which made things easier to start with. I have now been on it for over a year and it has completely changed my life. No bloating, rarely diarhoea, no pain and I had been dogged by all 3 and other symptoms for over 20 years so well worth it. Good luck
I've cut lactose, and gluten (though never ate gluten before anyway - not for the past 2 years, at least, I'd say out of my dislike for the bloat I felt from anything heavily "carby". I have also (very first thing) cut out onion and garlic.
I have found that the vegetable gum in most milk alternatives (almond, coconut, rice, and even some lactose-free) effects me too. I need a quick protein source in the mornings, and as the straight whey isolate protein powder seems to effect me at the moment too :/ I have taken to having egg whites (bought in a milk-like carton) in my vegetable blends (kale, spinach, mint as well as some carrot and some blueberries).. do you think raw egg whites would be okay?
Those veg are low FOdmap as are other root veg plus green beans. Eggs are ok but must say I would choose fresh eggs. If you only have soluble carbs as opposed to insoluble ones you will find them more gentle on the digestive system. How ever as everyone is different it is trial and error. The low Fodmaps diet allows you to abstain from firstly high Fodmaps and then to add back in certain categories one at a time to see which ones affect you more than others. Have a look on the Monash university website as that is where all the research was done and is still an ongoing project for them. Good luck. By the way your whey is lactose and any medication is possibly in pill containing lactose. Oatly milk does not contain gum
I have been researching using Sue Shepherd and Monash since I began five weeks ago, so am getting a fairly good grasp on what is FODMAP and what is low. I thought I'd eliminated it all, but still react, so yet to find underlying culprits... though am wondering whether my digestive system is still reacting to two double-dose periods of antibiotics starting about 5 weeks ago as well :/
Do you mean pills as in the digestive enzyme and IBS probiotic? (the latter is lactose- (all FODMAP in fact due to its purpose) free, and former contains lactase as a lactose-digesting enzyme, therefore safe for lactose intolerance).
Do you think raw eggs in general in Nutriblast are potentially bad news, or just those in packaged form (though these are free from anything else, and expire within a few days of opening, so I doubt they are anything but the white)..??
Sorry for all the questions.. tell me to stop if you like, or refer me on!
The response seems to be entirely related to food. My own flare ups come with my state of mind - anxiety and stress. Have you discussed with your doctor the use of medication such as mebevrine,or baclofen. There is also amitriptelene - a mild anti depressant. I have recently used buscopan which you buy without prescription, and found it helpful in reducing the severity of an attack.
If you think you have an issue with gluten, then it's possible you also have an issue with dairy (specifically the protein part - casein). Something like 50% of people who are gluten sensitive cross-react with casein in dairy foods. If the FODMAPs diet has not worked after 5 weeks, then clearly something else is causing your symptoms. You could try eliminating dairy and see if this has any effect. That would include fermented yogurts made from cow's milk and whey protein, but not eggs. Sheep's or goat's milk / yogurt would be OK as the proteins are different. If you find eliminating dairy helps, then you may find a Paleo type diet might work better for you.
I'm vegetarian, other than seafood, so paleo may limit me too much. However I have already eliminated all dairy (including non-cow's milks). I find it strange that proteins that I had so much of last year can, in the past few months, cause so much pain and discomfort (and, for me, embarrassment in my body shape )
I understand what you mean. It can be SO disappointing when you have tried and tried and things still go kaput. I think for most of us its an endless case of hit and miss,while trying to pinpoint the causes of our symptoms.
You don't say what symptoms you have.Mine is chronic diarrhea,day and night.Huge bloating,so I know what you mean. I try anything and everything. So far nothing has been the fantastic cue I hope for but Ill keep looking and trying.
I could NEVER eat raw veg(or cooked,come to that!) or most fruits.
Have you seen a nutritionist or a gastro specialist?
Mostly - bloat, painful distension, combined diarrhoea and constipation and never feeling like I can rid myself entirely. "Mocous" asI have seen it written on herr.. and tired on my worst days
I've avoided all corn (including maltodextrin and maize as added in so many things) for about a year as I'd started pinpointing additives then that were affecting me
A really good probiotic might help - especiallyas you've been on antibiotics - I find VSL3 the best - it is expensive but might be worth a try even if only for a short time. good luck
I found the FODMAP diet helped but still had some diarrhoea when I started it. Not eating spelt bread (which is allowed) helped. After 6 months I was largely stable and I reintroduced lactose, which I seemed to tolerate. 3 weeks later I've had to reintroduce wheat, as I'm going for an endoscopy and biopsy to test for celiac disease. My reaction to that was pretty violent - 3 days of headache, lots of gas and cramps, lots of mucous initially, followed by mild diarrhoea since. Onions and garlic have a similar effect on me when I've tried them. This makes me think that I have a few severe trigger foods, but once my system deteriorates, a lot more foods are problematic. Like others I think the paleo diet is probably a good bet. Maybe you should review your vegetarian diet as I think it's difficult to get what you need from a low FODMAP diet and probably a diminished nutrition absorption from the food you do eat.
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How much food have you had to eliminate from your diet? 
IBS C - hard dry stools 
English low fodmaps or Australian low fodmaps diet
Bloating and peppermint capsules
