hello

[elandgarfield]

hi, i was diagnosed 6 months ago and it is torture. what really irritates me is taht they dont know what causes it. i have serious bloating and pain and im only 12. this results in bullying at school. i need to know what not to eat, can anyone help?

[runswithdogs]

What you can and cannot eat is different for everyone. The best way to figure out what your problems might be is an elimination diet. The one that helped me start to figure out my problems was the FODMAPS diet. I'd talk to your parents and doctor to see if something like this is appropriate, and do it under the supervision of a dietician.

What you can start now is writing a food and symptom diary. Write down everything you eat, any symptoms you have and what your poop looks like (diarrhea, constipation, etc. Look up the Bristol scale). This will help you notice trends over time and is a good thing to show the doctor.

And I'm really sorry about the bullying. Some people are real idiots, it sounds like these people aren't worth your time. If it continues, tell your parents and your teachers. Nobody deserves that.

[Hidden]

Hi there,

I would suggest asking your doctor for a breath test to see if you have Candida.

Candida is a condition you can get from an early age (4 or 5) if you are eating too many processed or rich sugary foods, and/or if you have been taking antibiotics.

It can essentially upset the levels of "good" and "bad" bacteria in your stomach and intestines and cause bad digestion, bloating and pain.

You may also find that you have some food intolerance. If there are foods you really don't feel like eating, it may be that they are the ones causing you problems.

The beginning of this article explains a bit more about food intolerance and what FODMAPS are (your parents might like to have a read too): sickofibs.com/ibs-triggers/...

Bullying is nasty. Bullies often like to get a reaction from their victims, and by attacking they are protecting themselves. Some bullies are having problems at home that are stirring up nastiness, or feel very vulnerable themselves. If you can stand up to your bullies and show you don't care (even if you do), and even point out their physical defects, they will probably leave you alone.

This article gives some good advice on how to handle different kinds of bullying at school: wikihow.com/Handle-a-High-S...

If you can't deal with them, do go and get help from a teacher you like, or one of the dinner ladies, or even an older pupil that you know. You are not at school to get bullied, but to be respected.

Hope this helps you,

Alison