How can I put on weight since a flare on the FOD Map diet.

[fodder4me]

HELP!! FOD Diet and weight loss. Hoping someone out there can help me. I have been on the FOD map diet for about 4-5 years. When I have a flare now I loose weight. I had a bad flare back in Aug/Sept for about 8 weeks! I could not work out what was upsetting me. Finally as a last resort I took myself off the protein supplement that the dietician recommended (Sustagen - Nestle). I had been on this since April this year. My symptoms cleared in about 3-4 days. Now that I cannot take that supplement can anyone recommend something I can take. That is based on whey power so assume that anything milk based will upset me. I can tolerate low fat milk in small amounts but it does seem that dairy maybe now on the bad list. I have lost 5 kilos and on a small frame I am looking skinny.!! Anyone else been through this. I cannot get into my dietician till late December. I need to get on as I don't want to loose more weight. I eat a healthy FOD diet and cook all my own food. I am in Australia so please be mindful that I may not be able to source somethings here. Any suggestions welcome....

[ClareLou]

When a I did the FODMAP diet I did it with a dietitian. They explained to me that it should only be done short term as it’s not designed to do long term as it eliminates so many types of food. Have you ever done the second phase of the diet called the challenge phase? The second phase is where you start to put foods back into your diet in a controlled way so you can see which foods you react to. If you haven’t done this part yet talk to your dietitian about doing this. If you have done the second phase i often find that i have accidentally ate one of the foods that i am intolerant to. Check the ingredients as manufacturers can change things. The second thing I find can cause a flair up is how I am feeling as stress is another trigger for me.

I hope this helps and you find something that works for you

[fodder4me in reply to ClareLou]

Thanks ClareLou I have tried to reintroduce foods but it hasn't really worked. One food very slowly etc. I just get flares. I have been through this with the dietician. I can have small amounts of some things but not enough to really make a difference. I have an extremely sensitive gut. One does have to be careful with labeling as one wrong ingredient can have such an effect. I will talk to the dietician (telecall) about it again when we next talk thou.

Stress is a factor for me also and I will in the next month or so, be having a gastroscopy and colonoscopy and I am anxious about them already. I have never been officially, if you can be, diagnosed with IBS. I am now talking to a gastroenterologist who has ordered lots of tests. The bowel sample test showed blood in one of the tests. (1/3). So the invasive tests have been brought forward. I am anxious about the awful tasting prep can I get it down, and stay down, the loo and what if they have a problem with the probes!! Max stress!

Thankyou for your advice. Good Luck with your journey also.

[Batteria]

Calm down first of all. Be your own dietician. Any pharmaceutical or supplement will be obtainable in Australia. It will have a different name but your pharmacist will be familiar with the equivalent. You can buy lactase tablets which will kill the lactose in dairy products. I started taking it decades ago and never had any more problems with milk. Plain yoghurt is very healing and so is kefir. Complan is very good for putting on weight. There are some drinks designed for weight gain. Check them out. Also check out fermented and pickled food in jars. Medics are beginning to realise that fresh is not always best for the gut. I used to be skinny and I did not like it. My sisters would not sleep with me because my knees and elbows used to stick Into them and wake them up. Next time you visit the dentist talk to him or her about your gut. They are usually happy to spend two minutes talking about problems other than teeth. Use your brain. Leave no stone unturned. You owe it to yourself to have a good life. Con tanto amore Bx

[fodder4me in reply to Batteria]

Thanks Batteria, Yes I have learnt that I know what I can tolerate and what I cannot. The dietician has good advice but she doesn't go through what I go through. I buy lactose free milk, yoghurt and ice cream but since my last flare I am not tolerating them so well. I thought I would try kefir but that did not agree at all. There is kefir made from other things than milk so I have to look into that. Cannot do anything pickled or fermented really. Its a struggle!

I don't know Complan I will check that out. I am now having brown rice powder or hemp powder in my smoothie. It may boost me a little ??

Thank you for your advise, I do have a bit of anxiety going on at the moment as well which is probably not helping.

[naryshkin in reply to fodder4me]

I wasn't able to eat dairy-based products for years, even the lactose-free ones! I found relief in switching over to plant-based dairy subs, e.g. coconut-based kefirs, oat milk, oat-, coconut- or almond-based ice creams etc. Alpro, Ben & Jerry's, Magnum and Oatly have vegan ranges for instance. Several years later, I am able to stomach lactose-free feta and halloumi cheeses in smaller portions - an outlandish thought 3 years ago. I find soy-based products triggering though...

[fodder4me in reply to naryshkin]

Thanks naryshkin, I have some good options which I have not tried. Its still a journey of discovery!

[xjrs]

Have you tried any probiotics? I used to be low fodmap for years. Since taking Alflorex probiotic I am more tolerant of foods including fodmaps. The equivalent outside of the UK is Align:amazon.com.au/Align-Probiot...

Unfortunately this particular one is milk based but Alflorex isn't. I'm wondering if you'd get away with the small amount in the capsule. You can get Alflorex on amazon in Australia, but the one I found was extortionately priced compared to the cost in the UK.

[fodder4me in reply to xjrs]

Thanks xjrs I will look into it. I buy lactose free milk , ice cream and greek yoghurt and hard cheese.. But I can only tolerate them in small amounts. I am trying to stay with dairy but think I would probably feel better without it. My dietician has not suggested any tablets. Will run it all past her. They don't seem to talk tablets here.

Probiotics unfortunately, have not helped me and I have taken several different strains. Something will come up one day .. I hope.

Thankyou for answering and giving me some food for thought! You give lots of us good advice, I often read your replies. Very informative.

[xjrs in reply to fodder4me]

Thanks fodder4me. I have taken different probiotics over the years. They helped to an extent. Alflorex, however, changed my life. It has been scientifically studied for IBS and contains a very strong strain that is normally passed from the mother to the baby during a natural birth to prime the gut's immune system. Align contains the same strain. Good luck with finding something that works for you.

[casares8]

I have a similar problem. Very low weight and that was before trying fodmap. Worse with regular flares. Like you i am not very good with too much dairy, even yoghurt and dont think i could take complan. Also priobtics or fermented food - no good when you have a sensitive gut. I recently had a call with a dietician and told her the problem. She could only suggest eating lots of snacks, some high protein during the day. A little bit of cheese or meat, gluten free crackers, oat cakes and flapjacks etc. Just munch on snacks between meals to get more calories in. Nuts too if you can take them - i cant tolerate nuts unfortunately but they are full of protein.

[fodder4me in reply to casares8]

Thankyou casares8. Sounds as if we have the same problems. I have also always been low weight, I did go up a bit with menopause and seemed to retain it till my gut started rejecting certain foods. It was then that my Dr suggested the fod diet. I have felt so much better on it and have tried reintroducing foods but I get a flare so I go backwards. I looked up Complan but it is dairy based again. My dietician also said to make slices etc. I have recently purchased brown rice protein powder and hemp powder (1 1/2 teas of one) and I am putting them in smoothies but it is hard as I have to put a little milk in them and usually get bloating . I could use almond or rice milk etc. I haven't got to them as the consistency is off putting, but I do have a solution I guess. I can tolerate some nuts, but only a few at a time. If we want to feel well we have to try to keep eating a reasonable diet with as much variety as we can tolerate.

It is reassuring to read other peoples problems it makes you feel that you are not alone. I don't know where I would have been if I had not discovered this site by chance just searching the net. We do suffer a real medical condition. My friends think I am a fussy nut case but they are coming round as they hear more about IBS and other gut problems aired in the media. Good Luck with your journey and thank you again for your reply.