Low fodmap diet

[SKWEKER]

Hi looking for advice from all you fellow sufferers out there. I've been on the low fodmap diet for just over 2 weeks. I have a book and the monash app., no gp/dietician advice. I'm doing it dairy free and also avoiding gluten. I'm trying to persevere and stay positive about it, but still experiencing all the problems, bloating, pain, nowhere near regular, feeling unfinished and 'dodgy'. I'm now wondering if the gluten free bread and pasta can cause more problems than they help? I'd struggle to find food if I can't eat bread, I have rice crispies for breakfast with almond milk, I make oat flapjacks with dairy free butter, I have either potatoes, rice or pasta with chicken /tuna or other meat at dinner and gluten free toast at lunch. So for the long post it's so exhausting trying to keep positive that this diet might help.

[Smeese]

The diet will help your digestion and gradually clear the undigested residue in your gut which is feeding all the wrong bacteria. The gluten free products, especially the breads are not usually low fodmap - the pasta is better as it has less ingredients to worry about. I do have the Schar white gluten free bread but only occasionally. I do better on potatoes and starchy vegetables. The other problem is that most gluten free is very low in solube fibre - you may need to take some milled flaxseed or psyllium husk to help clear your gut and vegetables, salad and more water will help. It rather depends on whether you have sibo (too much bacteria) or not but a probiotic will often help - I use Biokult and change it around sometimes. Some people do okay with non-dairy kefir, yogurts and sauerkraut to repopulate their gut with 'good' bacteria. I'd try and get some more proteins (eggs? fish other than tuna? different meat but not processed) and some more vegetables into your diet as what you are having doesn't sound nutritionally the best for your general health. Go through your diet lists and focus on what you CAN have - find some new options which make you happy

[SKWEKER in reply to Smeese]

Thanks for the reply, I have a probiotic every morning, just acidophilus from Holland and Barrett. I might try the alflorex. I try to eat veg every day, carrots/spinach /cucumber. I eat fresh pineapple or strawberries once a day with ground linseed. It's difficult to come up with a lunch, which is why I have the bread usually with peanut butter!I might look into the Kings college app, but lots of people on here swear by the monash one. I know you'll all understand the fear of trying new foods incase it further upsets the stomach!

[Smeese in reply to SKWEKER]

I'd strongly advise finding a pracitioner to help you out in finding the diet - I think sometimes we can't do right for doing wrong - my own nutritionist was really good at tailoring to my specific needs and finding a nutritionally sustainable way through the maze. I wish you well.

[Tomuch in reply to SKWEKER]

I use both apps as they both have their merits. The monash for quantities and kings for the bar code scanner.

[IBSgraduate]

I agree that you should try adding in a probiotic and its important to choose one that has been well studied. Alflorex is now very widely used but I'd suggest you don't buy it in Boots. Its less expensive to buy on their website at precisionbiotics.com + they have a support programme to help you. You can also buy it through the IBS Network shop

[Hidden]

I did low fodmap unaided other than with the Monash app and I found dairy was a definite problem but otherwise on exclusion I never got to a point where my symptoms were controlled. I've reluctantly come to the conclusion I'm going to have to pay for help and have booked an appointment with a gastrointestinal dietitian.

Apparently there are many high fodmaps in lots of gluten free bread. There are Facebook groups for low fodmap and they will be able to tell you which g/f products are also low fodmap, as g/f doesn't equal low fodmap just to make things difficult!

I was also told by an NHS dietitian that in the UK they use the king's college London low fodmap app as it is UK based. I did find Monash had a lot of products listed that were unobtainable here and nothing about products that were so bear in mind if you are in the UK.

Hth a little and good luck!

[IBSNetwork Partner IBS Network]

A FODMAP diet is second line advice and should not be embarked on as a first port of call for managing IBS symptoms there are many other things that can be tried first.

Dietitians are the only practitioners with training and up to date information about the low FODMAP diet, we don’t publish a list of foods as the diet should be completed under the supervision of a dietician. It isn’t just about food groups it’s about the amount of each food and the amount of each food that is put together within a meal.

The diet is complex and it is vital that the foods removed from a person’s diet are replaced with suitable alternatives to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

We recommend that people are cautious of obtaining information via the internet, much of the information on the internet is no longer accurate because it’s out of date.

Monash the creators of the diet provide data that is evidence-based, it’s been peer reviewed and published in major journals around the world so it can be trusted.

Hence to obtain good results and maintain a healthy balanced diet it is advisable to ask your IBS specialist or GP for a referral to a trained dietitian who will use the latest information. With that in mind, be very careful from where you obtain your information and FODMAP food lists as much is out-of-date or just simply incorrect.

[Tomuch in reply to IBSNetwork]

I agree that you need a dietician. I was suffering so much pain that I started without one because I couldn't bear the thought of another flare up.Since having support from a dietician it's been so much better and vital for the reintroduction stage.

[Travelling]

Hi Skweker, I’m sorry you are still having symptoms despite your efforts.

Strangely, I’m about to start the fodmap diet but with the guidance of the gastric team dietician.

I’d like to mention a few things that I noticed in your post.

I need to be Gluten free now due to marked gut symptoms and also asthma flare from gluten. This has only been in the last 18 months and I have struggled with finding GF foods that suit me

Many contain lots of soya and this causes me to be gassy and bloated with sharp pain.

Maybe this is something to think about?

I am also unsure whether I need to be dairy free or low dairy… I also have rice crispies and almond milk for breakfast… !

I am good with oats and rice but only white as I avoid fibre as I get lots of diarrhoea and this triggers it.

I react to small quantities of strawberry and other soft fruits- one or two strawberries can set off my symptoms markedly.

The specialist nurse practitioner I see at Prof Whorwell’s clinic here at Wythenshawe ( he’s THE expert on IBS) has warned me against using probiotics unless it’s specific ones.

I react very badly to them and avoid now.

I eat small quantities of salad and veg ( a half portion or so) but can’t do so on consecutive days.

The emphasis from the gastric team is that each person is different and you have to listen to and watch your own reaction to various foods.

Presently my symptoms are bad and I am using paracetamol and buscopan as advised to manage them.

Stress also plays a large part in symptom flaring and I advise you also work on proactively making time for stress control. Do things that you know relax you and make time for them every day.

I agree that you need dietary guidance from a qualified dietician and your GP can refer you if needed.

Good luck and maybe ease off on the diet and stick to foods you know you can handle.

[Fodmap1 in reply to Travelling]

Wish I could see Prof Whorwell !

[Breathless1943 in reply to Fodmap1]

He’s retired.

[Jane_T1D_IBS-D]

I agree with the Admin's view - starting the FODMAP diet under a dietician's advice is essential. My GP referred me to a dietician very easily and she asked me all sorts of questions about my bowel movements and symptoms before deciding which FODMAP groups I should eliminate. Just cutting out the gluten and dairy ones may not be the right ones for you, which may be why you're still having the symptoms. I've found the Monash app very helpful, but you definitely need to start off with a dietician.

[Bloodysick]

Hi I started the fodmap diet 5 weeks ago just from the IBS network list ( very limited) but it’s what my GP advised. I was furious so stuck to it religiously so when I went back to Gp she would see it hadn’t helped, however within a few days couldn’t believe the improvement so have stuck to it since ( I’m a convert) I’ve just ate very simply such as porridge, almond milk & maple syrup for breakfast. Cheese omelette for lunch, rice cakes with pure peanut butter for a snack, chicken, pork, steak or ham with new potatoes, white rice or chips and only small amount of lettuce, tomato & cucumber or carrot, turnip & green beans. 3 x80gram portions of fruit a day (kiwi, raspberries, strawberries or pineapple) also taking ground linseeds each day. I have now started reintroducing foods like banana, onion, peas. So far so good. I downloaded the monastic app but this confused me as it seemed contradictory to what GP advised. Good luck.

[SKWEKER in reply to Bloodysick]

Thanks for the reply, I'll have a look at the ibs network list. I'm starting to think the yeast in the gluten free bread might be an issue, who knows!