So just over a week ago I tried 6 blueberries. The evening I had my usual food which doesn't usually cause symptoms to be bad. Next morning, bm results not good. I guessed it was the blueberries. I tried again a few days later. 7 this time, just because 7 fell out of the bag when I tipped it. I didn't think one extra blueberry would be any problem.
Next morning bad bm again.
Gut otherwise (minus fruit experiment) steady-ish but not 100%.
So yesterday I tried literally one and a half inches of a greeny yellow-ish but not too green banana (low Fodmap -right?)
Happy belly all day. Ate dinner -usual foods that suit me. No problems really except a slight heavy feeling about 10pm in lower left tummy. Slight distension but not much.
Got a better sleep than lately 7 hours. When I woke up I felt fine. It was only after getting up 10 minutes later BAD flare up. Literally diarrheah. And I felt so awful, shaky, queasy, scary, weak, trembling. The day was horrible.
Last night all the foods I ate were my usual friendly ones. The only unusual thing was that tiny bite of banana!
My body is treating fruit as if it were poison.
I can't see it being fructose intolerance because honey is friendly to my gut, and I can eat as much of it as I like with never any bad effects.
So what else? Fibre? How does one and a half inches of banana contain MORE fibre than my usual vegetables at dinner ? (often 3 portions sometimes two) Or brown rice??
I am really struggling with even tiny amounts of fruit and I don't know why.
Can anyone shed any light on this?
A year or so ago I could eat some fruit okay. Small ish amounts but OK.
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Luisa22
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That is interesting because blueberries and bananas are both fodmap friendly. I eat both every day as there are not too many other fruits I can tolerate. I can also eat strawberries and pineapples. Have you tested those? Was there anything else different about the day---i.e. extra stress, less water or exercise, etc.?
The only things different about the day were the pouring rain, bleak skies, and I slept better than I have done for a few days. Plus I felt like crying.
It seems that with me, even a thing being low Fodmap doesn't always guarantee I will be able to eat it. There are other low Fodmaps that don't suit me. Weird, because I remember last year and a bit before, being able to eat one portion of fruit (usually a bit of chopped banana and a few blueberries. I could also eat peeled grapes before, and stewed apple. I even tried a small peeled pear one day I remember and it was fine, until the third time I tried it.
I can't eat strawberries or raspberries either and haven't tried pineapple because I'm not really keen on it.
Sorry you are going through this. With IBS you dont really know what to expect. Its just so frustrating what happens with this disease. One day everything is fine but the next changes even though everything is the same. Why does this happen? I would like to know. Doctors dont have an answer, at least for me. Its just how it is. They say its the stress but really am I that worry. Hope everything goes well and that your symptoms minimize.
Every time I read a new post on here it's like reading my own messages.Until I joined this forum I never realised there were so many others with the same symtoms.
We all seem to be searching for the same answers but there doesn't seem to be one answer to all the problems.
But reading other people's problems really helps and I'm so grateful to everyone who posts. I hope someone comes up with a solution one day but it the mean time Thank you for sharing.
Sorry I can’t shed any light as to why the banana affected your BM. But I can reassure you you’re not on your own as I too can’t eat bananas as they send me to the toilet. Sometimes it can be almost immediately after eating one!
sorry to hear that you are going through this Luisa22. IBS is a mystery. Years ago, I used to eat apples. I haven’t been able to have these for 15 years - why?? Sorry, I don’t have any answers, but I think our emotional states play a much greater part than we often realise.
Yes, my enotions felt a bit messed up yesterday for some unknown reason. Either it was a reaction to feeling unwell and disheartened, or it was an emotional downshift that started the bad belly. What comes first, the chicken or the egg?
I wonder if it is the berries or banana at all? Could it be certain vegetables or brown rice? I know I can eat most fruits except citrus, berries are no problem, I eat them every day and bananas. But brown rice or white rice I just cannot tolerate. I can only eat peas, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and carrots in small amounts. It's certainly very weird isn't it how we are all different as to what we can eat and what makes the IBS flare up. It's a real annoyance having to keep a close eye on every single thing. X
Yes, I see. But the night before I'd had simple usual foods that always suit me, and I only have brown rice sometimes. I am fine with rice, white and brown, but hadn't had that the night before. All the foods I usually eat have been through the security checks! lol! They always seem to check out okay. The re-introduction of fruits is something I want to do, but is almost always unsuccessful.
It's not always the night befores food that starts an IBS flare up, I've found it can be something I've eaten 2 days before and this is why it's so difficult to keep tabs on the foods. I used to try keeping a food diary years ago but I'm always so busy, I forget to do it 🥴 I wish I could eat rice but can't.
I love fruit and eat as much as I can. If you can eat pineapple, 🍍 it's one of the best as it has natural digestive enzymes, it's brilliant. It doesn't have to be a fresh one, tinned or frozen is just as good.
Recently I reintroduced myself to sweetcorn, after not able to eat it for years. I am able to eat just a small amount now and along with the pineapple mixed in with my other fruits and a bit of sweetcorn mixed in with a few peas or salad, I've been loads better lately. I can only put it down to that as nothing else has changed.
I must add though, that during winter, my symptoms are always worse and I'm always better from about March onwards. I wonder 🤔 if Vitamin D is coming into it too somewhere, or lack of it perhaps. I take a regular multivitamin but I wonder if it's enough of some vitamins. I also have to restrict Lactose and Wheat. For about 10 years, I couldn't eat cheese, then I tried Lactose Free and I can eat a little of that but have to watch the fat content. I bake my own bread so I know what goes into it. I think the shop bought bread is awful now 😔
We all have to work out what we can tolerate and hope for the best.
I think though that anxiety plays a huge part and I've been anxious ever since I can remember and I'm still the same now, it never goes away, I just have to live with it. The thing that keeps me going is, I love life, and I try to make the most of every day and not waste a single minute. I get out walking as much as I can and last year I started cycling which is just great.
Oh Luisa, do you eat Strawberries? I love them and can eat them and I eat them all year round eating the frozen ones through winter. I'm growing some fresh ones in a trough 🍓 I can only seem to eat carrots when I'm feeling good. Take care all 😘
I have to be careful with carrots too. Sometimes I can eat a good portion. I do like carrots very much, but they can "make me go", likewise beetroot (which I love.)
I find that as time goes on I'm able to tolerate fewer and fewer foodstuffs whatever they may be, particularly in the morning. I have to be careful what I eat before noon (it sounds like something from a fairy tale!) otherwise I will have a flare up. Bananas have become problematic, cereal likewise and I have a lactose intolerance.
I know! My issue is with vegetables. I have a problem with too many of them. I think there is more involved with food and IBS than just FODMAPs. I think the gut can react to a number of types of foods in a random manner. It regards random foods as not part of 'the self', but some kind of toxic substance which results in immune type responses. Much of this may be connected to the microbiome, but there will be other reasons. The microbiome shifts over time and is crafted by what you eat. I find that with some foods, it doesn't matter how slowly I introduce them and gradually increase over a long period of time to get my microbiome to adapt, there is no chance of my body ever accepting that food. Additionally, after my microbiome being mutilated by nutritional therapists incorrectly diagnosing me with SIBO, I have no longer been able to eat low FODMAP root vegetables, which I used to be able to eat all the time. This will be down to a change in microbiome.
What I find really frustrating is that this is probably the NUMBER ONE problem of IBS sufferers i.e. random foods causing symptoms, so you have to tailor your diet (which then doesn't help IBS in the long run). I'm sure that EVERY IBS sufferer would like to be able to eat a much broader range of foods and certainly more in line with those that don't suffer from IBS. When I saw the GUTS charity were working on a list of items to concentrate their IBS research into, not ONE of the top TEN in their priority list mentioned food in the title, apart from one that mentioned which diet is best for IBS - when all an IBS sufferer wants is to the able to eat a normal diet, not a special diet and for their food reactions to be fixed.
For anyone who's interested here's the research list:
I absolutely hear you about that xjrs!. I am determined to increase my range of foods back to at least very close to what I used to eat a few years ago. Every now and then I have a try at it. I have some successes. But fruit (like your root veggies) remain a fail at the moment. I remember you once said something about getting the microbiome to accept a food by eating tiny amounts. I may re-attempt maybe next week, with 3 blueberries, and just one slice of banana.
My problem with that is practical. I live alone and the only choice of green bananas which would soon ripen, was a bunch of 5 with my grocery order. I put them in the fridge to slow them down. So if I eat one slice of banana twice a week, that's a slow way of eating them, and most will become inedible in 4 weeks! I have this thing about wasting food. It's one of my demons while I have IBS.
Yes, it is so difficult trying to eat in small quantities without waste or end up throwing something out because you've given up on it. I try to freeze foods where I can, but for some foods, this isn't always possible. Ocado does bags of frozen banana pieces - I'm wondering if you could cut them up and try freezing them yourself?
Thank for that, xjrs ! I had no idea that frozen bananas were a thing. I might try it. I hate wasting food. Long time way of feeling about food. It has always been precious.
I already do freeze a lot of veg. I also have some organic kale growing in the garden, which will be mostly destined for the freezer in a few weeks.
I have a problem with blueberries. I can have a small portion, but any more than that and I get symptoms every time. The whole thing is individual and you just need to listen to your body and work out what is right for you. Good luck with it!
Hope you feel better today Luisa. I have come to the conclusion the food we eat is not always to blame,unless we over indulge, which I know you haven't.
My tummy seems to have a mind of it's own at times no matter how careful I am.
Sorry I can't suggest anything to help, but thinking about you and hope you have a better day today.
Aw Pollyboo, thank you, Apart from being tired from no way enough sleep I am fine today! I could say even perfect (fingers crossed) I hope the same for you too.
I am fine with a few blueberries, and small piece of banana, but apparently it depends on whether the banana is ripe or green. Unripe ones are better if you have diarrhoea, ripe ones if you have constipation
Yes, I heard the same too. That seems to be the way it works with bananas and guts. The one odd thing was I ate a piece of green-ish banana and GOT diarrheah from it. Too weird for my liking
The whole gut is a mystery! Good results have been obtained with the introduction of a healthy biome's good bacteria "(in the form of introducing a treated healthy gut poo into the patients' bowel), so whoever is treating you, for your IBS, perhaps suggest this? I have no idea how or when or where, but if I suffered as you are, I'd want to explore all avenues as it were!! Good luck!
Fecal transplants. Yes, I have read about that. I am at the point where I don't know what to make of it to be honest, and have this weird feeling about doing it myself. Maybe just a squeamish emotional thing...Not sure
My husband has EPI with SIBO. SIBO ( small intestinal bacteria overgrowth) makes it where he can not eat ANY fruits or vegetables. He can not have any seasoning like garlic and onion. Unless he is on antibiotics!
Unfortunately for my husband, he went undiagnosed for over 30 years for the EPI, he is now looking at a long term therapy program for the SIBO..😔
When I say he can’t eat the items, I mean when he does it is like food poisoning, until the item is completely gone out of his system; he continues to get sick, both ends.
Not sure if this will help; but like others on here, any information is better than none.
I am sorry what happens to your husband. That must be awful for him to not be able to eat either fruits or vegetables without feeling as if he has food poisoning. I am ok with veggies, it seems to be just fruits at the present time, but I could eat a bit of fruit not so long ago. The only one "fruit" I seem ok with is small to moderate amounts of avocado.
I don't get literally sick when I have a flare just do feel a bit queasy but that's from what's happening at the other end I think, plus possibly loss of electrolytes and a bit of a shocked feeling.
Has your husband tried any herbal protocol for the SIBO? I am not sure what EPI is...
I have heard that a herbal combination can help that a lot and can be more effective than antibiotics.
Hi Luisa22. I too have had that shaky, trembling and dizzy reaction after a bout of diarrhoea. I think it may be a vasovagal syncope (fainting) episode which I read about on this site and, in my case, is likely caused by my vomiting phobia. I think the blood pressure drops causing the symptoms and can be due to the emotional stress. I hope this makes you feel better about it. I read that the solution is to keep flexing and relaxing your leg muscles to stop the blood pooling and get your circulation moving. I haven't suffered another episode since so I've not been able to test this. Ps I'm wary of anything with skins such as blueberries, grapes, tomatoes, beans etc. but am much improved since the menopause. Best wishes
That's interesting, and might be why I often feel a little bit better if I move around outside even in a flare up. I have to take the skins off everything too as a regular thing. I even have to peel asparagus which is a very slow procedure. I am glad you are feeling a bit better since the menopause.
That's interesting you say youve been better since the menopause. All my IBS symptoms started when I started the menopause when I was about 50, I'm through it now I think but have been having IBS symptoms for 15 years. I still get sweats but not as many and I'm convinced the sweats are due to the IBS. They are different sweats to the menopause ones.
I'm the opposite to Luisa22 who has bother with fruit but can eat veggies. I have trouble with vegetables but can eat fruit except citrus, but do have to peel skins off. I could probably eat grapes but I don't as I can't be bothered peeling them 😄 I eat a banana a day but it must be ripe but not over ripe, plus berries, apples etc
I've no idea why mine started at the time of the menopause, but I swear it did. I've always had a good diet, not eaten meat for 40 years and could eat any vegetable put in front of me. I've always kept fit and don't drink or smoke. That must sound boring to some people, but I value my health too much to be influenced and like you have had a vomiting phobia since childhood. Now though, I have to restrict a lot of foods and have cut some out altogether. I swear by a good Probiotic every day and milk thistle seems to help me. I've not had a bout of Diarrhea for about 8 weeks now. A couple of months ago, I did a charcoal cleanse for five days. Taking nothing but charcoal, so obviously, if anyone's taking medication, you can't take charcoal at the same time but have to leave 2 hours in between. I cut out all my supplements except my probiotic and multivitamin which I took at different time. After I'd finished the charcoal cleanse I can't explain it, but I'm sure it helped. I still get IBS flare ups but not as many as I was getting and they never seem as bad. Not sure if the charcoal did any good but it's supposed to absorb toxins and stuff. I used to get a lot of mucus in bowel movements but I don't get it anywhere near as much now.
All these things are trial and error and everyone is different. I feel great when I'm well, but when it starts, I feel depressed and get palpitations, anxiety I'm sure. I get queazy too and am terrified of being sick, I never am and it passes, but I hate it. 😔
I used to have issues with bananas, especially if they were slightly under-ripe, but as long as I eat the ripened ones, I have no problems - I did read that although greener bananas are good for your digestive system there are a lot of people who can't digest them. I do tend to stick to the smaller bananas (the ones they package for children) and that seems to work better.
Oh right...that's worth a thought. Even though bananas slightly underripe are supposed to be low Fodmap, that doesn't apply to all of us. To be honest, I prefer the flavour when they are a bit greener, but I really prefer gut friendly!
What amazes me is that we are all diagnosed with the identical condition -- IBS, but what each individual person can eat can be so different from other people. I can eat as many blueberries as I want, and I have at least half a cup every day, but I get very badly affected by even one bite of avocado. My gastroenterologist mentioned that IBS seems to her to be becoming more widespread. x
Apart from the big red flag foods (chickpeas, sweetcorn, cabbage etc), I have totally given up trying to make sense of my flare ups. I try not to eat the same evening meal two days running because sometimes I can tolerate a food one day but eating it again the next tips me over.
There is no rhyme or reason for the sudden attacks I've decided. My confidence takes a knock after a bad attack out of the blue, and I get very anxious. I could eliminate nearly everything and still have no answer. At the moment I'm trying Alflorex probiotics and I have to say they have made going to the loo a bit easier - but last night I was poleaxed by sudden stomach pains quite high up. They lasted a couple of hours and then I was fine but when it starts I never know if it's going to go fairly quickly, or leave me in a state for days. It's so random! Today I don't feel great - bloated and nauseous. Sometimes I cry because I am SO fed up with it! x
Binks, I am so sorry and feel for you because I get the same feelings at times. I'm sorry you had those stomach pains. I wonder if it could have been trapped wind? That can really hurt. I know what you mean about whether a thing will just pass off, or get worse and bother you for days or more. I am exactly the same. My usual history is I get phases of ups and phases of downs, but I can get worried if a bad phase will just "set in" and never go. That's not happened before, but it's like anything can happen with IBS.
I agree with you about foods. I have been eating all my safe foods since Saturday and on low residue foods basically. Saturday was horrible, Sunday was oddly normal and ok for no apparent reason, Yesterday gut upset again, and today. Same foods, no stress, nothing different except rain and thunder, and one day IBS bad, the next fine??
Honestly, that could be me. I get very worried when it's a major flare up, that it's not going to go away - I know exactly what you mean. I don't understand why gurgling and churning wind in my abdomen starts up for no reason - sometimes in the middle of the afternoon and not after food. Sometimes it hurts, other times it's just a horrible feeling which makes me feel a bit sick. Yesterday evening it started as soon as I'd eaten and lasted 2 hours (of excruciating pain and churning but no C or D). The night was fine - so was this morning and then wham again this afternoon. One of the symptoms for me is the tiredness. I read that it gets better with age but I'm 63 and since the menopause it's got steadily worse! x
Yes I got that gurgling thing one night, maybe Sunday (?) after I'd felt a lot better all day. It started as I was getting ready for bed, all of a sudden. It made me so uneasy and a bit scary because I didn't know what might happen next. I couldn't relax and lie down in bed. I had to get up and drink some peppermint tea, and couldn't sleep till 4am because of it after I had come to the conclusion nothing more dramatic was going to happen
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Eat plain? Low FODMAP? High Fat Low Carb? Veggie???? What diet changes have helped you with your IBS-D?
How to end a flare up?
Really struggling and confused - please help.
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