New to world of IBS - How do you balance your diet and still enjoy life?

[Nomorewheat]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this network and I look forward to sharing experiences with my fellow community😀

I have always loved bread, especially craft-baked / slow fermented / sourdough types but have moved away from even these until I better understand the gremlin in my gut 👿

Before IBS said "Hello" my diet along with my wife was what I consider "healthy" freshly cooked, lots of fruit and veg, pasta, rice and potatoes. On the "naughty" side low alcohol consumption and very infrequent "ready meals" or eating out. It still is the same but without the gluten, but still contains other potential IBS triggers.

I first pointed the finger at gluten sometime in 2023 and my GP ruled out coeliac disease and other nasties based on blood tests and not the use of intrusive cameras. Personally I keep an open mind but I believe my IBS is "real" and not other potential problems.

I now believe that other things could trigger or contribute to my IBS episodes.

I have not yet gone down the route of an elimination diet but have today (22/1/24) started a symptom diary. This follows my recent episode this weekend, IBS-D followed by IBS-C when I took 2mg of oral dispersible loparamide hydrochloride (20/1/24). Things appear to be more of less back to "normal" today 😊

I believe onions might be a culprit 😝.

What is peoples' experience of onions?

Even more important, as a 3 mugs / day guy, what is peoples' experience with coffee?

Any thoughts, especially regarding coffee?

Take care and enjoy life!

Nomorewheat

PS Anyone tried the sourdough spelt bread recipe on the IBS Network website? During lockdown, I developed a love - hate relationship when I tried to make sourdough 🙄

[Linley]

Hi and welcome, well you seem to be on the right track if you def have ruled out celiac. My friend had a Gastroscope as blood test was inconclusive, and it def proved she needs to be gluten free. Coffee and onions are not good for me but as the saying goes 'one man's meat is another's poison. Carrying on with your food diary as your body will tell you all. Good luck

[Johny334]

hi and welcome

What you wrote is virtually my story & my symptoms ! The only difference I have just finished the elimination diet, very successful but very limiting, I’m in the process of reintroducing now , todays new food sour dough bread! ( I’ve missed bread the most !) we used to love going out to dinner but at the moment just not worth the upset for the next day , do you still go out to restaurants? And have you went gluten free?

My symptoms are definitely food related/ triggered, I’m not saying I don’t get anxious when my stomach is in a flare up but it’s definitely food first ( the trigger)

I’ve learned so much this last year what I thought were triggers weren’t and

vice versa !

I seem to be ok with onions, I think broadly there are problem foods but I’ve come to realise everyone has there own triggers/ tolerances

Take care

[Nomorewheat in reply to Johny334]

Thanks Johnny334. As a general rule when eating at home and outside, I follow "gluten free" and moderation in everything else that I think can be a trigger. I miss my Indian meals crammed with onions, spice and with a big fluffy, fresh Naan bread! Wishing you good health and to enjoy life!

[Luisa22]

Balancing my diet is just something I have got used to for over 4 years now. Basically my IBS is triggered by fibre at its worst times. But because it's also whimsical in the way it comes and goes, there are times I can eat more fibre and be fine. So my diet is based on balancing the fibre in my diet on a daily basis. Sometimes I need more binding foods, and sometimes I don't.

I don't have any particular food-group intolerances or other health conditions where diet plays a part.

[Nomorewheat in reply to Luisa22]

Thanks Luisa22. Thanks for your comments and I agree with the "balancing act"! Wishing you good health and to enjoy life!

[Bettyboopster]

Hi NomorewheatI have had IBS-D for 16 years now & have had to take multiple medications three times a day including loperamide to slow things down so that I can "live" with this and reduce my bowel movements. Onions are definitely one of my triggers. I found out a long time ago that fibre is also one of my big triggers. I have done the elimination diet and learnt a few more things. It doesn't help that I need to lose weight but cannot eat the brown bread, pasta & rice as recommended and have to stick to all white. Stodgey food is my saviour for my IBS but not my weight. I like vegetables and love fruit but have to limit it and know which ones I need to avoid. Everyone is different and unfortunately its a process of elimination. In regards to coffee it's something I don't like but I am a big tea drinker and switched to decaff many years ago. I also found reducing my lactose intake helped and I use soya milk also. You will work out what to avoid. As mentioned by others eating out can be difficult and it may come across your fussy when ordering but I find saying I have intolerances helps when asking to swap certain foods. I do get frustrated with it all but try my best to get on with life the best I can. The medical teams insist it's IBS and basically indicated that I just have to manage it.

[Nomorewheat in reply to Bettyboopster]

Thanks Bettyboopster! I can see so many similarities in what you say, although I have not yet gone down the elimination diet route. Having lost over 2st on a managed weight reduction programme (for other health reasons) I find the IBS way of life much more restrictive and am worried that the lbs will creep back. Oh and I do love fruit! Wishing you good health and to enjoy life!

[Luisa22 in reply to Bettyboopster]

I am the same with fibre. I can eat some and have about 3 portions of vegetables each day, but generally I have to eat "white" rather than brown or wholegrain anything. Sometimes my IBS switches to "normal" and occasionally, very mildly constipated. At those times I can eat brown rice and wholegrain bread! And some root veg.

[Edgar77]

Please bare in mind that you may not be celiac, but some people are wheat intolerant. So only in moderation. Lactose is a very common intolerance. Have you tried decaffeinated coffee? I can tolerate onions in small amounts and not 2 days in a row.

[Nomorewheat in reply to Edgar77]

Thanks Edgar77. I am sure it is wheat intolerance I have. I drink much less coffee than the 3 / day I used to an now I am using decaff for at least 1 of these. Thanks, wishing you good health and to enjoy life!

[BabsyWabsy]

Welcome Nomorewheat. I have a wheat allergy, which took some years to formally diagnose. It manifests as extreme D, and can wipe me out for a week. I have learned to manage it most of the time, but eating out can be a bit of a minefield. Although officially, I am not coeliac, (I have a slight antibody reaction but it doesn't meet diagnostic criteria) I find the coeliac app 'Find Me Gluten Free' is a good start for finding safe places to eat. Like you, I cannot tolerate coffee, but I'm OK with onions in moderation. I made the mistake of having home made French onion soup a little while ago (glut of onions) and that was sadly too much for my gut. You will find that this is a supportive and knowledgeable group.

[Nomorewheat in reply to BabsyWabsy]

Hi BabsyWabsy, Thanks for your comments and support. I suspect like you I am similar with respect to onions! I will look at the "Find Me Gluten Free" app. Thanks, wishing you good health and to enjoy life!

[Luisa22 in reply to BabsyWabsy]

One of my ambitions is to be able to eat onions again...or leeks, or garlic. So far I cannot go near anything like that and even chives (low Fodmap!!) don't suit me. No idea why. Food tastes so nice with onions or garlic in the recipes.

[BabsyWabsy in reply to Luisa22]

Have you tried asafoetida? Sometimes used in curries instead of onions.

[Nomorewheat in reply to BabsyWabsy]

We often make Indian food but have not yet used asafoetida but it is on my hit list😉

[Luisa22 in reply to BabsyWabsy]

No I haven't. Maybe I should try it. It is recommended on the low Fodmap diet I think.

[debb13]

Hi, I'm also an IBS-D sufferer so can relate.If I have to go out, the anxiety cycle begins. I have been unable to go abroad due to my IBS as even getting on the tube will set my IBS-D off.

As a precautionary measure I take one dose anti diarrhoeal ~1hr before I travel to give me reassurance.

Food wise I kept a diary, you'll be surprised when the process

Not everyone is the same, yet all look at Gluten but don't mention giving up Lactose.

[Nomorewheat in reply to debb13]

I drink very little milk (GF breakfast cereal only) and have always drunk black tea and coffee. Only cheese I eat is mozzarella and only very rarely. Also don't eat yoghurt (only in curries but not always), fromage frais or any other dairy products. I am pretty sure lactose is not a trigger for me!