I'm at my wits end. My GP won't support the fodmap diet as its not recognised in the UK and I'm trying to do it in my own.

[Bibabunny]

I thought I'd start with reducing the candida in my stomach, another thing she won't support, and the information in the Internet is so contradictory. I'm not sure that I'm doing it right or when I can expect to feel any better. My GP thinks I'm neurotic and it's really knocked my confidence. But I'm finding it increasingly difficult to function during a bloat, it's like living in a fog and dragging my body around. And I'm just is tired. Ay advice for the candida diet?

[Hidden]

Hi,

Your GP is quite wrong, all NHS dietitians are currently in the process of doing a course on FODMAPs, mine completed hers about a month ago and she sends me printed info through the post as it becomes available.

The candida diet is only of use if you know for certain that it's present in your system and as your GP is right in that it isn't a recognised condition in the UK,you have to get a lab test done privately and the diet takes at least 4 - 6 months to take effect.

My advice to you is to try the FODMAPs diet as results are quite fast. Once you've got the correct info, it's easy enough to do on your own. When I started it, I was given the following details by another member of this network and made it work as she did. Here it is:

The FODMAPs diet cuts out 5 food groups (fructans, fructose, lactose, oligos and polyols). It’s essential that you follow it rigidly for at least 2 weeks and it’s also essential that you check the ingredients on everything you eat - all sorts of things creep into the most seemingly innocent of products.

If you've got a big improvement before, or by the end of, 2 – 3 weeks, you know that most, if not all, of your triggers are in one, some, or all of the banned foods. Once you’ve reached the point where your symptoms are just about non-existent, you can then 'challenge' each food group in turn by reintroducing it into your diet, taking careful note of the effects of doing so and, hopefully, reach some accurate conclusions.

This worked brilliantly for me, initially giving me 90% control over my symptoms. I found a few other triggers outside of the FODMAP groups (notably rice and oats), but these were easily identifiable once I’d solved the initial problem and I now have 98% control.

As there are a lot of very misleading and just plain wrong items on the web about FODMAPs, I suggest you follow this link: med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/... which takes you to Monash Uni in Australia where the diet was (and still is being) developed. There’s a lot of info on the site plus if you have an iPhone there’s an app you can download which is really useful especially when you're out shopping or in a restaurant. Secondly, read Patsy Catsos's book 'IBS - Free At Last' (available from Amazon) from cover-to-cover. It gives excellent guidance, food lists, recipes and a plan to follow.

If you'd still rather try an anti-candida diet first or if FODMAPs doesn't work for you, post again on this network and I can give you the info that I used when I did it.

[Bibabunny in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your advice Roz1485. I tried the fodmap diet and it worked until I had my period and that set off a flare up which has lasted over 2 weeks. So, i didn not really get the opportunity to try bringing food back in because I had another flare. Reading what others have posted, I thought that perhaps I should address the candida first, especially as that describes all the symptoms I have. And from what I read, that would explain why my hormones triggered another flare. I am just so confused about what to eat, and I am more hungry than usual and the bloat has not gone down (maybe expecting it to in 2 days was unrealistic!). Some websites say eat only steamed veg and only drink water for 2 weeks, others say cut out all yeast and sugar foods, but eat normally within this range. Also, most say give up dairy followed with eat lots of live yoghurt? But, thats dairy?! I am also taking digestive tablets, like aloe vera juice, caster oil, probiotics, garlic, and thats made me regular at least. But its the bloating and the fog brain which I want to tackle. Thanks for your advice, it is very much appreciated. I very much want to get this under some kind of control, because I want my life back.

[Hidden in reply to Bibabunny]

If you want a test for candida, the best site is at: candidatest.co.uk, their lab is in Germany and you get a choice of tests. I tested positive and did the diet before I knew about FODMAPs; it relieved me of about 30% of my original symptoms, but it took several months to get there. This is the diet I followed:

Remove all of the following from your diet:

Prescription and OTC painkillers

Sugar

Dairy (all of it, not just lactose-free)

Yeast

All fruit for first month then low-sugar fruits only

Caffeine

Fermented foodstuffs e.g. vinegars

Alcohol

Hope you find an answer soon.

[Bibabunny in reply to Hidden]

Brilliant, that makes sense. Also, it's not a quick win is it.I need to give it time. Thanks again.

[mrsbird2011]

try caster oil capsules x

[Bibabunny in reply to mrsbird2011]

Thanks, MrsBird2011, I am doing and what a difference!

[Bibabunny]

Thanks for this Kerrym212. I can see another GP, but mainly they are much the same, blaming me for not eating enough fruit and veg or pushing antidepressants (which I have tried and they made no difference). I have asked to see a dietician, but as I am not morbidly obese, it's unlikely this option will be made available to me. When do you think the candida diet should make a difference? And I assume giving up garlic means not taking the garlic supplement too? Thanks for the advice, it's so good to have positive comments, as ibs is so very much misunderstood by others.

[Hidden]

Hi Bibabunny, I don't know whether you live in this country but I live in the UK and saw a GP at my local practice, not my normal GP. At first he was insistant on me trying all different kinds of things like Peppermint Capsules and pills etc and when I said I had tried them all and insisted I wanted to be referred to a dietician he relented (I am a UK size 8 to 10 so definitely not overweight/obsese etc). I saw a dietician end of November 2012 and she said that her colleague was just about to start training on the FODMAPs diet and I would be contacted once she had completed the training. I am now waiting to be contacted but she did say to chase them up if I don't hear from them within 6 months.

The only thing I can suggest is either keep pushing your GP or find another one that will listen, if they don't suffer with this horrible disease how do they know what it feels like - it is a real illness!

Best of luck to you.

[Bibabunny in reply to Hidden]

Hello crazyfitness, thanks for your response. I do live in the UK. I will go back and chase up getting a dietician. I will be morbidly obese soon if I don't get a grip of the bloating. It is good to hear of others also being fobbed of with peppermint capsules and other meds, not good for us, but sometimes I wonder if this is all in my head, like they clearly do. So knowing that others have similar experiences is comforting. It would be good to hear how you get on with the fodmap diet. thanks again and best of luck to you!

[Hidden]

Thanks Bibabunny and really hope that you do get somewhere with your GP, it's not in our heads! I will update this Forum when I have had my second dietician's appointment, I know it's not going to be easy but it will be worth it to get rid of the pain and bloating.

Hope all's goes well with you and your GP but do perservere! Best of luck

Take care

[thehappytummy]

There is a lot of info out there on the FODMAPs, just look online. as for candida, I have tried apple cider vinegar, probiotics, and garlic pills, all of which helped me!

[DeadAnt]

Really sorry to hear that. You can do the low fodmap diet on your own though. Try it for 6 weeks and see if there is a big improvement (if you are allergic you will see a really big shift, quite quickly). There is a great app from Monash University, which lists everything you can and can't eat. There are also lots of helpful websites with recipes. I like fructosefreecooking.com and the BBC Good Food low fodmap section.

[Arfer]

I have the same was indifference from my GP practice, I've suffered since I had my gallbladder removed over twenty years ago, I've been vegetarian all my 60yr life and was fit and healthy until the operation. I've since put on three stone and had ibsD since. I stopped lactose and gluten in my diet and it did help for a few years but then I changed to ibsC and had to take laxatives every day. Six weeks ago I started the fodmap diet and it's been amazing, I have no bloating or pain and I'm going to the loo every day without laxatives. Also my prolapsed bladder symptoms have dramatically improved. I have stuck to it rigidly which has been hard especially eating out but so worth it. I've also lost 7lb in weight.