# FODMAP Confusion - Advice Appreciated!



## lydiaalice91 (Aug 8, 2015)

Hello,

I was wondering whether anybody in this forum might be able to offer me some advice - it would be so so so helpful to hear from anybody with a similar experience or any guidance whatsoever!

I am 24 and have suffered with terrible IBS for the last 2-3 years - it makes me feel unwell so much of the time and has pretty much ruined my social life. The usual tests have been done and nothing seems to be wrong - just got the standard IBS diagnosis. My main problem is excess gas and terrible bloating, amongst a host of other things.

I have tried FODMAP twice now with no success. I have always been strict and followed the diet properly, under the advice of professional dieticians, reading labels etc and it has made no difference.

After another flare up I decided to try the diet again, and as an experiment I have cut out ALL fruit and vegetables. I love vegetables and have always eaten the low FODMAP ones as has been recommended to me. However as a result of cutting them out altogether, as well as not eating any other FODMAPS, my symptoms have improved drastically, and I feel like a different person.

I realise that cutting out all fruit and vegetables in the long run isn't sensible or healthy - but I really want to continue with this for the time being as I feel myself for the first time in years! I know that if I go back to a dietician they will tell me to reintroduce them into my diet - but I am terrified of doing so as I don't want to go back to how I was. I now have energy and can socialise, which is amazing!

Currently I am eating a very very restrictive diet, consisting mainly of eggs, chicken and rice cakes. I do want to attempt the reintroduction of some other foods at some point but I am unsure of how to go about it. It seems that even some of the FODMAP safe foods must have been a problem for me in the past. Is there a specific order for reintroducing things? And should it be one food at a time?

Does anybody have any thoughts/advice regarding this? Apologies for such a long post! If you've taken the time to read it I really appreciate it


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

yes, you're right. a diet that restrictive and nutritionally inadequate is very unhealthy and can do damage (nutritional deficiencies) if you stick to it long term.

about FODMAP--i don't know about a specific order to reintroducing foods but yes, you do want to reintroduce only one food at a time. keeping a food diary can help

what i've generally read is that it's suggested to follow the FODMAP diet strictly for approximately four weeks. after that, what you are typically supposed to do is challenge each group, one food at a time.

that's what i've done. i eat a moderate FODMAP diet since i've found that only certain foods bother me, which is good.

everyone is different. some people can't have any FODMAPs at all. others find that it might only be one group that bothers them. others don't notice any difference on the diet. the FODMAP diet is meant to be a 4-6 week diet to determine your sensitivities, but you may also find that you need to be on it long term. essentially the diet reduces fermentable carbohydrates which provides symptom relief to many, but starves our good (and even bad) bacteria of the prebiotics they use for growth. That is why many people recommend challenging food groups later on, so that you can have any many prebiotics in your diet.

another thing that is important with FODMAP is quantity. many people --myself included--find they can eat a small amount of a high FODMAP food without problems. take broccoli for example. i can eat a half cup of it without problems but a whole cup of it gives me gas. i've seen lists like this too--which show some foods as being considered low FODMAP in small amounts but high FODMAP in large amounts .

so when you do introduce a food, start with a small amount and see first how you do with that. then increase it a bit and see how that goes.

hopefully you'll find there are more foods that you can tolerate so that you have can eat a more nutritionally sound diet. good luck.


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## lydiaalice91 (Aug 8, 2015)

Thank you Annie - I will give that a go, I really appreciate the advice!


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## jaumeb (Sep 1, 2014)

Lydia, I would start with peeled, seeded, cooked zucchini.

Annie, the low fodmaps app has all the information about the allowed quantities.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

thanks, Jaumeb. i didn't know about the app. i don't have a smart phone, I phone etc lol..


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## lydiaalice91 (Aug 8, 2015)

Thank you Jaumeb!


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## minimalizer (Jun 8, 2014)

Hi, If your dieticians didn't tell you how to add foods or provide you with a fodmap phone app or as current a list as they could find that you said you were needing on your other post, then no wonder you had problems with the diet? Doesn't sound like they were fully knowledgeable about it. Please try to find a better dietician? Have you been on Monash University's website where the diet originated, where the update-able phone app. is available?







I would think it would be better to start out trying a less concentrated high fructose food first than concentrated honey, per one of the above posters. Best to you.

Aaand, yes, peeling and deseeding, also chopping, grinding down and cooking foods helps to minimalize the effect of insoluble fiber part of foods triggering spasming in the colon that can trap gas, which is what is done with the Eating For IBS diet. If something is in whole grain form, it can cause problems (albeit supposidly healthier) some folks' colons' need white bread.


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## lydiaalice91 (Aug 8, 2015)

Hello minimalizer! Yes, I have to say the so called "experts" that I have been to have been expensive and awful! I am from the UK and it seems like you get much better advice in the United States . . . . anyway I have now found the app and it has been really helpful, it seems I've made much more progress doing this myself rather than seeing the professionals.

I have a feeling that I malabsorb fructans, as when I was eating FODMAP safe vegetables I was still eating them in quite high quantities. So I think that the amount of fructans has "added up" if you see what I mean, causing me problems!

Another thing that I've been wondering is whether if you malabsorb the "oligos fructans" which the app refers to, does this mean that you also malabsorb fructose? Or is it possible to tolerate fructose but not fructans.

Thanks again in advance - you guys have been amazingly helpful!


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## emleam (Aug 20, 2015)

Hi Lydia

When you are adding in foods, these need to be done in parts - my dietician sets me three days of introducing a food with an increasing amount each day and then four days back on low fodmap. For example, with dairy (using milk), day 1 was 1/4 cup, day 2 was 1/2 cup and day 3 was 1 cup spread throughout the day, and then days 4-7 were low fodmap. This allows you to build to a tolerance level or "loading" and then giving your body a break - symptoms can kick in anywhere from a couple of hours to a day afterwards which is why you need the four days. If you have any symptoms on those days, you know it is an issue.

I would suggest finding a dietician in your area that is versed in fodmaps - from what I've read it seems there are many UK dieticians lacking in fodmaps information but it is well worth the cost to find one who can steer you on the right path in how much to introduce and when.


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## LucieB (Sep 18, 2015)

"Another thing that I've been wondering is whether if you malabsorb the "oligos fructans" which the app refers to, does this mean that you also malabsorb fructose? Or is it possible to tolerate fructose but not fructans."

Depends on the individual. You will find as you move through these self experiments you'll be the best "expert" for yourself.


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