# MSG is a problem



## suffering (Sep 16, 2005)

I think I've determined with high probability that MSG is a trigger for me.I've eaten those Campbell's Chunky soups before, and they contain MSG. But I didn't get D every time afterwards. I've probably eaten them 5 or 6 times, and gotten D three of those times.I also eat at a fast-food restaurant called Chick-Fil-A fairly often, and sometimes I get D afterwards. Today I ate there for lunch, and had serious D after dinner. Usually when I eat there, I'll get the breaded chicken sandwich and fries, and sometimes it causes problems and sometimes it doesn't. Today I got the breaded chicken sandwich and chicken strips, and my D ended up being worse than it usually is after eating there. I just checked their web site, and they show ingredients for everything. Turns out both the chicken sandwich and the chicken strips contain MSG! I'm now fairly certain MSG is a trigger for me.


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## TeeZe-Boy (Jun 12, 2007)

suffering said:


> I'm now fairly certain MSG is a trigger for me.


Have you been tested for Lactose?


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## 18704 (Feb 12, 2007)

My system has always reacted badly to MSG, even before being diagnosed with IBS-D. My husband doesn't have IBS and you should see the terrible migrane headaches he gets when eating anything with MSG as one of the ingredients. It's true for many folks, IBS or no IBS, so you aren't alone. We're definitively a no-MSG household and anything having MSG in it doesn't make it through our front door


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## Nath (Jan 5, 1999)

MSG is a definite trigger for me. I like instant noodles and pastas and could not eat most varieties until recently when they stopped adding MSG, now I have no problems with them.


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## 13787 (Aug 25, 2006)

MSG is a big culprit for me too.. and I tested negative for lactose intolerance.


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## suffering (Sep 16, 2005)

TeeZe-Boy said:


> Have you been tested for Lactose?


Dairy products sometimes cause problems for me, and I do take Lactaid.But Campbell's Chunky Soup and the chicken sandwich/strips don't have dairy in them.


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## kate072666 (Oct 1, 2002)

suffering said:


> I think I've determined with high probability that MSG is a trigger for me.I've eaten those Campbell's Chunky soups before, and they contain MSG. But I didn't get D every time afterwards. I've probably eaten them 5 or 6 times, and gotten D three of those times.I also eat at a fast-food restaurant called Chick-Fil-A fairly often, and sometimes I get D afterwards. Today I ate there for lunch, and had serious D after dinner. Usually when I eat there, I'll get the breaded chicken sandwich and fries, and sometimes it causes problems and sometimes it doesn't. Today I got the breaded chicken sandwich and chicken strips, and my D ended up being worse than it usually is after eating there. I just checked their web site, and they show ingredients for everything. Turns out both the chicken sandwich and the chicken strips contain MSG! I'm now fairly certain MSG is a trigger for me.


I totally agree with you. MSG is a massive trigger for me as well....i remember i ate chinese for years, i always had problems, but the last time, which was probably over a year ago, i had massive explosive diarreaha 16 times, the sweats, the cramps, nausea the works...i vowed never ever to eat it again, and i won't. It's amazing to find out it's in almost everything we eat...scary!!!


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## suffering (Sep 16, 2005)

kittykat said:


> I totally agree with you. MSG is a massive trigger for me as well....i remember i ate chinese for years, i always had problems, but the last time, which was probably over a year ago, i had massive explosive diarreaha 16 times, the sweats, the cramps, nausea the works...i vowed never ever to eat it again, and i won't. It's amazing to find out it's in almost everything we eat...scary!!!


Do restaurants still use MSG? I remember a long time ago some restaurants would have signs saying "NO MSG", but I never see that anymore. I go to Chinese restaurants sometimes and I don't have any problems.


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## 23107 (Mar 15, 2007)

suffering said:


> Do restaurants still use MSG? I remember a long time ago some restaurants would have signs saying "NO MSG", but I never see that anymore. I go to Chinese restaurants sometimes and I don't have any problems.


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## 23107 (Mar 15, 2007)

What is MSG??? I ve not heard of it before, but alot of the things mentioned are triggers for me too.


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## 18704 (Feb 12, 2007)

dmart said:


> What is MSG??? I ve not heard of it before, but alot of the things mentioned are triggers for me too.


MSG (monosodium glutamate) is white, crystalline chemical powder added to foods as a flavor enhancer. It doesn't affect the food it's added to, but causes a reaction in our taste buds by exciting and increasing their sensitivity.It is in many of the processed foods we purchase at the grocery store, such as frozen meals, boxed or canned foods, etc. Unless we are chronic food label readers and know what you are looking for (I am one of them) you wouldn't even notice that these can contain MSG. It is also sold in shaker bottles so you can add it to your own foods. In the US MSG is in the area where you'd find spices, salt and pepper and is named 'Accent'. I did a quick search on google and in the UK it's known by these names: Accent, MSG, Monosodium glutamate, Ve-Tsin or E 621.Many restaurants use MSG in their foods to make them taste better. Chinese restaurants are noutorios for using a lot of MSG in their foods, especially fried rice dishes. Unless you specifically ask if they are using MSG in their foods these restaurants don't tell you in advance. I' asked a local Chinese restaurant a while back if they could make food for me not using MSG, they said they would, but after eating the food both my husband and I reacted to it. I don't trust restaurants to be truthful any longer after that incident so we just don't eat out.Below is further reading for you which will explain more about MSG, and the side effects and dangers it can cause in people that are sensitive to it:NOMSG.comUnfortunately this website has stopped updating since 2003 but all the information on there is still relevant today.I'm sure a google search can bring you plenty more information if you search for MSG.


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## suffering (Sep 16, 2005)

midnight1 said:


> I' asked a local Chinese restaurant a while back if they could make food for me not using MSG, they said they would, but after eating the food both my husband and I reacted to it. I don't trust restaurants to be truthful any longer after that incident so we just don't eat out.


I called my local Chinese restaurant a couple days ago, and I asked them if they use MSG. They said that they don't use extra MSG. I told them I was confused by that. Then they said that they use soy sauce, which contains MSG, but they don't put any extra MSG on top of that. I didn't know soy sauce contains MSG, but I did a google search and apparently soy sauce contains a naturally occurring form of MSG. There are so many things that contain MSG and we don't even know it! The restaurants probably don't even know it either.


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## 14989 (Aug 3, 2006)

Strangely enough, as a kid, I was 'allergic' to MSG - it gave me horrible migraines. Maybe it's a trigger for me as well? I've never actually thought about it. I wonder if it's just a coencidence.


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## megflyin (Jun 16, 2007)

wow this is completely enlightening. Campbell's chunky soups and soy sauce bother me too and I never could figure out why. My boyfriend also gets terrible migraines from msg and he does not have ibs.


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