# Where to start with finding IBS trigger foods?



## sunflowers6 (Sep 23, 2012)

Background info:Throughout my life (I think,) I've had trouble with constipation but hadn't ever really thought about getting a diagnosis (probably because its just normal for me or I thought the situation would resolve itself) Anyway, I think my first experience of diahorrea was after eating a lot of chocolate, things got back to normal after a few weeks so I didn't tell anyone about it. About a year later I was on holiday and I thought I might have contracted food poisoning as things were runny and it was giving me quite a bit of discomfort. I took some of the usual diahorrea tablets which helped a bit. When we got back home I went to the doctors and had a blood test and stool sample sent off but unfortunately neither came back with anything helpful after my doctor thought I might have been gluten intolerant. Things were similar but okay for a month and then I started in Sixth Form (probably like 10th or 11th grade but pretty separate from the rest of high school) I was pretty anxious for the first few weeks which wasn't surprising but the diarrhoea came back quite badly (this might've been when I had a stool sample tested but I can't remember everything in chronological order!) basically since then I've had rubbish bowels, even when having diarrhoea its been hard to fully evacuate







Anyway I did a bit of self-diagnosis and decided it was probably IBS which I think I'd ruled out before because I thought I was too young to have it and I didn't think it was triggered by food. I went to the doctors again (a different one) and he prescribed me some peppermint oil tablets, I was surprised he wasn't more helpful I asked him if it could be controlled through diet and he said some people do find something that sets them off but didn't tell what to do apart from that. I've cut out wholewheat and tried not to eat peppers cabbage etc.but it doesn't seem to be helping... so I was wondering should I start keeping a food diary or something? What other foods might be triggering IBS And finally, do my symptoms sound like IBS-C or A I'm not sure... the doctor said in passing that it could be inflammotary bowel disease, quite confusing. In about a month I'm going to France on a school trip and I'm wondering what on earth to put down for dietary requirements?...Thankyou.


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## insertnamehere (Sep 21, 2012)

sunflowers6 said:


> Background info:Throughout my life (I think,) I've had trouble with constipation but hadn't ever really thought about getting a diagnosis (probably because its just normal for me or I thought the situation would resolve itself) Anyway, I think my first experience of diahorrea was after eating a lot of chocolate, things got back to normal after a few weeks so I didn't tell anyone about it. About a year later I was on holiday and I thought I might have contracted food poisoning as things were runny and it was giving me quite a bit of discomfort. I took some of the usual diahorrea tablets which helped a bit. When we got back home I went to the doctors and had a blood test and stool sample sent off but unfortunately neither came back with anything helpful after my doctor thought I might have been gluten intolerant. Things were similar but okay for a month and then I started in Sixth Form (probably like 10th or 11th grade but pretty separate from the rest of high school) I was pretty anxious for the first few weeks which wasn't surprising but the diarrhoea came back quite badly (this might've been when I had a stool sample tested but I can't remember everything in chronological order!) basically since then I've had rubbish bowels, even when having diarrhoea its been hard to fully evacuate
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Hey there...popping in from the other thread







Your doctor mentioned inflammatory bowel disease because that can have similar symptoms. There can also be underlying conditions triggering the symptoms like lactose intolerance or celiac disease. Basically, with IBS, the general process is looking for anything organic that might be causing your symptoms, and, if nothing's found, then they diagnose IBS. I went through the whole array of tests 2 or 3 years back (including blood tests, a lactose breath test, an upper GI, and a colonoscopy). It's sort of hard to self-diagnose with IBS. If you're concerned about the IBS or other possible underlying illnesses, it's really best to ask for a referral to a gastroenterologist to get an opinion and see what's going on. He/she is also probably the most qualified to help you determine any triggers or some kind of treatment plan if necessary.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

A food diary is a good place to start, but remember not all symptoms are only caused by food. There are lots of other triggers and sometimes how you eat is more important than what you eat. (do you skip meals or eat small meals regularly, etc).Might check out the Low Fodmap diet. It may be something you could use as a framework for what to give as suggestions as it eliminates most all the gas causing foods.


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## sunflowers6 (Sep 23, 2012)

insertnamehere said:


> A food diary is a good place to start, but remember not all symptoms are only caused by food. There are lots of other triggers and sometimes how you eat is more important than what you eat. (do you skip meals or eat small meals regularly, etc).Might check out the Low Fodmap diet. It may be something you could use as a framework for what to give as suggestions as it eliminates most all the gas causing foods.


Thankyou I had no idea how you eat could affect it but I don't skip meals or anything. i'll follow the diet and see what happens.


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## DevilOnMyBack (Aug 30, 2012)

I learned to control my IBS with diet and sifting through the trigger foods so I feel like i'm somewhat qualified to answer this. I started with doing major cuts in my diet. For a month I was completely off of dairy and fructose all together. My problems reduced during that time period but didnt go away so I figured it cant be all that. I decided to stay on minimal fructose (which I still continue today), and I put myself back on dairy. After I started with the fairly obvious foods like beans and such and i tested my symptoms out in school. I figured things have to get worse to get better so I might as well do it. Really, what I started to do was eat something in a larger quantity and see how my symptoms were the following day in my school which is a stressful environment and an IBS'ers worst nightmare. So, to find out my triggers, I just ate a typical food in a larger quantity and looked at the results, took a mental note (I have a very strong memory so it works with me). Like that, i started eliminating foods one by one. Eventually, up until a month ago I still had symptoms, so I tried one more thing someone on this forum suggested and it worked. I cut out beef and the lactose enzyme. It worked, and since then I have been living a great life.

I guess a little moral in this is that through all my pain, suffering and humiliation, I stuck through it and found an answer. To this day im still weeding them out here and there, but for the most part I have control.


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## Britanny (Jan 16, 2013)

Any food that is high in fat, high in insoluble fibre, high in caffeine and alcohol are the main trigger foods. Also, eating slowly and chewing thoroughly to avoid excess gas. Visit www.helpforibs.com where they have an eating plan.


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