# Running out of things to eat...



## nicolemarie1218 (Nov 24, 2013)

I'm looking for some tips or guidance from anyone who has been down the altered-diet road with their IBS.

I've had gluten and lactose intolerance ruled out, so I know that's not it. But it seems that anything I eat can give me severe pain and gas (50% of the time it leads to an immediate BM). I've tried a few different medications over the past two years (simethecone, anti-spasmodics, probiotics, anti-anxiety) and nothing worked so I'm assuming my answer lays in my diet.

Is anyone having success with the low FODMAP diet? Is it easy enough to maintain? I'm a new teacher and I don't have much time to prepare food and eat it. I tried low FODMAP once around a family vacation and I just ended up making everyone angry and thinking that I was being picky about food for attention, so I quit and I haven't tried it since.


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## tummyrumbles (Aug 14, 2005)

Yes, I've had definite improvement with a change in diet since December by giving up a lot of starchy food as well as high FODMAPs like fried onions, milk and bread. All these things caused gas which made evacuation longer. Just because you have a negative test for gluten and wheat doesn't mean that bread won't cause issues. It could be that you're sensitive to resistant starch so have to be careful with bread and rice and the non-gluten breads which can be even worse for some people. Diet is very complex with IBS. I take a salad to work but I'm just a part-time worker and I eat it just before I leave as I can get gas from it especially if I eat carrot. If gas isn't an issue for you I'd try a salad for lunch as this is all low FODMAP: lettuce tomato carrot hard cheese cucumber & olives and I think adding a gherkin is beneficial for the acid. If you get gas from salad the next quickest thing would be bread. If you have a toaster or sandwich press in the lunch room try toasting bread as this degrades a lot of the starch. Even though you tested negative for the lactose test maybe try yoghurt instead of milk. You need an understanding family if you have IBS. Maybe explain to those closest to you that you have a problem absorbing certain complex sugars. It's complex because high FODMAPs are good for people generally because the short chain fatty acids they produce are healthy to the colon. The downside is they cause gas for IBS people and the gas can then cause constipation and diarrhea. The trick is regaining colonic health and to be honest you just have to go by instinct (and keep a food diary).

I'm re-introducing certain high FODMAPs now, very carefully. But certain foods I try never to eat - refined white flour, legumes like baked beans, milk. I'd keep with the low FODMAP and eating toast instead of bread and see if this reduces your symptoms.


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