# Is LETTUCE your trigger, too??



## Guest (Apr 6, 2001)

I can't figure out why if lettuce is so low in fiber and basically has no nutritional value, how can it be sooooo hard on my system. I have basically eliminated any salads from my diet. After reading the favorite foods thread I take it that I am not the only one with this particular problem.Does anyone know WHY this happens???


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## Redfern (Mar 14, 2001)

Well, I think to offer any suggestions, we would need to know if it is causing C or D?If it is D, then it is important to know that most lettuce comes with a very high bacterial count and which could aggravate the problem. Try washing your lettuce really well by rubbing every square centimeter under running water. The heavy bacterial load usually makes the lettuce feel slippery at first and then as it is washed off, the slippery feeling leaves. You may be sensitive to the bacteria load.


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2001)

Very interesting...Actually, I hate to get this personal but this is an IBS Bulletin Board. I kind of have both D and C. I get packed up and then finally have a BM which then finishes with D...So I guess I would have to say both. And labor type pains occasionally with BM.If the bacteria is causing some of this problem, do you know anything about antibiotics for treatment of bacteria in the gut???


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## atp (Jan 18, 2001)

Don't worry about talking about your BMs...this is one of the few places where no one will think you're weird for talking about them! Heck, we have threads about shape and color!







I would suggest looking at some of the other threads on here for answers to your questions. For instance, there is one about salad being a trigger. Salad being mostly lettuce... There are also many threads that have talked about bacterial overgrowth, or BO as some call it. Don't forget that there is more than one page of threads...sometime you've got to click on other page numbers at the bottom to see more threads... The News, Research, and Abstracts forum is also very good for finding articles about stuff like BO. Some of the scientific stuff goes over my head, but you may find some of the postings useful.


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2001)

I haven't read the threads, but lettuce was a trigger for me also. I read an article many years ago that mentioned this and said that spinach salads don't cause indigestion for most people or gas and are much better for you anyway. I have a friend that ran to the bathroom a couple of hours later after every visit to a salad bar; she also read that and only eats spinach for salads now and has no problems with salads. I've never heard about the bacterial problem; but I've had slimy heads of lettuce before....you bet I'll scrub them down from now on! Tomatoes also give me "D"!


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## JenS (Dec 18, 2000)

I can't touch lettuce....well, maybe a little on a sandwich, but I can't eat salad!


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## me3 (Jul 21, 2000)

I find Iceberg lettuce a trigger but Romaine is OK.


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## K9Mom (Sep 20, 1999)

Ditto what Me3 said...lettuce is a big no-no for me, unless it is Romaine. Romaine does not bother me in the least. Long live Ceasar salads!


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2001)

Plain lettuce bites; romaine rules for me too. So much for getting in all those helping of raw vegetables in the food pyriamid. Cooked vegetables are much more non-violent. <grin>


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## lindsay* (Jul 23, 2000)

the only time lettuce bothers me is when i eat it from a restaurant or buffet type setting(catored food). my doctor told me that it's because of the preservatives put on most restaurant lettuce. i never seem to have a problem with leafy dark green veggies.


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

I can eat lettuce (iceberg) if I make my own salad at home but eating out is a no no.Linda


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## Benjamin (Jan 17, 2005)

My understanding is lettuce is not easy to digest and for us with ibs it is worse. Having a salad in a restaurant(if you can eat out) is absolutely a no no. Dr. told me it was the preservatives used to keep it looking nice. I can't eat salad at home anymore. I could with lotronex if i used romaine, but without lotronex-no more.Mary Jo


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## dianejoan (Oct 8, 2018)

A few years ago I went on a diet, made everything from scratch, lots of salads, fresh fruit, homemade yogurt, healthy proteins. Felt great, looked great, lost 30 lbs. Even my skin looked better! Went off the diet along the way and went back on it a few months ago, and after a few weeks of being on it, got hit with the worst nasuea, bloating, gas, belly pain and C&D. Horrible. Went to Gastro doc, and had every test known. Diagnosis spastic colon, or IBS, which is another way of saying it's nothing else, so it must be that. Went on meds and did the FODMAP strictly, cut out everything that is listed as high or mid FODMAP, made everything from scratch. Starting to acutally feel better, and today I had a very small salad with FODMAP approved (on their list) lettuce, and some tuna and egg. Sharp belly pain is back very bad, so perhaps the lettuce is no good for me, even if it's low FODMAP, But I had a very small salad last night and no problem, so frustrating! I guess it's trial and error, but very frustrating right out of the gate to adhere to the list and have a bad symptom back. I know everyone has different triggers, guess this will be a long process. My daughter has celiac for the last 15 years, so I know how to deal with a restrictive diet, but with her, as soon as she was on gluten free, she was symptom free. This is not as clear cut. I downloaded the Monash app to keep track of food and symptoms, so next visit I can have better answers for doc as far as when certain symptoms occur. At this point, I just feel like not eating anything, really.


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