# FODMAP diet making me more sensitive?



## americanmelb (Apr 6, 2013)

Last September my doctor suggested that I look into limiting FODMAP foods from my diet, as I already knew I was lactose intolerant, and sensitive to FODMAPs such as cruciferous vegetables and anything containing sugar ending in -ol. I have gotten a lot of relief from this diet over the last few months. I haven't gone to see a dietician nor have I been back to the doctor who suggested the diet, and now I am getting very worried. It seems that I am now sensitive to everything. Even the tiniest bits of onion or garlic cause me a lot of grief. I have also developed a sensitivity to nuts, which I had not experienced before. After a few weeks where it didn't seem to matter what I ate I would bloat and rumble, I went back to a super-strict FODMAP diet, and it seems anything with sugar or carbohydrates is causing me bloating, rumbles and gas.

To test this, today I did not eat any carb-rich foods, just had plain eggs for breakfast and lunch of salad (lettuce, spinach, cucumber) and grilled chicken breast seasoned with only salt and fresh thyme. I didn't have any symptoms for 4 hours after eating lunch, when I decided to have a glass of water and squeeze 1/4 of a lemon into it. I did, and within 30-45 minutes, lots of rumbles, bloating and gas. After an hour, things calmed down and I tried it again, same amount of lemon, same response. I'm baffled because lemons have a 1:1 ratio of glucose: fructose, and are recommended to ease symptoms.

Does anyone have any idea of what could be going on? Why I have developed this sensitivity to all carbs? I will make an appointment to discuss with the doc, but to ease my mind, if anyone has any insights, I would greatly appreciate it! Could this diet have changed my gut flora, for worse? Is it SIBO? Am I going to have to eat an extremely limited diet forever?


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## Dianaearnshaw (Feb 22, 2013)

Whilst your gut is out of sorts, you will be sensitive to all sorts of things but that doesn't mean forever. I had a client who was sensitive to everything except rice - but two years on, other than grains (ironically!) she can have everything in moderation.

You should not attempt uncooked foods (like salads) until you are well again. All your veg should be well cooked otherwise your gut microbes have to do all the digesting - and it is they that are giving you the bubbling.

I'm not entirely in agreement with the FODMAP diet - I have treated someone for whom it worked well to start with, then the effect tailed off.

If you decide to have a go at the plan, forego the garlic in the broth but use onion for flavour only - then remove it. Literlally boil it to death!

Good luck!


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## americanmelb (Apr 6, 2013)

I have just started reading also about these bone broths for healing the gut, and following a like diet to heal and reset. And the more I read and learn, the more I think people aren't meant to eat grains and that they could be the damaging factor. I just want to be able to tolerate, at least in moderate amounts, things I can no longer eat but miss particularly vegetables like onions, broccoli, pumpkins and squash. I'm hoping after a reset, this will be possible.


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## Dianaearnshaw (Feb 22, 2013)

I think you will be able to eat those things. But it has got to be very gradually thaProbiotic bacteria.ds are added.

It is so tempting to overdo a food once you feel you can tolerate it but quantity is also an issue that you will have to learn.

Bone broth is so wonderfully healing. The sauerkraut is vital for the best source of probiotic


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## Mikado (Apr 9, 2013)

americanmelb said:


> To test this, today I did not eat any carb-rich foods, just had plain eggs for breakfast and lunch of salad (lettuce, spinach, cucumber) and grilled chicken breast seasoned with only salt and fresh thyme. I didn't have any symptoms for 4 hours after eating lunch, when I decided to have a glass of water and squeeze 1/4 of a lemon into it. I did, and within 30-45 minutes, lots of rumbles, bloating and gas. After an hour, things calmed down and I tried it again, same amount of lemon, same response. I'm baffled because lemons have a 1:1 ratio of glucose: fructose, and are recommended to ease symptoms.


Hi, I am new to the forum, but wondered if I might comment from my own experience. I have mutliple food intolerances, and have been following the low FODMAPs diet, as well as a low residue diet for about 2 years and find both very helpful.

I absolutely cannot tolerate lemon juice (or any kind of citrus juice or fruit), even the smallest amount in water or food, gives me a bad case of allergic rhinitis. I am sure my dietitian advised me all citrus fruits are disallowed on FODMAP. I know very few fruits are permitted, -- melon & paw paw are a couple of the few I can recall.

As for carbs, I have to restrict the amount I eat to a maximum of 3 tablespoons (cooked) per meal. I eat white rice, millet and quinoa in rotation. Cannot tolerate any other carbs, including potatoes, without getting bloating and trapped gas.

Tbh, I feel better if I eat no carbs at all, and I did this for about 6 months a few yrs ago. Problem was I (unintentionally) lost so much weight my BMI became unhealthy and my concerned GP referred me to a dietitian. The dietitian insisted I must have some carbs in my diet, so the rice, millet and quinoa is my compromise.


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## americanmelb (Apr 6, 2013)

Hi Mikado, Maybe it is just a carb intake amount. Like you say, limit it to <3 tablespoons. In the last week as I have been on a super-strict FODMAP diet, I have been eating low carb by necessity. I have always had trouble with grains, including brown rice, quinoa, millet, etc. And I can't eat beans or soy at all either. The only carbs I have been eating are the carbs in veggies (the ones I can tolerate) and small amounts of potatoes. If I eat too much rice, I bloat. Too much potato, I bloat. [And I have confirmed my suspicion of nuts. I had a small pack of peanuts today as a snack, and I bloated and gurgled all day.] My abdomen literally distends by a large amount making me look pregnant. I am trying to find info about being intolerant to carbs. . . and all the info is conflicting.

I'm hesitant to try one of these drastic diets like the SCD, because it seems so very drastic. I just want to eat normally. I almost wish I didn't know what it felt like to have a calm abdomen, because before knowing about FODMAPs, I just thought it was normal to be bloated and gassy, as I had been everyday of my life prior. Ignorance is bliss!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Peanuts are a legume, not a true nut, so have the same compounds in them as any other bean.


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## americanmelb (Apr 6, 2013)

Hi Kathleen, I realize this. But in 100g of peanuts, there is 9g of fiber, 0g sugar. A chickpea on the other hand, has 7.6g fiber, and 4.8g sugar. And a garden pea has 5.1g of fiber and 5.7g of sugar. So, it seems not all legumes are equal, and my understanding is the sugar in chickpeas is different from that of garden peas. But my question is, can you tell me what is the actual fiber in peanuts? Specifically, what is the molecule that makes up the fiber?

I've have also been trying to read and understand the primary literature behind the FODMAP diet in general. I haven't been able to find consistent info regarding fiber content of most things. I found some papers detailing the fructan content of various veggies and fruits, but I haven't seen anything about nuts or other like foods. I'm sure they are on it over there at Monash.

If you have any info regarding the actual molecules, I'd appreciate it. Pubmed links, etc. I just want to understand the science behind this situation. I don't want to be getting more sensitive, but it seems I am. I've kept a food diary over the last few months and I used to be able to tolerate my morning snack of 10 peanuts, now no longer.


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## Mikado (Apr 9, 2013)

americanmelb said:


> Hi Mikado, >>>>>>>>
> 
> I'm hesitant to try one of these drastic diets like the SCD, because it seems so very drastic. I just want to eat normally. I almost wish I didn't know what it felt like to have a calm abdomen, because before knowing about FODMAPs, I just thought it was normal to be bloated and gassy, as I had been everyday of my life prior. Ignorance is bliss!


American MelB -- I can relate completely to your comment about just wanting to be able to eat normally. I felt the same way for a long time, until I came to accept it just wasn't going to happen..

Not saying it won't happen for you -- I very much hope it may, in time. But for me, after many yrs of feeling frustrated and annoyed with the limitations of a restricted diet I decided it was better to just go with the flow and accept it. Maybe that sounds a bit fatalistic, but in fact I have found it rather liberating







Occasionally I have episodes of rebellion where I say to myself "f*** the diet I shall eat what I want", but later am brought down to earth with a bang when I get a bad reaction to what I've indulged in!

I was on the SCD diet for a number of years before I changed to the FODMAP diet. Tbh, I didn't find the SCD diet more drastic than the FODMAP diet. The SCD diet helped for quite a while, but there were always the anomalies with certain foods that did not *fit* into any of the forbidden categories. e.g. I used to eat loads of fruit (cos I love it!) and could not see why I was intolerant of some fruits but not others. When I switched to the FODMAP diet all became clear, and it made a huge difference to me just cutting out most fruit (sad though I was to do so).

My dietitian says nuts are OK on FODMAP, but as I have Diverticular Disease nuts are only recommended as a smooth butter. This was a revelation to me, and I've found I can tolerate smooth peanut butter quite well, in small amounts. (Other types of nut butter only available in crunchy form so I have avoided them). My biggest problem is finding something to spread the peanut butter on, as I don't eat bread. I love making chapatis (as they are yeast free), but they can't be made successfully with rice flour, which seems to be the only flour I can tolerate.

Like you I have always had trouble with grains, and really am sure I'd be better off without them, but I can't eat potatoes or legumes without getting very painful trapped gas, which stops anything moving through my bowel for up to a week







. So the grains are my only source (other than sugars) of carbs, and a source of fiber, as none of the veggies I eat are high in fiber.


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## DotGumm (Jan 2, 2014)

I have been on the Fodmap diet since last September. It seems now if I eat something like peanuts I get the diahhrear back immediately. Also I tried the lactose free yogurt and it upset me also- even though it is recommended on low fodmap diet. I am getting very tired of all this.

Are there medications that one can take that will take care of IBS?? Anyone have success with that??


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

There are a number of medications and supplements. Are you more interested in OTC, prescription only, or a dietary supplement approach?


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