# Hi I'm new - some questions



## 19006 (Feb 17, 2006)

Hey everyone, I have been reading this forum for a couple of days and decided to join. I was diagnosed with IBS just over a year ago after a bad bout of gastroenteritis







I lost loads of weight and was really ill for a while. Since then it has settled down to a degree but I have a lot of bad days...Anyway I was just wondering what other people's trigger foods are because I have been keeping a food diary and can't seem to find any correlation







Also do you have any strategies for coping especially when you have to go somewhere when you don't know what you might be given to eat. I find this is a problem for me and I don't like to tell other people about my IBS, my close family are really the only ones who know.


----------



## 17176 (Mar 31, 2005)

hello and welcome


----------



## 19482 (Dec 23, 2005)

when ppl offer me some food or drinks that triggers i usually take a little when i have to,but sometimes i just say 'no thanks',i can't take the risk and get sick


----------



## 18569 (Jan 2, 2006)

Hi there!Everyone has different triggers, but mine include anything containing dairy, fatty/greasy foods, and anything with too much "roughage" or fructose ... and I think the last is actually the worst for me. (I quickly got used to living without dairy and fatty foods, but the idea that I have to be very careful about eating things like strawberries, broccoli, salads, and grapes is really depressing! I love those things!)I've heard some people recommend cutting out one common trigger food completely for a week and see if you notice any difference. Then try another one the next week, etc. Might be worth a shot!As for telling people that you might not be able to eat what they're serving, it definitely can be a very awkward moment. For me, I just realized that the one or two moments where I feel embarrassed is MUCH less painful than the hours of horrendous stomach pain caused by eating something bad, and also MUCH less embarrassing than getting sick in someone else's house!You don't have to go into great detail. If you know you're going to someone's house for dinner or something, call up ahead of time say something like, "I have a lot of food intolerances due to a medical problem." I usually offer to bring something different for myself to eat as not to inconvenience the host, but I've found that almost everyone is very sympathetic and accomodating.Good luck!


----------



## 19006 (Feb 17, 2006)

Thanks for your supportive comments guys, I'm finding this forum a great source of information and support


----------

