# Sugar is my trigger



## LaurenJo (Jun 28, 2003)

I just joined this message board. I lived with IBS, not knowing what was wrong with me, until about age 25. Then I read a book about how sugar can cause or exacerbate many different medical problems, like IBS. As soon as I stopped drinking soda and eating desserts, the diarrhea instantly got better. I still have unbearable gas and bloating every day, but I'm reading here about some different options. Ironically, I've GAINED weight since I stopped eating sugar, because I'm actually digesting my food!!


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

It could be fructose intolerance(malabsorption). When I gave up soda too my D stopped. Without fructose and wheat I have no gas!


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## FrazzledFerret (Aug 1, 2003)

How did you figure out that sugar and wheat are your triggers? I feel horrible almost every day. I have all of the classic symptoms, but on especially bad days I am also nauseated.I have been living with IBS for about 15 years now, but until recently I didn't realize that my symptoms had a name.


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## Julia37 (May 9, 2001)

I have sensitivity to all sugars and sugar alcohols I've tried. I avoid fruit and sweet veggies like carrots and sweet potato as well as foods that contain sugar. In order to take all the sugar out of your diet you have to read ingredient labels. Corn syrup is added to almost everything these days. You'll have to avoid everything that's identified as a syrup or "cane _______" because those are other forms of sugar. Also anything ending in "-ose"...dextrose, sucrose, etc. are forms of sugar. And lactose, of course. Milk, cream, sour cream, and soft cheeses - cheese that's aged less than 60 days - contain lactose. Whey is mostly lactose, and it's one of the most common food intolerances.I tested various syrups like rice syrup and barley malt syrup and was reactive to all. If you take all the sugar and lactose containing products out of your diet and you get better, you could test various sweeteners one at a time to see if you tolerate any of them. Good luck, and don't worry - it's not as hard as it sounds. BTW bread is ok - the sugar in it feeds the yeast if it was done right, so there's none left to upset our stomachs.


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