# Traveling with IBS - a success story!



## whiterose1713 (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi everyone, I just wanted to share my success story with some folks who can sympathize. I've been keeping to the low-FODMAP diet to control my IBS symptoms for about 8 months. I started by being very very strict and over time as I have learned my tolerances I have been able to relax my standards a little bit without any side effects. It is definitely a "cumlative effect" with FODMAP loads, so having a little bit of something in one meal that isn't FODMAp-friendly won't take me off the rails unless I've eaten several others things that I shouldn't.I used to have an intense fear of flying- not out of fear of the act itself, but fear of the pain that would always come afterwards. The changing cabin pressure used to wreak havoc with my stomach when it was all bloated and gassy from my IBS and for hours and hours afterwards I would be doubled over in intense pain. Not anymore! Here are the rules of thumb I have used to great success with travelling:For a day or two beforehand, be very strict with the low-FODMAP diet.Do some research ahead of time on restaurants near your destination with gluten-free/dairy-free/FODMAP-friendly items. Asian foods are often a safe bet if you're not shy to make special requests (hold the onion and garlic please!). We found a pizza place in Miami that does gluten free and dairy free pizzas, plus scored a Groupon to save some money. In the United States, Yelp.com is a great bet for searching for restaurants.Book a hotel with a mini fridge and microwave, if possible. I buy cereal, bananas, rice milk, and other goodies as soon as I arrive so I'm not tempted to eat pastries from the hotel breakfast.Bring snacks with you everywhere! Save your "cheats" for worthy meals, not out of desperation to fill your stomach with something while you're on the go. I pack gluten free pretzels and granola bars for mobile snacks.Try to have a "when in Rome" attitude, and make your FODMAP savings where you can. When we were in Miami the food temptations were insane, but I tried to pick and choose to only eat the forbidden items that I really love and left the others behind. For example, I went to town on a truffled pasta dish, with real pasta, but I left the table bread alone because it wasn't very good, and for my salad I was careful to get a low-FODMAP dish dressed with only vinegar and olive oil.It's vacation, so you have to live a little. I wouldn't recommend trying this approach if you are still in the early stages of the low-FODMAP diet, but from my personal experience I have found that you can still eat the good stuff on this diet, you just have to do it in moderation and think it through.All in all I made it through the vacation with only a couple brief periods of discomfort, nothing compared to the pain I used to feel every day. On top of that, I enjoyed guava pastries (HEAVEN ON EARTH), real pasta swimming in mushrooms, some Cubano feasts with loads of black beans, and the most delicious Cuban bread I've ever tasted.


----------



## Goldfinch (Sep 9, 2012)

I'm so glad you are finding your limits when it comes to diet. I am sticking pretty close to the low fodmaps diet, and find that the occasional cheat when it comes to veggies and fruit is workable, as is a bit of whole milk on my oatmeal. The one thing I am coming to terms with is that for now at least, wheat seems to be off the table. I don't believe I have a gluten intolerance, but the two times I've tried a small piece of bread have not been encouraging. Sad. I really love toast! My fingers are crossed that with more time for my gut to heal from PI IBS I will be able to eat a little bit of bread once in a while. On the plus side, I recently discovered that I can eat a modest amount of beans mixed in with my rice. That makes me happy, since red beans and rice has been a staple of mine for many years. Trial and error, right? And lots of patience.


----------



## 00200293 (Oct 30, 2012)

This is awesome news. There is hope for EVERYONE. Great story!


----------



## Charissa1218 (Dec 4, 2012)

Learning about this diet is really making me rethink things that I eat. I used to be under the impression that bread/pasta was "a buffer" on the stomach so when i'd be sick, I'd load up on toast, noodles, and the like and I never really felt better.

I'm going to try this diet immediately! Thank you for your story


----------

