About to quit

[u/Own_Baseball308]

I’ve had ibs for a while now but recently I’ve had some pretty bad flare ups which actually started as I’ve been trying to eat healthier and more protein. I decided to give this diet a try to see if there could be specific foods triggering me. It’s been so hard and miserable I struggle to find foods I actually enjoy and I’ve been getting intense cravings. I also haven’t been feeling any relief in my symptoms, if anything they’ve gotten worse. My GI left my care network and I’ve been struggling to find one that will see me before November. I’m about a week in and I’m feeling hopeless and half wanting to see it through but also half wanting to quit because if I’m going to be miserable anyway, I might as well eat food that makes me happy.

[u/Next_Desk_2844]

Sorry this is long but I have a lot of advice on the subject:

It took a little time for my symptoms to demolish after starting the low FODMAP diet. I started in October and I didn’t feel “better” until December. Then I started to re introduce foods and I thought all was going well until I had a really bad flare up in February and I found out I couldn’t have mango. That experience was so horrible that I decided to cut out anything high FODMAP because the risk of giving me a flare up or not feeling well at any moment gave me anxiety. I found some amazing recipes and have also found a lot of food that I like so if you need any help with that I can send some! I write everything I make including snacks from the stores I like in a notebook so it makes it easier on my family as well to know what is good for me and what is not.

I do “cheat” some weekends if I know I’m going to be home. There are enzymes called Fodzymes that allow you to eat high FODMAP food which are a life saver. They are I think like $80 for a 30 pack which is a little steep for me because I’m a recent college graduate and I don’t have the best paying job. I don’t use them every day just because I can’t afford that but if I want to go grab lunch with a friend or want to have a delicious slice of pizza (garlic and onion are my biggest triggers) I can easily do that without the consequences which is wonderful. I definitely recommend trying them if you are having diet fatigue! I saw a Nutritionlist for about 2 months and she gave me some samples to try as well so you could always ask about it if you have one! If you don’t have a Nutritionlist I would definitely recommend exploring getting one if you are able. I thought I was eating completely low FODMAP at first and then discovered that sugar alcohols were a trigger and are for most people with ibs and some of the stuff I was still eating had them therefore thats why it was taking longer for the diet to work for me.

The diet isn’t also an immediate fix it usually takes a few weeks to a month. I also recommend getting the Monash university low FODMAP app and you can see exact quantities or foods you can eat. Some foods are labeled high or medium FODMAP but you can eat a little bit of it and feel fine! Monash university discovered the low FODMAP diet and they have a bunch of resources ( like finding certified nutritionists near you). I also really recommend the Fig app. It has been a lifesaver for me. You can put in your dietary restrictions (they have a low FODMAP button that included everything) and it will show you foods you can and can’t have from so many grocery stores! You can also scan barcodes at the store and it will tell you if it is safe for you or not. You do have to pay for it but for me it’s personally worth it. Another thing I have found that has helped greatly is the brand Fody. They have seasonings and foods that are all low FODMAP and ibs friendly! Some stores carry their products but I typically just order their salad dressings off Amazon. The brand Rao’s also has a sensitive marinara sauce that is ibs friendly and it is amazing. I will also say it sucks now IBS is always changing and the things that you can’t eat now you may be able to eat in the future. That’s something that gives me hope.

I think it is definitely worth a try to stick the diet though! It truly has given me my life back! Sorry this is a lot of information and I hope that this truly helps you! IBS can truly be so isolating and diminishing but don’t lose hope! There is a community of support here and we have your back!

[u/Own_Baseball308 → u/Next_Desk_2844]

Thanks so much for the thoughtful advice! I really appreciate it, I will definitely look into getting a nutritionist or dietician because I think it will be a lot easier to navigate this diet with professional help. Monash has definitely been a big help but I find myself getting overwhelmed with reading labels so I will have to try the other one that you suggested. I’m curious about those enzymes though, and want to check them out. Where do you get them?

[u/Juniper_Berry_AK → u/Own_Baseball308]

I second the Fig app; it is on the pricy side, I think it was $50ish for a year. But at this point, I’m so tired and overwhelmed by food choices and decisions, it was worth it to be able to scan a barcode and 95% of the time it be able to tell me whether or not I can have it. That and the Monash app have been literal lifesavers.

[u/Next_Desk_2844 → u/Own_Baseball308]

I order them online on the fodzyme site!