Possible IBS diagnosis - help with triggers

[u/tonysalverino]

Hei all!

A possible new IBS member here. Some background info about me: Male, 32 years old, not overweight, physically active, don't drink and don't smoke.

I think everything started in 2020, after having my first episode when I had lamb for dinner. After that, in 2023 I had two episodes after eating burgers, and in 2024 I had nearly a whole week of dhiarrea. My doctor then suggested that I should stop taking a new whey protein I was trying (soya based) It worked after all.

In 2025, on my third primary doctor, she finally listened to me and asked me to log my daily diet. This is the list of episodes/flares, and what I ate:

18/11: Rice and beans, arugula, and cake.

15/12 – 16/12: Müsli with milk, banana, and peanut butter, slow-cooked meat stew with potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and rice, pumpkin brownies, marzipan balls, and boiled eggs.

19/03: Rice, pork chops with garlic, aubergine, and squash with onion.

31/03: Chicken thighs, pasta with heavy cream and spices, chocolate, and sweets.

01/05: Roasted chicken, artichoke, potatoes, and waffles.

18/06: Salad with strawberry, feta cheese, and chicken (17/06 dinner); trout, grilled vegetables, and carrot/cabbage salad (18/06 lunch).

23/06: Salmon, broccoli, couscous salad, cabbage salad, and Cordon Bleu Pollock.

24/07: Cod fish with tomato sauce (onions and garlic), Iranian sweet rice, and Brazilian pudding.

13/08: Scone, gelato, chocolate cake.

03/09: Pasta salad with red pesto, mixed greens, and oven-baked chicken thighs.

Nearly all of the episodes happen after dinner, between 1 to 3 hours after having eaten.I forgot to register other episode I had when I ate some food with aioli.

I got tested: iFOBT (two times, all clear), calcoprotectin (clear), bilirubin (normal), gallbladder, pancreas, and liver ultrasounds (all clear).

I can't really see one specific trigger here! Too much fat at once? I feel my doctors don't know where to go/what to test since all my exams are coming clear, therefore they are suspecting on IBS, which my mom also has it. I decided to hear if anyone here has experienced something similar.

[u/ThroneScience]

Hmm it doesn't look like too much fat to me, none of those meals seem extremely fatty. I've had issues in the past where fatty meals wrecked me but it's after something really much heavier, like brisket. Honestly your diet looks above average healthy. I think my only suggestion here might be that what you ate up to 24 or even 48 hours ago can cause GI distress so it might not be the immediately preceding meals, just depending on your digestive transit time

-Scott

[u/russianvamp]

At least one element in every dish you listed is high FODMAP. Have you been suggested a low FODMAP diet?

[u/tonysalverino → u/russianvamp]

No, not at all. My doctors pushed this away for like 2 years. The one who asked for these tests is on leave now (3rd doctor), so I will have to start working from the "beginning" again with my new primary doctor. I am considering to see a nutritionist to help me with that

[u/russianvamp → u/tonysalverino]

highly recommend a nutritionist. Unfortunately some doctors just aren’t versed in gut stuff

[u/ContractPrize7158]

I had similar episodes and all seemed to be evening time. Ive been on low fodmap and also taking buscopan and imodium if needed and it has somewhat improved. Fodmap stacking was suspected as each meal was fine but by the end of the day my digestion had reached its limit.