Fructose Malabsorption

Posted by CL @lelia, Dec 5, 2018

I'd like to start a discussion on fructose malabsorption, how to control it, what to eat and not eat, etc. . Is anybody interested?

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@xcatoverx

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar to this. I’m 20 years old and have suffered from nausea and burning in my throat for several years now. I have seen two GI doctors who have tried a few different PPIs and have tested me for many things, but I continue to get worse. Currently I am diagnosed with GERD and Fructose Malabsorption. PPIs seem to help with “regular” heartburn which I would get after eating a meal, but the burning in my throat is something different. It comes out of nowhere, usually two or three hours after I have eaten something or when I wake up in the morning. It will last for 2-3 days (sometimes more) straight with severe nausea, bloating, and gas. During these spells I can barely eat anything and medicines like Gaviscon, Zantac, and Pepto don’t even touch it. Then, I will wake up the next day after having a spell and the burning will be gone, but I am left with a queasy/nauseous feeling most of the time. I have drastically changed my diet and don’t eat or drink anything acidic or irritating. I don’t have coffee, chocolate, sauces, fried foods, etc. I also don’t smoke and I am pretty underweight. Does anyone have any ideas or tips? I am so desperate for relief that I am willing to try anything.

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The burning could be cause be GERD resulting from fructose malabsorption. You say you get bloating and gas, and that is symptom of fm big time. Have you read through this entire fm discussion? There are tips on what to eat and not eat, recipes, finding drugs yo can tolerate, etc.

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@mrsrlp

I have dealt with lymphatic colitis for 40 years. I am 76 now and have just been treated for H-pylori 4 months ago. My breath test has shown Fructose Malabsorption rather then SIBO. Not sure I am glad for this diagnosis. The SIBO I could treat with antibiotics and not as strict a diet. I see my doctor this week and then a dietitian to learn how to eat very different from what I have been eating with the colitis. One diet seems to hinder the other. I feel to old to change my ways but something else to learn now. I was never a real sweet eater until I found out I can't have it. LOL There are so many things I have to throw out and I plan to have one cupboard just for me. My DH can eat anything and I make sweets for him all the time, what an adjustment. Sorry if I sound a little down or pessimistic about this, I know over time I will adjust. I have been reading some of your posts and am encouraged by them. I will return with my journey after Wednesday.

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Hang in there! You do adjust over time and even get so you don't want sweets because you know the awful side effects they will cause. There's a lot of info in this fm discussion from the beginning, including foods to eat/not eat, finding drugs and supplements that are ok, etc. Your message reminds me of all the food I had to throw out also. My husband still eats sweets he buys ( I don't make any), but he doesn't eat them around me which is nice.

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@xcatoverx

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar to this. I’m 20 years old and have suffered from nausea and burning in my throat for several years now. I have seen two GI doctors who have tried a few different PPIs and have tested me for many things, but I continue to get worse. Currently I am diagnosed with GERD and Fructose Malabsorption. PPIs seem to help with “regular” heartburn which I would get after eating a meal, but the burning in my throat is something different. It comes out of nowhere, usually two or three hours after I have eaten something or when I wake up in the morning. It will last for 2-3 days (sometimes more) straight with severe nausea, bloating, and gas. During these spells I can barely eat anything and medicines like Gaviscon, Zantac, and Pepto don’t even touch it. Then, I will wake up the next day after having a spell and the burning will be gone, but I am left with a queasy/nauseous feeling most of the time. I have drastically changed my diet and don’t eat or drink anything acidic or irritating. I don’t have coffee, chocolate, sauces, fried foods, etc. I also don’t smoke and I am pretty underweight. Does anyone have any ideas or tips? I am so desperate for relief that I am willing to try anything.

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GERD in the night or during sleep can also be caused by Obstructive sleep apnea. Few doctors seem to aware of this connection, thought most GI specialists should be. Maybe worth testing and eliminating it.

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@lelia

The burning could be cause be GERD resulting from fructose malabsorption. You say you get bloating and gas, and that is symptom of fm big time. Have you read through this entire fm discussion? There are tips on what to eat and not eat, recipes, finding drugs yo can tolerate, etc.

Jump to this post

Sorry, I didn't realize I posted that in this thread! But while I'm here, yes I have done quite a bit of research and have tried a low fructose diet with no success. Is it possible to have a delayed reaction, like the day after eating something I shouldn't? I just can't seem to find a pattern.

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@xcatoverx

Sorry, I didn't realize I posted that in this thread! But while I'm here, yes I have done quite a bit of research and have tried a low fructose diet with no success. Is it possible to have a delayed reaction, like the day after eating something I shouldn't? I just can't seem to find a pattern.

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Yes you can definitely have delayed reaction. There is so much valuable information I have provided throughout all my post and it will be very helpful to read it. My kid had the issue from birth and progressively got worse until age 7 where she would get stomach ache from just eating rice. We had to carry her every where since she had lost a lot of weight. We ended up eliminating everything from her diet. Now she can eat so much more and doesn't have problems. She is allergic to gluten, milk, eggs and nuts and we avoid that in her diet. Fructose malabsorption can be tackled very easily if you follow the regimen. Read my post and I can further answer any questions you would have from it. I have handled fructose issues for the last 13 years with my kid and is it amazingly under ccontrol with no nausea, gas, bloating or other symptoms. Good luck!

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@xcatoverx

Sorry, I didn't realize I posted that in this thread! But while I'm here, yes I have done quite a bit of research and have tried a low fructose diet with no success. Is it possible to have a delayed reaction, like the day after eating something I shouldn't? I just can't seem to find a pattern.

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No need to apologize! Welcome! Definitely you can have a delayed reaction! Especially in the case of fructans (chains of fructose) but also with fructose. For me if delayed it is usually 8 hours or so, so I eat iffy things in the morning. I find a reaction depends partly on how much fructose/fructans is already in my system. If I have closely followed the diet for three of more days I can usually get away with eating something I couldn't if I'd eaten something I shouldn't have the day before. It is very difficult to find a pattern; it took me about 10 years. Why don't you try the diet I've listed in this fm discussion section? I think it is on about page 5. Fructose is in tons of stuff. You may need a _no_ fructose diet; that's the case with me for the most part. I can't even digest artificial sugars. Best of luck.

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@xcatoverx

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar to this. I’m 20 years old and have suffered from nausea and burning in my throat for several years now. I have seen two GI doctors who have tried a few different PPIs and have tested me for many things, but I continue to get worse. Currently I am diagnosed with GERD and Fructose Malabsorption. PPIs seem to help with “regular” heartburn which I would get after eating a meal, but the burning in my throat is something different. It comes out of nowhere, usually two or three hours after I have eaten something or when I wake up in the morning. It will last for 2-3 days (sometimes more) straight with severe nausea, bloating, and gas. During these spells I can barely eat anything and medicines like Gaviscon, Zantac, and Pepto don’t even touch it. Then, I will wake up the next day after having a spell and the burning will be gone, but I am left with a queasy/nauseous feeling most of the time. I have drastically changed my diet and don’t eat or drink anything acidic or irritating. I don’t have coffee, chocolate, sauces, fried foods, etc. I also don’t smoke and I am pretty underweight. Does anyone have any ideas or tips? I am so desperate for relief that I am willing to try anything.

Jump to this post

Yes, I had the same problem! Even surgery after being diagnosed with severe acid reflux. Turns out that wasn't the problem. Was tested negative for fructose malabsorption. But after I cut out all fruit and many vegetables that are actually fruits did I finally get relief. No sugars or fake sugars. Pretty much just eat proteins and certain vegetables, boring but off all meds and feel so much better. Also lowered blood sugar and other issues I had.

REPLY
@xcatoverx

Sorry, I didn't realize I posted that in this thread! But while I'm here, yes I have done quite a bit of research and have tried a low fructose diet with no success. Is it possible to have a delayed reaction, like the day after eating something I shouldn't? I just can't seem to find a pattern.

Jump to this post

It takes me about a day and a half to have a reaction to fructose.

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As it ferments in my upper intestine it starts to cause gases and pushes up the acid, I've had surgery so it no longer gets into my esophagus but burns in my upper stomach.

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@saucy

Yes, I had the same problem! Even surgery after being diagnosed with severe acid reflux. Turns out that wasn't the problem. Was tested negative for fructose malabsorption. But after I cut out all fruit and many vegetables that are actually fruits did I finally get relief. No sugars or fake sugars. Pretty much just eat proteins and certain vegetables, boring but off all meds and feel so much better. Also lowered blood sugar and other issues I had.

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Sounds like you have fm; could get a second opinion.

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