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I’m so confused on all of the different paths to try to stop the chronic ribs to the bathroom. Test after test and finally one is positive. Fructose malabsorption. Very high intolerance. My elimination diet 10 days now isn’t changing much of anything. Lists of can have can’t have is so hard and low FODMAP Foods Vs High FODMAP Nothing says eliminate dairy which I don’t do except 1/2 and 1/2 very little in am. Can hv some sugars etc. yet still in bathroom 1 to 2 x a day. I’m hardly eating now afraid of reaction with nausea gas upper stomach pain. Etc I’m not celiac no Crohns no bowel disease so why is wheat needed to be stopped on fructose elimination I love salads too and they just cause so much discomfort. I just want things to turn around. No meds. No probiotics no enzymes by doctor Just diet. I eat totally plain and not much different just yet Thanks for letting me vent
Donna
Replies to "I’m so confused on all of the different paths to try to stop the chronic ribs..."
@jeoangel32 It sounds as if you do have an answer, that's such a huge part of the battle. I would hate to eliminate salads, they are my lunch virtually every day, and often my side dish with dinner.
I was not only having half and half but also yogurt for breakfast and often some cheeses -- particularly goat cheese crumbles in my lunch salad. I miss the goat cheese a lot but I have found lactose free real dairy yogurt in Whole Foods, and also lactose free half and half.
The NP I saw at the gastro office insisted on testing me for celiac, which I knew for sure I did not have, and of course, that test came back negative. I think she lost a lot of my confidence with that move. As @hopeful33250 commented, if you do not feel you are getting sufficient help from the doctor you have been to then it's time to try another.
@messygirl I eliminated dairy myself. I was beginning to wonder and then one night we went out to dinner to an Italian restaurant and I had a Caprese salad (fresh mozzarella) and an appetizer of eggplant rolled around ricotta (I often just have salad and an appetizer when we dine out). Boy, did I pay for that. On our way home I said to my husband that my dinner was so good I would definitely order it again if we went there. A few hours later I knew I would not be eating that again. They generally say that lactose intolerance occurs between 30 minutes and two hours after having lactose. My reaction generally takes much longer. My PCP said that is not unusual.
I really do not have stomach distress, just the loose stools. Loose stools are considered to be diarrhea if they are really loose and unformed. Diarrhea does not have to be watery.
I too thought maybe it was IBS or IBD (they are not the same) which is why I went to a gastro. It seemed as if I was having a problem even when I did not have dairy. I have come to realize that often there is dairy in things that we don't think of, so that can cause it too. I have to admit, I was getting desperate also. It made leaving the house difficult some days, and I generally go to water aerobics three times a week but there were many days I had to skip. Do you also have very smelly gas? I definitely did. As @Zaroga
I agree with @fourof5zs too, water can definitely have an effect. One of my friends has a son who could only drink certain waters, she always bought him bottled water long before people were drinking bottled water frequently. She had to when they traveled.
Also, a food diary is very helpful, basically essential to determine what the problem is.
JK
Long story short I researched my similar issues, came up with over production of bile. I now take colestipol 1GM in am and one when I eat out or go out. Very frustating that not one medical proffesional could find a reason for my problem.
Do you have IBS or ?? Yes the Low FODMAP diet is a real drag but better than the alternative—at least for me. My understanding is that many IBS sufferers (including me) are lactose intolerant or at least lactose sensitive. There are many good lactose free and low lactose products available. And the Lactaid type tablets work well for me. Just be sure you buy those without additives like mannitol which with IBS can cause symptoms. I get them at Costco. Buy the tablets not the chewables and you may need to take two at a time.
Connect
@jeoangel32 Hello Donna,
In reading your post, it looks like you have just been on this new eating plan for 10 days. Is that correct?
Most of us on Connect are not trained to answer the questions you have posted. You might want to consult with a dietician to have an explanation for all of your questions. Appointments with dieticians are not always covered by insurance, however, it might be worth the expenditure of money for one appointment. If that is not an option you might see if your GI doctor has an RN or a PA who might be willing to talk with you about the reasons for the restrictions of the food plan you mentioned. Then again, you might just need to try this food plan and accept the fact that while it may not make you happy (eliminating foods you really enjoy), it might be worth a try to see if your symptoms improve.
Also, please remember that you can always seek a second opinion if you feel that you are not getting the results that you need.
I hope that you are successful in making this adjustment and in getting answers to your questions.