"I hate square one... I don't want to go back. Times are hard; I believe prayer can help me, but it's been a long time coming and I'm losing hope... Maybe the turmoil will give way to one night's reprieve and my secret strength will pull me through the rest." --Nina
I just wanted to give a brief description of what the past two days have been like for me. I've been waiting for my day off (tomorrow) to see a general practitioner about my illness and a possible gastroenterologist referral for Celiac Disease testing. I'm not really nervous about the visit itself, because I feel that I have developed a better understanding of my body and symptoms through blogging and paying more attention. With the worsening of my symptoms over the last couple of months, I've really had no choice but to confront the illness head-on. It has really consumed my life. I spend all of my time, thoughts and efforts on it; It has become my main focus and my top priority. It's the least I can do for myself after so long. My only fear is remaining undiagnosed longer than I already have. I need a diagnosis before I can ever find relief, and I'm tired of waiting to feel normal while my symptoms worsen. This fear has taken over my mind this week - it's hard to describe.
The past couple of days have been bad for me. I've had to work both days, and each night I've had painful bowel cramping like I have to go really bad but my body isn't ready to. So I just wait out the cramping until I'm able to use the bathroom, which lasts late into the night. The mornings become shorter due to lack of rest. And as a result of being stuck in the bathroom in the mornings, too, I've been late to work both days. When I got to work I felt extremely weak and have been feeling the urge to faint. I've been shaky, and today I ended up in the bathroom dry-heaving within the first thirty minutes of my shift. Then I've have to feel the bowel cramping all day at work too, which has been miserable. I've found myself hunched over in pain several times, unable to stand up straight. But when your 'higher-ups' expect you to be a top performer at all times, and you don't have a name for your illness... there is no room for excuses. I wanted to 'call in' sick this morning, but I don't like the idea of 'calling in' unless you're 'can't-get-out-of-bed' sick. Luckily my job was light-duty anyways and I started feeling better towards the end of my shift.
By the time I get home, I'm feeling awful again. I go straight to the couch and lay down while my special guy brings me the Pepto-Bismol. My appetite has decreased, so I have to push myself to eat so I won't have hunger pains on top of everything else. I've lost weight, which is very noticeable on my small frame. Everyday on break at work I've had people questioning my food choices, poking fun at what I've been eating or shouting "Surely you aren't on a diet, you skinny thing!" It's very obnoxious, to say the least. Although I keep to myself, people still find a way to be rude.
In other news, I did go to Big Lots today and was excited to find several all-natural, gluten free products on their shelves. I was in there for an hour reading ingredients and browsing, and I found some cool stuff that I'm really interested in trying. I haven't been confirmed as being intolerant of gluten, but after that pita bread incident, I don't want to take any chances of doing more damage to my body. Better to be safe than sorry.
I don't know what's going on with my body, and I'm sure a diagnosis is further down the road than I'd like it to be, but I'm still welcoming the bright side of life and finding things to smile about everyday. I know that as my body weakens my mind gets stronger, which means that there is still some good in this.
Wish me compassion and understanding from intelligent doctors!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Possible Lead On Mystery Illness?
After the Fodmap Elimination trial, the first thing I reintroduced was Gluten. I ate a few of Saltine crackers one morning, no big deal. That afternoon, I great deal on a bag of pita bread. When I returned home, I decided to try a piece by itself. It tasted good, but half way through the thing I got extremely nauseous. To the point where all I wanted to do was lay down and take Pepto Bismol. It was more intense than the daily nausea I'm used to. But I wasn't 100% sure if i should blame the pita bread. So when I felt better, I decided to try it again to be sure. I ate a couple more pieces and the next thing I know I'm just as sick as before, except this time it lasts until the morning! It was very unexpected because I've never noticed a problem while eating regular, homemade lunch-meat sandwiches on whole wheat/whole grain bread. But upon reading the pita bread ingredients, "high gluten flour" was first on the list, which got my 'wheels' turning...
I already knew that the intolerance of Gluten is immediately related to Celiac Disease, but that was the extent of my knowledge of CD. So the detective that I am, I hopped on Google and started typing away.
The symptoms of Celiac Disease (with asterisks by the ones that I've experience/am experiencing) include:
Details:
"A growing portion of diagnoses are being made in asymptomatic persons as a result of increased screening; the condition is thought to affect between 1 in 1,750 and 1 in 105 people in the United States. Celiac disease is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a prolamin (gluten protein) found in wheat.... Upon exposure to gliadin, and specifically to three peptides found in prolamins, the enzyme tissue transglutaminase modifies the protein, and the immune system cross-reacts with the small-bowel tissue, causing an inflammatory reaction. That leads to a truncating of the villi lining the small intestine (called villous atrophy). This interferes with the absorption of nutrients, because the intestinal villi are responsible for absorption. The only known effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. While the disease is caused by a reaction to wheat proteins, it is not the same as wheat allergy." --Wikipedia
Complications (Celiac Complications):
Malnutrition
Loss of calcium and bone density
Lactose Intolerance
Cancer
Neurological complications
If you read my story, then you know that there a lot of similarities between CD and what I've been experiencing for the past few years. I have several other symptoms that I didn't mention in my story that line up perfectly with CD as well. I have a strong feeling that I may have finally found my diagnosis, so much so that I've set up an appointment with a general practitioner with hope that he will be able to prepare a Celiac test for me. I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I have a BIG problem with needles, and the first step is a blood test. So I'm really nervous about that. But the second step of CD diagnosis is an Endoscopy, which freaks me out even more, mainly because I don't know what to expect but for other more obvious reasons as well... But if it wasn't worth it to me, I wouldn't do it. I am pretty stubborn, after all.
I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I want so badly to be diagnosed. Some might think that a diagnosis is bad news, but if you've suffered from a mysterious illness for a long time then you understand why it isn't. I already know I have a problem, so a doctor telling me I do makes no difference. A diagnosis is a solve to a painful mystery; I can't help but to crack a hopeful smile :)
Since the initial gluten reaction, I have removed gluten from my diet entirely. I've felt a lot better, but I'm still experiencing stomach distention and some nausea. My constipation has further decreased but I'm now experiencing bowel cramps, and my stool consistency has changed significantly. But as I've read online, the damage that has been done to my intestinal lining could be the cause of my remaining symptoms. Nothing is certain, but a lead is a lead.
I am, however, inclined to believe that if the tests come back negative, and I reach a dead end once again, I might just self-destruct. I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle the disappointment . I know it is a likely outcome, but I've invested too much in this to react nonchalantly.
Until then, I have high hopes, crossed-fingers and many prayers. Wish me luck!
Resources:
Wikipedia
Celiac Disease Foundation
Celiac Disease
Mayo Clinic
I already knew that the intolerance of Gluten is immediately related to Celiac Disease, but that was the extent of my knowledge of CD. So the detective that I am, I hopped on Google and started typing away.
The symptoms of Celiac Disease (with asterisks by the ones that I've experience/am experiencing) include:
Classic symptoms may include:
- Abdominal cramping, intestinal gas ** (Bloating vs. Distention)
- Distention and bloating of the stomach **
- Chronic diarrhea or constipation (or both) **
- Steatorrhea – fatty stools
- Anemia – unexplained, due to folic acid, B12 or iron deficiency (or all)
- Unexplained weight loss with large appetite or weight gain **
- Dental enamel defects
- Osteopenia, osteoporosis
- Bone or joint pain **
- Fatigue, weakness and lack of energy **
- Bruising easily **
- Infertility – male/female
- Depression or Anxiety **
- Mouth ulcers **
- Delayed puberty
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet **
- Migraine headaches
Some long-term conditions that can result from untreated CD:
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Early onset osteoporosis or osteopenia
- Vitamin K deficiency associated with risk for hemorrhaging
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- Central and peripheral nervous system disorders - usually due to unsuspected nutrient deficiencies
- Pancreatic insufficiency
- Intestinal lymphomas and other GI cancers (malignancies)
- Gall bladder malfunction
- Neurological manifestations
Details:
"A growing portion of diagnoses are being made in asymptomatic persons as a result of increased screening; the condition is thought to affect between 1 in 1,750 and 1 in 105 people in the United States. Celiac disease is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a prolamin (gluten protein) found in wheat.... Upon exposure to gliadin, and specifically to three peptides found in prolamins, the enzyme tissue transglutaminase modifies the protein, and the immune system cross-reacts with the small-bowel tissue, causing an inflammatory reaction. That leads to a truncating of the villi lining the small intestine (called villous atrophy). This interferes with the absorption of nutrients, because the intestinal villi are responsible for absorption. The only known effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. While the disease is caused by a reaction to wheat proteins, it is not the same as wheat allergy." --Wikipedia
Complications (Celiac Complications):
Malnutrition
Loss of calcium and bone density
Lactose Intolerance
Cancer
Neurological complications
If you read my story, then you know that there a lot of similarities between CD and what I've been experiencing for the past few years. I have several other symptoms that I didn't mention in my story that line up perfectly with CD as well. I have a strong feeling that I may have finally found my diagnosis, so much so that I've set up an appointment with a general practitioner with hope that he will be able to prepare a Celiac test for me. I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I have a BIG problem with needles, and the first step is a blood test. So I'm really nervous about that. But the second step of CD diagnosis is an Endoscopy, which freaks me out even more, mainly because I don't know what to expect but for other more obvious reasons as well... But if it wasn't worth it to me, I wouldn't do it. I am pretty stubborn, after all.
I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I want so badly to be diagnosed. Some might think that a diagnosis is bad news, but if you've suffered from a mysterious illness for a long time then you understand why it isn't. I already know I have a problem, so a doctor telling me I do makes no difference. A diagnosis is a solve to a painful mystery; I can't help but to crack a hopeful smile :)
Since the initial gluten reaction, I have removed gluten from my diet entirely. I've felt a lot better, but I'm still experiencing stomach distention and some nausea. My constipation has further decreased but I'm now experiencing bowel cramps, and my stool consistency has changed significantly. But as I've read online, the damage that has been done to my intestinal lining could be the cause of my remaining symptoms. Nothing is certain, but a lead is a lead.
I am, however, inclined to believe that if the tests come back negative, and I reach a dead end once again, I might just self-destruct. I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle the disappointment . I know it is a likely outcome, but I've invested too much in this to react nonchalantly.
Until then, I have high hopes, crossed-fingers and many prayers. Wish me luck!
Resources:
Wikipedia
Celiac Disease Foundation
Celiac Disease
Mayo Clinic
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Trapped
My work schedule changed a bit this week, and within the past two days I've only had about 5-6 hours of sleep including a 2 1/2 hour nap I took after work yesterday. As a result, my food intake has been kinda rough. It was the last (and most painful) day of my fodmap elimination trial. My bowels loosened up and of course it couldn't go smoothly, it had to kick my butt. I'm bloated again (it never fully went down) and it's not getting any better. Everything about today has been full of pain, frustration and exhaustion. Early this morning when I finally forced myself out of bed for work, I was so sick to my stomach that I started dry heaving/gagging like crazy. But my stomach was empty and nothing came of it.
At work, while my co-workers worked at a regular pace, laughing and having fun, I was suffering silently in the backdrop - struggling to stay focused and keep up, hiding my swollen belly as not to look pregnant and start hurtful rumors. I insist on wearing a loose shirt when I'm so bloated - I've had some people criticize my 'belly' to each other and, while I pretended not to hear out of humiliation, it didn't feel good. So I try not to draw attention to it.
My biggest vexation is to appear and feel physically or emotionally weaker than the average person. It's the one thing I'm constantly trying to avoid and distract from. So when I'm sick, hurting, upset... no one knows. I'm not sure why I'm like that... I didn't used to be this way. Maybe it's pride. And it's good in that it combats the feeling of vulnerability, but it's not very helpful when everyone around you holds you to the bar you set for yourself on one of your good days. One month, your illness let up just enough for you to do a fantastic job at work, now you're damned if you don't perform at a steady rate. When you're trying your best to keep up with a disadvantage, but it's just not good enough. These are the things that devastate me.. that go against everything I want for myself.
The perfect end to a perfect day: I hurt my knee about 3 months ago training in Hapkido, and it's been randomly tricky ever since. Every once in a while, pain will spike through my knee and it locks up. As usual, I just swallowed the pain and didn't really bring it up. I had a class today, and I always train a bit before I even go. But one wrong move, and it was all over for me. I couldn't do much else (as far as training goes) after that. My special guy agreed that I shouldn't go to class tonight, and maybe not for a couple of weeks until my knee feels better. He was right, but I got so frustrated. To feel so weak and pathetic contradicts who I am inside. I feel like a strong, competent person trapped in this fragile shell. It's what I love about martial arts - it makes me feel powerful. But here I sit, waiting for my guy to return from Hapkido class, wondering what I'm missing and wishing I could keep up - knowing that I'm capable of so much more.
It's now 9pm, and I made it through the day. But my spirit is broken... wrapped up in myself and all the commotion in my body. It may seem self-centered to the outsider looking in, but to me it's survival. What happens next...? I think a weekend trip to my hometown in Tennessee is in order. Maybe there is something there waiting for me... to make me feel alive!
At work, while my co-workers worked at a regular pace, laughing and having fun, I was suffering silently in the backdrop - struggling to stay focused and keep up, hiding my swollen belly as not to look pregnant and start hurtful rumors. I insist on wearing a loose shirt when I'm so bloated - I've had some people criticize my 'belly' to each other and, while I pretended not to hear out of humiliation, it didn't feel good. So I try not to draw attention to it.
My biggest vexation is to appear and feel physically or emotionally weaker than the average person. It's the one thing I'm constantly trying to avoid and distract from. So when I'm sick, hurting, upset... no one knows. I'm not sure why I'm like that... I didn't used to be this way. Maybe it's pride. And it's good in that it combats the feeling of vulnerability, but it's not very helpful when everyone around you holds you to the bar you set for yourself on one of your good days. One month, your illness let up just enough for you to do a fantastic job at work, now you're damned if you don't perform at a steady rate. When you're trying your best to keep up with a disadvantage, but it's just not good enough. These are the things that devastate me.. that go against everything I want for myself.
The perfect end to a perfect day: I hurt my knee about 3 months ago training in Hapkido, and it's been randomly tricky ever since. Every once in a while, pain will spike through my knee and it locks up. As usual, I just swallowed the pain and didn't really bring it up. I had a class today, and I always train a bit before I even go. But one wrong move, and it was all over for me. I couldn't do much else (as far as training goes) after that. My special guy agreed that I shouldn't go to class tonight, and maybe not for a couple of weeks until my knee feels better. He was right, but I got so frustrated. To feel so weak and pathetic contradicts who I am inside. I feel like a strong, competent person trapped in this fragile shell. It's what I love about martial arts - it makes me feel powerful. But here I sit, waiting for my guy to return from Hapkido class, wondering what I'm missing and wishing I could keep up - knowing that I'm capable of so much more.
It's now 9pm, and I made it through the day. But my spirit is broken... wrapped up in myself and all the commotion in my body. It may seem self-centered to the outsider looking in, but to me it's survival. What happens next...? I think a weekend trip to my hometown in Tennessee is in order. Maybe there is something there waiting for me... to make me feel alive!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
A Little More Fodmap Elimination Info
The town where I live is a lot less populated than the one I was raised in. I'm used to seeing more health/organic food stores; this town just doesn't have any. It's something the surrounding areas are lacking as well. But I have been able to find a few things to get me through the fodmap elimination trial, mostly at Kroger because they actually have an organic food 'section' in their stores.
During the trial, one thing I did have trouble with was just... getting started. I wasn't sure if I was doing it right, and I didn't know how to go about the planning and preparation of meals that would sufficiently satisfy my hunger. Most of the time, when buying the fodmap-free foods, I was just taking a risk because I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know if what I was buying was going to taste good enough to eat or if I was just going to waste my money. And organic food is expensive! But some of the things I ended up buying and eating are as follows:
White Rice Bread
Chicken
Turkey Bacon
Eggs
Tuna
Gluten-Free Oats
Bananas, Grapes and Strawberries
Rice Crispies Cereal
Pamela's Products Chunky Chocolate Chip Gourmet All Natural Cookies
White Rice Bread: I'm just gonna be honest... It tasted really bad. It was not yummy at all, it has a very gritty texture that just didn't make me think of 'bread'. Basically, you can tell it's not what you're used to eating, which is expected - can't really complain, it's only an alternative. BUT a trick I learned pretty early on is to always lightly toast the bread before eating it, even if it's for a sandwich. It changes the texture to more of a regular bread-like consistency.
Chicken: Something I ate often was roasted or grill chicken along side roasted/grilled fodmap-free veggies and potatoes or fodmap-free rice. You just have to be careful how you season it. And you don't have a lot of options when it comes to dipping sauces, if you're into that.
Turkey Bacon: It's great! It defintely met my 'breakfast food needs'. Tastes a lot like the real thing, just healthier... and fodmap-free! I ate it with my fried eggs several times, and even made a BLT on my day 4.
Gluten-free Oats: I bought them later on in the trial, and they were a little pricey; I think I payed around 6 bucks for 2lbs. But I was really wanting some oatmeal. Add some sugar and fodmap-free milk and you're good to go for a sweet and filling breakfast, lunch or (if you're weird like me) dinner too!
Rice Crispies Cereal: It was a great replacement cereal for my usual choices because it's crispy, and I added a little sugar and slices of banana which almost felt a bit self-indulgent.
But do be careful, because some brands contain high fructose corn syrup. I almost bought an off-brand before I double checked the ingredients and noticed that I missed one. Kelloggs Rice Crispies is the one that does not contain high fructose corn syrup, but of course always double check anyways.
Pamela's Products Chunky Chocolate Chip Gourmet All Natural Cookies: These are amaaazzziinngg! I don't know if it's because I was delirious from having all yummy baked goods banned from my diet, but when I discovered these babies at Kroger I was more than willing to pay $4 for 9 cookies just to get my fill. And boy was it worth it. I expected them to taste like tree-bark, but they were actually really good and bursting with chocolate chips. And microwaving them makes them even yummier! Actually, I just finished my second box... yikes. But the brand has many other yummy products too! I'm now a big fan of Pamela's Products, just for the sheer genius behind the company. To me, that is impressive. Go Pamela!
I just wanted to give you an idea of what I bought and ate throughout the trial, now that I'm nearing the end. And if your interested in looking into and trying it, maybe this will help you get started too :)
Resources:
Pamela's Products
Pamela's Products on Facebook
During the trial, one thing I did have trouble with was just... getting started. I wasn't sure if I was doing it right, and I didn't know how to go about the planning and preparation of meals that would sufficiently satisfy my hunger. Most of the time, when buying the fodmap-free foods, I was just taking a risk because I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know if what I was buying was going to taste good enough to eat or if I was just going to waste my money. And organic food is expensive! But some of the things I ended up buying and eating are as follows:
White Rice Bread
Chicken
Turkey Bacon
Eggs
Tuna
Gluten-Free Oats
Bananas, Grapes and Strawberries
Rice Crispies Cereal
Pamela's Products Chunky Chocolate Chip Gourmet All Natural Cookies
White Rice Bread: I'm just gonna be honest... It tasted really bad. It was not yummy at all, it has a very gritty texture that just didn't make me think of 'bread'. Basically, you can tell it's not what you're used to eating, which is expected - can't really complain, it's only an alternative. BUT a trick I learned pretty early on is to always lightly toast the bread before eating it, even if it's for a sandwich. It changes the texture to more of a regular bread-like consistency.
Chicken: Something I ate often was roasted or grill chicken along side roasted/grilled fodmap-free veggies and potatoes or fodmap-free rice. You just have to be careful how you season it. And you don't have a lot of options when it comes to dipping sauces, if you're into that.
Turkey Bacon: It's great! It defintely met my 'breakfast food needs'. Tastes a lot like the real thing, just healthier... and fodmap-free! I ate it with my fried eggs several times, and even made a BLT on my day 4.
Gluten-free Oats: I bought them later on in the trial, and they were a little pricey; I think I payed around 6 bucks for 2lbs. But I was really wanting some oatmeal. Add some sugar and fodmap-free milk and you're good to go for a sweet and filling breakfast, lunch or (if you're weird like me) dinner too!
Rice Crispies Cereal: It was a great replacement cereal for my usual choices because it's crispy, and I added a little sugar and slices of banana which almost felt a bit self-indulgent.
But do be careful, because some brands contain high fructose corn syrup. I almost bought an off-brand before I double checked the ingredients and noticed that I missed one. Kelloggs Rice Crispies is the one that does not contain high fructose corn syrup, but of course always double check anyways.
Pamela's Products Chunky Chocolate Chip Gourmet All Natural Cookies: These are amaaazzziinngg! I don't know if it's because I was delirious from having all yummy baked goods banned from my diet, but when I discovered these babies at Kroger I was more than willing to pay $4 for 9 cookies just to get my fill. And boy was it worth it. I expected them to taste like tree-bark, but they were actually really good and bursting with chocolate chips. And microwaving them makes them even yummier! Actually, I just finished my second box... yikes. But the brand has many other yummy products too! I'm now a big fan of Pamela's Products, just for the sheer genius behind the company. To me, that is impressive. Go Pamela!
I just wanted to give you an idea of what I bought and ate throughout the trial, now that I'm nearing the end. And if your interested in looking into and trying it, maybe this will help you get started too :)
Resources:
Pamela's Products
Pamela's Products on Facebook
Saturday, January 7, 2012
The FODMAP Elimination Diet
During the month of November, I came across information about the FODMAP Elimination Diet and the Low-FODMAP Diet (Sounds funny, I agree). I researched the rules and guidelines on my own, and decided that if I gave it more thought or waited any longer than necessary... I would chicken out. I did, however, choose to wait until the holidays were over so I would be able to focus completely on my goal. Keep in mind though, dear friends, this is not a weight loss diet. I chose to start the fodmap elimination process to investigate my food intolerance, not to lose weight! I don't want to lose weight. I really just wanted to find and eliminate what ever it is that's irritating my digestive system so much. But from the beginning, nothing was guaranteed.
Questions:
What the heck is a fodmap?
"FODMAPs" is a term used to describe a collection of short-chain carbohydrates found in many common foods. FODMAPs stands for Fermentable Oligo-saccharides (eg. Fructans and Galactans), Di-saccharides (eg. Lactose), Mono-saccharides (eg. excess Fructose), and Polyols (eg. Sorbitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, Xylitol and Isomalt). Also known as "Spell Check"s worst nightmare.
What is the idea behind this diet?
The idea behind the diet is simple, yet difficult to follow because from what I've gathered, the only way you can be sure that you're doing it right is either to A) buy this book: IBS--Free at last! or B) consult a physician. I didn't do either, which I may regret later but as I said before, I got excited and I was feeling inspired so I took it and ran with it... wildly and clumsily all the way.
But the idea is to take a list of fodmap containing foods and strictly eliminate everything on that list from your diet for a period of time, preferably a minimum of two weeks. There are even lists available that include the basic foods that do not contain fodmaps, which is very helpful. During this process, it's important to take note of your body's reaction to the omission of fodmaps from your diet. If your symptoms are reduced or stop completely, then you know you're onto something. When the two weeks are over (and you're done jumping around, squealing in excitement and relief), you are then ready to start the reintroduction process which is basically reintroducing the restricted fodmaps one at a time in three day intervals, allowing adequate time for your body to react in it's natural way (however unnatural it's 'natural' way is). By the end of it, if it turns out that fodmaps are the issue for you, you'll have a better grip on things and hopefully you'll have found some relief.
My Experience
I began the process on December 28, 2011, and I am now at the end of day 11 of elimination.
I've been recording all of my meals and snacks since day 1, and I've only been drinking water (which I was mostly already doing). I've been making notes of symptom flare-ups as well. It's been a difficult process for me, personally, mainly because I'm a food-addict (and temptations are everywhere) with the other reasons being (because it's good to know what to expect before starting anything like this):
- The rules seemed to change with every website referencing the diet. Everyone seems to have their own idea of how it should be done, as with anything.
- I live in a small town that doesn't offer any healthy/organic food options, so it has been a bit more difficult to buy groceries than I expected.
- At the start I felt like I was experiencing withdrawals from my usual eating habits. I had mild headaches, I was extremely irritable, and I just felt "off". Not a big deal.
- The frustration I felt when I realized I was still having symptom flare-ups was a bit much.
I have made a few mistakes, but it's to be expected when you're depending partially on information you found on the internet and partially on your own judgement.
So far I've still had nausea at least once a day, but it has been greatly reduced, and I'm still getting bloated (I did bloat up for at least 3 days and it's just now going down). My bowel movements have been more frequent but are still irregular.
But even so, at this point in the process I feel like fodmaps aren't really the big issue here. I still can't pinpoint the irritants. It seems like the cause of my symptoms is ever-changing, impossible to unmask and I just can't keep up. But there is still a ways to go before I'm done with the fodmaps experiment. I have to finish this elimination phase, and begin and finish the reintroduction phase. I'm definitely interested to see what happens when I try drinking milk and eating cheese again. That's the big question swirling in my head now because I've been blaming lactose for my symptoms all along and it may not be the problem after all... oops. But I do love me some cheese. MmMmMm. I am a latina, after all. Cheese just comes with the territory. So this is great news for me :)
I'm not disappointed about the presumed outcome of the experiment, though. I did learn a lot, like that fodmaps, including lactose, are not my biggest concern. I have learned that the U.S. still isn't prepared enough and offers little support for people with food related allergies, intolerances and illnesses. And that's a shame. I've learned that I have a lot more willpower and strength of mind than I ever realized. Which is great - personal growth is a very special part of life, I always greet it with a smile :)
Other benefits of the diet have been that my mind is sort of straying away from that run away train type of mentality when it comes to food, where I'd have intense cravings for all the wrong things and it was too big of a problem if I didn't get what I was craving. I feel that my energy levels have risen, and overall I feel a little more "alive" than I did, not weighed down by the heavily processed, fatty foods I was eating before.
So it may not be a total success for me in the way it was intended, but the Fodmap Elimination Diet has been a personal success in many other ways which I am grateful for.
I would definitely recommend trying this diet/trial if you, like me, are struggling with any kind of mysterious digestive illness and are looking for answers. It wouldn't hurt to try, and it could end up being exactly what you needed.
Resources:
Foods on the Fodmap Diet: Helpful information and common high and low fodmap foods list
Common High and Low Fodmap Foods: A helpful chart
fodmap.com: Credit where credit is due
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Self Help and Support Group: A trusted community for IBS and digestive health sufferers
The Low-Fodmap Diet: Helpful information and lists
IBS Free: A Fodmap-free brand name guide/list
Questions:
What the heck is a fodmap?
"FODMAPs" is a term used to describe a collection of short-chain carbohydrates found in many common foods. FODMAPs stands for Fermentable Oligo-saccharides (eg. Fructans and Galactans), Di-saccharides (eg. Lactose), Mono-saccharides (eg. excess Fructose), and Polyols (eg. Sorbitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, Xylitol and Isomalt). Also known as "Spell Check"s worst nightmare.
What is the idea behind this diet?
The idea behind the diet is simple, yet difficult to follow because from what I've gathered, the only way you can be sure that you're doing it right is either to A) buy this book: IBS--Free at last! or B) consult a physician. I didn't do either, which I may regret later but as I said before, I got excited and I was feeling inspired so I took it and ran with it... wildly and clumsily all the way.
But the idea is to take a list of fodmap containing foods and strictly eliminate everything on that list from your diet for a period of time, preferably a minimum of two weeks. There are even lists available that include the basic foods that do not contain fodmaps, which is very helpful. During this process, it's important to take note of your body's reaction to the omission of fodmaps from your diet. If your symptoms are reduced or stop completely, then you know you're onto something. When the two weeks are over (and you're done jumping around, squealing in excitement and relief), you are then ready to start the reintroduction process which is basically reintroducing the restricted fodmaps one at a time in three day intervals, allowing adequate time for your body to react in it's natural way (however unnatural it's 'natural' way is). By the end of it, if it turns out that fodmaps are the issue for you, you'll have a better grip on things and hopefully you'll have found some relief.
My Experience
I began the process on December 28, 2011, and I am now at the end of day 11 of elimination.
I've been recording all of my meals and snacks since day 1, and I've only been drinking water (which I was mostly already doing). I've been making notes of symptom flare-ups as well. It's been a difficult process for me, personally, mainly because I'm a food-addict (and temptations are everywhere) with the other reasons being (because it's good to know what to expect before starting anything like this):
- The rules seemed to change with every website referencing the diet. Everyone seems to have their own idea of how it should be done, as with anything.
- I live in a small town that doesn't offer any healthy/organic food options, so it has been a bit more difficult to buy groceries than I expected.
- At the start I felt like I was experiencing withdrawals from my usual eating habits. I had mild headaches, I was extremely irritable, and I just felt "off". Not a big deal.
- The frustration I felt when I realized I was still having symptom flare-ups was a bit much.
I have made a few mistakes, but it's to be expected when you're depending partially on information you found on the internet and partially on your own judgement.
So far I've still had nausea at least once a day, but it has been greatly reduced, and I'm still getting bloated (I did bloat up for at least 3 days and it's just now going down). My bowel movements have been more frequent but are still irregular.
But even so, at this point in the process I feel like fodmaps aren't really the big issue here. I still can't pinpoint the irritants. It seems like the cause of my symptoms is ever-changing, impossible to unmask and I just can't keep up. But there is still a ways to go before I'm done with the fodmaps experiment. I have to finish this elimination phase, and begin and finish the reintroduction phase. I'm definitely interested to see what happens when I try drinking milk and eating cheese again. That's the big question swirling in my head now because I've been blaming lactose for my symptoms all along and it may not be the problem after all... oops. But I do love me some cheese. MmMmMm. I am a latina, after all. Cheese just comes with the territory. So this is great news for me :)
I'm not disappointed about the presumed outcome of the experiment, though. I did learn a lot, like that fodmaps, including lactose, are not my biggest concern. I have learned that the U.S. still isn't prepared enough and offers little support for people with food related allergies, intolerances and illnesses. And that's a shame. I've learned that I have a lot more willpower and strength of mind than I ever realized. Which is great - personal growth is a very special part of life, I always greet it with a smile :)
Other benefits of the diet have been that my mind is sort of straying away from that run away train type of mentality when it comes to food, where I'd have intense cravings for all the wrong things and it was too big of a problem if I didn't get what I was craving. I feel that my energy levels have risen, and overall I feel a little more "alive" than I did, not weighed down by the heavily processed, fatty foods I was eating before.
So it may not be a total success for me in the way it was intended, but the Fodmap Elimination Diet has been a personal success in many other ways which I am grateful for.
I would definitely recommend trying this diet/trial if you, like me, are struggling with any kind of mysterious digestive illness and are looking for answers. It wouldn't hurt to try, and it could end up being exactly what you needed.
Resources:
Foods on the Fodmap Diet: Helpful information and common high and low fodmap foods list
Common High and Low Fodmap Foods: A helpful chart
fodmap.com: Credit where credit is due
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Self Help and Support Group: A trusted community for IBS and digestive health sufferers
The Low-Fodmap Diet: Helpful information and lists
IBS Free: A Fodmap-free brand name guide/list
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