Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | What Is Going on with the so called diet

I empathize with your frustration. And as many have said...we've been there. For once, you're encoutered a group who actually understands, so you don't have to prove your pain here. We know...

I've been on this diet for only about a month, and I it hasn't been perfect yet, but it's been so much better. It was a gradual thing, so have patience. I just got back from visiting several colleges, so I thought some things I experiences might help you...

Regarding the turkey sandwich...
I have been eating turkey sandwiches at home, on my bread, with my turkey, etc. with no problem. I chose that as a "safe food" while traveling and had problems with it several places. I was fairly pro-active, asking questions and such, but sometimes it is very hard to find the people who really knew the answers. The turkey might have dairy injected in it, the bread might be made with milk, or brushed with butter. Those are all things that it is *so* hard to know. Just because I can buy turkey and sourdough, or french bread that is safe, doesn't mean that *all* turkey or bread is safe.

The same is true with the bagel. I eat Pepperidge Fram Bagels, and they are safe for me. I ate a bagel (plain, no crazy flavors, no cream cheese, no butter or anything) at a "continental breakfast buffet" type place, and was instantly bloated. Those bagels obviously weren't safe for me. Lesson learned, but that doesn't mean that I can never eat bagels again. Just that I need to be able to read the ingredients, before I decide if the bagel is safe for me.

I also ate chicken teriyaki this weekend, because I know that teriyaki sauce is generally fate free (and fat is a big trigger for me). The sauce was fine, and the rice was fine, but at this restruant, the chicken was cooked using butter, and the waitress didn't know this. Enter the diarrhea and bloating.

As you can see, even when you make the best choices you can, things can still slip by, which would explain your symptoms. As for eating at a college cafeteria, the best advice I know is to try dry cereal. Most cafs have big dispensors of name brand cereal (clearly labeled) so you can look the ingredients of that brand of cereal up online and make clearer decisions about whether or not they are safe. As a warning, General Mills has now switched so that all their cereals are whole grain, so avoid those until you know if it is a trigger. Kellogs, Post, and other cereals are safer. Choose cereals such as Rice Krispies, Corn Pops etc. Stay away from anything called "bran" or anything with dried fruit, as that is also harder to digest.

So colleges have sandwich bars, with the bread still in the bags, so you could read the ingredients, but yours may not.

Another thing that is *generally* safe is a truly plain baked potato. If it is wrapped into alluminium, and not split open yet, it is a safe bet that no butter or other trigger has been stuffed in. Peal off the skin and just eat the white part.

Also, you may want to avoid the veggies until you are more stable. Also, the "berry" type of fruits. Bananas, applesauce, potatoes, sweet potatoes, are better choices.

Good luck with this, I know it can be hard. I'm just starting myself. But, be patience, and try not to alienate the truly wise people on the board here. This is probably your best resource, and offending people here puts you in a bad place.

Thanks to all of you out there....I don't know what I would do without you....

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~~~Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.~~~

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