Questions about refined sugar and other diet issues
#372258 - 07/28/15 07:16 AM
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Faye_F
Reged: 07/28/15
Posts: 2
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I am a new user, but I was diagnosed with IBS-D about a year and a half ago and I have been using Heather's book and this website for about a year. There are a lot of knowledgeable people who use this forum, so I thought I would post my question here and see if anyone has some insight into my situation.
I have heard over and over again that refined sugar is not an IBS trigger. However, after following the EFI diet for a year, I can't deny the fact that it is a trigger for me. When I am in a flare, sugar makes it much worse. If I am stable, too much sugar will give me gas and D. If sugar is not an IBS trigger, does anyone know what might be going on?
When I was first diagnosed I had D, urgency, and a pinching pain in my lower left abdomen (no gas or cramping). I had lots of tests - colonoscopy with biopsy, CT scan, x-ray, ultrasounds, SIBO breath test. Everything was negative. I tried a few different antispasmodics but they did nothing. Heather's diet was the only thing that stopped the D, but it hasn't worked 100% as it should according to the book.
Aside from sugar, I have had some issues with a few different aspects of the diet. I tried working in a soluble fiber supplement, but it made me really gassy even when introduced very gradually. I have had the same issue with wheat products and eventually starting making bread with gluten free flour, which helped.
I am currently in a flare and have been following Heather's diet strictly, but also eliminating sugar and wheat - but I am running low on what I can eat. I have tried cutting out FODMAPS, but it doesn't make a difference one way or the other.
When first diagnosed, my GI doctor said, "I think you have IBS, but it's not like any IBS that I've ever seen." I don't know what she meant by that and now she's left the practice - I have an appointment with a new doctor, but not until September.
If anyone has any ideas or suggestions about what is going on or tests I should ask for when I see my doctor, I would really appreciate it. TIA!
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Hi:),
If you haven't....was thinking you could get a copy of your records from that GI to see what they meant by their comment. Was testing of the gall bladder or for celiac done? I've read somewhere that it takes a long time for the intestines to heal from gluten, even if haven't been eating it for a long time. I was off it for a few years, but found no big difference, just that I was eating too much of it, like when I'd eat the pasta especially. Did they do an endoscopy, where they were able to go further up into the end of the small intestine above the ilium?
Good you found out wheat free helped and sugar doesn't, which I find easy to follow. I've done EFI here combined with fodmaps diet without a nutritionist (not avail. on ins.), not a difference for me, except I think white spelt does me better;Even then, fodmaps had advertised a whole grain spelt that would kill me. I had already found out a while before that too much of sulphur foods didn't do me well. Found asparagus worked better.
The soluble fiber was acacia? Before, I was on the acacia for over many years and had built up slowly, then when I got on the recommended probios Align and then VSL#3, I got too much gas every evening until I went off acacia (prebiotic..slow fermenting for others I suppose);Then onto the methyl-cellulose that is not ferment-able, hence have had better days for at least 4 mos.
Edited by sgcray (07/28/15 01:59 PM)
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I was tested for celiac, but no gallbladder tests. What gallbladder tests should I request? I did have an endoscopy.
I tried acacia and had a lot of problems. Then I tried citrucel which was much better (for gas), but didn't really seem to make a difference for my ibs.
So, you react to sugar too? Any theories about why?
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is not an IBS trigger. White/brown sugar cannot give you gas as it is 100% absorbed in the stomach and upper part of the small intestine However, foods containing sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, etc) like plums, watermelon and foods containing more of the sugar fructose than the sugar glucose like apples, pears, mango, honey, high fructose corn syrup are proven potential IBS triggers
-------------------- STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Hi,
They included checking the gall bladder for disfunction with my testing, but don't remember how they tested it or what it was called 15 yrs ago. You'd have to search ibs testing criteria, because tests may be different now.
I didn't try the Citrucel drink mix because of the ingredients, so I do the caplets, convenient too.
I don't have any problems with sucrose sugar.
Edited by sgcray (07/30/15 01:12 PM)
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