Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
Hi jamaxx,
The answer is all of the above: "immediately afterwards, several hours later, [or] the next morning." Now I can usually tell what caused it because by now I know what I can and can't eat. However, at first it was pretty much trial-and-error.
If I have too much percentage of fat in one meal, my attack may not occur until the next day. But if I have a salad -- even with a soluble fiber beforehand -- the attack will be immediate.
A good tool to determine what has caused your attack is a food diary. I've been keeping one for several years now (I'm on volume 6 so far). I list the item I consume, the time, the amount, and the reaction. I could tell you what my poop was like on any given day at any given time for the past 2 years. Fascinating reading, eh?
It really has helped me figure out what caused my attacks. Many times I would be doubled over and wonder WHY -- then I turned to my food diary, and bingo bango there it was, something I had eaten or drank the day before -- and forgotten about! That diary kept me from making the same mistake twice.