Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | "Fussy Eaters" - any on here? (Non-IBS medical food limitations)

So I've always been a super fussy eater. I mean, seriously fussy - I don't eat anything that comes out of the sea whatsoever (I can't even look at fish without wanting to throw up, never mind touch it), the only vegetables I can eat are carrots, peas, butter beans & occasionally red kidney beans. The only fruit I can just pick up and eat are apples, green seedless grapes, and occasionally strawberries.

I can eat fruit flavoured things, etc, and a few 'uneatable' fruits if they're pureed in a smoothie or similar.

Other than that, I'm stumped! I live on LOTS of potatoes, white bread (could eat brown bread taste-wise, but freaks my tum out majorly), lemon barley water, water, peas, carrots, chicken, the odd bit of turkey, bagels, potato cakes, soy cheese & soy margarine, and a few other bits.

Basically, the blander the better! My favourite foods are all white, and the less taste the better!

I was just wondering if anyone on here was similar? I've always thought it was one of those 'just me', but a program called 'Farm of Fussy EAters' has just finished on tv over here, where a group of people as fussy / even fussier than me all went to this place for 2 weeks run by a psychologist, nutritionist and a chef, with the aim of conquering their fears and trying new foods.

I guess the definition of a true 'fussy eater' is not just someone that doesn't like lots of stuff, but has a real serious phobia of trying anyting new whatsoever - as real a phobia as those of heights, enclosed spaces or spiders. As I said, just looking at fish makes me gag, and the thought of eating cabbage or lettuce or any other vegetable makes me feel sweaty and dizzy, and I know i just couldn't put them in my mouth.

Quite a few of the people in this program conquered their fear, and their lives have been changed massively. I guess it's got me wondering whether I'd be capable of changing at all? It's so embarrassing - all my career when we've gone out to eat all I ever get are pizza margarita (pref' without tomato base, as I hate it - with the added bonus now as its one of my worst triggers, so I'm 'validly' allowed to avoid it!), spaghetii carbonara or some 'plain old english grub' - a piece of chicken or gammon, with potatoes and peas, with a piece of white bread.

The thing is, whilst most of the foods I don't like aren't great for IBS, health-wise I need to be eating them, and for my own piece of mind I need to be able to try tnem. And i know, if I can conquer this fear, both my overall health and my stomach would improve SO much - I know that I make my IBS so much worse with my majorly restrictive diet and lack of variety.

Anyone experience anyting similar, or know someone like this? I'm wondering if I should set some targets - like try a new food every week, even just a tiny taste, of something like a bit of pepper or a bite of lettuce. I know I'll never eat fish or onion or cabbabe or sprouts, or a few other things, but maybe I could expand my diet, even just a little??

(I know all of this sounds pathetic, but seriously it's a horrible mental block on trying anything new AT ALL - I've been the same all my life, not helped by my parents trying to 'sneak' new foods into me - e.g. cut up broad beans 'hiding' in my peas. )

I've been sure all my life this is something I can't change. But can I??? Is this all about control?? Is this a part of me that just won't grow up??

Questions, questions....

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