Sarah* had come to see us at AM Dietetics after being diagnosed with IBS-D (diarrhoea dominant IBS). Her symptoms included bloating, wind, gut pain, cramping, diarrhoea, and frequent trips to the toilet. Sarah was hoping to go on the Low FODMAP Diet, in order to reduce her symptoms.
As mentioned in our previous blog, Sarah first had a few “first line” changes to make to her diet, before even considering the Low FODMAP Diet. She spent a few weeks making changes and felt a lot better. She had:
- Fewer trips to the toilet
- Less pain and cramping
- Bonus : more energy
But, even though things were better, her stools were still quite loose and there were some issues with urgency and bloating…so we decided to move to phase 2, the Low FODMAP Diet.
The Low FODMAP Diet had made a big difference to Sarah’s symptoms and she was a little afraid to try the challenges but she went ahead with the process.
Final Visit
Sarah had completed her challenges, one by one, and came back to see us with her results. We discussed the FODMAPs that she had an issue with, which amounts she seemed to be safe at, and the importance of keeping up her challenges over time.
We were able to put together a personalised plan for Sarah, so that she could be in control of her IBS.
Sarah’s results
At the end of the process, we were really pleased to have made a difference for Sarah.
Sarah had
- more confidence with her food and for making daily plans
- dramatically less toilet trips
- less bloating
- no pain and cramping
- no explosive diarrhoea
- a balanced diet that she could eat without fear of consequences
- the power to choose, control with her diet and IBS
- put into place self-care (sleeping patterns, stress avoidance)
We were just so happy to had made a difference for Sarah’s life.
Summary
- we always try “first line” changes first – why try and elimination/exclusion diet when you may not need to?
- around 75% of people have great results with the Low FODMAP Diet.
- the Low FODMAP diet is a three-phase approach
- you should only follow the phase 1 elimination phase for around 4-5 weeks
- food/symptoms diaries are “the bomb”
- “self care” makes a massive difference (i.e. getting better sleep, reducing stress, eating mindfully)
- it’s amazing to see someone’s life changed for the better with dietary advice and support
- we offer a 3 visit package for IBS/FODMAPs support
- contact us on privatedietitians@gmail.com
*“Sarah” gave their permission for us to tell their story. Certain details have been changed to retain their anonymity.
