New. Help.

[Sherry1103]

I am about a month in to the low FODMAP diet. Maybe a little over a month. I have failed time and time and again. There was one day where the bloating almost went completely away but then I felt tired (probably symptom of die-off) and I forgot about die-off so I ate some popcorn and then some potato chips. After that it has been a rollercoaster. I have the Monash app and they say plantain chips are free of fodmaps. But every time I eat them I crave other sweets and my thinking immediately changes so then I order ice cream. I have tried low FODMAP ice cream. Through trial and error I have found the best diet for me is a paleo low FODMAP diet. But it’s just so hard when I’m at work and can’t focus and hate the work I do and I get so bored. I get so tired and I’m miserable and so good is a comfort. I can’t comfort myself at work. When I’m at home I can comfort myself by taking a nap or watching tv. Listening to podcasts or TED Talks etc. i realize that the best thing for me to do is to just go home immediately after work (1:15 commute), and go immediately to my bedroom and stay in there. My roommate stresses me out. I thought I could cook at home and eat there but I’m realizing I can’t. But eating at the bus stop after work is depressing as well. Last night after the plantain chips it wasn’t too late - I could have just paced around my room and done some squats while watching tv but instead the evil bad gut bacteria told me to eat ice cream so I ordered two pints of Talenti and ate them both even though I was full. I’m not overweight at all but my eating habits remind me of my BFF behavior when she was obese (she had WLS). I am now even worse than I was. The bloating is insane. I’m so discouraged and depressed. Last summer when I had chronic heartburn it was easier to not eat sweets because in many ways heartburn is a much more invasive pain and discomforts. I keep thinking every morning “today will be day one”. 

 

I have tried coming up with new reward systems that don’t involve food or spending money. But when I search ideas online all the ideas seem like work to me. Taking a bath: I personally like to shower and then bleach the tub before taking a bath. Doing my nails: to me that is a chore. Watching tv: I already do that. Playing dress up: not with the way my gut feels right now. Doing makeup: don’t really have fun doing that. 

 

And even if I am disciplined enough to eat dinner at home, I can’t lay down in bed right away because you need to be upright for the food to digest properly. I know this from research and personal experience. It seems to take 3 or 4 days of strict adherence to the diet before the bloating starts to go away. 

 

I have taken Candibactin AR and BR. They worked really well at first but then I got cocky and complacent and deviated a little almost everyday. I have run out of the supplements and they’re expensive. I just can’t even seem to go anywhere but stay in my bedroom. 

 

I am a christian and I have prayed every prayer in the book. I have had accountability partners and all that but no one is intense enough. I have tried meal prep and I hate it and it seems to lead to food waste for me. 

 

Die- off is seriously the worst because with low FODMAP I see that it’s not JUST about the kinds of foods but also portion sizes and for me I think eating foods low in fat so the LES doesn’t relax too much. But I’m soooo hungry and when I feel so deprived I can’t focus on anything. I’ve even tried taking L-Tyrosine supplements but they don’t seem to work. I think the bad gut bugs are blocking some kind of absorption.

 

i hate my life right now. I hate my body. I hate this. I cannot seem to get it together. I feel like I have tried everything. If anyone has tips or advice please share even if you think I’ve heard it before. Or please share your struggles. Sometimes it just helps to know I’m not alone. 

[Jeminah]

you are not alone, keep trying different probiotics and elimination diets. Have you tried Aloe Juice/ Water ?

[Christine]

Hi Sherry, I suffer from IBS too on certain days I feel like you do. Stress is a big factor in IBS sufferers. You would need to work on situations that are causing you stress and to eat foods you should not at this point. If your roommate is causing you stress, it would be beneficial for you to find other living arrangements if it's possible. I have found that reducing stress that comes from our own thinking or stress that comes from people in our lives, eliminating those stressors help a great deal. Do one at a time, not all together at the same time. Good luck.