Can't Believe the Difference

OK, so I have read the stories of pain, embarrassment and fecal incontinence that folks have written here and can identify with them all. I am 70 years old and a physician to boot. I was first told I had IBS(D) at the age of 8 but remember pain from the age of 4 or 5. I was terrified by the Barium Enema done when I was 8 and vowed that no one would do that to me again. I just "lived with it", used drugs to control pain or diarrhea when it was unbearable but usually did nothing. When I was about 50 I made the connection with Lactose and stopped it after huge pain and explosive diarrhea after a pizza with double cheese.

Three weeks ago I stumbled onto the Low FODMAP diet. I have gone from 10 watery stools a day to a normal bowel habit. I can't believe that I never heard of this!! I know 12 years isn't a long time, but this is such life altering news for so many people. I feel it needs to be shouted from the rooftops.

But it is not easy....and to boot there is a lot of conflicting info out there. I did invest about $10 in the app from Monash University which is actually very helpful and the most accurate reference I have found. So, I do find when my gut starts "talking to me" I look up what I have eaten and sure enough it was something on the list.

None of the primary care doctors who have looked after me have known about this. I feel I need to start educating my colleagues. I am not normally someone who wanted to spend a lot of time worrying about what I was eating, but this is so dramatic, that I will certainly adhere to the diet.