Solving My Digestive Problems

Hi,

For the last 2-3 months I have noticed a change in bowel movements, alongside abdominal bloating after most meals.

I spoke to my doctors and he seems sure that the problem is IBS. I’ve changed my diet a lot since the problem began, going from the vertical diet to low-fodmap foods, but will admit I’ve never stuck to them long enough to see results.

This Saturday just gone, I went out with some friends to celebrate my birthday. We drank a lot of alcohol and ate a lot of “bad” food. I was expecting my bowel movements to be at their worst the following day, but to my surprise were the closest to normal they have been in a long time. The days before my birthday my diet was 90% low FODMAP, and even then I still felt bloated most of the time. I didn’t feel bloated at all when out with my friends.

Since my birthday, I am convinced my problems aren’t related to what I’m eating. How can I be ok after greasy food and alcohol but not after chicken and rice?

At the moment I’m eating in a surplus, consuming 3,500 calories from 3 meals and a small snack. My theory is that my problems are caused by eating so much food from such filling food sources. I’m thinking I could benefit from not focusing so much on WHAT I eat, but eating smaller more frequent meals throughout the day.

I would love a professionals opinion on this.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message,

Andre

You could certainly try a higher meal frequency like 5-6 instead of 3-4, with smaller portions for each meal, and see how you do.

I would also try and avoid vigilantly recording symptoms and ascribing them to food most of the time.

In any case, give the higher frequency a try and see how you do.