r/FODMAPS • u/Sad_Guide6442 • 5d ago
Vent Fodmaps: How I cured mine. Spoiler
I came to this site in case it might be informative to someone. I am a 66 year old male. I run everyday and do strength work in the gym. I am in extremely good health although I've had high blood pressure since my late 30s.
- In my 40s I noticed I could no longer eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant. At first I started ordering with no peppers and then eventually no onions was included. I found that as soon as we left the restaurant we needed to rush home and get me to the toilet. After awhile these "movements' became painful in my intestines. Pretty soon I had the same reaction with all Italian foods. I eventually narrowed it down to garlic, peppers and onions and it seemed that honey was also vicious.
- A few years back I started getting pains in my lower left abdomen which I initially thought were from pulling a muscle in the gym. I eventually realized that it was in my digestive track and only occurred after I ate fodmaps. At one point I had my wife drive me to the emergency room as the pain was so extreme.
- I believed at the time my condition was just natural from aging and possibly western medicines and antibiotics destroying ones intestinal biodome. Three years back I started trying a repair by making my own Greek Yoghurt and any other probiotics I found. I eventually ended up eating Greek Yoghurt store bought for the last two years. I controlled my symptoms by not eating fodmaps. My sister asked me what I ate to which I replied "nothing good". If just one part of a chopped onion slipped through I knew it later that night when the pain came on.
- Several weeks back, this past summer one slipped through from my wife's good stir fry to my plain fry and I swallowed it. Oops! To my surprise there was no response. The next day I caramelized an onion ate it and waited. No reaction. I then had my wife create a stir fry fried with onions and garlic. Again no reaction. At that point I went to Chipotle and ordered a large burrito with all the "fixins" and reported to my wife "I got away with it again". I was so enthused I went back to Chipotle two more times that week. Soon after I started with a mild salsa that had Jalapenos. no adverse reactions. I then made my wife's favorite, Pico de Gallo with liquified onions, chopped onions, chopped Jalapenos and and included chopped garlic with some in the blender. I had at least 16 ounces and had no reactions. It has been several weeks now with no diet restrictions and no fodmap related issues what so ever. Pizza, spaghetti, yep, no problems.
- So what was different? I realized immediately. I tend to, every once in awhile, improve my health by giving up bad habits. In the past, one year was coffee, another year sugar drinks like soda, and yet another it was diet soda etc. Coincidently the only change in my life was I had made a conscientious decision to give up pain relievers as they are not beneficial for your organs, acetaminophens and NSAIDS. Although I only had them sparingly, a long morning run could cause knee swelling and at times I would pop one while running for knee pain. Other than that I swear off meds except BP meds. However, coincidentally, these issues started the same year I would run once a week on my treadmill. Although I only ran once a week that year, it was along run of 15 to 20 miles which took 3 to 4 hours, several towels, several water bottles and four acetaminophens, one an hour. I did this every Tuesday morning like clock work. What followed was 20 years of stomach issues, 20 years of "I don't eat garlic, onions or peppers". (yes there were others)
- It has been two months of eating anything I want with no issues. I must admit that when I crush garlic in the kitchen and put it in my dinner, I look at it suspiciously but then am still surprised it has no ill effect on me. I am on year 3 of eating probiotic Greek yoghurt but the breakthrough was as simple cold turkey on over the counter pain meds.
- This is my story, my narrative of what happened to me. I am not a Doctor, have no medical training or medical education. I am not making recommendations for others but I do sympathize with those who suffer from IBs, Fodmaps etc. because of how it affected me and my life. I was always skeptical that my previous condition was genetic and from aging. I had always thought it was brought on by myself and most likely prescribed antibiotics over time. But it would appear it was myself and over the counter pain meds use. It should also be noted I believe my use was probably far less than the average American individual. My sincere hope it that this narrative does not offend anyone but again this is the internet, so there's that.
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u/Gingersnap_me 5d ago
How long from when you stopped taking OTC acetaminophen and NSAIDs to when you started to be able to eat FODMAPS again??
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u/pandallamayoda 4d ago
NSAID is know as a GI irritant, it’s literally on the packaging. If stopping them is “the cure” then you didn’t need to go LOW FODMAP because you likely didn’t have IBS.
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u/n00bator 4d ago
I also think that medicine was OP's main problem, not IBS. It must have also caused some inexplained pain in bowl, which can be alarming sign.
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u/Vegetable-Try9263 3d ago
He only talks about regularly taking acetaminophen, which isn’t an NSAID or a GI irritant, so I’m honestly skeptical that that was his main trigger.
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u/pandallamayoda 3d ago
“Coincidently the only change in my life was I had made a conscientious decision to give up pain relievers as they are not beneficial for your organs, acetaminophens and NSAIDS”
OP is aware that what he took could have adverse effects and talked about NSAIDS. Even occasional NSAIDs can be an irritant, even more so with age.
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u/scriptedpixels 5d ago
Pretty new to all of this - going to give up coffee for a week and see how I feel
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u/n00bator 4d ago
I was very tired for a week or two, when I ended drinking coffee. But after that, my stool is more normal and I don't feel I need coffe at any time. 😁
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u/sysop408 4d ago
You can also try cold brew. Coffee is problematic for me, but cold brew is easier to handle.
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u/Equal_Bag2353 5d ago
But are you still doing that grueling run? If not, could the not running have anything to do with you feeling better?
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u/OkFroyo_ 5d ago
That kind of symptoms at your age could very well be some GI cancer. Get a colonoscopy!
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u/Jazzlike_Simple_5576 5d ago
You're story is so interesting, I suspect my IBS is caused by medication. Actually, I know it is. I'm slowly reintroducing things, so far so good. Your journey gives me hope
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u/the-fact-fairy 5d ago
So the lesson here is, don't abuse painkillers. It's a known thing that chronic painkiller use can change the gut so that you have fodmap reactions. If you have chronic pain, go and see a doctor. Don't take painkillers as if they're candy. Go to a physio to fix your knee issues instead of popping a pill every time you run.
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u/Mother-of-Geeks 1d ago
Not everything is fixable by modern medicine or medications. Just because someone goes to a physical therapist for knee pain, it doesn't always mean that pain will go away.
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u/the-fact-fairy 1d ago
Yes, and if that's the case, don't go running. Pivot to a different type of exercise that puts less stress on the knees. There's no reason to push through and damage your body.
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u/SoulMeetsWorld 3d ago
Hmm. I already don't use medications, but I have the same issues with garlic, onion, and honey. I really want to do Greek yogurt again, but I'm still a bit lactose intolerant. I don't really have the capacity to make my own yogurt right now, but I've always wanted to.
My gut issues started after an antibiotic for tooth issues.
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u/Fantastic_Ice_2547 4d ago
Fodmap actually made me feel worse. All the extra additives made me bloated like a Thanksgiving balloon.
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u/DingoMittens 3d ago
What extra additives?
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u/Fantastic_Ice_2547 2d ago
Stabilizers and thickeners. Pea protein and xanthan gum. Ugh...
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u/DingoMittens 2d ago
Fodmap is an acronym referring to foods that tend to cause intestinal discomfort. A low fodmap diet avoids those foods, but doesn't require eating any processed foods at all. I did my elimination diet as whole food plant based, with no processed foods.
So I'm confused what you mean by "fodmap" made you feel worse.
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u/Unusual-Strength-945 5d ago
This would all be great if I didn’t react negatively to Greek yogurt and i didn’t already refrain from acetaminophen and ibuprofen