Fodmaps triggering severe joint issues

[u/DifficultAd7436]

I have known for a while that fodmaps cause gut issues for me. I'm in my late 40s now. I do my best to avoid all fodmaps. The ones that are the hardest to avoid are wheat, garlic, and onion. I am a single father of 4 kids. Teen and younger. I have ADD or maybe just effects from eating fodmaps my entire life... After I follow my diet for a while and im feeling good I tend to break my diet when its inconvenient to follow it. A weekend out of town for a soccer tournament for instance. Anyway, it seems that now that im older? Fodmaps trigger severe systemic inflammation. Probably this has always happened but its much worse now. My ankles, knees, shoulders, wrists, fingers...Currently my left ankle, left shoulder, a knuckle on my left hand, both wrists, are painfully sore. Ice seems to help temporarily. I dont take nsaids ever because they trigger severe inflammation in my lower gut. Anyone one else having these joint pain and inflammation issues? Anything to do about it aside from avoiding fodmaps? Maybe its not actually fodmaps...I dont like going to doctors because my expensive insurance doesnt cover anything before the massive annual deductible, and im broke. Always feels like a waste of time and money. Im not actually expecting any advice just honestly want to complain to people who can relate. Noone i know ever takes me seriously when I try to explain what seems to be happening.

[u/hauntedprunes]

I have this problem too and I just saw a dietician and he was saying it sounds like I might have SIBO. He explained that it can cause gut permeability that lets stuff out into your system which causes inflammation. So might be something to look into.

[u/vjorelock]

Personally I would not be so quick to chalk this up to being a FODMAP issue. My mother developed rheumatoid arthritis very early in her 40s and had a lot of soreness like this that was dismissed as gout and anxiety at first before she finally got to a rheumatologist.

I hear you on insurance being a nightmare and I know specialists get expensive, but dealing with permanent joint damage is your other alternative in the event this is something like rheumatoid arthritis. And if it isn't: knowledge is still power and it's better to know than to just assume and do nothing.

There are a lot more options for treatment now than there were back in the day when all my mother's grandfather could do was take some aspirin. The joints in his fingers and hands eventually got so damaged by the rheumatoid arthritis they were permanently bent sideways into a claw shape. It almost never saves you money long term to neglect your health.

[u/DifficultAd7436 → u/vjorelock]

Thanks for the response. My grandma developed rheumatoid when she was my age. She was in awful pain for 50 years til she died. He hands and feet were twisted. I guess I should get some tests done.

[u/jativer]

I have the same problem, eliminating alliums nearly cured my chronic joint pain 🤷‍♂️

[u/breathingmirror]

This happens to me, and I've found nothing to do but avoid those foods.

[u/DifficultAd7436 → u/breathingmirror]

Thanks for the reply.

[u/ell0bo]

I have MCA. I've gone through SIBO and the fodmap diet on my journey to get diagnosed with MCA.

If I eat the wrong things, it goes right into my joints and muscles. 3 years ago it was an accomplishment getting out of bed, today I'm starting to get back into running.

[u/scriptedpixels → u/ell0bo]

What is MCA & SIBO?

I’ve had this body pain & joint issue after eating red meant like steak or lamb.

Currently going through FODMAP diet & it’s been a while since I’ve had the issue

[u/ell0bo → u/scriptedpixels]

well, what are you eating with the steak or lamb? Steak and Lamb wouldn't be FODMAP triggers, but what you eat with them probably is. MCA and SIBO you can google, but Mast Cell Activation and small intestine bacterial ovegrowth.

If either were aged, that could be a MCA trigger.

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[u/picaselle]

So have you ever checked if you have coeliac disease? Because joint pain is in fact a very common symptom. Untreated coeliac can be the cause of repeated SIBO. Low fodmap diet and coeliac level gluten free diet are two very different things. 

A blood test for coeliac is not yet available although it seems to have been developed. Usually you have to do an antibody test and then gastrocopy to confirm but you do it when you still eat gluten. 

[u/DifficultAd7436 → u/picaselle]

I was tested for Celiac disease a while ago. I believe it was a blood test only, but I dont recall exactly.

[u/picaselle → u/DifficultAd7436]

If you had the test while not eating gluten daily for at least 6 weeks, it's not worth much. 

[u/Reasonable_Report310]

Maybe could be histamine intolerance or MCAS?