Going into the diet it's important to make sure you're managing your low FODMAP expectations and to be realistic. How you feel and how your symptoms might change is individual to each of us. The low FODMAP diet is not a cure for IBS and should be used in conjunction with other tools. Everything from healthy eating and lifestyle habits, stress management and medication (where necessary), help to provide all-round improvement to your overall quality of life.
It's important to acknowledge that the level of improvement experienced after eliminating FODMAPs is subjective and unique. Some people feel complete relief whilst others continue to deal with frustrating symptoms or frequent flare-ups. The reasons for these differences are still being researched but possible explanations include;
- the different cause(s) of symptoms
- the method, consistency and elimination approach used
- access to a FODMAP trained dietitian
- patient understanding and compliance
- variations in patient expectations
What to expect
Your dietitian is the best person to advise you on what you should expect based on your health and specific symptoms. They can reassure you that things are going to plan and help you to pivot when things are getting off track. General expectations include:
- symptom improvements in 2-6 weeks
- knowing when to expect or anticipate symptoms
- fluctuations in symptom relief
- minor slip-ups and oversights
- quicker recovery when flare-ups occur
- recognising and responding to non-FODMAP triggers such as stress and PMT
Please be aware that none of these results or observations are guaranteed. If you're not sensitive to the FODMAPs in food then you may not notice any significant changes. If this is the case then your dietitian will advise you on what to do next.
Ultimately you're looking for a reduction in symptoms that's acceptable to you, which will be individual to everyone. For example, if you are fit, active and healthy, have developed effective ways of managing stress and work from home then what you consider tolerable will likely be very different from someone dealing with multiple health issues, working in a hostile environment with limited time or money for stress relieving hobbies or exercise. You need to decide for yourself if the long term benefits to you are worth the short term impact and inconvenience of following the diet. [1]
Confused about elimination phase? Check out the other posts in this series.
What expectations did you have going into the diet?
Comments
No Comments