Aargh! Help me out here!

[SeeIce]

So, after a process of elimination (boom boom) several years ago, I no longer eat bread-related items or drink wine. if I do, I get immediate bloating, churning stomach and pain for at least a couple of days, really foul smelling wind, and quick onset diarrhoea. Lovely, I know.

I had attributed it to yeast. I can eat pasta, rice, cakes and croissants, but not bread, beer, rolls, Pimms or mushrooms. I can eat wraps, but not flatbreads. I really suffer if I eat yeast-related items. Colpermin eases it slightly, but I can't wear my usual clothes when I have an 'attack' as my stomach swells up and is so tender. A GP twenty years ago said I probably had IBS, but left it there.

So far, so do-able.

However, more recently, my tolerance to food seems to be going down. I can't eat Chinese takeaways or burger-type meals. I an now going to have to give up roasts. I had thought it was the cauliflower cheese, but it could be stuffing, gravy granules or ready-made yorkshire puddings. I can eat meat, potatoes and all veg fine.

Any suggestions as to what to do? Is my range of foods just going to keep constricting? I am starting to worry every time I eat something now. Do you think there is a common factor I can isolate and eliminate?

I am fed up of having to run to the loo, having a sore tummy and delivering the kind of farts that are so bad I have considered not going to work. There are only two of us in my office, so my colleague knows it is me!

[wonderwoo]

Oh no. Sounds miserable. I don't have any experience of allergies in adults I am afraid (my children have allergies though) but didn't want to read and run. Perhaps as you have tried excluding foods and its not helping you could ask for a referral to an allergy clinic and/or dietician for advice?

Or if you wanted to some things to try, you could try going dairy free and wheat free to see if that helps? If you feel you can, remove both from your diet and see if symptoms settle. If they do settle, add one back into your diet at a time, and see if symptoms return.

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

Could you try getting some analysis of your gut bacteria and then seeing if you can impact it by changing what you eat, introducing natural probiotics (kefir, Kombucha, fermented vegetables)

There is lots written about the gut, though hard and fast research is thin on the ground.

[SeeIce]

How do you go about getting your gut bacteria analysed then? Never heard of that.

I've definitely not ever reacted to dairy or wheat/gluten. I like a glass of milk at least once a day, and it's always been fine.

I suppose I'm wondering if it is at least worth going to the GP, or whether they will just say just eat a very bland diet then...sigh.

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

Genova Diagnostics.

(More links to follow ...)

Sadly, I think bland diet may well be at least a short term answer...

[JustWantToBeDorisAgain]

I have similar problems with yeast, can not eat bread (I'm fine for a couple of hours but when I eat my next meal I swell up and look pregnant).

I also seem to have problems with some forms of quorn ( veggie).

Sadly I have no answers but much sympathy ( it doesn't help that my favourite food is bread and cheese)

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

functional medicine

Sadly, I have lots of experience of gut issues...

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

Start googling about gut bacteria, yeasts, fermented foods... There is lots written.

[SeeIce]

Sorry anotherday. I just googled functional medicine to see that they list autism, CFS and infertility as 'symptoms of poor nutrition'. That makes me very cross, so I won't be looking any closer.

I will have a research on the other things you mention though - thanks.