To think I can never eat chips again?

[Nomorechips]

Morning Mumsnetters! Just been diagnosed with IBS. Looking on the bright side I don't have the diarrhoea type just the constipation. I also have lower stomach pain right side, headaches, frequent weeing (lovely!) and tiredness. Sadly weight gain! Have been looking up what I should avoid food wise and says oven chips! Anyone out there with IBS with any advice please? Is the IBS network worth paying for? Low Fodmap any help? It's a mine field out there. So many books but which are helpful? I just want a chip sandwich now....

I love that the votes are so even! LOL! 😂

There's loads to avoid but the main hitters are
Caffeine
Green tea
Wheat, gluten, oats, rye
Dairy
Fizzy juice (full fat coke is OK in small quantities for some. Not for me)
Any sweeteners ending in tol or rine
Onions
Garlic, (but garlic infused oil is fine)
Certain fats
Apples (I miss apples)
Gelatine
Asparagus

Low amounts of fruit, choc (dark milk is a good substitute if you can't manage dark), booze (not beer or rum) are fine. Low is defined as a serving less than x number of grams, depending on the item

I hardly eat bran and weirdly enough the consultant said too much fibre can actually cause constipation. Yup. But not enough causes issues too!

If oven chips get you, it's probably an issue of twice cooked carbs. They become harder to digest - look up resistant starch. I find home made oven chips hit or miss but an air fryer is an excellent workaround - freshly and evenly cooked chips.

Windsettlers (basically infacol for grown ups) are excellent for relieving windy cramps and glycerine suppositories for relieving blockages before they become painful.

Sorry if I've missed it but have you had a blood test or endoscopy to rule out coeliac disease OP? Your IBS, pain and silent reflux symptoms are classic for coeliac, plus lactose intolerance is much more likely for someone with coeliac.

If you've not had the tests, you'd need to keep gluten in your diet for six weeks before the tests, otherwise they'd come back with a false negative.

I've suffered from IBS with similar symptoms to yours for many years. I've found that there are no certain answers and that it's very much trial and error- what works for you will be unique to you. I'd recommend peppermint oil capsules (strongest ones from H&B) when you have the cramps. Remegel sometimes works for me if I have trapped wind high up in the digestive system. I definitely find that sometimes hot stodgy food like chips can settle things down a lot so don't give up hope on those yet! also, sometimes a glass of wine helps- worth a try?

I have SIBO and IBS. I was on lo fodmap for three months and no triggers were identified. Monash University app is the best out there for advising what foods and in what quantities you can eat.

Uncoated chips tend to be the cheaper ones, fortunately. Markses do a load of expensive coated ones then big bags of plain ones which are still nice but definitely need cooking hotter.

Sainsburys do basics ones which aren't batters (though are sweetened, presumably to make them brown - at 90p for a 900g bag, they're not too expensive to check out and see if it is the coating www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/chips---fries/sainsburys-chips--basics-900g

Make your own chips.... I prefer sweet potato so it was never an issue.

Fushi organic aloe Vera is v good. Dolphin Fitness is the cheapest I can find it. Has no additives. I was sceptical about aloe Vera but I do find it good. Take it first thing in the morning or last thing at night.

Not a big fan of chips personally - I don’t get the attraction.

No experience of IBS, but have had to give up a few things I love, alcohol for example, and console myself with thinking that I had that pleasure and I have the memories. Hopefully you will find other gastronomic pleasures to replace the ones you have to give up.

Peppermint is a big trigger for me and as a diabetic I can no longer have fibogel with mebeverine which really helped me as it now has artificial sweetners that trigger high blood sugar for me - wierd but true!

IBS network is active on Facebook.

I have ibs and cycle between constipation and diarrhoea (sorry if that’s tmi!) and I get on ok with McCain’s reduced fat oven chips, but should probably avoid chip shop / McDonald’s ones. (Fat is a trigger for me, but sometimes I still overindulge.)

Pragmaticwitch No tests for coeliac but once I get the result of calprotectin I might ask about that. Thanks. Tati thanks for aloe vera advice.

Everyone has there own triggers so it will vary greatly. Try cut down on wheat - limit it to once a day - its hard for the gut to digest. Also avoid sunflower and vegetable oil if you have to fry anything - even if its a fried egg. I use grapeseed and have no problem with it. Try Lactose free for a month, then wheat free for a month then only then go onto a FODMAP diet, Its a very restricting diet and not easy to do properly. Oven chips are good but avoid McCain Gastro Chips - they taste absolutely fab but have high fat content which can upset some people. Best of luck!

Personally I only have to restrict the amount of Histamine I eat from foods- so no extra mature cheese, no aged/smoked meats/fish, restricted amounts of tomatoes, berries, oranges, tea, alcohol, no shellfish or pickled foods.

I can get away with small amounts of Histamine but for example couldn't eat medium-mature cheese and tomato in one meal and sometimes a piece of smoked fish would be enough in itself to set it off.

I think Histamine sensitivity is quite common with IBS so it's worth considering.

Oh btw for me chips and crisps are absolutely fine! (they might be for you too!)

Oven chips are usually lightly coated in wheat flour which is why you are advised not to have them. You can buy gluten free ones or fry some yourself. www.sainsburys.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/gb/groceries/mccain-oven-chips--straight-cut-907g?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqOnMye2U5wIVBofVCh2QmgjjEAQYASABEgI1wfD_BwE&storeId=10151&langId=44&krypto=SVXO5FY%2BMXUy6e%2ByeQfPOF8XwnP2PKLK2PHZ2VZ4GEYuL85%2BhjKr7maS8lbMOqqyoY%2BagKzNNB%2BU6xbYbWZNQRrh750x7J5XZuS8c0O2Q6UIQ%2BGBNFUwLvfghu6f5qTA%2BG7fFzD%2FpFUMQEordK1WPse8r1In%2Fc7ItTE84v5sdNpEj3OzfnjZ6a0NPcRLmlecSyxZd688nxDrBDvHk%2FoM94LV8ZktAfTbq9VbzA0fN1ZR6dKkPquGeJeNPy0WCv6ZM1FRUEkaVF78Ou9DK51kPt%2BhNV2Px6qyq7KuDRKvipW%2BE7Bzlv0WbUhFevUprSIhMf%2FmFJLMQVUfiEChF342IWU2LJQJPBooSlNOPH1rKgI%3D&ddkey=https%3Agb%2Fgroceries%2Fmccain-oven-chips--straight-cut-907g

Constipation involves pressure and straining which causes pressure on the bladder, hence you weeing more often.

IBS is horrible but you will have periods when you're OK.

Also IBS can be a lot of other things. I've not got IBS, I've got endometriosis all around my bladder and bowel. When I thought I had IBS it was the endo tissue building up and eventually a large cyst which I had removed. The tissue is still there but with hormone treatment and rethinking my diet I don't have any IBS symptoms now.

Cold that's OK with the tmi that's why I don't want to talk about in rl except for close family! Grateful to hear anyone's experiences. Becca thanks didn't think to look!

Thanks Whoops I already use rapeseed and white bread. I'll have a look at other things that I eat that have wheat in. I'm sure there's some I'm not even aware of.

We’ve found BIoGaia tablets to be a really good probiotic (originally suggested by the consultant gastro my daughter saw).

Ta receded good to know when something works.