I just reread my last post - clearly I was very tired when I wrote it!
So where is the diet now? I’m actually feeling pretty normal! It’s been 6 months and I’m finally getting to a point where my diet isn’t dictating my life anymore.
The rice, soy sauce and seaweed seemed to go down ok at the time, but I later had to retract the soy sauce as it seemed to trigger me. That is very sad because soy is in EVERYTHING! I haven’t gone crazy with the rice since either, my gut health wasn’t crystal clear at the time and I have a small suspicion that it might also be a mild trigger.
Going back on the basics diet when you’re just starting to taste freedom is ALOT harder than first starting it. It also sucks more if you’ve reintroduced carbs again and have to go through that withdrawal.
I had another planned slip in control, unsurprisingly with the same friend I went to Vienna with. It was her birthday and I travelled to be there. The plan was afternoon/cream tea and then cocktails. I really didn’t want to be the stick in the mud and be awkward with the food (that had to all be prebooked etc). I decided since I’d been a little shaky, following identifying soy sauce as a trigger, I’d have a ‘wheat weekend’ and cut back to a stricter diet when I got back. And this is how it went down...
I had a train station sausage roll (starving, in a rush) - felt fine. Had the afternoon tea (scotch eggs, pork pies, sandwiches, scones, shortbread and fudge cake) - felt fine! Had cocktails (avoiding rum) - felt fine! I was so chuffed, but didn’t want to push it, so when we went for end of the night snacks, I chose a ‘safe’ chicken and chips option - felt ill. GREAT! They weren’t even good chicken or chips, I felt so cheated. Thankfully I just felt ill and it didn’t trigger my ibs but it serves me right for eating anything from a scabby chicken stop in the first place.
The strange thing was, the next day I actually felt better than I had done before the trip. I wound up eating some more wheat and decided to turn it into a reintroduction the following day when I was out for another friends birthday meal.
So now I can eat wheat! (White wheat, I haven’t tried wholemeal etc) The diet is pretty against wheat since it’s so processed and not that nutritious, but I’ve actually been feeling quite good with it and it’s made everything SO much easier when eating away from home.
On a sad note, if it turns out I can’t have soy at all that essentially means I won’t be able to go back to being vegetarian. I got quite upset about that at the time, it just drove home the message “things will never be as they were before”, but if I can have my health back then I’m perfectly happy to make that trade.
On an exciting note, the final wheat reintroduction day I ate pasta at an Italian restaurant. Although it didn’t mention it on the menu, the first bite was far too delicious and I was certain there was garlic in it and as I kept eating there was possibly some onion in it too.
Just incase you, dear reader, are unaware, garlic and onion are terrible triggers for IBS and in the FODMAP diet they are the only things that it’s recommended you cut out 100%. Which is difficult - they’re hiding in EVERYTHING.
So I was fully anticipating an IBS flare up later that evening but.... nothing. Not a peep. WHICH IS VERY EXCITING INDEED!
Currently I’m reintroducing tomatoes on their own, following this will be garlic. Hopefully things go well as that will make my trip to America later this month much easier!
