How I work with sufferers of IBS
Have you ever wondered exactly what a dietitian does?
I thought it would be useful to give you an idea of how I work with clients when they come to me with problems. Below is a recent case study about a client who recently came to me after years or suffering from symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
*Please note that names have been changed for anonymity.*
Introducing Emily
Emily is a 28 year old wife and mum of two who came to see me a few months ago as she was fed up with her symptoms of abdominal bloating, itchy skin, nausea and altered bowel habits. This had been going on for the past 2-3 years; however it was only now that it was getting to a point where it was interfering with her day to day activities.
She had been to see her GP prior to seeing me, where her symptoms were reviewed and coeliac disease was excluded, along with other possible causes.
She noted she was an irregular eater – with young children life gets pretty busy! She also mentioned she suffered from anxiety at times.
What we did
After Emily’s first consultation, I recommended for her to note down the food she was eating and the symptoms she was experiencing. I suggested to her to particularly keep an eye on her stress/anxiety levels through the day and regularity of eating.
After Emily returned for her appointment 2 weeks later, she was surprised by the daily trend of when symptoms occurred by keeping her diary.
This diary also helped me to confirm that an evidenced based Low FODMAP diet was appropriate for Emily to trial. Emily was provided written resources and referrals to online resources which would assist her with this.
Feeling better
At Emily’s appointment three weeks later, she noted a vast improvement in her symptoms; specifically, her bloating had reduced completely, the itchy skin had stopped and she was feeling a lot less nauseas.
Although Emily was a little apprehensive about the reintroduction phase (understandably too!), we have been slowly reintroducing these High FODMAP foods back into her diet. FODMAPS are actually really important for good gut health, so I reassured her this was going to be better in the long term. So far, we have worked out that there are a few select foods that cause Emily’s bloating and altered bowel habits. The other foods she can tolerate without any issues so we have added them back to her diet.
In addition to this, she has also noticed that her cravings for chocolate have reduced, her clarity of thinking has improved along with patience and her sleep quality. These were other areas that she put up with for so long, that it became her new normal! Emily feels much more confident about the foods she can choose, knowing these will agree with her stomach. Emily finally feels like she can trust food again!
If you’re concerned that you may have IBS, or have been recently diagnosed and need some help in switching to a more IBS-friendly diet, why not book in for a consultation with me?
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