This is not me.
I received my diagnosis of having an intolerance to fructose last Thursday, and at this point I can’t tell if knowing has been a blessing or a curse. You see, I’ve been sick since last Wednesday. Everything I eat goes right through me. TMI, maybe, but having the diagnosis pretty much throws the “BRAT” diet out the window – you know, the typical diarrhea-calming diet of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. So now what do I eat that won’t exacerbate the problem? I can’t eat just rice.
Well, during the free time I had on the one day I stayed home from work last week and over the weekend I did some research – almost obsessively, really. The “packet” of information my gastroenterologist’s office sent me amounted to little more than a very vague flyer…Thanks for your help, guys. I see you really have a grasp on how to treat my condition. Consider my follow up appointment likely cancelled.
So I’ve been digging for answers to some of my questions by scouring the internet and compiling resources for myself (and for others) to use. And some of this stuff is not easy to track down. Here are some of my questions, a few of which I’ve found answers for:
How can I calm the gas, bloating and diarrhea associated with fructose malabsorption?
By following a fructose elimination diet for 3-4 weeks. Basically, this is a somewhat bland diet with only the most tolerated foods on the list. I found varying opinions on the best foods for this list, and even more opinions on how long the diet should last, but I used my sense of reason and came up with what I believe to be the right diet for me. Following a restricted diet prevents trigger foods from making your symptoms worse and gives your bowel a chance to calm down. I’ve posted instructions for my fructose elimination diet here.
Can I still drink beer?
For years, drinking beer has caused my sinuses to become congested; sometimes immediately, sometimes not until the following day. And often when I drink I feel like a zombie the next day, even if I only had a couple; just lethargic and spacey. So I was wondering if this was a reaction to fructose or fructans in the beer. The answer I found is somewhat inconclusive. Most “tolerable foods lists” suggest abstaining from any kind of alcohol, but articles dealing specifically with alcohol and fructose sensitivity say there is likely very little fructose in beer. Here is the information I found on fructose in beer; however, I think it is more likely that my reaction to beer is a histamine response and not from fructose – especially considering how ill I become when I drink red wine. But histamine intolerance is a can of worms I am not ready to open. Let me deal with one intolerance at a time!
Unanswered questions at this point:
- How can I use dextrose to prevent a reaction to fructose? I want a little wiggle room on holidays and nights out with friends.
- What can I eat at a restaurant? I thought gluten-free and dairy-free dining out was bad enough, but can you imagine the look on the waitress’ face when I ask if there is fructose in a dish? Maybe I’ll just stay in…
Dietary fructose intolerance is a complicated food allergy. There are many more questions buzzing around in the back of my mind, and as they surface, I’ll write more articles. I plan to post updates to this blog about my condition, but I don’t want that to become the only topic I cover here. This is first, and foremost, a place meant to encourage people to seek out how to be whole, complete individuals; and diet is not the only topic I want to cover.
Thank you for reading, and if you want more interaction, please follow me on Facebook.
Sincerely,
Katie
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