Digestive conditions & pregnancy (fructose malabsorption/IBS/coeliac disease)

[belfie]

Hi,

I was just wondering if there is anyone else out there who has a pre-existing digestive condition? I have fructose malabsorption (FM), diagnosed ~6 years ago, and I'm finding that pregnancy has exacerbated my symptoms. And of course it also makes finding food when out just that extra bit harder.

So I wondered if anyone else has FM, or a similar condition - maybe IBS, lactose intolerance, Coeliac disease etc.? While I know the mechanisms for the different disorders are different, just keen to know if anything was really helpful for others when trying to cope with both things?

Cheers,
Belfie.

[DiannaQ]

Don't know anything about your particular condition - however i do suffer from IBS and can totally recommend seeing a naturopath that specialises in digestive disorders and I can not stress enough how productive Pro-Biotics have been for me - A TOTAL GOD SENT - good luck

PS - Pro-biotics are pregnancy friendly

[treegal]

I have IBS, and during my first 2 months especially, the pain was so bad I would end up in tears. Being my first baby, I was constantly wondering if it was baby related or gas (it was gas). I ended up taking Buscopan (recommended by OB) and charcoal (recommended by GP) every day, as well as extra fibre even though I already eat a high fibre diet. Honestly, I don't remember it getting any better until about 14 weeks, when it eased off a bit. Now at somewhere between 19-20 weeks, (depending on who reads the scans), I am still suffering, though only take Buscopan when I get the bad cramps, and just cop the gas bloating, as it has become a part of life. It definately gets worse if I reduce my fibre intake, though.
I know this probably wont help with your condition, but I find it reassuring to know that others are going through the same experiences I am.

Good luck

[belfie]

hey treegal & DiannaQ,

Thanks for your replies! I agree, it certainly helps to know others are going through it. I guess at times I've felt like I'm the only one with these "extra" symptoms, which is sometimes frustrating. I am finding since reaching second trimester things are easing (I don't have a stomach ache EVERY night!). I just bloat like crazy (about 5cm by evening - every day). I've also been taking metamucil tabs for fibre... hadn't tried the charcoal or buscopan, so I'll bear those in mind if it flares up again.

Good point on the probiotics, at various times they've both been recommended for and against for me... which has left me just confused!

I suspect I need to find someone good to see again (whether naturopath or dr - I've seen both in the past). I wasn't game to see anyone extra in first trimester cos i just didn't care about eating super healthy, I just wanted to survive it in my own muddled way! And I was flat chat with other appointments due to lots of other complications. But now, things have settled down and I'm probably getting to the point I could face it!

Thanks for both your replies.

[3rdtimelucky]

Hi there Belfie,

I know this is an old thread... but i was just wondering if you discovered any other tips or tricks to help you through FM whilst pregnant?
I am 10 weeks and have found that my FM symptoms are a lot worse whilst pregnant. It kicked in with a vengeance about 1.5 weeks ago. Everyday i am extremely uncomfortable and like you my belly swells by at least 5 cm every afternoon - its making it very difficult to disguise at work!!!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! So nice to know i's not all in my head!

Thanks!

[belfie]

Hi 3rdtimelucky,

Congrats on your PG, and it's nice to see someone else with FM!!! Well firstly, there's good news! I found that in second & third trimester my bloating definitely got better which was nice, so hopefully it will improve for you too. I think that later in the PG, the FM was definitely a bit better than usual, given the digestive tract slows down such a lot - it seemed to help it. I also found I had to have metamucil which I never normally have to go near, so that was a change for me. I've always been prone to diahrroea with my FM, so tending towards constipation was novel!

You have my sympathy on the bloating, it's a PITA! I don't know how much I bloated later on, but I showed very early and was big early... but then plateaued through the middle, and for once in my life didn't have to worry about bloating!!!! In retrospect I wish I'd tried a few more probiotics, but otherwise, it was all ok, oh and I love maternity clothes - i'm always prone to bloating and live in elastic waistbands, so the trousers were bliss! As for hiding it... GL! I had a taxi driver think I was 6 mths PG when I was only 8 weeks, so clearly I wasn't doing a very good job.

What do you find normally helps your FM if you're having trouble? Or do you just "ride out the storm", so to speak?

Cheers,
Belfie

[3rdtimelucky]

Hi Belfie,

Thanks for your advice. I have managed to get my FM a bit more under control thank goodness! Have totally cut out fruit which has helped heaps. I used to be able to cope with bananas and maybe a mandarin or orange before PG- seems that i am a lot more sensitive now.

And i don't think it will bother me as much when we 'go public' with our news - i won't need to hide my bloated belly as much. And am looking forward to going shopping for maternity clothes, don't seem to be fitting into much of my old restrictive clothes...already!

3rdtimelucky