Allergies or IBS? I Need to Give Up Eating Bread

Bread is absolutely amazing. All the delicious things you can do with it are endless. It is really easy to make a quick snack like toast and Vegemite or a salmon and rocket roll. Or, if you are feeling really experimental, you can make your own pizza bread! We all lead extremely busy lives, so the fact that I can make a quick snack on the go is very convenient for me, especially if I walk in the front door at 8:30 PM from work. I never tire of eating bread. But I know I shouldn't.

The symptoms I experience after eating bread

Whenever I consume bread, I make sure to do it early in the day because of its effects on my body. The bloating I experience after eating bread is unreal. I am not exaggerating when I say my stomach blows out like a balloon just about to pop! It's as if I am about 4 months pregnant. The other effect it has on me is that I feel extremely sluggish and tired. I suspect that I have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Cutting bread out of my diet

I have not yet had this suspected diagnosis confirmed professionally for 2 main reasons. First, I know how to rectify the problem: avoid eating bread. It's easier said than done. However, I don't feel these uncomfortable symptoms if I do not eat bread.

Embarrased about my health needs

And secondly, I feel ever so slightly embarrassed about bothering my doctor about all my health issues. I imagine my doctor thinking, "Oh no, here he comes again with his allergies!" I always believe I am taking up an appointment that could be filled with a cancer patient or someone with heart disease.

I will get checked out someday, if nothing else, just to prove what I think is right.

Is it allergies or something else?

Bread is my biggest trigger for uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms. I know I am lactose intolerant, which I also realize is common among people with IBS. As much as I know I should quit eating bread; I do not want to rule it out of my diet completely. I am no longer buying bread in my weekly grocery shop but have substituted bread with crackers, which for everyone that may not know, are like dry, thin biscuits that you can spread things on or have with cheese which I would love but is a definite no-no for me.

IBS is a common condition that can impact the digestive system with symptoms including cramps, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.¹

There is no known cure for IBS, but it can be managed via proper diet and recognizing and avoiding the triggers. Has anyone else had these same experiences? It would be interesting to know what foods impact others.