[mtift]

IBS is a "diagnosis of exclusion," so in some sense it is not a "real thing," but more accurately the "absence of other things." I really hated that answer, but it's the conclusion that more than a half-dozen different gastroenterologists came to after trying countless tests on me over the course of many years.

After a lifetime of trying to be gluten free (on and off), with limited success, I started a low-FODMAP diet on December 15, 2012 and it completely changed my life. I could not find many dietitians that knew much about it, so I mostly followed the advice of books like IBS: Free at Last! (http://amzn.com/0982063520). Now I feel much more empowered and in control.

Also, not all FODMAPs are equal. Each individual has to figure out which FODMAPs cause the most problems. Being "low FODMAP" is WAY different from being "gluten free." I eat FODMAPs all the time -- I just limit certain ones more than others and I know my limits. And even after 19 months of being low-FODMAP, I still have to consult my list of foods regularly.

Only after doctors have ruled out Crohn's disease, celiac disease, diverticulitis, endometriosis, cancer, etc., and suggest you have IBS, I highly recommend trying a low-FODMAP diet.