Recently diagnosed with fructose intolerance

[llmick]

I've recently been diagnosed with Fructose intollerance.  Of course I am in denial and shock at the same time.  My gastroenterologists' nurse called to give me the results and in the same conversation  said she would send me info. and told me to talk to a diatician if I have questions and sent me on my way.  

Here's the thing....I started having 'symptoms' of bloating and constant burping about 3-4 months ago.  It was only periodically that I would have these symptoms so I up'ed my fiber consumption.  Well, that made things worse as I never felt thirsty and so the fiber sat in my stomach like cement.  At his point I was having issues every day...most of the day.  So, I went back to my normal fiber intake....I did feel better as far as the cement effect the fiber was giving me but continued to have bloating and burping issues.  Interestingly enough it usually happens between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.  when I'm bloated or burping.  The bloatedness I get does work it's way out....meaning I feel it start in my stomach and as my 'food' moves through the bloating and burping will follow it...small intestine...large intestine.  When I lie down....no burping occurs.  My dr. put me on aciphex about a month ago thinking it was my acid reflux acting up as I was on Aciphex for one year...2 years ago for mild erosive esophagus and GERD...(I never got hertburn or anything....guess I'm the silent GERD).  The aciphex has helped with the few episodes of stomach pain I was getting in the middle of the night but didn't help with the burping or bloating.  Last week they tested me for Lactose intolerance, fructose intolerance and bacterial overgrowth using the breath tests....bacterial overgrowth was negative, lactose intolerance was negative but fructose intolerance was positive.  My control number was 11 and the end number was 44...I was told anything resulting in +20 (so mine would be 31) is positive.

Okay, so here are my questions...what does the 44 mean (if anything) low intolerance, high intolerance?  How long does it take for your body to get ride of the fructose as I've been on the fructose free diet and I'm still burping,  SHould I ask to be re-tested since I had diareah before the test due to stomach bug and don't normally have ANY diareha which is the primary symptom of intolerance.  Honestly I can hadle the bloating...it's the belching I can't stand.  Also, I found out that aciphex has manitol in it which is some derivitave of fructose...is that true?  I'm at a loss...I want to cry because I had NO problems prior to a few month ago...it came on suddenly and now I'm left feeling still crummy and confused.

Is there something my dr. can be missing...what about gallbladder?  When label reading what do I stay away from?  What sugars are acceptable...sucrose, glucose, table sugar?   Any insight and information you can provide would be helpful.

Is it at all possible that either the test is inaccurate OR could my stomach be so down and out due to stress...yes I have a lot of it (4 kids and a husband :)  )that my stomach was stripped and now needs to heal and then maybe I can tolerate fructose again.  Also, after I drank the fructose solution from the test I had NO symptoms...shouldn't I have had something if I'm drinking a fructose solution....that was on a Friday and I had no problems on Saturday or sunday...yet another question...when I have an offending food...how long until the reaction starts and how long will it/can it last?


Thank you for taking time to read all of this....
Lisa

[ng1031]

Just curious if you ever got anymore answers.

You sound a little like my case
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Gastroenterology/Could-Candida-Be-To-Blame/show/1721400

and I am still not diagnosed with what is wrong with me. I have a glucose hydrogen breath test scheduled for June 15th. Were they able to test you for glucose, lactose and bacteria all during the same day?

[CalGal]

Lisa, you may be in the same type of situation that many celiacs find themselves in - there's not direct relationship between when you eat something and when the symptoms occur. In addition, for many celiacs, they can be gluten-free for weeks-to-months but they're still miserable. It can take a long, long time for your body to normalize once your GI tract has been 'irritated.'

I don't thinkg you're going to get any clear answers for some time to come. At this point you're going to have to assume that fructose is a 'poison' for you, and treat your body accordingly.

There are some sites that deal exclusively with fructose intolerance, so you might consider googling fructose intolerance and speak to people on those sites.