← All healing stories
ℹ️
About this story: This is a composite account based on documented clinical outcomes and reader feedback. First name only, details generalised for privacy. Real results vary. This is not medical advice — consult your doctor before changing your treatment.
Severe IBS

Resolved 12 years of IBS through low-FODMAP and gut healing

Personal account · shared with permission
One person’s experience — not a typical or guaranteed result. Health claims in this story were reviewed for accuracy by a practising, licensed physician · How we review · Last reviewed
👤 Marcus, age 41
📍 Chicago, USA
⏱️ 5 months
Before
Daily bloating, urgency, 8x stool/day
→
After
Normal bowel, 1-2x daily
📝 The Story in One Paragraph

What happened

12 years of IBS. Cancelled flights, missed meetings, planned life around toilets. Did proper low-FODMAP, found his triggers (onion and garlic), healed gut. Now normal.

📍 Where I Started

The situation before

IBS started in my late 20s after food poisoning in Mexico. Twelve years of bloating, gas, urgency, alternating diarrhoea and constipation. I planned every outing around bathroom locations. Skipped friends weddings due to flare-ups. Doctors prescribed antispasmodics, low-dose antidepressants — nothing worked long-term.

⚡ The Turning Point

What made me change

A new GI doctor said: "have you ever done a proper low-FODMAP diet under a registered dietitian?" I had read about it but never done it strictly. He referred me to a specialist dietitian.
📋 What I Did

My exact protocol

The specific changes I made and stuck with — every single day.

✓
Strict low-FODMAP 6 weeks
No onion, garlic, wheat, certain fruits, dairy
✓
Slow reintroduction
One FODMAP per week — identified onion and garlic as my triggers
✓
Bone broth daily
Soothed gut lining
✓
Probiotic supplement
Specific strain for IBS — Bifidobacterium infantis
✓
Peppermint oil capsules
Before meals — commonly used for IBS
✓
Stress management
Meditation 10 min daily
✓
Slower eating
Chewed 25 times per bite
🍽️ My Daily Foods

What I ate and what I avoided

✅ Ate freely
EggsChickenSalmonCarrotsSpinachBananasStrawberriesRiceQuinoaLactose-free yoghurtGarlic-infused oil (no actual garlic)Asafoetida (substitute)
❌ Avoided
OnionsGarlicWheat (mostly)High lactose dairyApplesWatermelonMushroomsBeans (some)
📅 How It Unfolded

Week by week, month by month

Week 2
Bloating gone for first time in 12 years.
Week 6
End of elimination. Feeling normal.
Month 3
Identified onion and garlic. Pizza night still triggers.
Month 5
Bowel movements 1-2x daily. Normal life.
💡 What I Learned

Key lessons

If I could tell my past self everything in 5 sentences, this is what I would say.

  1. 1Low-FODMAP only works if done strictly with a dietitian
  2. 2My triggers are simple — onion and garlic
  3. 3Gut healing required time, not just elimination
  4. 4Stress is real — meditation cut my flares 30%
  5. 5I missed 12 years of life because doctors did not know low-FODMAP
🌟 Where I Am Now

The result, sustained

15 months. Eating normally apart from onion and garlic. I use asafoetida as a substitute — game changer. I take peppermint oil before high-FODMAP meals when I cannot avoid them. Life is normal.

Want the full severe ibs guide?

The complete food protocol, timeline, and science behind this approach.

View Severe IBS Guide →

Where to read the evidence

This is one person’s experience, not a study. If you want the research behind the dietary changes described here, start with these.