BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
What to bring to your dietitian appointment for IBS
Appointments are short. A little preparation lets you spend the time on advice, not on trying to remember what you ate last Tuesday. Here is a checklist you can adapt.
The checklist
- A food and symptom diary. Two weeks is a practical start. The printable two-week diary works, as does an exported report from an app. Include the good days. Ask when you book whether they want a particular format.
- A short symptom summary. What bothers you most, where, how often, and what makes it better or worse. Being specific, for example about where pain sits, helps. Add Bristol types if you have been recording them.
- Medicines and supplements. Prescription and over-the-counter medicines, herbs and supplements, with doses. IFFGD’s daily diary asks for these too.
- What you have already tried. Diets, foods you now avoid, and how long you did each. Many people with IBS cut foods on their own, so your dietitian needs to know what is already off your plate.
- Your care background. Any referral letter, test results or diagnosis you have, and the name of the doctor who referred you.
- Your usual routine. When you eat, shifts or travel, who cooks, budget and any allergies or intolerances.
- Your questions and goals. See below.
Questions you might ask
- Is a low FODMAP trial right for me, and how long should the first phase last?
- How will we reintroduce foods, and how do we know when to stop? (See the reintroduction planning grid.)
- How do I keep my diet balanced and avoid cutting more than I need to?
- What should I log, and how often, for the next appointment?
- Which symptoms mean I should contact someone before our next visit?
The BDA says a dietitian can make sure your diet stays nutritionally adequate during a dietary change, and advises seeking specialist advice if you are struggling or your food intake is becoming limited.
Bringing a report from Bloat Gone
If you log in the app, open Reports, pick a date range, and choose whether to include meals, symptoms and notes. The app exports a PDF and an XLSX workbook. You can share the file before the visit, or show it on your phone.
The report contains what you logged. Missing meals, unknown ingredients and things outside your diet can all shape an apparent pattern, and the report cannot prove a cause or give a diagnosis. Ask your dietitian which details they find useful.
Do not wait for the appointment if…
The NHS says to ask for an urgent appointment for unexplained weight loss, rectal bleeding or bloody diarrhoea, a hard lump or swelling in the abdomen, or breathlessness, palpitations and unusually pale skin. A dietitian visit is not the place to start with those.
Bloat Gone is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Use Low FODMAP guidance with a qualified healthcare professional.
Related: the IBS food diary in Bloat Gone and what stacking means for a meal.
IN THE APP
Keep your food and symptom diary on your phone
Log meals and symptoms as they happen. You can return to the dated entries or export a report for an appointment.
