Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder (FGID) is the most common diagnosis in gastroenterology. It may also be called disorder of
gut-brain interaction (DGBI), constipation, reflux, diarrhoea, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
There is a lot of information out there, which can be useful, but also confusing.
To assist with your symptoms and improve your quality of life, our dietitians have developed an online programme. It has been developed to help YOU control YOUR symptoms, using the best evidence available.
Please see the drop down menus below to work your way through the stages of the programme.
This questionnaire will help you find out what your specific symptoms are and how your bowels have been working over the last week. We will ask you to complete this before and after the programme. It will help you, and us, see whether there has been any improvement in your symptoms and bowel habits.
This Self Help Guide gives you well researched information and advice on how to improve your symptoms, including information on diet, exercise, breathing and relaxation. If you would like a hard copy of this guide please email us at outpatientdietitians@waitematadhb.govt.nz.
(The password is in the invitation letter we sent you).
This explains what may cause a FGID and what symptoms are commonly seen. Advice on diet and non-diet approaches is provided.
You will need to follow the advice and strategies given here in Stage 1 for six to eight weeks. Many people find these strategies are all they need. If this is true for you, skip forward to Stage 4. However, if you are still finding it difficult to manage your symptoms after completing Stage 1, we suggest moving on to Stages 2 and 3 as well.
(The password is in the invitation letter we sent you).
This webinar will help you decide whether a low FODMAP diet is right for you. It provides in-depth information about what the low FODMAP diet is and how you can try it. If you decide to go ahead with it, you will need to follow the Low FODMAP Diet Step 1 for two to four weeks before moving on to the next stage.
(The password is in the invitation letter we sent you).
This webinar discusses Steps 2 and 3 of the Low FODMAP Diet. Step 2 looks at reintroducing individual FODMAP groups, and Step 3 looks at moving towards an adapted low FODMAP diet based on what you can tolerate. These steps will take you several months to complete, and remember, you need to have followed Step 1 for two to four weeks before you move on to these steps.
By completing this after you have finished the programme, you can compare to the one you filled out before starting. It will help you, and us, see whether there has been any improvement in your symptoms and bowel habits.
We really appreciate your feedback, and will use it to adjust and improve our online programme. Thank you!
If you have reached the end of the programme and feel your symptoms are still not at a manageable level, you may be eligible for a clinic appointment with one of our Dietitians. If this is the case for you, please call us on (09) 489 0556 and leave a message with your name, NHI number, and indication that you have completed this programme and would like to see a Dietitian.
