Fructose malabsorption, formerly named "dietary fructose intolerance," is a digestive disorder[1] in which absorption of fructose is impaired by deficient fructose carriers in the small intestine's enterocytes. This results in an increased concentration of fructose in the entire intestine.
That definition is courtesy of wikipedia. But what wikipedia won't tell you is that living with Fructose Malaborption (which will from now on be referred to as "Frucmal") is absolute, complete, and horrendous hell.
To eat something and become sick is one thing. But to eat damn near anything and become sick is torture.
To need to use the restroom is one thing. But to constantly feel the urge to go, to the point where it's the first thing that crosses your mind when you go some place new, or that it's the reason you opt out of leaving your home is terrible.
And the pain. The anxious, budding, building sensation as you wonder if you're going to have another attack, if you ate something you shouldn't have, the pain that sometimes just doesn't go away and stays for hours and hours until you fall asleep on your side and waste the day away.
I know that this isn't the only Frucmal blog out there and I'm sure isn't the most informed. Still, I've been through a lot and I wish that I had the simple truths set in front of me early on when I was diagnosed rather than stumbling aimlessly in the dark for so long. One doctor told me it wasn't fatal and smiled reassuringly as though he had just told me good news. That was probably the lowest point in my experience with this disorder.
And the truth is that Frucmal sucks. It sucks in every way, shape, and form. I'm 22 years old, 5'9" and my weight fluctuates between 125 and 140 lbs. I like food, I want to eat, but most of the time the idea scares the hell out of me, even if it's something I know won't bother my stomach.
A pretty lame introductory post, I know. Very negative. But you see, now that's all over and done with. Now we can move on.
The purpose of this blog is for me to share my experiences with you in the desperate hope that it eases your symptoms, whether it's a recipe, ingredient, yoga position, or simply by expressing that you aren't alone and that one day it will get better. The purpose is for me to express the joy of finding a new dish or the frustration of discovering that a dish I thought was safe turns out to be bad news. The purpose is to share my goals and to help inspire those of you who are being held back by our common enemy to fight and to hope and to plan and to dream of the future. Frucmal is a bump in the road (a big bump that will never leave your tires quite the same, but a bump nonetheless) and you can cross it if you try.
I want to visit Germany and not be concerned about having an attack. I want to be able to comfortably sit through a meal and someone's house, knowing what I can and cannot eat. I want to hike through the mall with someone I love, hand-in-hand, and not be concerned about constantly needing to use the bathroom or knowing where they are.
I want to be happy and live comfortably within the boundaries of my disorder. And I want that for you too. So let's call this a starter place. A place for those newly diagnosed to go to seek a bit of personalize suggestions that Wikipedia won't give you. A place where you can read stories that WebMD isn't ready to dish out. A place where you get the straight dope for this monkey on your back, because unfortunately he isn't going away any time soon.
