The short version
- The NHS lists keeping a diary of what you eat and any symptoms you get among the things that can help if you have been diagnosed with IBS.
- Write down meals, snacks and drinks, plus the time of each symptom.
- A repeated pattern is something to discuss with a clinician. It does not prove that one food caused it.
Why memory is not enough
The NHS says IBS flare-ups can happen for no obvious reason, and that there may be days when symptoms are better and days when they are worse. Possible triggers it names include alcohol, caffeine, spicy or fatty food, stress and anxiety, and regular antibiotic use.
With that many possible factors, the last thing you ate is an easy suspect. A written record lets you look at several days side by side.
What to write down
The NHS does not set a format, so this list is our suggestion. Log the whole day, not only the meals that felt risky:
- Meals and snacks, including the small ones
- Drinks, including tea, coffee, alcohol and fizzy drinks
- The time you ate, and any meal you skipped or rushed
- Each symptom and the time it happened: cramps, bloating, diarrhea or constipation
- A note on stress, and any medicine you took
How to read it later
Look back every few weeks for what repeats, and try not to judge from one bad day. Bring what you notice to your appointment as a discussion point.
Be careful about acting on a pattern alone. NICE says that exclusion diets such as low FODMAP should only be advised by a healthcare professional with expertise in dietary management, and the NHS says to see a GP if you need to avoid lots of different foods.
IBS Tracker: Gut & Food Diary
Our app keeps food notes and symptom entries together, then lets you review trends and export a PDF or CSV for an appointment.
We make this app, so we are not a neutral source. Free download with in-app purchases. Requires iOS 15.1 or later. The comparison shows two other approaches, so you can choose for yourself.
When to talk to a doctor
The NHS says to see a GP if you think you might have IBS and have had symptoms for over 4 weeks, if diet changes and pharmacy medicines are not helping, or if you need to avoid lots of different foods to control symptoms.
Ask for an urgent appointment if:
- you have lost a lot of weight for no reason
- you are bleeding from your bottom or have bloody diarrhea
- you find a hard lump or swelling in your tummy
- you have shortness of breath, noticeable heartbeats and skin that is paler than usual
This article is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis.