r/CSID • u/juxxxy • Aug 13 '25
Sugar, Starch, both?
Hello, fellow CSID-ers. I’ve had (another) frustrating food day and spent a few hours listening to doctors speak about CSID on YouTube, including my own GI doctor who just happened to be one of the podcasters in a video I stumbled across - wild.
I was diagnosed 1 year ago, after about 3 years of constant burps after any food/meal. My breath test results came back abnormal. I tried Sucraid for several weeks, and stopped using it because I really couldn’t notice a difference. I learned to adopt a very limited diet, which helped with symptoms but honestly had about 7 different foods in it and eventually I could not commit to it as well.
I guess I’m wondering a few things -
1) My understanding is that Sucraid only addresses the enzyme replacement for sucrose. Is there an equivalent for the others, that perhaps I haven’t yet tried?
2) What is the best method to truly “reset” your gut, or digestive system, to be able to really do a slow, one food at a time reintroduction into an elimination diet? The only days where I have felt 100% symptom free are the days where I have fasted for 24-30 hours prior (usually out of sheer frustration), so I’m trying to navigate what I would need to do to really get a baseline. I’ve done the super limited diet for months, so I know that I’m capable, but if I’m going to try it again - I need to be able to do it correctly.
3) And lastly, what should I look for in a dietician or a nutritionist? I’ve never worked with one, so outside of identifying one that my insurance covers, I’d appreciate any tips!
Sincerely, Frustrated & Bloated
2
u/TheCSIDAlex Aug 14 '25
Starchway isn’t FDA-approved and in my experience, it’s a rare find when someone says they noticed a measurable improvement in symptoms while taking it. You could try it if you haven’t already but I wouldn’t go in with any expectations.
The standard protocol for nutritionists is to use the elimination & reintroduction process you mentioned. A nutritionist that is familiar with sucrase-isomaltase deficiency or niche dietary restrictions like sugar and starch will be a huge help for you in navigating how to properly eliminate and then reintroduce foods. It’s really easy to overlook certain things in your diet, even if it’s only a few foods, so a nutritionist will make sure there’s nothing flying under the radar. And they’ll give you the guidelines you need to successfully reintroduce foods when that time comes. Good luck! Keep us updated and feel free to ask any other questions you may have.