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Boost or Ensure?

I need to maintain low residue/low fiber for at least the next 2 weeks, until I have another colonoscopy.

I don't think low residue is cutting it, and the doc said if I needed to stick with liquids that I should add liquid nutrition like Boost or Ensure.

I read the ingredients and one of them had a lot of sugar and milk in it. I'm lactose intolerant. I'm sure some people here have been there. Is there a general preference between the two? Or a different brand I should look at?

TIA!
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
So things to keep in mind
If you go all formula (een ) even boost or ensure
Your gut will heal and the colonoscopy won’t be as accurate
Typically it takes 6-8 weeks to completely heal but some folks heal faster
Ds switches over to all formula for a few days then feels better

Formulas out there
Orgain is organic supplement nutrition that can be found vegan version in vanilla or choc shakes
It is pea protein based



Boost is supposed to be lactose free (check the package ) might be the simply boost version


There is Katie Farms



Peptamen
Boost breeze
Etc
Nestle nutrition store has a ton to order



Other store would be Abbott nutrition
Different brands there


And nutricia nutrition



Plus you can do smoothies
With ripple milk (pea protein ) peanut butter
And other things added

Ds drinks Neocate jr which has no intact proteins
So no milk .
 
So things to keep in mind
If you go all formula (een ) even boost or ensure
Your gut will heal and the colonoscopy won’t be as accurate
Typically it takes 6-8 weeks to completely heal but some folks heal faster
Ds switches over to all formula for a few days then feels better
I did not realize this. Huh.

We're doing the colonoscopy b/c the MRI showed something. Not sure what.
The doc ordered the MRI because I sent him a message saying I'm going between diarrhea and constipation, which is unusual for me.
Plus the pain I get after I eat.

I haven't had any obstructions or intestinal strictures prior, at least as far as I know.

So I don't really know what I'm doing here or what to expect. My symptoms in the past have been pain, diarrhea, malnutrition and anemia.

I don't want to aggravate anything if I can avoid it. I'm the only wage earner in the family and I need to go to work.

I was thinking about doing smoothies with bananas and almond milk. But without the seeded berries. Maybe blueberry instead?

I guess I'll sleep on it.

Thanks for the suggestions
 
You can also add a nutritional drink (Ensure plus calories) into your smoothie for higher calories/protein - avocados are also good and usually easy on the digestive system as well as bananas. Good luck.
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
As long as your not 80-90% formula
Some formula doesn’t hurt
Or help too much
Just get you the nutrition you may need

Ds has been on 50% of his calories from formula for years just to make sure growth and weight gain is there

So might be worth a small amount to get you through till the scope
 
As long as your not 80-90% formula
Some formula doesn’t hurt
Or help too much
Just get you the nutrition you may need

Ds has been on 50% of his calories from formula for years just to make sure growth and weight gain is there

So might be worth a small amount to get you through till the scope
How old is your son?

A friend has something she's going to let me try. I'll try adding it to smoothies in small doses and see how that works.

I'm still eating toast. Yay
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
My son is almost 16
He was dx at age 7 and started on een with peptamen jr and then transitioned to 2-3 shakes a day with various meds over the years (everything from Pentasa to remicade/humira )
He was switched to Neocate jr a few years ago and found his sweet spot at 30-50% calories from formula woth biologic /immunosuppressants
Currently on Stelara /mtx for crohns /arthritis

The height /weight difference is astounding woth added formula vs other crohns we know the same age who only took meds
Ds is 5’9 and 161 lbs and still growing
His crohns buddy looks about 9 or 10 now even though the kiddo is 17
 
My son is almost 16
He was dx at age 7 and started on een with peptamen jr and then transitioned to 2-3 shakes a day with various meds over the years (everything from Pentasa to remicade/humira )
He was switched to Neocate jr a few years ago and found his sweet spot at 30-50% calories from formula woth biologic /immunosuppressants
Currently on Stelara /mtx for crohns /arthritis

The height /weight difference is astounding woth added formula vs other crohns we know the same age who only took meds
Ds is 5’9 and 161 lbs and still growing
His crohns buddy looks about 9 or 10 now even though the kiddo is 17
I wasn't dx until I was over 30. I had dysphagia starting when I was 12 and my family dismissed it, so it went untreated until my mid-20s. I can't swallow most pills, and the doctor told me to just stop trying. So everything is either crushed or liquid.

I haven't had any trouble gaining weight. The last round of prednisone was short but had lasting effects. So I have excess weight and I'm not worried about losing some while eating less. I just need to be able to function.

And depending on what the colonoscopy shows, I may need to change habits going forward.

I tried Imuran and got pancreatitis. Then methotrexate. Mtx didn't work for me, and giving myself a weekly shot made me so sick with anxiety that I was only human 2 days per week. We tried budesonide after that. Didn't work, maybe because I had to open the capsules?

I've been on remicade since then. It seems to work pretty well overall, but my labs never react the way they expect them to. With the Imuran the doctor told me some people get pancreatitis as a side effect. I could FEEL it 4 days before they could actually confirm it. I was sent home from two urgent care visits and finally just had a lovely dinner with buttered rolls, a couple of cocktails, etc. High fat and a little alcohol... THEN they could see it. But even then, the labs were inconclusive. It took a CT to confirm.
:rolleyes:
 
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