Breaking a 14 hour fast & crohn's

[angel2014]

A little background before my question.

I have what my dr calls mild crohn's which was diagnosed in November 2013. Prior to my diagnosis i had a whole year of diarrhea that only happened once i ate. If i didn't eat lunch, for example, i would be fine but as soon as i started eating dinner i would need to run to the bathroom. Twelve months of this constant D and i was putting on weight on average 3 lbs a month or so. I started on budesonide for 3 months as well as pentasa. After finishing this course of steroids i should have stayed on the pentasa according to the Dr but i didn't for reasons out of my control. Since i finished the treatment at the beginning of Feb'14 up until 4 weeks ago, i was 100% fine, I never once had D.

Four weeks ago the holy month of ramadan started, where we muslims should fast from sunrise to sundown (if you're sick you don't have to but i fasted as i wasn't on any medication and was feeling perfectly fine). So i started fasting for around 14 hours, and from the first day i started getting D after breaking my fast and it has continued for the past 4 weeks. I only get the D when i eat so i'm fine during the day but once i break my fast i have to run to the bathroom. I'm wondering if anyone thinks this is from the crohn's? My only explanation is that its caused by my CD as i always fast with no problems. I would be very surprised if it is from CD as i have seen people advocating fasting as a possible cure for CD or at least as a way to manage it.


I usually break my fast with a small glass of fruit juice and a small bowl of soup. I also avoid things that are high in fiber or fat as i know from experience that they irritate me. So i don't think its the type of food im eating thats causing it unless its from the sugar.

Any ideas? Does anyone have any insight on the matter? Thanks in advance

 

[Basmah]

Salaam Alaikum!!

I give you major kudos for fasting this summer! I haven't been able to fast for the last few years, and it's always such a hard thing to accept this time of the year. Anyway, for some people, fasting might be a good idea...but it sounds like you were already feeling fine before Ramadan, so whatever you were doing worked out. fasting (especially for such a long time) might have given your body some shock due to the sudden change; your stomach is asking, "We were getting along, what the heck?!" Otherwise, you could be dehydrated. I really, really, really hate saying this, but as a fellow muslim, you might want to quit fasting so you don't run the risk of flaring up. You could always make up the days - but of course, talk to your doctor first before doing anything drastic.

 

[angel2014]

waalaikumasalam! Thanks for the reply.

Only 3 days left of the month so i think im gonna continue fasting and then see how i am after that (always harder to make up days when its not ramadan and everyone else is eating), i'm really hoping i go back to how i was 4 weeks ago!

Its so frustrating as i was 100% fine before i started fasting, not sure if its a coincidence or if it is from fasting, but as you said it might be the sudden change. I don't think i'm dehydrated as i drink about 2 liters of water a day starting from when i break my fast till sunrise as well as not really being active much during the day.

Thanks Basmah:hug:

 

[Basmah]

Good point on the 3 days....in my head, I thought, "a few days left, angel could definitely make them up in December". It could be from anything, Crohn's likes to "surprise" us every so often (jerk).

Lol just out of curiosity, does the UAE tend to magically have daylight savings time during Ramadan like Egypt? That's where my family is from, and I love when it pulls shenanigans like that.:rof:

 

[Axelfl3333]

I would ban mild in relation to crohns when it's playing up it's never mild.

 

[angel2014]

I don't really even know how daylight savings work Basmah! But no we never change the time so i guess we don't have that, i'd be very suspicious if we suddenly started that in ramadhan LOL gotta love Egypt :heart:

Axelfl3333 Honestly i feel like i can't live a normal life so if this is mild i really sympathize with everyone else that has it worse! and reading the forum i can tell you im definitely thankful its nowhere near as bad as many of you guys have it :ghug:

 

[joan77]

New to site, not sure where to post. I had a colonoscopy last Thursday and was told everything went fine. I felt good after the surgery; however, on the next Tuesday, I came home from the park with my Grandson and had to go to bed immediately. I had fever, chills, nausea, stomach pain and my stool turned to liquid. Today is Thursday, and I feel worse than ever. No energy, liquid stool, very sore stomach and feel like a truck hit me. I have just been drinking water cause I am (a) not hungry and (b) afraid that I may throw up if I do eat... Has anyone else experienced this and if so, what is wrong and how do I get better... I thought of a stomach virus; however, my Grandson did not get sick. Can someone please help me....I feel awful.

 

[canary]

I always feel bad for muslims when ramadan falls in the summer - it must be so much easier to fast in the fall when the days are shorter!

i'm not muslim but I fast pretty often - its the easiest way for me to feel better quickly. I usually fast 2 or 3 days a week for around 20 hours each time and while I'm not cured, I definitely have reduced cramping, pain and diarrhea. My body has somehow gotten used to it and I still have the energy to ride my bike on fast days, but I'll keep my energy expenditures to a minimum. The longest I've fasted, taking nothing but water, was a week - I was exhausted but my gut felt AWESOME.

you might want to think about breaking your fast without juice. I find that jolt of sugar makes my gut behave poorly, whether its with a meal or not. I've stopped drinking juice all together and it seems to help.

Good luck!

 

[angel2014]

Thanks Canary, yeah its definitely easier in the winter not just cause of the shorter days but also cause the weather is not so hot so it makes it eaiser, was 110 f earlier :yfaint:

I tried breaking my fast with water only and would you believe it i still had to rush to the bathroom! one or two days left and i'll be done with fasting and hopefully i'll go back to being normal, but im guessing this is a flare so maybe not. although before being diagnosed i never had a "flare" unless 12 whole months can be considered a flare, as it was constant and i never had a break from the D.

 

[crow-hens]

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