Gut-rest while on meds?

[Ian]

Is there a safe way to get a couple of days gut-rest while on medication? Obviously a short fast is out of the question; I'd never take meds on a completely empty stomach.

But would a short juice fast be okay? Or would sticking to liquid foods (soup etc) for a few days have a similar effect?

Don't worry, I won't consider trying anything like this if the general opinion is that it's even remotely dangerous

 

[Jennifer]

As long as you have nutrients like from Ensure or something similar a couple of days isn't going to kill you but I hardly see it doing anything either since its such a short period of time. Longer term gut rest should be supervised by at least talking to your doctor about it and letting them know that you want to try it and ask them if it would even help for your situation (only you and your doctor know your situation and just because it may or may not have worked for someone on this forum does not mean that it will or will not work for you). Even if you decide to do it short term it would be a good idea to let your doctor know that you're going to do it or are thinking of doing it so they know that it was the combination of medication and gut rest that either made you feel better or worse.

I was on gut rest for one month but I was also hospitalized as well with an IV and plenty of people to watch over me. Safety is key.

 

[bobtheman]

i was on gut rest for 14 days and was taking all meds without any food. i lost 30lbs which isnt good but i was also on a antacid (nexium protonics)

 

[tiloah]

I just took a couple days off of solid food. It is the best my guts have felt (that I can remember). I think the baseline level of discomfort/pain had been going on for so long, I just thought that was normal. I would have kept it up but I started feeling really dizzy (I was eating Ensure, I hadn't expected problems so quickly) and light headed. I'm eating solid food again and my guts are grumbling at me. So I do think even that short amount of time can make a difference in comfort level.

I think a couple days would probably be safe and might be beneficial. It probably does depend on where you are nutritionally already though. If I were underweight and malnourished I might not have done it, but I'm definitely not either of those so I didn't see any harm in it.

 

[Jennifer]

There's no doubt that it might actually help relieve some symptoms if you do it for a couple days. What I meant is I doubt it would actually heal inflammation or sores etc in that amount of time. It may help a little with inflammation but it will come right back once you reintroduce solid foods.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

Why can't you take meds on an empty stomach? I wouldn't recommend not getting ANY calories for two days, but I don't think a liquid diet would be bad.

 

[ameslouise]

I was WAY better yesterday when I was on liquids only as a prep for my scope. I couldn't believe how good I felt!!!

I think it could help you feel better (as long as you are careful to get enough nutrition), but not sure how long it would be safe to keep it up without a doctor's supervision.

-A

 

[tiloah]

There's no doubt that it might actually help relieve some symptoms if you do it for a couple days. What I meant is I doubt it would actually heal inflammation or sores etc in that amount of time. It may help a little with inflammation but it will come right back once you reintroduce solid foods.

Oh right, dur. Haha. Yea I don't think it would heal anything, unfortunately.

 

[Miss Spencer]

Is there a safe way to get a couple of days gut-rest while on medication? Obviously a short fast is out of the question; I'd never take meds on a completely empty stomach.

The following was suggested to me by experts at a health retreat who specialise in fasting for health:

You can still fast. But when you need to take meds, take them with half a ripe banana or some homemade sugar-free apple sauce.

I have to my supplements with food. So if I am fasting, I just eat a small ripe mashed banana just before taking them. You only need some food in your tummy; you don’t need to eat a full blown meal.

I am taking supplements at the moment, with a glass of ripe red papaya and water from a Thai drinking coconut, that have been buzzed up together in a blender.

This well blended mix is a soothing gut friendly food and is another way to give my bowels a rest.

Although vegetable juice / water fasting is better, as contains no fibre at all.

Don't quote me on this, but I think that Ensure although a liquid, would still be classed as food. So you may be OK to use it whilst taking meds. Check this with your doctor.