Loose Movements but on low residue, low fibre diet!!

[Buttercupj]

I'm due to have a colonoscopy on Friday to see if I have any IBD, suspecting crohns. It was discovered I had an inflamed cecum after being admitted with low right abdominal pain.

Since my discharge from hospital (two weeks) I have been on the low residue, low fibre & low fat (no gall bladder). My concern is my bowel movements have increased since and lots of discomfort and mucus. Most movements are just mucus for the last two days. So, I have been eating white bread, jacket spuds (no skin) cheese, ham, chicken and cornflakes as the bulk of my diet.

My consultant said the diet is designed to slow your bowels, firm stools and give bowels time to recover. Any ideas why I may be having the opposite effect?? Would this indicate it's more an intolerance rather than crohns?

I have 3 very young children and finding it hard to run to the loo every half hour. HELP!!

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

Have your movements gotten more loose on the diet? Or, were they like this before you started it? If it's the first one, I'd make sure to contact your doctor/doctor's office to see if they might have any ideas to help.

 

[jamilea]

I know a lot of people say cornflakes are safe to eat with IBD, but does it increase after you eat them? Some do have trouble with them. You can google about it.

 

[Buttercupj]

My movements have been much looser and more frequent on this diet. Seem to go about an hour after eating something.

Had my first moviprep last night, felt fine, went ok. Woken now to start second dose but feel awful. Such a headache.

Guess it a matter of hours now and a I may have some news. Wish me luck!!

 

[SooBee]

I've been on a low residue diet for two years. I had another resection three weeks ago so back on low-res diet again! I've never been able to eat corn flakes in all my 43 years with Crohn's. I've come to believe all people diagnosed with Crohn's should be allergy and intolerance tested. There used to be a significant number of doctors who believed Crohn's was purely caused by food intolerances. Try Rice Krispies.

 

[Buttercupj]

Thank you all. Means a lot to be able to share and read your experience's and advice.

My colonoscopy did not go well, it was so painful. Despite me telling him to keep going so it was over with he refused. Basically said it should not cause that much pain (and I do have a high pain threshold) and could cause more damage.

Now looking at having a repeat next Tuesday or Wednesday. I didn't think for a minute it may not get completed today. Really thought I might have had some answers.

Feeling really upset, tired and frustrated, not to mention more worried now wondering why I had pain. :-(

 

[UnXmas]

I'm sorry the colonoscopy went so badly. Did they not offer you sedation?

Unfortunately, Crohn's can't be completely controlled by diet, and nor can many other causes of diarrhoea, though diet can often have some effect. It may be that your diarrhorea worsened due to some other factor besides the change in diet. Hopefully when they do complete the colonoscopy you'll know what's going on. In the mean time I would stick with the low fibre diet as it should make the colonoscopy prep easier; people are often advised to follow it in the days leading up to a prep regardless of their condition or symptoms. There are various types of food intolerances and sensitivities, and if you do have Crohn's you may find different foods make your symptoms better or worse (and it is usually the case that low fibre helps if anything). But figuring out how foods affect you usually takes quite a bit of trial and error, so unless you have a really obvious reaction every time you eat a particular food, I would not worry about it until you've had the colonoscopy and know what you're dealing with and have spoken with your doctors to see what they advise.

I really hope you get answers soon! Ask for sedation next time! I can't believe they didn't offer it to you in the first place. But it does sound like: 1. There's something wrong in the colon so you should get answers and won't have gone through it for nothing and hopefully won't have to go through more tests. 2. It can't be anything immediately dangerous, as they wouldn't have sent you home to wait if they'd seen anything terrible. Do you know how far they did get before they stopped?

 

[Buttercupj]

That's my worry, I was sedated, had iv pain killers, anti sickness and gas and air. I have a high pain threshold, so find it hard to understand why it was so unbearable.

He was approaching the cecum heading for small.intestines, basically where the inflammation was found a few weeks ago. He was so close and I would happily have screamed through it for the sake of 10 mins, but just too dangerous. They are the experts, have to put trust in them. I have a lovely Dr.

I will take your advise and stick on low fibre. Maybe try the rice crispies too

 

[Marlena]

I'm on low res and I am trying again to go down on prednisone - last time, when I dropped, I had increased poops, almost diarrhea in . So, back up on the pred. Now we're trying a slow comedown. By all means, buttercup, you need to talk to your dr. I have also discovered a whole list of foods that I can no longer eat, that are supposedly ok, It's such a crap-shoot on food. Best of luck as you go through this and keep in touch

 

[UnXmas]

When I had a colonoscopy, and for one of my upper endoscopies, I was sedated enough that I have no memory of them at all, exactly as it feels to have a general anaesthetic. It shouldn't have to be painful.

 

[Fernando1]

I concur with the others regarding the fact that you should not be feeling pain.

The most common anesthetics are:

Versed and Fentanyl - On these you are awake during the procedure but should not feel the pain. These are often used in bargain colonoscopies where an Anasthesiolist does not need to be present, therefore it is cheaper for the provider. I suspect that you were on these or variations of these since you were feeling pain, maybe they did not give you enough.

Propofol - Full blown anesthetic, you are knocked out completely, Anasthesiololist present with life saving equipment they may charge you more but worth it if your previous colonoscopy failed.

 

[Buttercupj]

Thank you all again. I feel for each and everyone of you. Surprised to hear how long some of you have been on low res diets, that sucks. I thought it would be fairly temporary. Do you have to take supplements to get the nutrients?

A general would be my preferred option and it was discussed, along with a barium mri(??). My Dr feels best with sedation and an extra bit of equipment that will allow him to see a map of my bowels rather than just following camera alone.

I was really sore last night took tramadol, passed out and today have really painful lower back, is that a side effect from colonoscopy? (could just be from my fall though I guess).

 

[SooBee]

I've had many colonoscopies over the years and never had anything like the pain I had with the last one 18 months ago. I used to watch the screen and chat with my consultant when I was having them but last time I was too busy groaning and crying! I asked the nurse afterwards and she said they were using a different, (larger?), camera head, and a different painkiller. I used to have a valium injection 30 min before the colonoscopy, this time they gave me an injection AS they were starting the procedure and if it had any effect, I didn't notice it!
Also noticed a lot of people in the NACCD magazine were saying their recent colonoscopies were the most uncomfortable they'd ever experienced; some said they'd been given NO pain relief at all. I've no doubt the experience in individual hospitals is different and certainly in different countries.

 

[Buttercupj]

Hi SooBee, just noticed you're also Bedford based. I had mine at the manor on biddenham. But the next one will be southwing. The consultant said the equipment is better at south wing, to my surprise. I can't fault the treatment over the years at Bedford, but going private is a much more relaxed and personal atmosphere. I will have my private consultant still doing the procedure at south wing.

 

[SooBee]

Wow! What a coincidence! I used to work at the Manor and just had the resection at SW. Also had the last colonoscopy at SW. I'd try and persuade them to go straight for the MRI scan if I were you; that's by far the least uncomfortable, and the most conclusive. The barium follow-through I had between the colonoscopy and the MRI scan took ages and was also pretty inconclusive.