Low residue diet

[KayleighJune]

Hi
I've been reading this forum for a few weeks now and thought now would be a good time to make a profile and start asking some questions, any help would be great as I am really struggling.
I was diagnosed with CD about 6/7 years and I think I have been in denial about it ever since, I've been on steriods a number of times and recently about once a month I end up in a and e.
I went to see my consultant yesterday who once again prescribed me steriods and told me to go on a low residue diet, when I questioned what food I could have all she answered was bland food such as mash potatoe, (not very helpful to someone who rarely cooks) I am going to a very bad flare up, needing the toilet constantly and also being sick regularly.
I was just wondering if anyone could help me and tell me what would be best to eat which will give me minimal pain. I have not eaten in about 5 days now.
Thank you
Kayleigh

 

[Charleigh]

I highly, highly suggest the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet). A great book to read is Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gotschall. While I know that a low residue diet can give some relief by removing difficult to digest foods, it is only dealing with the symptoms and not the actual problem. When E was first sick, he couldn't eat very many fruits and veggies at all (even cooked) or he would get sick. Now that he has been on the SCD since November, he is healing on the inside and he is eating more and more foods without any negative reactions whatsoever. In fact, he has had no diarrhea at all and he has been eating raw blueberries and blackberries. He even had cooked broccoli the other night (that would have never worked before!). He is absolutely symptom free at this time and he is not on medication either (I am not saying that anyone should go off of meds).

Edited to add, feel free to PM me if you have questions

 

[rollinstone]

Agree w charliegh, try the SCD, itl cut down your toilet time

 

[Sarah50]

Hi Kayleigh,

I was put on the Low Residue/Low Fiber diet by my doctor when I was diagnosed with Crohn's last November. I was on it for a month but was still having pain. THen I went to the dietician that the doctor referred me to and she pointed out food I was eating that was not on the low res diet and that food didn't occur to me... like yogurt WITH fruit, peach preserves, ... Once I followed it strictly (and it's very easy, by the way), ALL of my symptoms disappeared and have not returned!! I'm still on the diet and FOR ME... prefer it over the other diet people are recommending because the other one is waaaaaaay too restrictive for me. ANd this diet is working! So I think you should first look at the low residue diet since that is what your doctor recommended and try it for awhile and see how it goes. If you have any questions about it or what foods you can or cannot eat, please feel free to ask me. I'll post a link to the low res diet for you. Good luck and keep us posted!

http://uvahealth.com/services/digestive-health/images-and-docs/Low_fiber_Low_residue_diet_3.pdf

 

[Sarah50]

Kayleigh, here's a little more info on the low res diet:

Diet Recommendations for Ulcerative Colitis Flare

•Follow a low residue diet to relieve abdominal pain and diarrhea.
•Avoid foods that may increase stool output such as fresh fruits and vegetables, prunes and caffeinated beverages.
•Decrease concentrated sweets in your diet, such as juices, candy and soda, to help decrease amounts of water pulled into your intestine, which may contribute to watery stools.
•Decrease alcohol consumption.
•Try incorporating more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. These fats may have an anti-inflammatory effect. They are found in fish, including salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines.
•Patients often find that smaller, more frequent meals are better tolerated. This eating pattern can help increase the amount of nutrition you receive in a day.
•Consider taking nutritional supplements if appetite is poor and solid foods are not tolerated well (see section on recommended liquid supplements).


Diet Recommendations for Crohn's Disease Flare

•Follow a low residue diet to relieve abdominal pain and diarrhea.
•If you have strictures, it is especially important to avoid nuts, seeds, beans and kernels.
•Avoid foods that may increase stool output such as fresh fruits and vegetables, prunes and caffeinated beverages. Cold foods may help reduce diarrhea.
•If you have lactose intolerance, follow a lactose-free diet. Lactose intolerance causes gas, bloating, cramping and diarrhea 30 to 90 minutes after eating milk, ice cream or large amounts of dairy. A breath hydrogen test may confirm suspicions of lactose intolerance.
•If you have oily and foul-smelling stools, you may have fat malabsorption. Treat fat malabsorption by following a low-fat diet. Discuss these symptoms with your doctor or nutritionist.
•Smaller, more frequent meals are better tolerated and can maximize nutritional intake.
•If your appetite is decreased and solid foods not tolerated well, consider taking nutritional supplements (see section on recommended liquid supplements).


Diet Progression Following Flares for Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease

•Continue to follow a low residue diet and slowly add back a variety of foods.
•Begin with well-tolerated liquids and advance to soft solids, then solids (see below for liquid and solid food suggestions).
•Introduce one or two items every few days and avoid any foods that cause symptoms.
•Add fiber to diet as tolerated. Well-tolerated fiber sources include tender cooked vegetables, canned or cooked fruits, and starches like cooked cereals and whole wheat noodles and tortillas.
•Between flares, eat a wide variety of foods as tolerated. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat and nonfat dairy products.
•Increase your calorie and protein intake following a flare. Abdominal pain, diarrhea and decreased appetite may have caused poor food intake. Steroids used to treat flares also can increase protein needs.


Suggestions for first foods after a flare include:

•Diluted juices
•Applesauce
•Canned fruit
•Oatmeal
•Plain chicken, turkey or fish
•Cooked eggs or egg substitutes
•Mashed potatoes, rice or noodles
•Bread — sourdough or white

Here's the link with more info if you're interested:

http://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/nutrition_tips_for_inflammatory_bowel_disease/index.html