Measuring bowel transit time with corn

[Brad P]

Years ago I had about 5-6 feet of small bowel removed but was told I still had plenty of bowel left. Despite a flareup where my stomach seems slow to empty, if I have frozen corn for supper, it's passed through by the next morning. That's like a 12-14 hr transit time. This seems really fast, even if all things are normal and despite the shorter bowel. I asked my GI about this and she said corn will go right through you. I had just woke up from sedation after an endo so I didn't have enough cognitive ability to challenge her. But this doesn't make sense. How would corn race to the front (or back lol) ahead of previous meals eaten??

 

[Bufford]

I'm in a similar boat. Transit time can be affected by the type of food and one's own condition. Sometimes I am constipated, but other times things can move fast. I once had a submarine sandwich and about 90 minutes later I saw it in the toilet. It was simply passed through my system without absorption. I mentioned it to my GI and he said that is not unusual for Crohn's and IBD patients.

 

[shamrock15]

If I have full can of pop (soda) I can flush everything in under an hour. If I stick to lemonade and water I can extend to half a day to a day. It is an interesting exercise!

 

[cmack]

For me the corn is the fastest one out too. Go figure.:ytongue:

 

[SauceySciencey]

Years ago I had about 5-6 feet of small bowel removed but was told I still had plenty of bowel left. Despite a flareup where my stomach seems slow to empty, if I have frozen corn for supper, it's passed through by the next morning. That's like a 12-14 hr transit time. This seems really fast, even if all things are normal and despite the shorter bowel. I asked my GI about this and she said corn will go right through you. I had just woke up from sedation after an endo so I didn't have enough cognitive ability to challenge her. But this doesn't make sense. How would corn race to the front (or back lol) ahead of previous meals eaten??

I found this site helpful.

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/basics/transit.html

 

[Layla]

My record with corn was 20 minutes! Needless to say I don't eat corn anymore

 

[IrritableBob]

Corn is what brought on the hug flare that led to my diagnosis. I have not eaten corn since then (nor have I desired to do so). Pains me to even think about it.

I don't remember ever being able to digest corn--not even as a child (I assumed this was normal till I was diagnosed). There are some interesting articles out there about corn and it's "indigestability".

My theory is, our bodies aren't stupid (just defective). Since our guts are overly sensitive, they sense that corn isn't worth the effort pu forth to digest it, and subsequently says (to the corn) "I don't have time for this...BYE-BYE!"

But yeah, bowel transit time varies greatly for me, depnding on what I eat, when I eat it, and how a feel when I eat it. It's a fun little game.