Stricture is gone - can I eat raw fruits and veggies now?

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May 16, 2013
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Hi everyone,
It's been a week since my right hemicolectomy and all went well. After I've healed can I eat raw fruits and veggies again now that my stricture has been removed? Has anyone has this experience?

Thanks!
Steph
 
Hi Steph.

All I can say is talk to the doctor. Once healed try and see. I'm fine with fruit but for the most part raw veggies cause pain.
 
You're right to wait until you've healed; regardless of strictures, so soon after bowel surgery your intestine is healing and will not cope well with foods that are hard to digest.

Doctors seem to usually advise a six to eight week time frame to heal from this kind of surgery. After that time, I would try some of the foods you want to, but go slow and remember the amount you eat is very important as well as the type of food. Eat a little at first, maybe try something intermediate, like veg that is cooked, but which has not been cooked for as long as you cooked them when you had the stricture.

Some people with Crohn's will never tolerate raw fruits and veg (or nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc.). But there's a big difference between not tolerating something in the sense that it makes your symptoms temporarily worse (which you may feel is worth it and choose to put up with), and getting a blockage or other dangerous complication. You might be best to check with your doctor that you're not likely to experience the latter.
 
Post surgery I seem to be able to eat anything I like. The surgeon just said to avoid any really big meals and not have too much fibre for the first week or so.

But your mileage may vary. Be sensible about it.
 
I had a left hemi in February. I was on low-fibre for 8 weeks following the surgery until the follow-up with the surgeon. Now I eat raw fruits and veg.
 
Hi Steph. It's been six weeks since my surgery and I've been eating pretty much normally since the first week - just in much smaller quantities. I feel about 90% better but I still feel partially obstructed at times, so I'm being careful with insoluble fiber. I'm still peeling most fruits and vegetables and I'm avoiding corn, since the one time I ate it I felt bad. I hope I'm still healing and things will improve but I'm starting to think this is it. But, hey, I'll take it! Eating anything with a fork feels pretty good after being on liquids for most of the couple months leading up to surgery. I'm pleasantly surprised at how well I'm tolerating beans as I was not able to eat them at all BS (before surgery). BS, I was constantly bloated and crampy and I had a large, hard mass in my lower abdomen. Now, even eating fruits, veggies and beans, my belly is almost flat. The few times I've felt a little obstructed, it's been a much smaller mass. I'm doing so well that I've been eating vegetarian, which I've wanted to do for years and never been able to. :)

Please keep us updated on your progress. I'd be very interested to hear what your recovery process is like and how you're tolerating foods. Here's to happy eating!
 
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