Question for those who notice food causes symptoms

Hi All,

I think it would vary from person to person since one might be more affected than another by a particular food(s) that they find give them issues with their symptoms...it's trial and error for most and there are those whom don't notice any differences regardless what they eat/drink....alot of times people concentrate on foods only and don't think about the things they might be drinking as well...sodas with having such a high content of sugar and caffeine not to mention all the other junk/chemicals in them (even diet sodas with sugar subsitiutes can cause IBD symptoms to be exacerbated) can cause real issues as well.

:)

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My bum is broken....there's a big crack down the middle of it!  LOL  :)

If I look at my UC through a daily window, I would say that in my case food plays a big role on how my BM's react.  If I eat fast food, fatty food, mexican food, or pasta I have bloating, major diarrhea, and gassy mucousy bloody symptoms for a few days.  Sometimes a McDonalds burger will give me a bout with diarrhea in about 10 hours after eating, then no more reprocussions.

The things I've seen most people talk about are greasy or high fiber foods. A lot of people with UC are lactose-intolerant to some extent. Caffeine and carbonated beverages are often mentioned.

When I'm in a bad flare, it make absolutely no difference what I eat because I'm bleeding, in pain and living on the toilet no matter whether I eat nothing or Big Macs. When in remission, I can eat anything in moderation, but I still limit my fatty and fibrous foods. In between, when I'm in a flare but not really bad, I stay away from high-fat foods, spicy foods, salads, raw or lightly cooked fruits and veggies and beans completely.

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Personally I think the food diary is a good idea. I have been keeping one since the middle of March. I have been in a flare since the beginning of March and so I have lots of time to just jot down what I eat and on the side I write down how I feel and how many, if any, bm's I had that day. Looking back thru it now.. I have narrowed at least one food item down.. any time I eat pork I get bloated and have abdominal pains and the next day I feel gross. So.. staying away from pork for awhile to see what happens. Really.. it only takes a minute to jot things down.. I leave the scribbler on my kitchen table so its easy to remember to write it down when I get something to eat.

It can't hurt right ??

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Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosed May 2004
Sulfasalazine 500MG 4 times per day
Daily Vitamin for Women and Folic Acid

Some foods definately make my symptoms worse, but I can't say that the foods cause a flare. I went for years thinking that I was lactose intolerant, but now drink milk, eat cheese & yogurt and am ok. Pepperoni & steak are no-no's for me. I order the chicken fillet if I go to McD's and am ok.

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Tressa 34 (F)

Certain foods were always off the menu, and the food diary is a good idea. I believe everybodys trigger foods are different, and I hope you can find yours. It is terrible that UC consumes us the way it does. Personally I have been better much off since starting on the Haldi/curcumin drinks. Are you going to try immunosuppresants for sure?

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yuckygut
diagnosed 1998
now off prednisone and colazal
drink 1 Haldi daily

Sugar is evil for me, very, very evil

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Dx'D in 1990. Remission 1991 - 1/2005

I chose to modify my diet over going the immunosuppresant route and have never regretted it. In my experience, there are some foods you know almost immediately (within hours, overnight) are a bad idea because they give you increased pain, gas and other symptoms. If you have leaky gut issues, you'll start to experience allergic type reactions, too, such as clogged sinuses, runny nose. On the other hand, there are some foods that are a constant low level source of irritation and inflammation and it may take quite a while for you to figure out what they are and eliminate them. I'd recommend you check out The New Eating Right for a Bad Gut. The author reviews all different types of foods and identifies the ones that are usually safe or are often a problem for IBDers. Of course, everyone has individual reactions, but these guidelines are at least a place to begin your own experimenting. There's also alot of info on omega-3s for reducing inflammation.

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Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis spring 1999.

There's a lot to say for common sense and well-balanced eating.