Crohn’s triggers

I feel like every food is a trigger lol I had eggs and toast for breakfast at the hospital this morning. I’ve had to go 5 times in the two hours gather breakfast. Last night they served me a pulled pork sandwich potatoes and a salad. Just went a couple of times. All D not solid although this morning it seemed like it wanted to be solid if that made sense.

These were first two meals after the colonoscopy prep. Do you think these foods triggered me or my body is just adjusting to first foods after not eating for 36 hours and being cleaned out….

Furthermore, in the future, with Crohn’s If you are non-symptomatic or in remission, can you add back “bad” foods like ribeye, beer, Buffalo wings, etc or will bad foods actually cause you to trigger and get sick? I’m just so confused if I have to give up some of my favorite things forever or if there will be ebbs and flows.

Trigger for discomfort and for the fact that the digestive tract is processing in a more abnormal way while going through a flaring or inflamed gut. Not a trigger for causing a flare.
Yes...food diary can be helpful, but don't get hung up in thinking it will make your flare worse. As well...eating a food at hour one may not cause discomfort till hour 6 and later. Choose foods that can help so you have less discomfort and possibly less times having bms. What goes in causes the the digestive process into action...what's in the lower gut (be it stool, just mucus or blood) to be expelled. Depending on where inflammation is located, the least time anything stays in that area, the better according to your gut.
Trial and more trial...hope your meds are helpful soon so you can get relief.

q

In remission i can eat pretty much anything i want. When flaring badly, any kind of eating would cause discomfort. In between, i can tolerate some foods better than others. Old Hat's suggestions are good. My go-to foods are chicken, rice, banana, sweet potato, pumpkin, cooked carrots (i dont know what it is about orange vegetables). Apples and spinach would set me off (green poo...). I would avoid fried/processed food and foods with insoluble fibre. Ripe bananas were fine but green bananas would give me cramping. But it's so individual, you just have to try different things and see what helps/feels bad.

poopydoop said...
In remission i can eat pretty much anything i want. When flaring badly, any kind of eating would cause discomfort. In between, i can tolerate some foods better than others. Old Hat's suggestions are good. My go-to foods are chicken, rice, banana, sweet potato, pumpkin, cooked carrots (i dont know what it is about orange vegetables). Apples and spinach would set me off (green poo...). I would avoid fried/processed food and foods with insoluble fibre. Ripe bananas were fine but green bananas would give me cramping. But it's so individual, you just have to try different things and see what helps/feels bad.

I absolutely am watching my diet. This has been so hard!

The hospital should have given you more info if the scope found a stricture. That means it's hard for waste to pass through that affected area in the gut. Probably you should eat soft foods like scrambled eggs, mashed or pureed items and non-spicy soups, broth, or smoothies. (Even the 9-month stage baby foods in a pinch!) It may sound discouraging, but definitely is worth a try to keep things moving inside as gently as possible. Also, you can get valuable nutrients like iron from smooth pea and bean soups, also beets. Instead of 3 main meals you might feel better having smaller amounts to eat more often during the day/evening. Did the hospital give you any IV steroids prior to your discharge? / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal) *** P.S. It seems really dumb if the hospital fed you pulled pork post-scope that found you with a stricture! But those institutions sometimes bomb when providing patient meals, even post-surgery.

Post Edited (Old Hat) : 7/30/2022 12:54:08 AM (GMT-7)

It could be related, yes. Has the hospital done a full blood panel as well?

q

quincy said...
It could be related, yes. Has the hospital done a full blood panel as well?

q

Yes they took my blood. What numbers should I review specifically?

You guys are like my new best friends. This forum is full of great people

I too worry that you're being undertreated and not taken seriously enough.

I would think you'd be in the hospital on IV, liquid diet or very bland personalized diet, IV steroids, and waiting for emergency authorization of Remicade, with loading doses done before you're discharged.

Are there any GIs in your area who are IBD experts and not just general GIs? Is the GI you saw well experienced in treating Crohn's?

So while in the hospital I had two days of Iv steroids. Left with a prescription for 35 days of steroids.

The GI is the only one within a 100 mile radius. He took my blood to check for TB and all other things they do to get you started on a biologic he indicated 2-3 weeks from my diagnoses before it starts. I see him on August 10th and I guess will have more information then on when to start. He wants me to try Humira first. I do not think he is a expert in IBD but it is within his wheelhouse. I will be calling his office this week to see what all else needs done so I can start on the biologic asap

Old Hat said...
Gotya! Advise you to re-read what Straydog posted on 7/28 in your earlier thread-- because she has a long experience with Crohn's herself. Based on her comments there, it seems like a good idea to ask your specialist why he doesn't prescribe Remicade 1st. Is it due to lack of infusion facilities in your area? Or an insurance authorization issue? / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)

He wants to wait for biopsy to come back. Did take my blood for the preliminary testing and this week hopefully have things sent off to insurance

My gi is in a small town & he is a rock star & no he is not an IBD specialist. Prior to seeing him I saw 4 other gi's & 2 of them were IBD specialists & they did nothing for me, nothing. I had an emergency small bowel resection, along with a complete blockage & abscess. This was done out of the country while on vacation. I had 4 different gi's tell me I no longer had crohns because I had a small bowel resection. Not a one of them would consider a scope. It was a nurse that gave me his contact information. I live in a very large city with a well known teaching hospital 30 minutes from my house. I wouldn't wipe my behind on their diplomas & certificates, lol.

I floundered around nearly 2 years, in & out of the hospital more times than I can count. By the time I got to him I was a wreck, not just physically, but mentally. I thought well they are drs they know what they are talking about, I am just crazy. This was my first experience with advocating for my own healthcare.

First thing he did was a scope & put me on steroids. Once the biopsy report came back, I was put on Remicade. From what you have written here the gi waiting for the biopsy report is normal, don't worry that you were not given the proper care from this gi. He's already got a diagnosis in mind, he wants the biopsy for confirmation, nothing wrong with that.

For now stick with the low residue diet, Old Hat gave you some good tips on foods to eat.

Since the dr mentioned a stricture be sure to discuss this, where is it located & the size of it. Some people can have them & not have issues, it depends on how bad it is. This is another reason to stick with the low residue diet to keep from aggravating things.

Keep us posted, careful with the pain meds because they can stop up the plumbing.