what kind of foods do you all eat during a flare??

Thanks    Im really trying to get this flare under control so i was looking for some advice... also another question...why dont more people with UC elect to have that "J pouch" surgery versus having to get on Remicade and Imuran with all the risks??

Hi,

I eat a low fiber, low fat, bland diet when in a serious flare. I don't know if it helps get things under control, but it does help keep it from feeling like I have liquid fire coming out the other end.

For me, the surgery is just too final. I've always figured that with my luck, I'd take that extreme and irreversible step, and the next week they'd find a new drug that would cure UC. Also, the surgery isn't without risks and problems of its own. Many times it's a series of two or three surgeries with healing time, then time for the body to adjust and get back to normal.

On the other hand, I've encountered people who went very quickly for a j-pouch or ileostomy. It's an individual decision, but I think most people try everything else before they consider surgery.

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When in a flare, I find that Chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots go down easily. I have no problem with eggs in a flare either

Janice

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I eat a lot of rice when I'm flaring, also chicken breast. Basically low fat foods and soluble fiber. I tried to stick to the recommendations of the book "eating right for a bad gut" it didn't put me into remission but did help me feel a hair better.
James

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Current Meds www.myspace.com/gardenerjames

Asacol 4 tabs 2x daily
Forvia once a day
Probiotic twice daily
Methotrexate 3 pills once a week
Actonel once a week
Calcium supp.
Omega-3 once daily
Tenth Remicade infusion Early December

The main things I avoid while in a flare are raw fruits and vegetables, soda (can't stand the stuff now) and nuts/seeds. Everything else to me is fair game. We are all different in what we can tolerate while in a flare so you will have to find what bothers you and eliminate it if it is causing you grief. A good way to do this is to keep a food diary. Write down what you eat, when and the reaction it causes you. Record everything even if it's a stick of gum. You might find a common culprit.

As for surgery, I agree that it's a personal decision. Some just don't want to take the chance of using heavy duty drugs to slap them into a possible remission. They just want to start living again and get on with their lives. I personally would like to have the surgery but I have to go by my insurance company's rules - to exhaust all medicinal options first before they will approve the surgery.

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During a flare I usually eat rice, chicken breasts, soy yogurt, bananas, and cooked carrots. I have forever given up soda, it just causes too much havoc whether I'm flaring or not. I do drink a lot of water and gatorade (it seems to balance things back out).

Baked or grilled chicken and turkey breast, scrambled eggs, well-cooked (soft) English peas, carrots and green beans, soft, very ripe bananas, baked apples or applesauce, nut butters, Udo's, flax and olive oils.

No grains, no starches, nothing raw or lightly steamed. No nuts or seeds. No dairy other than very small amounts of butter or cheese and nothing too spicy.

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Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis spring 1999

Ditto on alot of the above advice.............go as bland as you can and slowly introduce a different food and monitor it. I set up a spreadsheet to try to monitor the BM's, time, date, pain level, type of BM, level of urgency etc. I also wrote down everything he ate so we could look and see if there was any correlation with what was eaten if he was in more distress than usual.

Small meals are a must we found. His favorite is Boston Market turkey breast medallions with a side of mash potatoes. Frozen food section $2 - $2.50 each. I like to cook but I certainly don't do a whole lot of it anymore and when I do I still make too much.

Good Luck.

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61 yr old male~Colitis 1st diagnosed Jan '05-cleared up within a few wks. Flared again in May '06 (now UC) & hospitalized 5/07-currently heading towards a remission. Osteopena of spine from prednisone DX 8/07  Oct 07 feeling quite normal most days.  150mg Imuran 15 mg prednisone & tapering, 12 Asacol, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Jelly 2%,multi vitamin, iron 1X day, DanActive, chewable calcium, Prilosec 20mg, enalapril 10mg, glipizide 5 mg, zocor 20 mg, baby aspirin, (Fentanyl pain patch 50mg 72 hrs  Morphine Sulf 15 mg twice daily)Cortifoam enemas AM & PM, folic acid 1mg, Fosamax 1x month

during my flare ups i would eat baby food 6 to 7xs a day. its very healthy and easy on the intestines. i had UC for 21 years and i my colon preforated sept 5 07. i had emergency surgery in which they removed my colon. i will be going back for my reversal in dec. im glad to be off of all the medication i was on. i was scared to have the surgery before but i didnt have a choice last month. i'm glad i had to get it done and i now wonder why i didnt do this before. i was scare to have anything taken out of me but now i know i will live a med and pain free life if all goes well. 

Thats awesome to hear!    Hearing yalls responses is giving me some hope!  THANKS

I ate ramen noodles and drank gatoraide in the beginning of my flare-up. Didn't know what else to do since it was my first flare-up. Since then I started learing more about UC and have given up meat (except for fish) as well as caffenine and stayed away from raw fruits and vegtables, wheat, high sodium foods, deep fried foods, nuts, seeds and everything seems to be coming along okay. I'm doing fine eating Glutten-Free pasta, soup, ceral, rice cakes, vanilla ice-cream and fish. Basically anything soft and low in residue will help.

I also keep a daily jounal of what food I eat and if I had any reactions to it which helps me eliminate certain foods that cause pain during a flare-up. That has helped me a lot.

I'm similar to a lot of the other responses. I've avoided caffeine, raw fruits, veggies, and beef too. I've been eating lots of carbs and sugars for the last two months thinking it was easy to digest. However, as of late I've been exploring the question "What is causing the inflammation" and there's other threads suggesting UC may be fungal. If that's the case, then wheats and sugars would be bad. (Since I haven't had any luck in the last two months with what I've been eating). I've, therefore altered my diet to avoid the sugars, wheats, carbs, etc.

That leaves rice, chicken, and ... is there anything else? ;)

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Current Prescriptions:

I guess my approach is not the same. I eat the same when in a flare as when I'm "normal'". I drink about 4-7 bottels of soda a day, and I eat pretty much anything I want, except corn. I eat steak,chicken(fried&spicey), potatos, vegies, and even salad. If after a few days my flare has not gone away, I eat some hot wings, and drink some Guiness beer, and within 2-3 days my flare is almost always gone. I have been doing this since I was dx in 98. I have not really changed anything with my eating habbits since I got dx with UC. Guess I'm one of the luckey ones.

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Asacol 12 per day

I'm so tempted to try some Guiness too, just for the heck of it.

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Current Prescriptions:

My theory for diet all the time, but more so around a flare is to eat foods which promote good gut flora. So my diet consists of lots of prebiotic foods such as bananas, berries, asparagus, garlic, honey, rolled oat porridge, tomato, onion and greens (except for things like brocolli as it makes me gassy which makes me feel worse and go to the toilet more).

In the way of meats I find that chicken breast and fish are both really good. I can eat small portions of minced beef, but prefer to avoid it most of the time.

Fruits and vegies, unless soft by themselves (such as bananna) need to be well cooked!

On the do-not-eat list are foods such as high fat (deep fried, cream filled, butter covered etc), high sucrose (cane sugar) or carbonated. I have found softdrink to be one of the worst things for my gut.

And finally lots of water - I make sure I get 1.25 Litres of bottled/filtered water a day.

The only other thing I really add during a flare is Sustagen Sport which is a sports suppliment to make sure I am getting an extra "meal in a cup" per day - vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

I limit sugar, milk products, carbs no deep fried items.  Eat lots of frest fruit and veggies, no potatoes though.  Lots of fresh garlic (feel sorry for my coworkers, but they understand).

Basmati sticky rice, pasta, potato, chicken, soda crackers, peanut butter (smooth), nutella.

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Just diagnosed Aug. 14/07

Pedialyte popsicles work best for me as far as a rehydrant. I was skeptical about water because at first it made me go more but now I crave it. Chicken noodle soup and saltines get me through. I also eat what I like and take the punishment. I have trouble giving up food. I did however give up sodas, no alcohol but love the guisnes beer idea!

Food: what ever you can "stomach"!!! Surgery: personal experience, should have had surgery sooner, as all my complications came from being so run down. Life with ileostomy is fantastic, really well and can eat anything, no meds!! L x
Ps well nearly anything, got to watch for blockages.

Yep, Guiness works for me. I don't really change my diet when I'm in a flare, I am kinda stubborn. I kinda tell my body give me your best shot, and I'll win!! I have not had any long lasting flare ups and I could tolerate everyone I have had so far, so, until I get one that gets me bad, I'll just continue doing what I do. I won't let this thing of ours get the best of me. As long as there is hot wings & Guiness, I think I'll be fine!! lol

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Asacol 12 per day