When you have a pouch, you're supposed to be eating only small servings of food. Why is that and how much is a small serving? I eat the same (maybe a little less) portions than I've had before the jpouch. Is there any improvement of BM with small servings?
Cheers
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Just like you said, it is for improvement of BMs. But, it is not just small servings, but frequent small servings, as you want to maintain your nutrition.
In addition to helping with function early on, it also helps with nutrient absorption. In the first year or so while your gut is adapting to life without a colon, it is easier to overload your system with meals that are too large. This can increase diarrhea.
The size of a small serving is subjective. You'll find this to be a common recommendation for pretty much everything pouch related: experiment to find what works for you to improve your function. You will find that you can eat more of one type of food without impacting your fuction, while another needs to be more strictly reduced.
The good news is that regardless of what you do now, things will gradually get better. So, try not to make yourself crazy with adopting the "perfect" diet and eating patterns.
Jan 
but wouldn't small serving cause more chances of food sitting in the pouch and cause pouchitis? I would think a larger meal and then poop it out at once to decrease chance of food sitting in the pouch longer?
I don't think so, unless you are slowing the gut too much. I was talking about pouch function, and what can be done during those early months/years during adaptation.
Certainly, if you slow the gut or your transit time is so slow that you are having less than 3-4 bowel movements per day, you may be dealing with fecal stasis. But, having stool moving through should not cause pouchitis.
Jan
