Diet/Grains

One possibility if gas is the most prominent feature is SIBO. It takes a bit longer to treat than a bout of pouchitis. I had good luck with a couple-of-month course of doxycycline.

Sorry to hear about this Marianne! I agree, it sounds like SIBO to me. First line treatment is usually a short course (10-14 days) of something like Xifaxan but it seems like most around here have needed longer term antibiotics combined with diet modification (low or no carb), at least until it gets under control.

There is a breath test for SIBO that is pretty easy -- a lot of GIs prefer to just treat empirically, but if your GI does offer the test it might be good to do it for some peace of mind and to know you're on the right track in treating it.

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I never had this before. Has anyone else had this happen with certain foods so far out from surgery?

SIBO develops over time and is reduced over time. Not sure why but a lot of people posting on this board believe in an "instant gratification" theory whereby they eat something, or a certain diet, and then believe positive or negative results are observable within days. This is simply NOT the reality of the situation, and those who are analyzing their diet in that fashion are essentially following or adhering to a junk science approach.

SIBO is something that develops over years and is reduceable with diet in a year's time.

I tend to agree with the others. You selected a diet which over the course of time possibly resulted in SIBO which is now becoming noticeable. You may want to get tested and consult with your doctor about changing your diet to avoid some of the foods you have described.

I only get the bloating and discomfort when I eat those certain foods....otherwise I am fine. If it's SIBO wouldn't I feel like that all the time no matter what I ate? I don't know much about SIBO. My husband was recently tested for it (breath test) as he was having some GI issues but it was negative.

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If it's SIBO wouldn't I feel like that all the time no matter what I ate?

Not necessarily. It's possible that it is just those foods or what you are eating with those foods. Are you putting milk in your cereal or oatmeal? Also, are you eating the whole unprocessed oats, or the crappy processed sugarized instant oats and processed sugarized cereals? There is a huge difference. Also, many granolas have a ton of sugars in them.

In my case SIBO manifested as worsening inflammation in my pouch which was reversed after I changed my diet. I did not have the specific symptoms you mentioned with the foods that inflicted the SIBO or the foods you have mentioned. I did have gas and bloating with cow's milk before eliminating it and dairy from my diet.

Foods like beans, broccoli, and cabbagae are commonly thought of as culprits in gassiness. That can be well controlled with Beano. I don't think the enzymme in Beano will do much for gassiness from rice and other grains, though.

Marianne,
I had almost the same thing happen and also am about 4years post take down. I grew sensitive to grains I had been eating as a major staple in my diet such as oatmeal and rice. I also grew sensitive to apples, watermelon, broccoli and potatoes. These foods all became triggers for excessive gas and bloating even though I had previously eaten them without these symptoms. I have largely eliminated grains, starchy carbs and other high FODMAP fruits and veggies and find that I feel much better. I still indulge in too much sugar, on occasion, as I have a real sweet tooth but I am trying to restrict sugary coffee and treats as much as possible. I just want you to know that you are not alone in your experience of needing to change your diet some years post take down. I hope you start feeling better by reducing or eliminating the "go to" foods that now give you distress. (I should also say that about the time I noticed changes in my response to grains and sugars I was diagnosed at Mayo with a fistula, which was repaired, and first time pouchitis, treated with antibiotics. The year before my scope was entirely healthy! IDK whether the diet sensitivities came before or after the other diagnosed problems.)

Ok... this may be a silly question, but what is SIBO?

Also, is there a connection between gluten intolerance and the inflammation/auto-immune issues which cause UC?

Thanks, Linda

Linda-
Try the "Find" tab near the top of the screen and you can locate and read many previous postings about SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).

I believe there is no known connection between gluten and IBD.
--Scott