Guys. I am really struggling with this one. I ended up gaining a lot of weight after I had my illeostomy takedown. Being able to eat for the first time in almost a decade i ate everything in sight for a couple of years. Now I'm uncomfortable in my own body after gaining almost a hundred pounds. I'm around 250lbs, and I've been struggling to get it off. Working out exhausts me, and because of having chronic pouchitis I have trouble figuring out what kinds of food I should and shouldn't eat because vegetables and fruits often don't digest or get stuck and make me bleed. Or worse, I end up in the bathroom so much more often.
Does anyone have any advice on how I should do this? I gain weight so easily, like, several pounds in a week. But I get sick if I don't eat more than once a day. And then if I restrict myself severely the weight comes off at a snail's pace, but it's not a sustainable thing because I end up being hungry constantly. I know I end up overeating, and because of the vegetable issue I end up eating a lot of carbs which otherwise I poop water which ends up hurting after a while.
Ifeel like I'm babbling, but I have infusions of Enyvio every four weeks for the chronic pouchitis, but I still feel as if I'm in the same spot I was before I even had surgery, and I don't know what to do.
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Do you use psyllium with meals? This can help a person feel more full. It also provides a soothing emollient for the guts and results in better poops and happier guts, in my experience. Just make sure you take your psyllium with plenty of water if you want to try it.
Cooked veggies are much easier to digest and are good for the guts, too. I recommend always cooking the fruit and vegetable foods and chew really well. Applesauce is a good way to get some fruity nutrients. Oatmeal and millet are nice carbs that aren't too addictive. Oatmeal also soothes the guts like psyllium does.
I stay away from wheat. The wheat gluten gives me inflammation and bleeding.
Have patience. This takes a long time to figure out and everyone's system is different.
Are there any other options besides MetaMucil and oatmeal? I can't stomach oatmeal after eating it every day as a child. I don't know what millet is though. I don't have issues with brad or anything like that. It's actually one of the few things that doesn't hurt to eat. I do over cook my veggies or have canned so it's mushy, but fruits sometimes when cooked cause blockages, like cooked strawberries, I can't eat them cooked but I sometimes can eat them fresh. Grapes I can eat a few a day but no one else eats them so they end up going bad. I try to eat a lot of eggs and things like that but the gas also causes a lot of pain. I could try the applesauce if I can stomach it in terms of sometimes certain foods make me gag.
I’ve had my pouch for 26 years now and have struggled with my weight my whole life. I’m also up to 250, but my highest was 302. I was able to lose 90 lbs 6 years ago through a very restrictive, meal replacement type of program. But, my GI made me stop abruptly because of the amount of artificial sweeteners-especially sugar alcohols. Those are bad for the pouch and caused me a lot of problems. Hence, I’ve gained back 40. I too am much better off with starchy foods, and even cooked veggies can be a problem. When I eat a salad, I’m in the bathroom within 20 minutes. It’s crazy. I try to focus on higher protein and lower carb counts, but it’s a constant battle. Wish I could give you some pointers, but for now I’ll say good luck and keep trying. It’s a slow process, but something you will benefit from in the long run.
Hello. I have pouchitis and can't handle the antibiotics for it. I find psyllium husk (or metamucil) helps, similar to person that wrote above. I am taking it twice a day now. Another thing you might try are probiotics. They constipate me too much now but did not 10 yrs ago.
Bananas are smoother on me than regular fruit. I often just take an ensure or boost to replace a meal. Not fun or filling so I take that a few times a week.
I wish you all the best.
Having oatmeal and yogurt will help.
Oatmeal has prebiotics and yogurt has probiotics. Prebiotics makes probiotics work stronger. So taking those two together will help 