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Hello All. I come with a more… sensitive topic today, and I would like to know your thoughts and experiences (those who are comfortable of course). I’ve been struggling lately with guilt after eating things that should be ‘avoided’ by jpouchers. I’ve got a real sweet tooth, but sugar makes me go watery, and sometimes if I overdo it I go watery for a few days straight. I hate watery stools and they just make me anxious and I much rather have pasty stools. But I’m human. Cravings are real and depriving yourself of food you want can be really challenging mentally. So whenever I do lean into these cravings of sugar, I feel a horrible guilt because I know that it wasn’t good for me.

It’s difficult because sometimes I’ll have watery stools after sugar and sometimes I don’t, and the whole guessing game is nerve wracking. So, this guilt after eating sugar is just down right terrible, but I can’t shake the thoughts away. I consider myself a mentally strong person, after almost dying at 15 from UC I had to learn the hard way unfortunatley, I’m sure many of you can relate. Does anyone else share this guilt experience? Any suggestions? I think I’ll bring it up to my therapist next session to see what she thinks.

Thank you all,

Valen

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Valen, we are all human here and have gone through the same things. I have a powerful sweet tooth and a soft spot in my heart for ice cream. It's not like you can NEVER have it, you just have to avoid eating this way consistently. The Guilt should be controllable. You didn't murder anyone or commit a crime, so we have to weigh your actions in the greater scheme of human guilt from much more egregious conduct. In the great scheme of things it's sort of a small pimple on the elephants ass. I think therapy would be overkill here.

Last edited by CTBarrister

It’s natural to second guess ourselves, and regret is pretty powerful. If it’s making you feel bad about yourself then your therapist may indeed be able to assist.

From a purely mechanical point of view, you might get some benefit from trying psyllium after indulging, to see if that helps thicken things up. I eat sugar pretty freely and don’t experience a connection with stool consistency (or if there is one then I just don’t notice or care). I’m not aware of any research that shows a short-term connection between sugar and loose stools, but each of us is different. There is evidence that some J-pouchers can improve chronic pouchitis with a very low carbohydrate diet, but that’s a long-term effect.

One nutritionist gave me the advice of eating sweets after a big meal, so that they go through your system slowly. This way, more sugar is absorbed before reaching the pouch.

If I eat more than the daily recommended added sugar, a dessert for example, I take more visbiome soon after the dessert, hoping it would help with the messed up microbiome.

You can also try to ensure you eat some fat with the sugar.  Fat slows down the absorption of sugar.  Fructose is the greater offender vs sucrose, when it comes to pulling water into your digestive system, and other than fruit it’s used heavily in soda.  Artificial sweeteners can also have a similar effect.  

To be honest, I’ve found it’s pretty hard to tie the state of my poo to any one thing.  And elimination diets are notoriously difficult to maintain.  We just aren’t wired to easily refuse something…research finds that eliminating foods simply increases the craving for them.  Life is too short to guilt yourself over every treat…if it helps maybe try to think of sugary treats as small rewards for dealing with all the other issues that you have faced up to now, and will face in the future.  Have some in moderation and focus your stress on other things you can better control.

I have to say I have more regret than guilt.  I end up paying the price for too much sweets.  Sometimes it's so worth it but, mostly not.  I have tried less sugar options. They are not the same but if u look hard enough and research and bake yourself u can indulge and be satisfied.  I rarely use white sugar and look for products with minimal to very little sugar.  I agree that psyllium husk is a must in our diet to bulk up.

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