has your eating habits changed after having a j-pouch

Yeah, kiwi, mine have definitely changed.  Well, they first changed with the ulcerative colitis.  When I first got UC I was eating a high-fiber, mostly plant based diet.  You know, the healthy way we are supposed to eat.  UC meant the end of vegan meals,  I could not handle the bulky food any longer.  Thinly sliced poultry is my friend.  I never eat large portions of anything.   I don't do McD's (the fat content would kill me), but for sure my tummy likes soft white rolls and skinless potatoes. 

ABSOLUTELY! I cannot overeat like I use to and no super spicy foods

yeah spicy foods are not something I can handle and even pizza, the sodium in it makes me bloat up. If I drink too much fluid I bloat up too and makes for an uncomfortable feeling.  It is just something we have to live with, and I notice sometimes I have to take a prevacid because I have what feels like an acidic stomach which I never had before. But it is all part of the process of dealing with the alteration of our insides lol

For me, the primary difference was raw vegetables. I handle fruit okay but raw vegetables really need to be cooked.

I miss salads. I just can't eat lettuce because it sends me to the bathroom for most of the day. Besides that, I can pretty much tolerate most things I had prior to my op 18 years ago.

I have to pace myself on salads and high roughage foods, I can eat a salad but I need to be home the next day, for some reason I can tolerate iceberg lettuce better than say romaine or spinach etc. On Monday I had minestrone soup from olive garden and that played up with my system but that's ok, it was worth it lol. At least the good side is I know I will never be constipated lol

I can’t eat leafy greens, fruits or veggies and sometimes beans. They all cause major pain and blockages for me. I’m not sure where the blockages happen, such as around the cuff area or somewhere else. I have never been to the doc because of one, I just take a liquid laxative to pass. But I sure miss all the “healthy” foods I can no longer eat. I believe also that my jpouch wants me to be fast food dependent😂

Liz-

I take it that fresh fruits and vegetables were no problem for you before J pouch surgery? I am curious as to what would have happened surgically that caused this dietary intolerance. I personally have no problem eating leafy green vegetables except they do sometimes come out partially digested if I don't chew them well.

When were you last scoped and what did your scope show?

yep no dietary issues before the surgery, I think because maybe the colon was taken, there is just not the abiilty to be able to process alot of fiber and roughage, that is my guess. I have not had anyone check it in forever.this week I have had some bloating and being uncomfortable and I am not sure  why but i am going to keep an eye on that too

Kiwi that is probably a good guess but if that's the correct analysis it's not the J pouch that's is causing the issue, it's the shortened intestinal tract and the issue will presumably  be exactly the same whether you have a J pouch or an ileostomy bag. That being said, it's curious that some have these issues after colon removal and some do not. Some can eat the same as before surgery but perhaps with some issues in fully digesting fruits and vegetables. Some have to change their diets. There is no common result on digestive issues- my experience both here and in the IBD support groups I have belonged to is it's all over the board as to what people can eat and digest well. It's a very individual thing and no general consensus can be reached on what can or cannot be eaten.

I would love to eat the same as I used to, but I have sort of learned what I can eat, what I have to eat minimally etc, yes probably length of digestive system is the cause of issues. agreed. something that would do well with a longer digestive tract is not having that with the surgery so is not being digested properly

Yes -but not everyone with a shortened, colon-less digestive tract has those same issues, and I wonder if the rate of motility could have something to do with it as well.  There are anti-spasmodic drugs to control motility, but they make you a little loopy.  It's just curious to me why the shortening of the digestive tract leads to dietary changes being needed by some people, but not others.  The ones who need changes should be studied, and I think their motility rates should be examined vs. those who are still digesting normally.

@CTBarrister posted:

Liz-

I take it that fresh fruits and vegetables were no problem for you before J pouch surgery? I am curious as to what would have happened surgically that caused this dietary intolerance. I personally have no problem eating leafy green vegetables except they do sometimes come out partially digested if I don't chew them well.

When were you last scoped and what did your scope show?

Yes, prior to my surgery and prior to my UC diagnosis, fruits and veggies were no problem at all. I had my take down in 2010, I believe, and for the first 5 years I didn’t have a problem eating leafy greens, veggies or fruit. But now, it’s a no go. I actually have not had a scope or even seen a GI since my last follow up after my take down. But, since I have come to this site and a support page on Facebook, I’ve decided I need to see a GI.

If you had 5 good years with a J Pouch eating fruits and vegetables, post takedown, I would definitely see a GI and get scoped. Something does not sound right.  I hope you find some answers and get to the bottom of it.

So funny because I was going to start a thread about what meal is your go-to, no problem meal.  Mine is a small piece of fish or chicken (even beef is mostly not an issue) with a baked potato.  Rice also works.  I can have a small amount of cooked veggies...green beans work well.  Broccoli is horrible!  My diet is significantly more restricted now.  I miss spicy food, nuts and broccoli!

I seem to do ok with carbs, potatoes, rice, pasta, bread I have no issues with. I have to be careful with veges, but I do eat them. I am also careful with salads, but again I do eat them. I don't eat beef, pork or lamb but I do eat some chicken, I don't have any issues with that, in fact I am roasting a chicken with potatoes etc for Thanksgiving, my system does not like spicy or too much salt, for instance Pizza will bloat me up and have me drinking a ton of water. I do eat nuts but again I try to pace myself on those and I love dried apricots but can only eat the occasional one. I can eat soup without problems though

It's funny, but sometimes I will be ok with certain foods and other times they give me problems (sometimes cereal gives me issues and other times not). When a certain food gives me problems, I just stay away for awhile and maybe try it again later.

nice to know you can at least eat that food, even occasionally. weird it only happens sometimes eh?

Soft digestible carbs may seem like fine meals short term, but you have to think long term pouch health. Having lots of carbs in your diet on the theory that those are comfortable meals to "go to" is a faulty long term strategy as you are potentially feeding a long term SIBO situation, especially if there is an inadequate fiber intake. In fact that's the usual predictable SIBO situation- too much carbs and sugars and not enough fiber spells SIBO City.

yes which is why I eat fruits and veges, salads etc