Paranoia & Avoiding Different Foods

You might be superstitious about foods. “Paranoid” is a pretty strong word. Here’s some stuff to think about:

1) Food has an effect on gut function. Coloned people who eat spicy food may get a burning feeling on the toilet. Coloned people who eat broccoli and cauliflower get gas. They may have specific food intolerances, and may get heartburn or a bellyache based on their food choices. This all applies to J-pouchers, too.

2) Blockages are generally caused by a narrowing of the intestine. Food gets stuck behind the narrowing and stretches the intestine. It hurts like hell. If the narrowing makes the opening very small, or trapped food has dammed the opening, even liquid can’t get through.

3) Narrowings can be intermittent or permanent. A stricture might never open up, but a kink or twist around an adhesion will usually completely resolve when the gut moves back to a relaxed position, unless it’s very badly positioned. Permanent narrowings may likely require permanent dietary caution. Intermittent narrowings are trickier to navigate, and most likely to lead to food superstitions. The food that causes trouble when the gut is twisted or kinked becomes scary, even when the gut is fine and the food would do no harm. This is mostly a simple mechanical issue, and thorough chewing of any food makes the pieces small enough to pass about the same as any other food.

4) Gas can be a bigger problem for J-pouchers than coloned people, since most of us don’t fully trust farts, and lots of us simply won’t expel gas unless we’re on the toilet. So avoiding gas is especially helpful for J-pouchers. There’s lots of advice about this (carbonated liquids, swallowing air, etc.), but the broccoli/cauliflower/cruciferous vegetable problem is the easiest of all. Taking Beano with the first bite of those foods substantially reduces the resulting gas. Beano only works on those specific foods, though.

Good luck!

Hi, try to chew your food more and a lot of issues can be avoided at least as far as blockages go. Although a blockage can happen no matter the precautions taken but better chewed food is less likely to cause an issue and will digest better. 

We all have foods that can cause issues and the best way to find out is trying some, don't go crazy, chew well and give it time to see how it reacts to you.

You still need to worry about a blockage, scar tissue and just having a jpouch put you in higher risk, and it sucks being in the hospital with a NG tube up your nose pumping your stomach.

I too get blocked sometimes and man it hurts , hurts like hell no matter how much pressure you put on the seat nothing seems to move out . I asked my surgeon why is it so that I get blocked only after dinner and after working out. His response was you are not drinking enough water to keep your gut going. I stopped eating bananas before workout as they are hard to pass through and I feel like if during workout I loose more water they get stuck inside causing blockage. Also my surgeon advised me to have pysillium husk with milk and that works for me everytime now.

Also lettuce is mostly water so it does cause too much gas or liquid stool. High protein meals can be a bit gassy so try eating some carbs everytime, bananas, breads, pasta will help here alot. You can also eat peanut butter to supplement healthy fats and iron tablets with a multivit tablet daily. 

Hi, I totally relate to you.  I have never been able eat what I want.  I have to refuse many dinner invites because eating out is a problem because I don't know who or what is used to make the food.  I feel bad that my family and friends have to compromise with me and also in the time frame after food; my bathroom time.   It's a challenge.  I did mention  before the FODMAP diet look it up.  It is very helpful.   Also, keep track of what u eat and write down the symptoms to know what is good or bad.    Peanut butter is a good protein if u can tolerate.  Vitamin supplements.  I stay away from most fruits and vegetables unless I combined with a carb or something else I can digest well.  How can we not feel paranoid; the pain is so intense.  One day at a time.  Hope the best for you.  

I can't imagine how traumatizing this must have been for you. 

I'm currently with the loop and I'll be reconnected in 10 days. The only advice I have so far is try small servings at a time. I also started a food journal again and I write down what went well and what didn't. So far I have problems with mushrooms, raw veggies and too much oatmeal. In small portions it's ok.

Good luck