Supplementation

NativeMember

Wanted some opinions. Do any of you use supplements or over the counter nutrition replacement/vitamins? I take a daily multivitamin but its important to remember we as ostomates/jpouchers are missing a vital organ. Also, in the case of UC, while the offender is gone after colectomy, we still have an autoimmune rheumatologic condition. Ever have those days where you feel great and then for like a week you feel like garbage for no apparent reason? I do. It seems there is not a lot of peer reviewed research on it.

I work in general surgery and while we push the nutrition side of healing, there is little time for long term health. Just wanted to see if anyone living daily with ostomy/pouch has found anything or a daily routine that has seemed to help them. One of my favorite parts of my job is saying to people postop or in follow up "forget what the books say, tell me YOUR STORY. what WORKS for you?" I still get that "im a 30 year old man who sleeps 8 hours a night, why the heck am I always so tired" feeling haha. I blame it on our silent rheumatalogic illness. Would love to hear the forums opinions/experience.

I had colectomy 6 years ago and have did fantastic. set up for step 2 for Jpouch creation in 9 days and excited/nervous ha.

4/8/1811:10 AM

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Susan GilbertMember

Hi. I had my surgery and pouch in 1995 I take calcium, vitamin D and a multivitamin. Over the years I have taken other supplements. I do not feel like I still have an autoimmune illness. I woke up from surgery 23 years ago and for the first time in 15 years, felt well.

4/8/183:03 PM

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GilMember

I take a multivitamin, calcium with D, and potassium, which I take due to diet limitations. I’ve had pouchitis since my reversal in 2010, so my day to day life is similar if a little worse than it was when I had UC. I’ve worked on managing my disease, my meds and my doctors for many years. Some days are awful, others good. I’m retired now and can’t imagine how I coped while working.

4/8/1810:35 PM

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valliMember

I am pretty new to this so I just take multivitamins, vitamins D, and probiotics. Good luck with your J pouch surgery. Didn't know they could do it years later.

4/8/1811:31 PM

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skn69Member

I've had my pouch for almost 39yrs...

At first, I juiced (rare back in the 70's) then started on supplements. I then moved to a 'dissociated diet' where I eat my fruits in the mornings along with drinking fluids (coffee, water, juice) and then have 2 protein or carb meals/day...depends on if I want to lose weight (2xs protein meals), gain weight (2xs carb meals) or stabilize (one of each)...this has allowed my system to digest foods better, absorb better and become more efficient.

Less exhaustion, better sleep recuperation, and less inflammation when I do things right.

I supplement with organic silicium, Collagen ( both for a collagen disorder), B complex on a regular basis and then throw in Magnesium, Calcium, Vit D, and a large assortment of trace elements that I get in liquid form.

Most of my supplements are liquid or chewable. I can usually see the difference within days/weeks if I am depleted but mostly it is maintenance.

I believe that our small bowels absorb most of the nutrition needed, the colon is responsible for fluids and some B vitamins etc. After a while, it is not a question of being colonless but living in a world where most of what we eat is vitamin depleted. I eat healthily, avoid junk-rich foods so my nutrition is mostly good...

Your body will tell you what is needed...but not all of us need something.

Sharon

4/9/188:57 AM

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