Food Not Fully Digesting

Hi all -

I wanted to pose this question and see if anyone else had a similar issue. I had a serious flare-up earlier this year, and am starting to feel "normal" again...but the last piece is trying to figure out my diet. Pre-this flare-up I could eat whatever I wanted -- fruits, veggies, fiber, alcohol, etc. and nothing bothered me. I now realize that is not the case for all with this disease and even though I'm not having the typical flare symptoms, I'm still having trouble digesting vegetables (which is one of my favorite foods, so hard to do without!). When I eat a vegetable (cooked -- squash, green beans, okra, etc.) I don't have any pain at all with it, but when I go to the bathroom I can see pieces of it in my stool, so I know it's not fully digesting. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what did you do? Tell your GI? Is it harmful to continue eating them if they're not causing pain but not fully digesting?

I have this issue all the time...corn, sugar snap peas, lettuce...carrots even. I do know that is pretty common even for people who do not have CD to pass some undigested food in their stool. For me I know certain things cause issues and like Wolfie I can not tolerate corn anymore and will pay dearly if I even eat a little bit. Even if it does not cause you any stomach pains is your stool normal (besides the bits of undigested food)? I know for me that when I do eat veggies I am more likely to have D even though I may not have any pain after eating them (except corn). If your stool is normal and you don't suffer any issues when eating the veggies then I would not be concerned...but that is just my opinion. You could maybe call your doc to make sure as well.

Most people in general don't chew their food enough, this is especially important for us CDers...using digestive enzymes can be very beneficial as well...some use the supplement form of digestive enzymes while others (like myself) can tolerate natural ones being pineapple, kiwi, papaya and mango, about 1/2 cup of any of the above mentioned eaten after each meal will help break your food down making it easier on the digestive tract.

:)

I use a stick blender and puree the veggies, works great and cuts down on a lot of issues. Yummy too. I can get corn past my strictures that way even! yay!

Thanks all for your advice - it's so true that we become so obsessed with our poo. Most people don't even look when they go before flushing and I am turning around to see if there's anything different from last time. I take Asacol and often times see entire pills come out - frustrating because that drug costs so much but considering I take 12 a day if one or two don't get absorbed I figure it's probably not that bad. I was just concerned with seeing so much food particles in my stool because it's never really happened to me before - it's usually almost fully formed (not 100%) and I do find bits of lettuce, carrots, onions, zucchini, squash, etc. hanging around. Like most of you, I NEVER eat corn but I love all other vegetables and want to eat as many as possible!

Hi bookgal77,

Did you find any cause for passing undigested food in your stool?

I passed dark green stool (well formed) with undigested food in it. But, now I've been passing yellow stool with undigested food even rice and whatever I eat. The stool is well formed though. It very difficult to make out what is causing it. I suspect, it's because of my gastritis. I have ordered pine nut oil on the internet. I have to see, if it gets better.

At the same time, Crohnies pass undigested food as well, since the absorbing capacity of intestine is considerably reduced. It may be because of the medicines which cause indigestion.

I would like to know, if Crohnies pass undigested food in diarrhea? What is the color of diarrhea in Crohnies?

I had been doing good just before and during my flare-up. It all started 3 weeks after I started the medicines. I'm going crazy.