HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

how much fiber?

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/15/2010 7:55 AM (GMT 0)
Just curious how much fiber you all eat in a day.

I am keeping a food diary, because I keep getting these pretty high fevers, up to 103 that are usually (thankfully) gone in a day. The one thing I think I finally noticed is that if I eat more fiber than usual, I get the fevers. That's the only thing I can think of why it is happening. Does this happen to anyone else, and does it makes sense? Could the fiber disturb the inflammation and then cause the fever? It's the only thing that makes sense to me.

I usually get around 20 grams a day, but if I get about 30 or more, that is when I seem to have problems.
Posted 2/15/2010 9:59 AM (GMT 0)
Hi I would not over do the fiber. are you drinking plenty water. ppl with Crohn's need to drink plenty
water. so we don't dehyrate.
Posted 2/15/2010 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
Before being diagnosed last year, my daughter was getting frequent fever and chills.  She doesn't seem to get them anymore since being treated, but occasionally has low fevers around 100. I would guess you are getting them because of the inflammation. Also, is it possible you are anemic? My daughter was prior to diagnosis.
Posted 2/15/2010 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
everybody is different, what's good for some is no for other's
Posted 2/15/2010 3:18 PM (GMT 0)
I have to avoid fibrous foods as they are too hard for my system. I don't take Fiber supplements, but my doc has said that if you add something like Benefiber into your mix, you should never start at the dose on the bottle, but start out really slowly and work yourself up. I agree I think your fevers have something to do with inflammation and think too much roughage is irritating it. Good luck!
Posted 2/15/2010 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone. Sorry to drill this question into the ground. I'm just trying to find some answers, and I was hoping maybe other people had similar experiences so I could figure out if it is the fiber causing the fevers. I meet with my GI Thursday, so maybe he'll have some input. I guess it's just hard since this disease affects all of us differently.

I guess I"m just wondering if this is how it's supposed to be- like me not eating too much fiber, or if this means the meds really aren't working the way they should. I don't really feel like getting weekly fevers is equivalent of having the disease in control, but I wonder if this is just something I will have to deal with?
Posted 2/15/2010 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
It depends on your Crohn's some people have constipation so they need to eat more fiber...Those who have food flying through there system need to eat very little fiber.
Posted 2/16/2010 4:20 AM (GMT 0)
Fibre aids with D or C...fibre is your friend, it helps sweep the bowels of bad bacteria, it firms stools up yet helps them go through the GI tract with ease, and it can even cut back daily BM's (as it has with me) we are desginged to eat fibre, our bodies need it. Only those with stricturing/blockage issues should be more cautious, a fibre supplement would be more beneficial for those stricturing/blockage patients.

You always start with a small amount and slowly increase (if necessary) once your system has adjusted to it, part of the adjustment included gas/bloating which is normal, it happens to healthy people too. If you stick with it daily then your system can adjust to it, and drinking plenty of water daily is necessary as well.

My GI told me to start using fibre supplements daily and indefinitely, it's been almost 6 yrs later and I'm glad I listend to him...I can now tolerate eating ALL fibreous foods without getting all gassy/bloated, popcorn, all nuts/seeds, fruits and veggies....I was in a terrible flare at the time he told me to start taking them and I'm glad I did, it was worth the extra 3 months of having increased gas/bloating cuz after 3 months, no more bloating at all and very minimal gas.  I was also bleeding at the time I started with them, best advice I ever got from a GI.


:)

Posted 2/16/2010 5:22 AM (GMT 0)
Pb4 - That's really interesting. In what form did you begin taking fiber supplements? Benefiber type stuff?  I'm so unsure of what to do for my daughter. She does so much better on a low residue/low fiber diet, but seems to be mostly constipated rather than D.  So... while according to the dietary restrictions it would seem to be a big No No to put her on a fiber supplement, I wonder if it might help her in a supplement rather than food form. But would something like Benefiber go thru her more easily and gently than something like a salad or say broccoli?  I do worry that there is very little fiber in her diet, which can't be good for a child in the long haul.

Thanks.

Posted 2/16/2010 6:10 AM (GMT 0)
I have it listed in my sig...I take one Prodiem stool bulking fibre therapy pill before bed with a full glass of water...it's similar to metamucil. It doesn't contain a bunch of junky stuff like metamucil waffers, or the sprinkle kind, but even those forms are still likely better than no fibre at all...I take one cap and have not increased my amount because I'm able to tolerate eating fibreous foods.

:)
Posted 2/16/2010 12:06 PM (GMT 0)
I can't eat fiber as i get really gassy. But like PB4 said maybe start taking a fiber supplement and see if that helps.
Posted 2/16/2010 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
MoobyDoo I think a fiber supplement would be much better than broccoli. If I eat broccoli I get the worst gas pains ever. I will never touch that stuff again. I suffer with alot of constipation and I find stool softners work the best for me. Good luck!
Posted 2/16/2010 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
So for those of you who do consume fiber, how many grams a day on average would you say you have? Just curious.
Posted 2/16/2010 7:25 PM (GMT 0)

Interesting topic

Son has constipation as opposed to the D and he has been told minimum fibre(as in white bread, pasta, rice, no wholegrain.brown etc) and little to no salad, fruit and veg.

Posted 2/16/2010 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
vixen, did a doc actually tell you to feed him that stuff with him having constipation? Those are the very things that can actually lead to constipation, white bread is the worst. Any doc that advises not to eat any fruits or veggies ever is off their rocker, a big part of the problem may also be that people just aren't drinking enough water on a daily basis, this is just as important as getting at least some fibre daily, and there are different forms of fibre, soluble and insoluble, a balance of both is best but if you can only tolerate one or the other then that is still better than none at all.

Unless you're a CDer with serious stricturing/blockage issues, there's no reason you shouldn't be getting in some fibre on a daily basis, not saying to load up on it, just some a day, everyday is better than nothing or not often enough.

Fibre can cause painful gas, and even bloating, this is normal, it's your system adjusting to it, once your system adjusts to it (if you continue with it daily and indefinitely) the painful gas/bloating will go away and you'll reap the benefits of what fibre does firming up stools, yet letting you pass them with ease, this is how/why it aids with both C and D.


:)
Posted 2/16/2010 10:49 PM (GMT 0)

Hello pb4,

Yes that is what the consultant said (honest) It made me feel pretty bad because for quite a while prior to his diagnosis I had swapped to wholegrain spaghetti, pasta,rice, bread........ hoping that it would help him and (apparently) those foods were ripping his insides to shreds where all the ulcerations were. So I really don't know (scratches head in confusion)He did say minimal fruit and veg too (and to be over cooked at that  )

He did suspect a blockage/stricture as he couldn't do a full colonoscopy  due to narrowing but barium follow through was ok. I believe that his deep ulcerations and inflammation caused the problems(especially as unchecked for few years)

Maybe we were told that because he suspected stricture or blockage and has 'forgotten' to tell us it now ok to eat those things-I will write it down to ask him at next appointment

Posted 2/17/2010 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
defintely have problems with 20 grams!... i can barely handle a grapefruit which i guess is between 2-6 grams even if i eat it over long period of time i get real gassy. I wonder if that gas has been (previously) in pockets or if the pectin just gets to narrow area and then gas is produced. I dont get as gassy from a couple grams of metamucil.
Posted 2/17/2010 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
I eat fibre but in terms of grams per day I wouldn't really have a clue how much it is. I'd say I eat about 2 pieces of fruit a day, 1-2 portions of veggies, and usually one other high-fibre source such as wholemeal bread, soup, porridge, etc.

I've never noticed any association with fibre and fevers, personally. On the evenings I get a fever (nowadays low-grade), my other symptoms are usually worse than normal; more intense stomach pains/discomfort, bloating, etc. It probably is related to what I ate in the previous 24-48 hours, but more from several previous meals/snacks combined together rather than a single food item giving me massive grief - although occasionally I can pin it down to a single item... (Undercooked and crunchy broccoli, I remember you >_<)

Back to you, 103F is very high. I'd be suspecting infection rather than inflammation with that sort of temperature. I may be off base here, but I don't think the usual Crohn's inflammation would cause that high a temp: I think it would just be a low-grade 99-100F. I'm open to being corrected if I'm wrong, though.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply