Posted 4/18/2015 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Nope, not a chance of eating while I am in remission. I can tolerate fiber a bit better, and even Taco Bell on occasion (as long as it is not spicy at all). But even in remission, too much fiber will cause pain. I love grapes, but can only tolerate a handful of them or so at a time. More than that will cause cramping and D. There is a big difference between flaring and just being irritated by diet. If I eat too many grapes, for example, the pain and D will last a couple of days, then my body regulates itself. A flare, on the other, hand, usually requires prednisone to get it under control.
If you google "Crohn's Disease and diet" you will get a lot of information about foods to eat and to avoid. Here are a few good websites to get you started:
http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/creating-a-crohns-disease-diet-plan
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20559874,00.html
For many people, Crohn's disease also comes with lactose intolerance (problems with milk) or Celiac (problems with wheat). Every person is so different, though, on what causes flares. Many people with CD can't do fried foods, but I can eat fried chicken or mozzarella sticks just fine. One good way to find out for you is to keep a food journal. Go on the BRAT diet for like a week: Bananas, Rice (white), Applesauce (no cinnamon), and Toast (white bread, doesn't necessarily need to be toasted). Then, like you would when you start giving a baby solid foods, add a food into your diet for a day and see how it reacts. If it doesn't make you cramp or hurt, then you can know it's a safe food.
But don't do this until your symptoms are under control. Otherwise you won't know if the food is bad because you're flaring or will be bad all the time. (If I am already flaring or having symptoms, even a few grapes will make things much worse than if I were in remission.)
Also, D will make you much more dehydrated than throwing up ever will because your large intestines absorb most of your body's water intake. Make sure you are drinking lots of fluids. Gatorade is a good one because it helps your body get back electrolytes, not just water. Apple juice (I water mine down a lot) is really good, too.
Some people have a lot of success with the Simple Carbohydrate Diet, which is based on the book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle." That might be worth looking into, but it requires a lot of dedication.