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How long until the small intestine adapts?

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Posted 9/30/2012 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,
I've had my ileo for 2 and a half years now, and I'm starting to notice that my output has taken longer to come out than I used to. My transit time used to average about 4 hours and now i feel like its more like 5 or 6. Is this cause for concern, or is it possible that my small intestine has already started to function more like a large intestine to make up for my missing colon? I thought it would take longer before I would notice anything like this. Thoughts?
Posted 9/30/2012 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
I wouldn't worry.... the things I've read say that in a healthy digestive system, food spends about 3 hrs in the stomach and another 3 in the small intestine, so you sound on track. I don't know how long it takes for the small intestine to adapt, would be interested to hear thoughts from people who have had ileos longer than we have.
Posted 9/30/2012 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
My transit time completely varies. My breakfast comes out in about two hours, while previous night's dinner can take about 10 hours to fully come out. I think it depends on how long it has been since I had my last meal.
Posted 9/30/2012 9:58 PM (GMT 0)
Ok, just wondering. How can you tell what it is that's coming out? Is it consistency? Smell?
Posted 9/30/2012 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes you can tell for certain foods...certain fruits and veggies really look like themselves coming out.
Posted 10/1/2012 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
I am 4 years into no colon and I have to say I am very similar to uc_free...it can depend on what I eat and drink, too.

The consistency changes with foods and I have found that the more 'organic' my food is, the less pungent the smell it (fish is one of those foods it doesn't matter, though!). By organic I mean less processed and/or labels with few ingredients. I try to buy things that I can pronounce all the ingredients, too!

I have also found that the more varied my meals, the easier it is, for me, to stay hydrated. If I am eating foods that have a high water content I don't see it rushing through my system like I would if I just drank an 8 to 12 ounce glass of water.
Posted 10/2/2012 6:46 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with UC also, transit time varies. The later in the evening I eat the longer it takes to come out. Could be because I'm less active and don't drink as much at night too. Sometimes if you don't chew really well you can definitely see it in your bag, lol!
Posted 10/2/2012 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Mine seems like it comes out a lot sooner sometimes. Especially pop. Let's say I go to a restaurant and I start drinking a coke or something it seems like it comes out in less than a few minutes. I mostly drink water because of it.
Posted 10/3/2012 8:24 AM (GMT 0)
80schick, a slightly longer transit time sounds more like progress than a problem.
Posted 10/3/2012 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I can see where it would cause a concern with transit time taking longer.. B is right, to a good degree, it is progress, not hinderance..but if it takes too long you worry about blockage. But what you eat and drink has a HUGE impact on time.
I know one thing I did ask doctor about was the "emptying of a balloon" feeling i sometimes get. He said that is normal, it is just the small intestine stretching to accommodate the stool. If you are concerned, track what you what, and how long it takes to come back out..
Right now I am having blockage concerns..I passed corn last Monday (no big deal, right?) but I ate the corn 7 days prior!
That is slow transit time! hahahaha, oh well..
good luck :)
Posted 10/3/2012 8:25 PM (GMT 0)
that means the corn hung out in there for a while until it got pushed out by a mass of other stuff. I avoid corn and other things that don#t break down into very small bits. Corn is hard to chew into a mass, so no wonder it stays in there a while.
Posted 10/4/2012 8:24 PM (GMT 0)
It all depends on what you eat and when. I was told you could used marshmallows to slow down your processing time. Eat a marshmallow and wait 20 min then you can change bags. chocolate also seems to slow things down as it's sticky.

I can basically tell which meals/foods are coming out as the smell hasn't changed much!

I found that my sm intestine was pretty much adopted due to having UC for 2 years. Guess my colon was that bad!
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