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Posted 7/19/2011 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
When it comes to bowel movement consistency, does the amount of food you eat matter? Whether you have bulk food in your diet, or you simply aren't eating enough?

In my case I'm starting to realize it makes a difference. I'm not flaring, but I do have some leftover inflammation. Mild from what the doc said last time. Him and I are making a plan to introduce 5ASA's, like I've written in previous posts prior to this.

I'm just wondering if you have have a normal stool one day then formed, solid but a bit in pieces the next, would that be caused to the bulk (or lack of bulk) in your diet. And what about when you ate the previous day? i.e. If I ate too late, would that cause my stool to be looser because it didn't have enough time to firm up.

I don't think I'm eating enough 'bulk' food. Before UC I had 3 bm's a day whether I ate a lot or not, and now I find that depends on what and when I eat. Just wanted to run this by you all to get your opinions on it.
Posted 7/19/2011 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
Many with ibd also have ibs so diet can help. Are you taking any soluable fiber?
Posted 7/19/2011 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
I've tried psyllium husk, but not the seed powder yet. I'm planning on taking the seed because the husk is almost unpalatable.
Posted 7/19/2011 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
My son's GI recommends Benefiber, if you're sampling fibers.

I take the "coarse" Metamucil and recently bought the "smooth" by mistake; both my hubby and I gagged on it.

My stool consistency varies greatly according to the amount and the type of food I eat. My big discovery this summer was that I can tolerate salads with iceberg lettuce if I chew very well. But yesterday I bought some kind of "green leaf" and some Romaine at a farmer's market. O goodness. I'd been picture-perfect "well-formed" for the past week or so, 2 stools a day, and this morning I had loose -ish, lettuce-y stools, 5 of them.

I think the packaged fiber helps - if I had not taken it, I think I would have had liquipoop this morning.

Back to the iceberg..... lol (Maybe because it's easier to chew? My teeth don't meet correctly.)
Posted 7/19/2011 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
I have both Benefiber and psyllium husk. I just need something that is palatable. Three words I live by when I'm consuming something: horrible gag reflexes. So I'll try Benefiber now to see if that helps.

The coarse is better than smooth? That's interesting.

Songlady, you're not the only one! I've noticed that also. It wasn't like that in the beginning though. With salads, I love them but I've stayed away from them. Once in awhile though.

Does Benefiber help with firming up stools? I haven't read up much about it. I know Metamucil and psyllium works well for people.

Well trial and error time for me.
Posted 7/19/2011 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
I have not tried Benefiber, but that's what my son's GI recommended it for last year when my kid had a miniflare.
I started him on Metamucil capsules because we had some around the house......
If "palatable" is the issue, how about those capsules....?
Posted 7/20/2011 12:21 AM (GMT 0)
Ive been using unflavored Benefiber for years...it's excellent
Posted 7/20/2011 11:32 AM (GMT 0)
I think it is normal for both UC and non-UC people to have varying consistencies of BM's. I think we just never really paid such close attention to it before we started having problems.

What you eat/drink, any meds, supplements, etc you take in will all affect your BM.

I work with young children that still need help toileting so I see lots of "poo's", and each child can have very different BM's depending on the day - so that tells me it is normal to fluctuate in my opinion.
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