How long does it take for food to get to your colon

Hello again

Jim had a terrible attack last night and we are trying to figure out which meal it was. So we are wondering how long it takes to get to the colon. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you. I have been keeping a very detailed diary right down to ingredients in cooking but wasn't sure where to start looking. How far back. He had two bad nights in a row and they started around midnight. 2 days he had wheat pancakes for bfast and I think it might be the syrup (sorbitol-sugar free) but had no clue how long it takes. We are embarking on a gluten free couple of days. I also don't know how long it takes to have his colon heal from such a severe inflammation. They could hardly go up at all when they did the scope for fear of rupture. He is supposed to go in Wed to see the doctor again.

I keep reading such contradictory things one says no fruit or corn the next one says have fruit, fruit juice corn etc. I don't know what to do so was recommended gluten free any one have any thoughts

I've been told by a few different GI's that it can take as long as 3 days (72 hrs) for everything that you've eaten today might not be completely eliminated from you until 3 days later, but everyone's system is different so it varies...3 days seems to be about the max, unless of course you're talking about someone with severe enough constipation (IBS-C for example).

:)

as far as what he "should or shouldn't" eat (re: fruits, gluten etc...) we all seem to have such different reactions to different things.
i have a horrible reaction to eggs but most IBDers do fine with eggs. so it's really about trial and error. it's not a quick and easy process.


and i know what all the evidence says about transit time for food to get to the colon, but he could also have stool pass quickly because something he just ate bothered him. not that the food he just ate is coming out, but that it sent the message to start things moving along.

i also know for a fact (based on what things look like when they come out) that i've passed food that i had eaten only a few hours earlier. i know many people don't believe this is possible but it has happened to me more than once. if this is the case, i may start feeling lousy, have a couple of good BMs (meals from the previous day or so) and then have a couple of terrible BMs until all the yuck is out. fried food does this to me without fail.

hang in there and keep up with the food journal!! hope he's feeling better soon.

Deep fried is worse then say frying an egg or anything eles pan fried...extra virgine olive oil is extreamly healthy so even switching to that if you're not using it is a great alternative, animal fats, caffeine, processed food/beverages and fast-foods can all exacerbate IBD symptoms.

:)

You could consider to request an antispasmodic....I use dicyclomine and say it helps immensely for me.

Too much fat at one time can be a bit harder to digest.

Where exactly was his pain/discomfort?

Is he taking probiotics? Sometimes they can cause discomfort if taken during the day....he can take them at night before bed.

How much omega 3 is he taking and in what form?

q

Concerned Wife, you don't have to let someone else decide who his GI is. Check to see who's covered under your insurance, ask around and see if anyone knows who's good, and try one that looks promising. If you're not happy, change doctors. I think most of us here who live in the US have had at least two GI doctors. You need someone who will listen and who you trust.

With this much pain after two weeks, I suggest calling the GI and trying to get him in to be seen. Prednisone usually works within a week. He may not be responding to the mesalamine, and if so, there are other 5-ASA's to try.

I had a whole post typed up and hit "submit" and it disappeared! Agh...

Here it goes again...

A few questions/concerns...

You mentioned wheat pancakes. Are these whole wheat? If so, I'd switch back to regular and stay away from whole grains until his colon is healed. Typically during a bleeding flare, a low residue diet is used. This keeps "rough" material from coming into contact with the tender colon.

Please try to stay away from artificial sugars - also tough on colons. In the same respect, too much sugar of any kind isn't good.

Why not give him the yolks of the eggs? At this point he needs calories! As long as it's not fat from being deep fried, or say too much butter, fat is okay. His body need lean protein to heal as well.

Has he tried a liquid diet for a few days to see if that helps?

He should not be denied pain meds! In fact, my first GI was the one to recommend Darvocet for me.

I hope he finds some relief soon.

The omega 3 eggs could be what's giving him gas. Try the regular eggs..might make a difference.

Maybe try them boiled instead of scrambled.

One at a time.

They are high in sulphur, so that might be part of it.

He could try a digestive enzyme such as Bromelain to break down the protein.

Just a few suggestions.



q

I never had issues with pancakes/waffles but then again there never has been any specific foods for me that made my symptoms worse.

:)

I haven't tried a gluten-free diet but when I was first diagnosed (pancolitis - in a really bad flare - almosts in remission at this point) I couldn't eat anything fried - even in EVOO in a pan on the stove. I stuck to really boring and bland foods (applesauce, plain chicken breast (no skin), homemade chicken soup (no spices added - just broth, carrots, celery, potato, and boneless skinless chicken cooked for several hours so everything was soft), cottage cheese, mashed potatoes (no skins), potato soup, pasta, etc.) I tried to stay away from anything that might be rough on my colon. Unfortunately, it also meant that food went through me pretty quickly.

I haven't done the baby food thing but it did cross my mind to get my fruits and veggies. I drink V8 Fusion to get vege & fruit equivalents. I can't eat tomatoes in any form, nothing with seeds, no skins, nothing fried (it pays me back any time I try it), no onions, beans, spicy foods, raw vegetables - except for carrots (I can eat many veggies cooked now including asparagus and broccoli!!). I have discovered that in addition to the sugar replacement *tol's affecting me I also have trouble with anything except yogurt with high fructose corn syrup. I have only had beef 3-4 times in the last 6+ months since being diagnosed.

My heating pad was my best friend for months. I have one that turns off automatically after 2 hours so that I didn't burn myself when I slept on it. If the pain woke me in the middle of the night I would turn it back on and make my way back to sleep. When I was really bad I couldn't bend my legs when I slept or I'd end up in pain and any pressure on my abdomen (even a cat paw) caused really bad pain.

I am not lactose intolerant (I told my hubby if I was or if I become so they can have my colon...I LOVE CHEESE!!!!) nor do I have problems with gluten. As I have been getting better and adding to my food repertoire I have discovered that a cinnamon roll and yogurt for breakfast works really well for me. I also have done the cinnamon stick in my tea after someone on HW recommended it. Chamomile tea has been wonderful for me. As I'm sure you've read over and over, everyone is different when it comes to what affects them and their UC. After 6+ months I'm still figuring out things that are affecting me both positively and negatively. As I get healthier I can eat a wider variety of foods - especially fruits and veggies.