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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/23/2011 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
My 79 year old Mother has just been diagnosed with colitis. She has an appt. with her dr. on Thursday to find out which kind she has determined from the colonoscopy she has this past Thursday. Does anyone have any advice about diet until her appt.? She has very little stomach pain-just sensitive but has had diarrhea for 5 weeks. Somedays she goes up to 10 times! Anyway, I am trying to do as much research as possible so that I can help her. She is taking Metamucil 2x a day and that has bulked up her BM since the diarrhea started. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Posted 1/23/2011 6:38 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear about your mom. I like the BRAT diet. Bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast. Or the BRATY diet, which includes yogurt. Also, I think it would be a good idea to eliminate carbonated drinks, alcohol and caffeine.
Posted 1/23/2011 11:42 AM (GMT 0)
You'll find loads of conflicting advice about diet because what works for some doesn't work for others.

The key phrase is 'trial and error'. Unfortunately, as there are no definitive rules, you have to find what's good for you. There are some general rules whilst in a flare-up (shown on this website), but I found dropping back to a bland diet then adding different foods began to highlight foods to avoid.

Also, keep a good food/UC diary - it's a great way to spot patterns emerging. I note down what I eat, when I eat, meds taken, severity of BMs, times of BMs, consistency etc. The more info the better.

As for food - here's what seems to work for me:

Porridge (made with water, sweetened with clear honey), bananas, pears (peeled), gluten/wheat free bread, butter made from olive oil, rice cakes, potatoes (peeled), roast chicken, carrots.

I avoid:

All dairy, red meat, products containing wheat/gluten, processed food, citrus fruits, wholegrain/wholemeal products

Food that definitely has a negative effect on me:

Mushrooms, peas, runner beans, all wholegrain/wholemeal products, broccoli, baked beans, tomatoes

Hope that is of some use - do remember it's mainly trial and error to work out a good personal UC diet plan
Posted 1/23/2011 1:06 PM (GMT 0)
The two most common foods that cause D are milk/milk products and wheat/gluten. There are tests to determine lactose (milk) and gluten (celiac) allergies but they are not reliable. I was tested for both and tests were negative, however after years of D and no improvement from Rx meds I began diet modification and discovered that yes I was intolerant not allergic to those and other foods.

Diet modification is not an overnight miracle and you and your mom will find little/no support from doctors for it so you'll have to do it on your own. Start a food journal and keep track of what is eaten on one side and symptoms on the other side. Some foods bother the stomach/colon right away (caffeine and chocolate for me) and others take hours, making it hard to pinpoint the problem. An "elimination" diet helps sort things out.

Probiotics also help D (at least for me) but you might have to try a couple different before you find one that suits. Some of them can cause gas and D in the beginning. I use VSL#3 once a day and twice a day when things are bad.
There are many others to choose from, just use the "search" function on this forum for "probiotic".

Keep eating protein as much as possible. Helps energy and is the least D causing food out there.
Posted 1/23/2011 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
I can't do milk, soda or coffee(anything with caffeinee), or fast food, or anything really greesy. I'm sorry your mom has this. I wish her and you the best of luck.
Posted 1/23/2011 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks to all of you for responding. I have already started Mom on tracking all foods, bm's/diarrhea and time of day, etc. I was hoping her doctor would give us some food guidelines when we see him on Thursday but maybe that is not the case. Mom loves milk/dairy. She usually drinks 3-8 oz. glasses of milk per day plus yogurt with live and active cultures. I have her only having milk once a day at breakfast. When she awakes in the morning, her diarrhea usually begins before she even eats breakfast and she says standing makes her have the urge to go a lot. I don't know why that is. I am so glad I found this site so I can lend her some help. At her age, she is not computer literate so I will do all the research for her. Thanks again to all of your suggestions.
Posted 1/23/2011 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
Fiber (metamucil) would make me WAY worse, not better! Fiber is not good for everyone.

Some foods normally considered healthy -- fruits (skins), raw vegetables or salad, or milk products -- are not good for people with UC. So consider that might be a possibility.
Gluten is bad for some, and not a problem for others.
I feel the effects of eating gluten within the hour.

Gut spasms in the morning are common. Going 10 times a day is actually not too bad, a bad flareup of UC can mean going 20 or more times in a day, or having spasms that make you feel like you have to go. Eating will stimulate bowels and bring on spasms during a flare.

Hopefully she is just having a bout of colitis, and not UC, and will be on the mend soon.
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