Your take on fiber

This is what I heard you say:
1. Juicing veggies (removing the fiber) made you constipated.
2.Using enemas made bleeding stop and gave formed BM's
3.Romaine lettuce caused problems (but you're not sure if it's that or the lack of enemas).

It's always a individual thing with UC. We can't tell you what to eat, etc.
But some conclusions that (as a group) I'm sure you've read are:

1. Generally mesalamine enemas are good for UC and can/should be used as maintenance (not stopped until all symptoms have left the building for along while). I see you haven't stopped the mesalamine just the Hydrocort so perhaps you need more time with the steroid enema.

2. Food always made a difference in my symptoms but you will have to decide if it's the food or lack of enema that causes your symptoms. Individual in other words.

3. Fiber or fiber pills can really help a wounded colon. I use Citrucel daily and eat cooked spinach and other soluble fiber daily. Spinach in my opinion is a lifesaver in times of trouble along with chicken broth. Try it.

4. Juice isn't bad for you in reasonable amounts, it's probably the lack of fiber that made you constipated or perhaps the wrong kind of fiber. My gut hates insoluble fiber, do some research on yours by keeping a food journal and see what yours likes. It's worth the time and trouble.

Best wishes.

It's hard to say really. Has lettuce caused you issues before? My dietician commented once that she doesn't like the intake of too much fibre (things like psyllium husk or metamucil) because the fibre bulks up stools and causes the stools to grind against your intestinal walls which can lead to bleeding... but this would only make sense in your case if you had a solid BM the 2nd time instead of a watery BM.

Why do we need fiber??? I dont understand that part . If i am going too much, wont that make me worse??? New to this forum...

I am in symptomatic remission, I still have to minimalize my roughage intake or I get diarreah.
Everyone is different. I have been this way as long as I can remember, even before my diagnosis
15 years ago.

Carlie

there's a book i've been wanting to read about fiber called fiber menace.

http://www.gutsense.org/fibermenace/about_fm.html

i'm asking for it for christmas. it basically talks about how fiber can lead to all types of diseases. i'll have to read it and give my real opinion on it after because i don't know how well the book is written and how much science can back up the author's viewpoint.

You're still flaring. The type of fibre shouldn't make a difference wholely regarding the bleeding, for that tells me you're flaring anyway.

The constipation would probably in part have been the flaring...even though it wouldn't have included much fibre, you might have still been constipated if you added fibre.

I'd suggest you get back on the steroid enema and the mesalamine combo at least for another week, then taper them rather than go off them.

Are you eating any other foods or just juicing? If you added just salad to the mix, I would expect more looser/watery stools as well. Even when not flaring.

I agree that fibre supplements can help you a lot...start very slow! take it with meals.

Explain why you say that Nabumetone (NSAID) is an abortive..if it's used for your pain, it could be causing you some problems if you're using it daily.

q

josh's mom....you can edit your posts to add new questions if they're in succession rather than making new posts.

Fibre is important for a variety of reasons...as a stool bulker/softener/fluffer (for lack of a better word), as an exerciser for the colon/digestive tract, when it bulks things up, it can help even out the peristalsis to slow things down, etc

We rarely use laxative as a term with fibre, although they can work as one (but it's more complicated than that)...laxative product would include senna...which actually cause a more forceful movement of feces through the colon. Again, they serve a purpose, but shouldn't be used continually as can a fibre supplement.

It's an oxymoron...but a hugely useful tool for symptoms and functioning of our guts. Add probiotics (which feed off the fibre)....helps in boosting the digestive immune system function/digestive flora/etc.

Eventually you'll get the gist if why it's used and suggested...and as you use it, you'll figure out how it can work for you.

q

One of the primary reasons why 'we' in particular need fibre is because it feeds the good bacteria in our bowels and it looks like 'we' have a tendency to have less species and a lesser number of good bacteria.

@imagardener2,
Agree with all points, pretty much what I think. Thanks

@gary,
Honestly, I never had any problem with any specific food as such. I asked specifically to my former GIs if I should make any changes to the diet and after listening to my food habits, everyone said, keep it as it is. Even my GI here in the US thinks same. She did mention to keep an eye on foods if anything upsets my stomach. Until this juicing thing, nothing really bothered me..

@Max,
No, lettuce never caused any problem. What your dietitian says is exactly what my GI says. She is really against me eating all kind of raw foods. I am so addicted to raw salads that sometimes, I just can't hold it. And I wonder, how psyllium doesn't bother and this stuff bothers !!
Linking it to soystud's comment.
In all honesty, I am confused. We are not talking about cabbage or something which is really really rough and insoluble. Salad is still soft fiber, IMO. I could be wrong though.

@quincy,
I stopped juicing right away. No more chances. I am back on regular food but with extreme caution.
With Nabumetone, I use it as an abortive for my migraine, usually once a week or so. Coincidentally, I did take Nabumetone 2 days before I started bleeding, so it could very well be a culprit. At the moment, I do not have any other option and have to endure this crap till Feb when I go to Headache center. I can tolerate UC pain but headache is hellhole.

Thank you folks. Appreciate all your comments.

Christine- what is low residue?

Gary- it's funny you said that about burgers etc, I honestly feel like that too. Veggies at times can be pretty intense for me

soystud said...
"My dietician commented once that she doesn't like the intake of too much fibre (things like psyllium husk or metamucil) because the fibre bulks up stools and causes the stools to grind against your intestinal walls which can lead to bleeding... "


i'm sorry, but this whole "scraping intestinal walls" sounds like so much horse poop (can i say that here - i know we have some sensitive viewers)

i mean really, is food going through my delicate intestinies gonna rip a gaping hole that will require a patch of bondo ?

show me the poof !

TBH I also doubt what my dietician said which is why I am going to try some psyllium seed powder after my hydrogen breath tests are done.

Just like chuckerman too muck makes me feel very uncomfortable . Lots of gas. Been trying some different ones. Arcacia is my new trial. Gas with that one too. Need the fiber to help bulk thing up ,but not too much! Trial and error! More error:(