Hi, I’m new in the forum and have been reading and appreciating all the info. I have several questions but the first one relates to eating (a favourite activity). I have noticed that there are very few food related posts so if I’m in some way out of line asking, apologies.
Background - I’m 60ish, diagnosed with mild UC 25 years ago and on maintenance dose of Asacol (recently changed to Mezavant). After the good luck of being generally problem free all those years, this last winter I had a flare, and colonoscopy (in May) showed I’m now progressed to med to severe. My symptoms are still very mild though - at worst 5 or 6 trips to the bathroom, always with some blood but never a scary amount. My Mezavant was upped, and a nightly skaofalk enema was added. Within a week of starting the enema the blood disappeared and I generally feel better. (I’ve been on nightly for 5 weeks now). In the last weeks, poops reduced to a very normal 2 - 3 per day, but still loose (but not watery). Finally — to the question: I’ve been eating low residue since about
February and I’ve been gradually increasing fibre and food variety in the last week or so. I see no change in my poops, which I was expecting to possibly increase again and/ or firm up. Neither has happened (although I do get more gurgling
. Am I doing the right thing by returning to a more normal (but still careful and UC informed) diet? The 'as tolerated' thing confuses me because nothing has changed poop-wise so am I tolerating or not? Should I have waited to 'firm up' before going to a more interesting diet? (These are probably dietician questions but I don’t have one, and my gastro doctor doesn’t really talk food). Thanks for any advice!