Doc says High Fibre?
Posted , 8 users are following.
I'm a newbie DD sufferer. I have been reading all the posts, so can't understand why doc says a high fibre diet if we're not allowed fibrous foods. Understand about the pips, seeds and skins (oh heck, I had granary bread tonight, one slice - I forgot!!). Where am I supposed to be getting all the fibre from then?
0 likes, 14 replies
CauliColon niad1
Posted
Welcome to this inauspicious 'club'! :-(
Why high fibre? Why indeed!
Just remember that pockets fill up - and then they need to empty - before the contents start to rot! "Simples!" (If you're a marketing-savvy meerkat)
GPs seem to have a problem with diferentiating 'constipation' from 'diverticular disease'. I'm not a medic, just an engineer and a medium-term sufferer (now mid 50s - with onset in late 40s). Fibre seems to be broadly good for the mechanics of the gut, but it still fills-up the diverticula! Can't win! My theory is that pockets will fill, whatever, but if the stuff that fills them is less toxic, then maybe you - like me - won't actually suffer the dreaded 'diverticulitis flare-up' (so far, touch wood!). My breakfast is a large serving of rolled-oat porridge, with just set honey added (no milk). That's washed down with green tea as well as orange juice - oh and a probiotic yoghurt drink too (the flavoued ASDA ones are fine!). My reckoning is that this provides a a pretty bland starter to the day, but one which gives volume for the compromised system to work on - with the addition of honey, which has long been used in medications through the centuries. Use 'set' honey, rather than the clear type, as the wax inclusion must be good for lubrication, mustn't it?
So that's breakfast. Again, yes, there's proper insoluble and physical fiber there in large amounts, but....... rolled oats are so much more likely to remain in a benign state in the gut than 'fermenting' green veg -based fibre, for example, aren't they? I think the theory is good - and the breakfast whilst not stunningly exciting is tasty, filling and quite nutritious.
The rest of the day can then be anything! The 'other end'(!) of this 'guidance' is to have a stimulant laxative prescribed, that frees-up the enevitable impaction that occurs regardless of what you do. If you clear the impaction on a 4-to-8 day basis, I have found that only mild discomfort - and certainly no true 'pain' - is encountered. However, I sincerely believe with DD, you cannot get by with bulking agents (like Movicol) that would otherwise work with a 'slow gut' or constipation. I find a good stiff stimulant laxative - in my case 'Bisacodyl' 10 mg (that's two 'Dolcolax' tablets) - at night at the end of that 4-to-8 day period effectively 'resets' the colon after a half-day of, shall we say 'uncertainty'(!) More frequently and your downtime is too much. More than 8 days and I find the accumulation causes a very violent evacuation, iyswim. Not nice!
I must stress that I am unaware that anyone else adopts anything like this strategy! It's mine! But it works for me - and has done for over a year.
I hope you manage to manage your fallout....... (ooh! there I 'go' again ... and again :-( .... )
Good luck, and try to get your GP to explain the efficacy of bulking matter in the context of pockets - just gagging for it!
I think I'd better stop. :-)
HTH.
Cheers,
Pete aka CauliColon.
anna141 CauliColon
Posted
CauliColon anna141
Posted
Darn! Now it won't do me any good in me porridge! :-(
Pete.
eribaeve CauliColon
Posted
As far as diet goes, I am pretty unimaginative as used to a normal diet with lots of veg, pulses, lentils etc. I am struggling to find a low residue diet which contains a variety of nutrients. Last night had potatoes and beefburger (home made, no onions or veg) pretty bland. However, no big events this morning, touch wood.
Liked your advice, seems pretty logical to me.
Juliet_Bravo niad1
Posted
The first point to remember is that if you have had a flare, your gut needs to rest; hence the very low/no fibre diet. If you look through the older posts, you will find a lot of really useful information and some new friends. Caulicolon speaks a lot of sense, but again I will say we are all different. Personally I do not use laxatives, I don't need them. Initially I was told DD was caused by a "poor" or low fibre diet in early life. Frankly, this is a load of codswallop. My DD was diagnosed in my 50's so if I had a diet that was that poor, I am certain it would have shown up years ago.
Anyway, slowly reintroducing fibre is the way to go. I too eat porridge, but at lunchtime as it is quick and easy to prepare. When you are feeling a little braver, you could introduce some fruit perhaps. Avoid seeds - including granary bread, I'm afraid.
Take your time on this new journey, welcome aboard.
ann73785 Juliet_Bravo
Posted
Any comments?
Ann
Juliet_Bravo ann73785
Posted
niad1
Posted
CauliColon niad1
Posted
'Trial and error' certainly seems to fit! It looks to me like a balancing act between attempting to keep the rest of the gut in good, muscular shape - whilst avoiding long-term containment of ageing waste within the pocket(s). Therefore, a practical strategy possibly needs to avoid making life too easy for the majority of the gut (that needs exercise to avoid it too becoming flabby?) whilst peroidically clearing the pockets (that themselves are unlikely to disappear without surgery, it seems).
Be sure to report back on any strategy you find that avoids/minimises flare-ups for you, maybe.
Cheers,
Pete.
niad1
Posted
shelby12781 niad1
Posted
niad1
Posted
CauliColon niad1
Posted
You must start on a balanced diet plan once you're over what appears to be shock. You might need more medical help in the short term - certainly as far as dietary guidance goes. Whilst there are things that are more troublesome when they get impacted (like seeds, apparently), you still need to eat! It then becomes a question of how you clean your gut. I've mentioned my methods. You need to work with your doctor's team to sort that out, maybe?
Pete.
vjl56 niad1
Posted
good luck, a lot of it is trial and error for the individual.