Christine:Re: obstruction of small intestine - can't tolerate fibre

From: Ginny King (gking@myrick.com)
Wed Aug 25 20:53:41 1999


Hi Christine.

The only place that the Crohn's showed up was in the colon. I did have biopsy's taken from the illeum (no inflammation shown hear, just narrowing from previous scarring, which means at some point there was inflammation) and duodenum. But as you know, it can act up in a different place each time. I sometimes have problems within thirty minutes after eating. I don't know if it is from what I actually had at that meal or if is pushing on "stuff" from a prior meal. Here is a strange one, I get excruciating pain from eating tomato soup. I have no idea why!!! Grapes, apples and pineapple cause me the same kind of quick reaction pain. Then I can have a steak and have no problems at all. It just doesn't seem logical to me. When I am in one of those active phases like the last three months, everything I eat seems to bother me. My doctor wants me to go on a liquid diet (broths, jelloo, etc.) when that happens to rest the bowel and come see her as soon as possible so that they can adjust my medication and add one of the steroidal drugs at that time. So I'm no help with your question, I just know there is not much of a time delay. I wonder why? My doctor did say that sometimes (but it is not all that common) that people with Crohn's (and other problems of the bowel)can become allergic to certain foods with complaints of vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating and constipation that will happen within one hour of eating a certain food. This is hard to diagnose and would involve an elimination diet. To complicate matters for me is I have developed severe hypoglycemia. No doctor has made any connection, but I only have problems with my blood sugar when I am in an active state (diarrhea, pain and bleeding) that goes on for several days. I am not one of those with my bowel tied in loops, just narrowing in places. I hope that is why I have not experienced a full bowel obstruction, but as you say each person is different and who knows why one gets an obstruction while others don't. I hope I never get in that situation, it sounds horrible. Take care. Ginny

At Tue, 24 Aug 1999, Christine M. Smith wrote: >
>At Tue, 24 Aug 1999, Ginny King wrote:
>>
>>Jennifer Lee,
>>
>>Hi and welcome to the forum. I don't quite experience what you have but
>>I have been recently diagnosed with Crohn's which causes a narrowing of
>>the bowel because of scar tissue. Fiber is not good for me at all
>>during an active stage. I've listed below some information that I was
>>given regarding Crohn's from my doctor, but I think it might be
>>beneficial to you as well.
>>
>>1. Avoid raw vegetables and fruit. Eat cooked vegetables and canned
>>fruit.
>>
>>2. Bananas are usually tolerated, but only when ripe.
>>
>>3. Avoid the cabbage family (cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli and
>>cauliflower.) although the florets of broccoli seem to be well
>>toloerated.
>>
>>4. Potatoes and whole wheat bread are tolerated in some individuals and
>>can help supply some fiber to the diet.
>>
>>This is a quote from a book I have on intestinal problems:
>>" intestine that is narrowed by previous inflammation (that's me) or a
>>tight scar (sounds like you) can become blocked by a single kernel of
>>corn or by a pimento from a stuffed olive" Seems to me if this is the
>>case then your theory is not out of line at all. Since doctors know
>>that fiber,in particular from fruits and vegetable cause complications
>>with Crohn's, that they would be familar with the problem you are
>>describing.
>>
>>I have been fortunate enough to never suffer a complete bowel
>>obstruction as you have. I can't imagine the pain you must be in
>>because I am in unbearable pain and I only have a partial obstruction. I
>>hope this helps some. Take care. Ginny
>>
>>Hi Ginny:
>
>I found your tips very interesting. I seem to have increased pain (a
>specific type of pain different than my SI problem) when I eat a lot of
>grapes. I can tolerate a small amount at any one time, but if I eat a
>lot I suffer.
>Are there any particular foods that cause you trouble? Another thing I
>am curious about-how much time is there between eating the food and
>increased pain? Is your crohn's just in your colon or did they biopsy
>other places as well? If it were just in your colon, or lower small
>intestine, you would think there would at least a twelve hour delay
>between eating the food and the increased pain but I find it happens
>sooner than that.
>While I'm sure a kernel of corn or a pit could cause a total obstruction
>in the bowel that is partially obstructed I think the right situation
>has to be in place. The reason I say this is because I had an adhesion
>tying off my small bowel like a sausage. On the video it looked as if
>nothing of any size could've gotten past it. Except for the incident
>that started my problem two years ago and another incident this past
>March (which probably wasn't caused by this adhesion because it had been
>released and had not reoccurred again by 6 months later) I have had no
>problems that indicate any kind of obstruction. So unless the bowel is
>really kinked and bound I think it has the ability to
>stretch/expand/whatever to accommodate whatever it has to.
>The colo-rectal surgeon I saw said he has seen colons that look like
>they are tied in knots and do not obstruct. I guess every situation is
>different. Every time I look at that video of my lap I wonder how my
>gut functioned! It is amazing.
>
>Chris S.


Enter keywords:
Returns per screen: Require all keywords: