First line foods for dealing with the runs?

(deactivated member)
on 7/1/11 12:24 am
Some of you saw my craptastic adventure the other day. I'm still dealing with the runs and am having some difficulty figuring out what the heck to eat.

Normally, the script would be bananas (sugary), rice (carbs), applesauce (sugars?) and tea. But applesauce and tea are not going to do it in the protein department.

Some people would say to eliminate dairy, which is darn hard with the protein shakes being whey-based. I'm not really doing well with meat solids, so I can't chow down on a chicken breast at every meal.

So, what are your go-to foods for a newbie when dealing with the runs? (6 weeks out now)

I feel like my already limited list is shrinking further and further. I had almost nothing to eat yesterday because I'm scared of food and shakes now. Seems like it could be so many things.....carbs, fats, dairy and I'm running out of ideas. It's incredible how many bathroom trips one can make when not eating....
ann M.
on 7/1/11 12:41 am, edited 7/1/11 12:42 am - Northern, VA

How much calcium and iron are taking at this point?  Usually these two supplements can help firm things up when you work up to your full daily requirements.

And since we're talking about calcium already- double check your ingredient list.  Make sure it doesn't contain  magnesium oxide or any sugar alcohols (if it's a chewable).

If none of that helps I would start an elimination diet.  Go back to the very beginning.  Only meat- deli meats, eggs, bacon, crock-pot tender roast, ground turkey that isn't low fat-85/15 (this sits better on my stomach than ground beef or lowfat ground turkey)

Keep fat down to a minimum at this point. 

This will likely resolve quickly.  Common culprits are lactose, sugar / simple carbs, too much fat too soon, just wacked out intestines that need time to heal and become un-confused after being cut to smitherenes and repieced back together.

It will get better. 

SW / BMI / SIZE:  312 / 49.5 / 26-28W         CW / BMI / SIZE:  159.1 / 25.1/ 10-12 
I need to lose about 2 more pounds for a normal BMI .  I still seem to be slowly losing at over 2 yrs out...so may get there yet.

MarciRenee
on 7/1/11 12:43 am - IA
1.  Is this a NEW issue?  Remember that your guts have been rearranged and cut.  It takes awhile to get them back in line and for them to behave.

2.  What are you actually eating?  Is there a new food that you've introduced recently?  Tell us exactly what you are eating and maybe we can spot some troublesome foods that you might not even realize are causing you issues.

3.  Have you started supplementing?  Calcium and Iron can both help things firm up for many.  If you haven't started supplementing it is time.

4.  Are you taking a probiotic?  If no, start.

5.  Are you taking in any fiber at all?  If not try adding some fiber powder to your drinks.  You can also throw chia seeds (yes from the chia pets) into your diet.  They can be found in health food stores and from what I hear work wonders to bulk things up.

6.  Do you think you are lactose intolerant?  A lot of those that are lactose intolerant can still tolerate Whey Protein shakes.  But if you can't there also egg white based protein powders...Jay Robb comes to mind.  I can't speak that brand b/c I've never tried it.

7.  Are you eating any sugar alcohols, at ALL?  They wreak havoc for a lot of peeps, especially early out.  They don't bother me at all now, but early out the did a number on my new guts.

8.  What types of solid based protein have you tried?  Eggs, cheese, pork, tuna, crab, scallops, beef, chicken?  Chicken and ground beef were to 2 hardest for me to deal with, even still are today if they aren't really moist. Actually dry meat of any kind for me is a NO go.  It just sits in my tummy like a brick.  Egg salad and chicken salad with lots of mayo were good for me.  I know it seems like your list of go-to foods is shrinking - but this too shall pass.  And it is really only temporary...your tastes will change quite a few times between now and being a year or two years out.  It seemed like mine changed all the time, sometimes daily.  If something doesn't work or still well today - try it again in a week or so. 

9,  If it seems that more solid food isn't sitting well - go back to more mushy food for a bit.  Egg salad, scrambled eggs, creamy soups, even mashed potatoes with cheese and lots of butter.

10.  Are you on an acid-blocker?  Getting on one or upping the one you have might help.  I had to take one in the AM and one in the PM for it to help.  And at about your stage I had to add in Reglan b/c things just suddenly starting sitting really heavy in my chest.  You might want to look for something other than Reglan b/c it can cause ALL KINDS OF CRAZY ****

My go-to foods:
Cottage cheese
Eggs (scrambled w/lots of cheese, over easy, egg salad, and deviled)
Lunch meat w/cheese
Pickle spears w/cream cheese and lunch meat
Protein shakes
Steak
String cheese w/peanut butter (NOT crunch, you aren't ready for nuts yet)
Laughing Cow Cheese
Cheesey and buttery mashed potatoes
Cream Soups
Marci       
P. Poster
on 7/1/11 12:48 am
 You NEED to eliminate the possible offenders.  You need to do a full elimination diet (including what you are drinking!  If you use artificially sweetened stuff like Crystal Light or diet teas, these could be the problem.  Drink WATER, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime to it).  Eat nothing but one well tolerated food for several days until your system clears, then add ONE new thing in at a time until you figure out what is causing you issue.  ONE NEW THING- be it milk, a spice, a different protein, a shake, whatever.  ONE AT A TIME- give it a day, see how you react.  IF there is no issue, the next day, add ONE more new thing.  And keep going until you find the culprit.  Cut out the protein shake for now, as there are a few things with those that can cause issues (whey, lactose, artificial sweeteners, whatever you are mixing with it, ect).  As for what to start with- try canned chicken or tuna (NO mayo or other dressings/add-ins, JUST plain!), soft scrambled egg (again, by itself), cheese sticks- something that is WHOLE (as in only ONE ingredient in the ingredients list) and you know you can tolerate.  YES, this SUCKS and is a huge PITA, but you have to do it, or your life as a DSer is going to be miserable, and there will be more issues with unpredictable bowel issues...

At 6 weeks out, you should be having literally NO carbs, unless they are in your protein shake, or the little bits in cheeses/other dairy.  Really.  No carbs.  You don't have room, they aren't what your body needs, and they are likely the culprit to your DHR issues...  Focus on FLUIDS and protein.  And start your vitamins, the iron and calcium will help bind things up.  
freckled1
on 7/1/11 2:03 am
 Hi there,

So sorry you're dealing with this.  As common as it is, it can seem more intense when you are in the middle of it.  

Aside from the suggestions of others, I am wondering if you are drinking any coffee.  Even decaf has about 2% caffeine and, especially this early out, that can stimulate things.  Things like bowels.  

Just something to add to the long list of what may upset your very delicate system that you recently offended by inviting Mr. Scalpel for a visit.  

Ask your surgeon's office about Immodium or Pepto, too.  Just until things calm down.  

Feel better soon!   

(deactivated member)
on 7/1/11 2:23 am, edited 7/1/11 2:24 am
Oh, yes, it is much more intense when you're in it.

Here's what I've been eating:

Protein shakes with lowfat milk.
Cottage cheese
Scrambled eggs, no cheese.
Egg salad
Tuna salad
Chicken salad with crackers (once, seems to have been a mistake).
Tea, no coffee.
Greek yogurt.
Smoked salmon (with some difficulty)

I'm really kindof missing fruits and vegetables right now.

Small amounts of string cheese and other cheeses seems to have cause unpleasant oilyness, ugh, although I'm not sure. Like the salmon with small amounts of cream cheese seemed not so good.

I have upchucked, since you so kindly asked, well-chewed duck, cooked ground beef,  cooked ground chicken sometimes HOURS after eating them.
newyorkbitch
on 7/1/11 2:51 am
Could possibly be the dairy that's giving you the issue.  Switch to lactaid milk and lactaid cottage cheese.
* Gail R *
on 7/1/11 2:51 am - SF Bay Area, CA
All that I can add is that my surgeon's office suggests staying away from milk for a few months as it may prevent lactose intolerance from developing. I used vanilla flavored soy milk during that period and it worked out well for me. A friend of mine has really good results from chia seeds. A tablespoon or two is her regimen.  I find that once I get a cycle of bowel irritation started, it takes a while to reverse it. Good luck in getting this resolved soon.

~Gail R~  high wt.288,  surg wt 274, LW 143, CW 153,  GW164

(deactivated member)
on 7/1/11 4:28 am
To the question about the vitamins....still working up to it. I have other meds that I need to take, so I'm going to need a ginormous pill carrier when all is said and done. My vitalady order is on the way, I hope. So, right now, it's just the multivites and the B but I did take the calcium this am and will start doing the iron too.

It's a lot to keep up with.

I did boil some chicken this am, hoping that home-prepared moist chicken might be okay. It's cooling in the fridge, along with the broth, although I have to say that broth sounds like real punishment on a 98 degree day.

I did locate some chia seeds at the health food store....but I'm confused about them. Seems like some people take them to relieve constipation. I'm waaaaay over on the other end of the map.
(deactivated member)
on 7/1/11 11:51 am
 Actually, chia seeds are good for either, all they do is bulk up the stool. Just like some other fiber would do, but because you don't really know what is causing your problem you don't want to do other kinds of fiber.

Try to take as much of your daily calcium as you can handle stomach wise. It will/should help a lot.

And don't forget don't mix any of your chicken/tuna etc with mayo or MW, it's fat.
Only 2 weeks out I make the mistake of mixing tuna with a bunch of mayo, wow. But thank goodness I had enough sense and backed of the fat a little longer.

Good Luck
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