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Need help with diet after a hemicolectomy....
Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs) | Last Active: Nov 4, 2023 | Replies (27)Comment receiving replies
Hello @smart1,
I'm glad that @colleenyoung tagged me for this discussion. As I've had three surgeries for NETs in the upper digestive tract (duodenal bulb) over a period of 13 years, I understand the importance of eating foods that don't upset the digestive tract and add enough fiber and nutrition for healthy living.
I'm glad that you found the FODMAP diet helpful. I too worked with it and also discovered the trigger foods. After the initial 30 days, I was able to add in foods that I could tolerate. My experience led me to the understanding that gluten was a food to have in small amounts. Is that true for you as well?
Being prone to blockages is quite common with digestive tract surgery. I start the day with a liquid nutrition drink. I use Atkins as it is lower in carbs that all of the others and also has more fiber than most. I put it in a blender and add some fruit (usually half of a banana) and perhaps some frozen fruit that I keep on hand. I find that starting the day with liquids is a great help.
As I also have diverticulitis, I avoid laxative products with senna. For me, senna causes a lot of abdominal pain. I try to get fiber from Metamucil and add Miralax if I need more help with consitipation.
Vegetables are best cooked. I like to roast veggies with olive oil. It is a very tasty and helps get more nutrition in a more easy to digest way.
They type of foods you eat and the way you cook them are all important. Will you share with me some of your other food choices?
Replies to "Hello @smart1, I'm glad that @colleenyoung tagged me for this discussion. As I've had three surgeries..."
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I apologize for the late reply. Thank you for the information above. One thing I got out of your reply was the use of senna laxatives. I recently started having a different type abdominal pain then what I experienced previously. I have diverticulosis and upon reading your experience I stopped taking the senna laxative. The pain went away! I am now back to taking Miralax but making it a nightly regimen rather then earlier in the day. That seems to help with not having as many "emergency" issues that is inconvenient when out and about. So thank you. One thing solved! One thing I'm confused on though, is the use of both Metamucil and Miralax. Isn't Metamucil for when having issues with diarrhea and Miralax is for constipation? Using both together is confusing to me. I seem to have issues with constipation, but when I take too much Miralax than comes diarrhea. So I've been trying to take a "scheduled" dose each day so that I don't get to that point. Do you have any suggestions regarding my confusion? Maybe your help might make a difference that I'm not aware of.
My diet is not great. I don't feel like I'm getting enough to eat and probably not enough of what a daily intake should be of veggies and fruits. I usually don't eat breakfast since I feel limited to egg whites w/spinach or a not-too-ripe banana. Lunch usually consists of a baked potato and small salad or half of a sandwich with fruit. Dinner is usually chicken and vegetables. Veggies like zucchini, squash, or carrots. All of which are not my favorite. I was eating a lot of green beans since the Fodmap diet said it was a good choice but I've recently been told by my GI office that they can cause a lot of bloating. Snacks are usually almonds, strawberries, and recently I've been eating Crispbread with peanut butter and sometimes jelly. Dessert - is a problem. I try to stay away from chocolate but I do partake in frozen yogurt, ice cream, caramels, or maybe some gumdrops. Not good choices, I know.
I was used to eating a large variety of foods and it just seems my diet is so limited that it makes it difficult and much less enjoyable.
Again, I realize a small price to pay compared to so many other people going through much more difficult issues. It's hard to not feel quilty.