Newly diagnosed and don't know what to eat, advice needed please

[browncushion]

Hi,

Not sure if right place to post but hope this is ok.

Just diagnosed with diverticulosis and collagenous colitis. Have been put on high dose of steroids and advised to eat low fibre foods.
The problem is that these foods seem to be high carb to me and as I worked so hard 18 months ago to lose 5 stone and I am really worried about putting it on again.
Also, I am a veggie who does not eat meat, fish or eggs, so really struggling to know what to eat, that is healthy.
Any advice appreciated
TIA.

Pasta is your friend here, infact a Mediterranean diet would be good. Remember that legumes are rich in fibre too.

My mum has severe crohns and has had it since she was 14. She lives on mashed potato, fish, long cooked slow cooker casseroles and risotto. She takes daily steroids. She is very worried about her weight too but she's found that she's stayed very slim because with the crohns she doesn't absorb as much of the food as other people anyway. The main thing is to eat food that enables you to keep well, with the right food you will have more energy to keep active which will help too. Mum has regular b12 injections too which really help to improve her energy levels.

Thank you for your replies.

Having eaten ultra healthily for 18 months, mostly veg, fruit and whole meal pasta and avoiding bad carbs, it just feels like I am going to undo all of my hard work because I now have to eat things that I have been avoiding and can't eat the food that is healthy

Well, as a Crohns patient I found that it was better to eat whatever didn't give me pain / make me poo 10 times a day. Crohns kept me unwell-thin.

However, I'm on Humira now which has pulled me into remission for the first time in 22 years but I'm at least 1.5st heavier than I'd like to be. You'll probably find with IBD that you're just grateful your arse is under control and will generally do anything to achieve that.

Thanks Gobbin ... I live in hope

I've got Crohn's (2 years diagnosed) and I just have to eat what 'feels right' I've gone right off veg, I like pasta, jacket pots no skin, tuna, chicken, I still love my sugary snacks. I think of it like this, my bowels are like Velcro, if it's bitty it will stick (think seeds, stringy veg, nuts) if it's soft and smooth (think bananas, mash, soft white pasta) your good. It's a learning curve but eventually you won't crave the stuff that hurts.

Giving up smoking when I only had about 5 a day was a major turning point!

Do NOT eat salad. Salad to me is the devils food, every time before being diagnosed I had an attack it was after eating salad at lunch. Apparently popcorn is a fucker too.

I have crohn's. I can eat what I want most of the time, just have to avoid raw veg and overeating rich foods. I only go low fibre if I'm flaring, which I'm very lucky doesn't happen very often.

When I'm low fibre I eat white carbs, lean meats and fish and dairy.

Crohn's/colitis is different for everyone though and you'll get to know which foods cause you an issue. Also agree with another poster that B12 injections are amazing. I have them every 8 weeks.

I kind of eat what I want but if I over eat or eat the wrong foods I tend to wake up in the night with a horrible achey tender painful stomach which stops me going back to sleep. I just don't like veg anymore and I only really eat grapes, bans and strawberries. Vegetables give me the FEAR

Thanks for all of your replies.

I can see this is going to be tricky for a while it seems the foods that should be 'safe', such as meat, eggs and fish are ones I don't eat, being a veggie and the other ones all seem carb loaded.

I think I might have to do trials on everything although I won't truly know what is ok for me until I finish the steroids, which is another 12 weeks!

Anyone have any thoughts on sweeteners? I prefer them in drinks and eat a lot of sugar free foods. Are some better than others or are they a complete no go?

Sweetners have a laxative effect so if you get diarrhea then it's a no go. Google the low residue diet. Low residue is what's recommended in a flare. It's low fiber.

I hate it too. I hate worrying about what to eat. It's really depressing but you have to go on and get to grips with it. My worst times are in the night when I'm hurting and can't sleep. It's a lonely illness and makes me physically tired but you do get used to it, i rest when I need to rest. Things get better. You will be fine OP

Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer and for your advice. Really helpful