Community Forum

I've had an ongoing flare of my UC for 3 1/2 years. This morning I got up and it has gotten a lot worse. I'm nauseaous, can't handle solid foods or most liquids and I can't stay out of the bathroom plus the anemia symptoms like being tired, weakness.... anyway, it has been a long time since my flare has been this bad. Does anyone have ANY advice on how to at least get some food/liquid in me???

 Reply posted for Moogan83.

That helps A LOT!!! Especially since yesterday I found out that I am lactose intolerant. Thank you guys so much for the advice and I am definately going to try everything!!!!!

 Reply posted for Moogan83.

8. It sounds funny, but mashing up steamed veggies can sometimes work, too. Or you might even try eating actual baby food. It sounds strange, but baby food is easy to digest and has few or no preservatives. And lets face it, when we can't eat, we have to try whatever we can.

9. Plain white rice with a little soy sauce. I'd also highly recommend trying something called Congee. It's a chinese rice porridge that is often fed to the elderly, young children and the sick because it is really easy on the stomach and easy to digest. Here's how you make it: In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of chicken or other stock, or water to a simmer. Add one cup dry white rice. Bring back to a simmer, and simmer for two or three hours, stirring occasionally so it does not stick to pan. By then the congee should be reduced to a nice thin porridge. Add a bit of cooked meat or vegetable if you have it. You can also eat it plain with a little salt sprinkled over it. Adding a few pieces of a cooked white fish can be good as well. This will make enough congee for one good meal for three or four people. You can see a picture here http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/1572093859_0fb6608e02.jpg

About the anemia, I have that too. I know it can be almost impossible to get well when you can't eat, never mind eating iron rich foods (um, liver? no thanks. And steamed broccoli? Ha!). In that case, you really must take an iron supplement. Talk to your doc. Mine gave me some samples to try (Polyride Fe) because I had problems taking the higher dose ones available at the pharmacy. Although, at the moment I'm taking 1 ferrous gluconate iron tablet a day (311mg ferrous gluconate providing 35mg elemental iron) and I have no nausea taking it. I've really noticed a difference after I started taking the iron regularly.

Hope this helps you!

 Reply posted for Moogan83.

4. Try plain pasta, cooked until softer than al dente with a little bit of butter. If you can tolerate it, add a little parmesan cheese.

5. I love milk toast when I'm not feeling up to eating anything: take 1 or 2 pieces of white bread and toast them lightly. Spread them with a thin layer of butter and then break or cut them up into smaller pieces. Place them in a bowl and pour a little milk (or milk subsitute like, soy milk) over the pieces. You can make it sweet by adding some cinnamon, pieces of soft fruit or jam. Or you can make it savoury by adding a little salt and pepper and cheese. Put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or just long enough to heat the milk. It's nice and soft and easy to digest.

6. Apple sauce! Or pear sauce( the same concept as apple, only with pears obviously).

7. The most important thing is to get plenty of liquids. Try drinking sports drinks like Powerade (which I find less salty than Gatorade), or flavoured waters. Even adding a pinch of salt to your water glass can help in retaining the fluids. I'd suggest things like Pediasure or Pedialyte, but I find them really salty. Try apple juice, not from concentrate or low acid orange juice.

 Reply posted for tarheelmama.

Hi,

Firstly, I know what you're going through. I have UC and I've been in a continuous flare for over a year, with varying degrees of severity. Some of the things that I have found that help are:

1. Any kind of broth. Mix it up a little so you don't get bored. Try chicken broth one day, beef broth another day, then veggie broth, ham broth, etc. You can add some vegetables to the broth while it's heating up too, to add some extra flavour. Just strain the veggies out after cooking.

2. Jell-O. It's easy on the stomach and at least you can eat something that has a nice flavour. Try using apple juice in it instead of water to change it up a little. Or add a little bit of Ginger Ale so it has a bubbly texture.

3. Try smoothies. Sometimes all I can tolerate are bananas in a smoothy. If you have problems with dairy, I would highly recommend almond milk (like Almond Breeze), soy milk or rice milk. The rice and soy milk have a more watery texture so it might help to add a few ice cubes to the blender when you blend it to give it a bulkier texture. Avoid putting any berries with seeds in your smoothy. I'd recommend getting some protein powder and adding some to the smoothy as well.

I'll add more in another reply...

 Reply posted for tarheelmama.

i was diagnosed with crohn's when i was 18 (now almost 23) and really haven't been in remission yet. i've recently started having a lot of troubles with eating fruits and veggies, so i've been drinking v-8 fusion juice. if i drink it on an empty stomach, it still makes me sick, but as long as i eat beforehand it's been a good way for me to get the fruits and veggies into my diet that my body can't handle.

 Reply posted for tarheelmama.

I know all to well what you are going through I had a continues flare for over 4 years and I finally have it under control.
For those days that I didnt really want to eat I would sip on Gatorade to keep my electrolites balanced and I would also follow the BRAT diet which is bread/rice/apple/tea I would also snack on a banana for bulking. Any type of blan food that you like.

I found a Dr. that finally wanted to get me into remission instead of ignoring me and it took a few months of many different drugs.
If you havnt tried Cort Enemas you should ask about them, that cleared things up for me in just a few weeks time.
Hope this helps.