Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Gastroenterology (Expert Forum)
Crohn's
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
 |
Crohn's
by kandi, Sep 03, 2002 12:00AM
I need someone's help. I have a 19yr old brother who has been battling with Crohn's for about 3 yrs. He has came to the point now that they need to do surgery. Well for the past week he has not barely ate anything or made a bowel movement. Is there something that we can do for him or some type of food that is easier to digest than something else?? I need as much advice as you can possibly give me. Please contact me as soon as possible. Thank you.
Expert Activity
Related Expert Forums
Related Communities
Crohn
Crohn's Disease
Crohns
Digestive Process
Dry Skin
IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Stomach Ach
Sunburn
Ulcerative Colitis
abdominal pain
bowel
colitis
colon
crohn's
crohns disease
diarrhea
gallbladder
irritable
irritable bowel
large intestine
liver
nausea
pain
rectal bleeding
red skin
redness
stomach ache
stool
ulcerative
Communities
Ask a Doctor Forums
Tools and Applications
Personal Information
Medical Information
Doctors and Partners
I'm really sorry to hear your brother is having such a hard time now. I've had Crohn's disease for about 25 years now. so, if you have any specific questions, ask away.
about diet, it's really individualized. for different people, different foods will aggravate the bowel and might worsen symptoms. your best bet is to ask him what he thinks he can tolerate and make it available. prepare it ahead of time if needed. when you get that sick, even opening a can and microwaving things get to be too much.
everyone pretty much has to develop thier own 'no-no' list. but, some general things that usually work are: no alcohol, no caffeine, no fried foods and a low residue diet. a low-residue diet is pretty much what it sounds like, foods that result in a small amount of stool. things like rice, pasta, fresh poultry, eggs, noodle soups, tuna, mashed potatoes. think of a child's BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast). roughage is tough, so no salads, etc. but really ripe fruit (or canned) without the skins might be ok.
if he is to the point that he is having trouble tolerating all foods, then a liquid diet is probably his best bet. there are lots liquid nutritional drinks available these days (Ensure, Boost, etc). Nestle makes a product called Modulen that is designed especially for IBD folks, but the flavor packets do have artificial sweetners in it. Boost, etc do have regular sugar in them, so if sugar is causing him problems, then he is probably better off getting prescription liquid supplements. it's really important to stay hydrated, so whatever fluids he can get down will help. the sports drinks are good, but again, the sugar might be a problem. popscicles, water ice, herbal teas, OJ, broth are all good.
being sick, being a guy and being 19 are going to make it tough for him to accept or ask for help. try not to push it. he has so little control over his life right now, he might really resent it.
take care,
You may also wish to seek out a face-to-face support group in your area for your brother. Crohn's disease has one of the largest support group networks in the US (assuming that is where you are), and they can be very valuable sources of information from people who have "been there done that", as well as a great source of emotional support. There are also a number of internet-based support groups for Crohn's, which you should be able to find by doing a Yahoo search for the key words Yahoo Support Groups.
Best wishes,
Chickem Soup