What foods tend to fight diarrhea?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I got a colonoscopy 11 days ago, with a 3-day prep regimen*. Since then, I’ve gone back to my normal diet, but I haven’t had a solid poop since the “innuendo.” I called the clinic for advice. They told me to take Citrucel, and if that didn’t slow it down, I should try Immodium.

*The 3-day prep, with 3 kinds of laxative, was because the previous colonoscopy 5 years earlier got messed up because the shorter prep didn’t get everything cleaned out.

My normal breakfast is: A yogurt cup, a mandarin orange, and a bowl of Frosted Mini-wheats with fresh strawberries ,blueberries, shredded coconut, and some Bob’s Red Mill Meusli mixed in.

Lunch is usually a slice of whole grain toast with crunchy peanut butter and sliced grapes. Usually, I’d have an apple or a banana, too.

Supper varies, but it usually includes veggies, some meat, and pasta or rice.

In the last few days, I’ve been taking 6 Citrucel a day and substituting a second batch of high-fiber cereal for my regular lunch.

I don’t want to be a battleground for loosening and tightening drugs, I just want to go back to solid, non-emergency poops. Are there foods that tend to slow things down?

Before you say it, I’m going to my primary doctor about this next week.

2

BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, toast.

3

Before I was diagnosed with bile acid diarrhea, there were frequent “emergencies”. I definitely saw an improvement when I made a point to eat a big bowl of raisin bran every day. It’s counterintuitive - but the insoluble fiber absorbs excess fluid in the colon, helping to normalize things.

My primary care doctor had encouraged me to use psyllium (Metamucil) instead of the raisin bran because of the carbs… and that helped until it really, really, really did not one day. That was when I made an appointment to see the gastroenterologist, who diagnosed me with BAD and possible irritable bowel.

For what it’s worth, they prescribe bile acid sequestrants to help with my situation. Those were developed to treat high cholesterol but a lot of patients didn’t tolerate them because they caused constipation. So they’re used for BAD sufferers, because of that very side effect.

Back to the cause of your situation: I wonder if probiotics might help? Your gut biome may have gotten seriously out of whack due to the procedure. I’d also ease off on the fruit for a few days.

4

I’d suggest taking some probiotics to get your gut biome back in order. When I was having diarrhea issues, that’s what my doc prescribed me and it worked like a charm.

5

I’m taking probiotics already.

6

Yeah, probiotics are overblown as a treatment. Your typical gut flora is extremely varied and quite individualized, and throwing some acidophilus into it thinking that’ll reset your gut is mostly wishful thinking. Especially not after multiple harsh laxatives probably sloughed off most of the mucus which contained your own bacteria species.

I’d continue with LOTS of fiber, including the use of psyllium tabs or powder. Use imodium as needed, up to 8 tabs a day max, 1 or 2 after each WATERY stool.

And, not to gross anyone out or anything, but certain intimacies with one’s regular live-in sex partner can re-establish the normal flora people who live very closely together generally share. Prolonged oral-oral contact can often suffice. One needn’t go further than that unless one’s personal proclivities lead that way . . .

7

And that is exactly why for the past decade I have refused to use bowel preps - with my various doctors agreement. I will crap for a week on one minimal dose of that crap, and that is unacceptable.

If and it is a huge fucking if - they would bring back NONCHEMICAL kaopectate, go back to the original kaolin and pectin suspension, it would solve the issue because not all diarrhea is peristalsis based. [I almost turned myself into one of those self made Buddhist mummies who dehydrated themselves to death] I had the unfortunate entire gut stripped of mucosa by the chemo and radiation deal, turning my gut into 36 feet of non clotting road rash.

Go for ‘stodge’ - BRAT diet is good, if you think of null fiber, white bread, potatoes, white rice, hell, some days the only thing that would slow me down was freaking instant stuffing from a box mix. Bananas, applesauce [oddly enough - but it is actually the pectin content that works] I was trying to source agar because it gells at room temp and I think it would work on the runs.

Some people with iliostomies [no large bowel] report that eating marshmallows will slow down digestion because of the gelatin content.

8

I find that eating lots of cheese has a constipating effect.

The only hard part is finding the right amount of cheese to strike a happy medium.

9

Metamucil.

10

Cheese is considered constipating, because it has very little fiber or residue.

I, too was going to suggest the BRAT diet, and maybe probiotics; kombucha is a good way to get them, and also rehydrate, but it does have a very low alcohol content so avoid that if it’s an issue for (generic) you. You do also have to drink the “mother”, which may squick out some people unless it’s mixed up well.

11

An old home remedy for diarrhea is blackberry brandy. Worth a try?

12

If I had diarrhea (which I don’t) and wanted to sure-fire absotively not have diarrhea for reasons that will remain personal, I’d dip into my codeine stash.

13

Hey, i have an ancient bottle of paragoric …

Usually, i just make sure I’m getting enough fluids and electrolytes, and use a little petroleum jelly on my anus if it gets sore, and wait to get better. (I do the same for a bad cold, only i put the petroleum jelly on my nose.) I feel that Kefir helps more than yogurt, but they have different bacteria, so if my tummy is upset I’ll sometimes eat both. It helps that i like them.

14

For babies, they recommend the “BRAT diet”… Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast. I can say personally that bananas and apples are helpful.

15

Since it hasn’t been mentioned yet, how about the BRAT diet?

Slinking away now…

Seriously, sorry for your misery. Gastro (and below) troubles are very distressing. Hope you can get some relief.

16

I’m going to disrecommend apples. Maybe I’m short on some enzyme or something, but while i love apples, eating too much of them gives me gas and loose stool. I first noticed it after giving blood and drinking a lot of apple juice. I spent the rest of the day hiding in the rest room.

In case you are the same, maybe stick to banaras, rice, and toast.

17

Apple juice has a very strong laxative effect on a lot of people. Whole apples, whether raw or cooked, generally do not. However, I realize everyone is different.

18

It’s mostly that they give me gas. Whole, raw, juice… But the pectin in whole apples is supposed to be good for holding stuff together. So, ymmv.

19

And there’s always a poop transplant (seriously).

@AskNott. have things improved at all?

20

Speaking of diarrhea…what’s with people saying, “I have bad diarrhea “? Is there “good” diarrhea? Please, if your diarrhea is severe, describe it as severe, not bad.