Foods to Avoid

[bpagan]

Out of curiousity, what are some foods/drinks that you all just can not tolerate any longer?

[ClDif]

Yes Roy, funny, I am finding that too... ;-)

I can't tolerate sorbitol these days which is part of most seedy fruits such as apples, plums, peaches etc.

[tone-tone]

Ive read that Sorbitol is often a food allergy that give people c-diff like symptoms.

after c-diff I would imagine the gi has a better chance of being allergic to certain high allergy foods.

[ClDif]

Well, yes, sorbitol intolerance can cause pain, gas, bloating, probably also diarreah etc., but I wouldn't want to compare it with symptoms of active c diff... It's a little annoying in my case, and it may be why I am still dealing with mild proctitis, but c diff felt so much worse, especially systemically.

[tone-tone]

oh yeah,

I meant to say symptoms like c-diff but not as severe.

Sorry for the confusion.

[feelinghopeful]

The foods that lingered as a problem for me were caffeinated coffee and alcohol (mostly red wine). Certain artificial sweeteners always gave me the runs, c-diff or not c-diff. I think it was sorbitol. Those sugar free hard candies were dreadful for my guts as far back as I can remember.

[bpagan]

Gee, what I wouldn't do for a Marguerita, Roy. Just now I have to be satisfied licking the salt off the rim of the glass.

[carrie]

I've had many problems with raw fruits and veggies, coffee alcohol, spices, dairy and soy products and many more. My big treat I've recently discovered, are Jelly Belly jelly beans. They have sooooo many flavors that eating just one or two can satisfy a craving for me - cafe latte, bubble gum, strawberry daquiri(sp?), peanut butter. I try to only eat one or two at a time and just treat myself every few days. YUM! When I figured out I had cdiff I stopped eating any foods with refined sugars in them, my only sweetness came from fruit.

[needhelp]

I am in the recovery process from cdiff, that is, I hope I'm recovering (diagnosed Sept. 23rd). I wonder does anybody know about malnutrition from this disease? I am very limited as to what I can eat and have a feeling it will remain that way for a while. I just crave fruits and vegetables but know it's not possible for me to eat them. I am still going by the BRAT diet and can tolerate chicken and rice once in a while.

I feel like I will have a hard winter with my immune system being compromised. My son had a friend over last week and he had a cold. I was appalled, I told my son we can't have germs in the house if it's preventable. Sure enough I got sick with a cold 2 days ago. I don't know how to get the proper nutrition and vitamins....what has been your experience?

[paulah]

why are you "limited" to what you eat? I thought that way, too, when I got cdiff, didn't eat alot. Finally I said, I might as well eat, I need the fuel to fight the bacteria and watching what I ate didn't cure me. I kept a diary, made sure I ate AT LEAST 2000 calories a day. Not junk food, but nutrious things. I would eat every two hours, even something small, like a piece of butter bread. That's when I got better! One thing I found out, I could eat almost anything.... well, not salads.....but not alot of the same thing or my guts would rebel.

[needhelp]

I have severe pain in my intestines and stomach and severe nausea, that's why my diet is limited. I experiment with different foods only to be very regretful after days in bed with horrible pain. I am figuring that this is PI-IBS. I am still waiting to see a GI as I haven't had any health care since I've been released from the hospital. (I posted my story recently)

I thought it was the norm not to be able to eat following cdiff. Thank you for your suggestions.

[feelinghopeful]

It's not just you. Many people get upset intestines from certain foods post C-Diff. That's what PI-IBS is. Just read the site and you'll see. You are not alone.

[carrie]

I can relate as I had many food issues also. I ate lots of homemade soups made with chicken broth, white and rice, chicken and veggies to try and get my nutrition. I shredded carrots,zucchinni(mostly peeled)parsnips, baked and peeled red peppers and onion and then pureed them in my magic bullet and added them to the broth, added organic ground turkey and a few spoonsfuls of tomato paste. I also added rice milk fortified with vitamins when I warmed it up. To get fruit I buy frozen peeled peaches and steam them and refreeze them. In the morning i throw together the thawed peaches, a few blueberries and a banana along with rice milk and puree it in my magic bullet. I then add it to instant organic oatmeal. I also make apple scones, low fat, very low sugar and extra apple(it works out to be one apple per scone - they are grated also). I've had no luck with any spice but do you lots of dried herbs(especially in the soup - I call them my greens:) )
I use to eat fresh salads every day, no more though:( they just cause absolute grief the next day and days following. I also use a soluable fibre product that seems to help lots but it has taken me months to get to the reccommended amount. My gi tract could only handle very small increase and even then I was off for a few days. Good like with your eating and nutrition. I'm also very frustrated knowing I'm not getting the nutrients I use to get, that is hard for me to accept but I went to a nutritionalist and she said I'm getting alot more than I think especially cuz I'm not eating any junkie and fast food meals/snakes.

[feelinghopeful]

I, for one, am happy to read you are no longer eating snakes!

[needhelp]

No snakes here either! :)

Thank you so much for the tips on what has worked for you. I have been clueless of where to begin. I feel so much better knowing that there are survivors out there that can help guide me and others.

I will try some of the suggestions and add one thing at a time. We always have rice milk in the house because my son has a severe milk allergy and I have to cook dairy free anyway.

Carrie, your recipes sound yummy and although I don't yet have the energy to do much of any cooking, I will definitely be making soups and those scones sound great! Comfort food at its best!

I made the huge mistake of eating a salad shortly after I came home from the hospital, before I knew my gut couldn't handle food. That is a mistake I will never make again....

Thanks again, I appreciate you all!