I saw my GP this morning to get a referral to see a CRS sometime in the New Year. Anyhow, during our chat and brief examination (which stopped short of a full digital insertion), she mentioned that her brother suffered from Crohns and that he benefitted from a low residue diet (think it's the same as low fibre). She said it makes the stools less bulky, easier to pass and less frequent. She said that the accepted wisdom of filling yourself with loads of fibre wasn't always a good thing and it might be worth experimenting to see if this made a difference.

Interesting paper on this very subject:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435786/

I haven't eaten white bread for at least three years, but I'm beginning to wonder if my reliance on brown bread at breakfast and lunchtime might be causing more problems than it's solving. She also said the same about rice and pasta (i.e. try white rice and ordinary pasta, rather than brown and wholemeal). I must admit I'm intrigued, but a little wary, but I am sick of the 3-4 bowel motions every day, as well as the reliance on Movicol/Miralax for about 3-4 years. It's really not normal, but I'm scared to break the pattern.

I must admit I miss things like white rolls or even a white bread cheese sandwich. I drink at least 3 jugs of water every day and still get a combination of hard to pass stools in the morning, followed by further sticky motions at 10am and about 1pm. It drives me nuts!

Anyone else tried a lower fibre diet to combat the dreaded AFs? Your thoughts on a seemingly contradictory piece of advice.

I loved this! Thank you for finding and posting it. I think that it makes so much sense and was frankly quite surprised to discover that the high-fibre hype only began in the 1970's.

Yes I have been on that diet myself a few times and it does help...the only thing I know I can safely eat is white bread...don't touch any other kind lol.
It can work really well I have an appointment with a deitician in jan to go back on it as my liver and kidneys aren't the best and it can be quite strict for me as I'm also lactose and fructose intolerant. If you can handle dairy it's an amazing diet to get less bulky BMs less often

Hi, there is no one diet that works for everyone, you have to find what works for you. I've had hem. surgery, LIS and double advancement flaps and after each surgery I had to adjust my diet. I also have IBS and pelvic floor dysfunction but I've learned to take a different approach. It's trial and error. I eat most of the things I want to, no added fiber anymore although there was a time it was a must. If there is something that doesn't agree with me and I really want it I just wait until I know I'll be home for a few days and eat it. As far as miralax goes, it's a miracle for me just increase the amount of liquids you consume. I'll be on it the rest of my life but I don't mind, it's really no different than having to take medication for high blood pressure. I try to take life one day at a time and everyday I'm grateful. Your body is a remarkable instrument and it will let you know what foods it will tolerate and what foods it won't just listen to it. I can no longer do much dairy and that's hard for me but I have discovered some things I can eat so I'm okay there. Having a positive attitude helps, it took me a long time to figure that out. Good luck. Suzy

Very interesting replies, guys.

CCC, I was also surprised to read that the high-fibre diet only really took off in the 1970s. I wonder what the incidence of AFs etc. was before the 70s and how they dealt with it?

MPB, it must be very difficult having to deal with Crohns as well. Interesting that you say that white bread is the only one you can safely eat. I always ate white bread sandwiches before my fissure issues. In fact I pretty much ate anything I wanted and easily maintained a good weight (if sometimes slightly over lol). Now I struggle to gain any weight and can't tell you how sick of my boring bland diet I am!

Suzy, you've certainly been through a LOT and it's great that you've found Miralax (or Movicol over here in the UK) has helped a great deal. I think we're all looking for that magic bullet. I have a love-hate relationship with Movicol. I take it twice a day (after breakfast and before bed) and take 80-90ml (they come in 125ml sachets). Problem is I tend to have three bowel motions in the mornings - maybe the result of the Movicol or a combo of that, IBS and my diet. It's hard to figure out what the actual reason is. Whatever it is, the more often I go, the sorer I get. I love your ethos of having a positive outlook. I find that soooo hard, having had problems in one form or another for 20-odd years.

My problem is I have a slightly compulsive personality and find it hard to try new dietary regimes as I'm always sure changing something will make the AF and hems worse (a better word is probably fear!).

Incidentally, how do some of you find white toast? Does it agree or not?

It's very strange as I'm often not sure if it the IBS or the crohns....especially if I have a cold or flu coming on. I used to eat whatever I wanted and consequences be damned before the fissure but all that has stopped now, the pain is just not worth it.
Suzy it's good to know you can now eat what you want, would love to get to that stage again but I don't think I would abuse it this time.
White toast is my go too on bad days...,for years I had arguments with Drs who insisted my issues were gluten related but I knew white bread was fine....thankfully tests showed I was right.
I agree our bodies let us know in no uncertain terms what they do and do not like...mine practically shouts it at me lol
I also know my body does well on the raw diet but it takes my colon a while to get used to it but after it has I only go once a day at Bristol 3 so I'm also contemplating trying that again.