Fiber can be a Foe

Discuss changes in diet that have helped you manage your fissure, or any supplements or medications/creams that have been effective.

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Fiber can be a Foe

Postby Anonymon » 26 Mar 2013, 13:25

It's been said elsewhere here, but I thought I'd reiterate it since it chiefly earned me my fissure(s) -
If your BMs are regular enough, insoluble fiber can make things worse for you. It's more to poop out, wider, and harder to do at that.
My doctor, despite me already eating unruly amounts of fiber and eating unconditionally 'healthy' from earning a portion of my living as a fitness professional, advised I pile on more to help with hard stools. No discriminating soluble or insoluble, just unrelating praise for more fiber and a perscription laxative despite my being already regular. I was at what I thought was wit's end, so I complied. That made things 100x worse by causing my first experience with day-long spasms, either tearing my fissure more or granting me a new one.
My chief strategy that's helped has eating less of that at it's core, along with more fatty oils and a recent addition of Milk of Magnesia. Everything affects everyone differently, and more fiber indeed helps some that don't get much at all. But those that are already regular, eat well and exercise daily be warned - like me, more fiber may be your undoing.
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Re: Fiber can be a Foe

Postby Luka » 26 Mar 2013, 14:20

I agree that you can have too much fiber. I've always read soluble fiber is best when you have a fissure (it attracts water and forms a gel in the stool, whereas insoluble fiber adds bulk and has a laxative effect). I've also read soluble fiber is better for people with IBS, which I may have. I know I have issues if I eat too much insoluble fiber (larger stools), so I try to eat less of it and more of foods with soluble fiber.
It really is a balancing act that is different for everyone. You just have to be patient and find what works best for you.
January 2013 - Diagnosed with fissure. Eventually turned chronic.
History of IBS and anxiety disorder, along with fear of using bathrooms other than my own caused it.
Tried Diltiazem, but eventually developed a rash.
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Re: Fiber can be a Foe

Postby CrayonOfDarkness » 27 Mar 2013, 07:49

That is definitely true. My doctor was the same way to me, and seemed to not believe that I have always eaten a lot of fiber (I've been a vegetarian for years, and eat pretty healthy in general), and simply told me to eat a whole lot more of it. No differentiation of soluble vs. insoluble, either.
After my diagnosis, I decided to go along with her suggestion despite my thinking otherwise and it definitely made things worse. I went from bleeding a lot with a lot of pain to bleeding as if I were on my period and felt like I was going to die. I quickly changed course!
The best results I have had are when I eat a good balance of both soluble and insoluble, and NOT TOO MUCH, especially not too much insoluble. If anything, she should have told me to eat more oil, because since I've put oil on more foods (or eaten more avocados), everything has been softer and smoother.
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Re: Fiber can be a Foe

Postby owowow » 27 Mar 2013, 07:59

yes - another vote of agreement for this very important point. which like other i have learnt the hard(!) way.
a balance of soluble and insoluble fibre seems to be the key, for me at least.
CRAYON: i don't really get a lot of oils at the moment. can i ask how much do take daily? what kind of oil? thanks :)
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Re: Fiber can be a Foe

Postby CrayonOfDarkness » 27 Mar 2013, 08:19

Hm, I've never counted it all together, but I take one flaxseed oil capsule at morning and at night, and at least a teaspoon of either coconut, grapeseed, olive or almond oil with every meal.
Breakfast usually is a smoothie with either a quarter of an avocado or a teaspoon (or two, not really measured) of coconut oil. I think avocado is fatty enough to replace oil. For lunch and dinner I often have sweet potato and spinach or something similar and put a teaspoon or two of grapeseed or olive oil on both. Sometimes I put almond butter on things too, I'm pretty sure that is helping.
This also might sound crazy, but I recently started eating kimchi again, which is full of probiotics and also full of pepper so I had been avoiding it since my fissure started... And somehow kimchi has not worsened anything. Maybe this comment doesn't belong in this post, but a little kimchi can really help with regularity and digestion and it has a lot of nutrients. (I order cosmos brand online, if any of you have had it).
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Re: Fiber can be a Foe

Postby owmybum » 27 Mar 2013, 10:33

Crayon, what is kimchi??
fissure after hem banding and tag removal feb 11
Pelvic floor therapy
Diltiazem
Botox June 13
Nitro
Internal flap July 14
EUA and polyps removed Nov 14
Diagnosed with neuropathy Jan 15
Diagnosed with HS EDS type 3 (causes poor wound healing )
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Re: Fiber can be a Foe

Postby jr2 » 27 Mar 2013, 14:00

Yup, same experience here with fiber. And Crayon is right too about fat. Actually, fat is far more of a stool softener and BM regulator than fiber is, and is helpful for those of us having trouble with having lost too much weight. I keep reducing my Miralax as I add more coconut, olive and flax oil. My Miralax dose was low to begin with, but it had been up to 3 teaspoons and is now down to 1-1/2 teaspoons. For me, I just have to be careful because I so easily tip into diarrhea, so any change has to be done slowly.
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Re: Fiber can be a Foe

Postby CrayonOfDarkness » 27 Mar 2013, 14:07

owmybum -- kimchi is korean fermented napa cabbage with other vegetables (sometimes carrots, scallions, radish, etc.). wiki kimchi It sounds gross, but it is so good, at least I think so.
jr2 -- definitely... I didn't start eating oil with everything until I had read on here that it was also a stool softener. I take 3 teaspoons of miralax a night and it seems to be the right amount for me. It took forever to figure that out though.
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