Are We Allowed Dried Fruit?

Audrey · April 30, 2004

I was wandering around M&S in my lunch break & saw dried fruit... I know it's high in sugar & calories - but it's also tastey lol :mad:

I haven't had any post op, because I heard somewhere that bansters are not allowed to have ANY dried fruit because it rehydrates in your stoma & can cause a blockage... is this right?

Aud x

Alexandra · May 1, 2004

Hi Audrey,

I'm sure glad no one told me that "rule" about no dried fruit! I have a generous handful of raisins and sultanas almost every day. It's just about the only way I can get enough Fiber.

Yet I'm sure there are some people for whom dried fruit might cause a problem, so as with all foods you probably want to experiment carefully. But I've never had any problem with dried fruit at all.

GeezerSue · May 1, 2004

Just to confuse things...I wish someone HAD told me. I can eat the "dried" friuit if I rehydrate it first. But when I eat dried fruit--with the slow moving esophagus that often goes with being old--it spend so much time getting from mouth through the esophagus that by the time it gets there, I might as wasll have eaten a bag of concrete.

I'd say...proceed with caution and see how it works for YOU!

Good luck,

Sue

one gone dog · May 1, 2004

Originally posted by GeezerSue
Just to confuse things...I wish someone HAD told me. I can eat the "dried" friuit if I rehydrate it first. But when I eat dried fruit--with the slow moving esophagus that often goes with being old--it spend so much time getting from mouth through the esophagus that by the time it gets there, I might as wasll have eaten a bag of concrete.

I'd say...proceed with caution and see how it works for YOU!

Good luck,

Sue

Thank you very much. :mad:

I now need to clean the pop off my keyboard that I just SPIT all over the place.

GeezerSue · May 1, 2004

Just for the record, I DO know how to spell "well." (Went to school, graduated and everything. Did NOT do well in the typing class.)

Alexandra · May 1, 2004

Sue makes a very good point. Everyone's esophagus works differently, and once we're banded that suddenly seems to matter much more. And obviously this is an entirely INvoluntary process, so there is nothing we can do about it except learn for ourselves.

My esophagus seems to be extremely efficient, and the valve at its base very effective. I've never suffered from heartburn or acid reflux in my life--I have the proverbial "Iron stomach"--which means stomach acids are not rising back into my esophagus. And when I eat, my pouch gets full very quickly--suddenly, in fact.

My challenge is to try to eat slowly enough so as not to have any MORE food going down once the pouch has reached its limit. Because if I do, my efficient esophagus and effective valve prevents the food from coming back up easily, and I'm uncomfortable for a VERY long time. So I don't PB often, although sometimes I wish I could.

So it's really important to learn for oneself how having a pouch works with your own biology. Good luck!!