Question
I have intestinal scarring from scleroderma, which now is in remission. I have trouble digesting food and suffer from diarrhea, constipation, digestive pain and rectal cramps. What foods are best for me and what should I avoid?
Answer
I am sorry to hear that scleroderma affected your bowel.
Scleroderma may affect motility of the small bowel and stomach. It can also lead to the recurrent small intestine bacterial overgrowth. Patients with scleroderma sometimes have celiac disease as well. Those changes may lead to the symptoms of nausea, fullness after eating even small meals, severe abdominal bloating, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and abdominal pain.
You will need additional testing to find the cause of your problems. Please contact your physician to have your symptoms evaluated.
The diet which may help includes avoidance of lactose-containing products: milk, cheese, yogurt, pizza, ice cream, etc.
Fruits and vegetables may worsen symptoms as well. Please avoid asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, eggplant, fennel, garlic, onions and leeks, legumes (beans, lentils, peas), avocado, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
The fruits to be avoided include: apples, mango, watermelon, apricot, cherry, nectarines, peach, pear, plum, and prune.
The vegetables which are suitable are: alfalfa, artichoke, bok choy, carrot, celery, green beans, lettuce, olives, parsnip, potato, spinach, squash, tomato, zucchini, and cucumber.
The suitable fruits are: banana, blueberry, cranberry, grape, grapefruit, honeydew melon, kiwifruit, lemon, mandarin, orange, raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry, tangelo.
Please avoid dry fruits, beverages with corn syrup, concentrated fruit sources, fruit juice, tinned fruits in the natural juice, and honey.