I have a question. I have recently been diagnosed with achalasia after about 18 months of symptoms. I thought it was GERD! Anyway, I have been put on pureed foods now for almost a month, and I expect it will be another month before I can have surgery - and then I expect another week or more of the same diet.
So - here is my embarrassing question - how does one avoid constipation? I am making smoothies that include prunes and have resorted to laxitives, but does anyone have any suggestions?
Make sure that you drink enough water.
I think that fibre is important for avoiding constipation, and also fruit. Some of the texture / skins of these might make them off limits for you.
I'll ask some others if they have problems
Stay hydrated with water, and you may need a stool softener such as Colace one in a while.
As already suggested in other replies, it is important to drink plenty of water. To ensure a high fibre diet besides fruit smoothies, you can include brown (not white) rice, quinoa, pulses and lentils, peanut butter, potato and sweet potato with skin on etc. They can all be pureed. If you can manage porridge consistency, sprinkle on some ground almonds or other ground nuts, other good fibre sources. Ready Brek is a good, smoother alternative to porridge. Good luck.
The person I contacted speaks to many people with achalasia and had not been aware of this being a specific problem with achalasia. So the approach should probably be to look at the content of your smoothies. Keep up drinking water, and think about exercise, as being static does not help.
Thank you so much for your quick response! I will remember to include all edible parts of fruit.
Michaela
Thanks! I normally drink lots of coffee, but was advised to limit this, so maybe I have not been taking in as much liquid as before (seems like everything I eat is semi-liquid!) So I will try to remember to increase the amount of water I drink.
I will increase the amount of water I drink. I do put prunes in the smoothies, anna97 suggested I might also add ground nuts which may help.
do you know if achalasia patients are normally put on pureed foods? You see, I think it is my diet, not achalasia that is triggering the constipation.
Although coffee does not directly dehydrate, it is a diuretic (makes you pass more water) so you need to increase the amount of water intake to maintain a water balance when drinking coffee.
Try flax seeds, perfect sprinkled on cereal or in soups etc. I buy mine from sainsburys or Waitrose or health food shop. Works wonders!
Thanks Cathy. I will get some flax seeds.
Michaela
I suspect you are right in that it is diet, not achalasia, that is causing your constipation (but theoretically the nerves that do not trigger the muscles for the right motility in the oesophagus are also linked to the nerves lower down the system that affect the progress of digested food through the intestines, but it would be unusual to be directly linked I think). Some people with achalasia are limited to pureed food, but others not. All have to chew food really well, and would probably have trouble with food that has a texture of skins, stringiniess or anything else that might 'stick'. There was a discussion about this that is written up under the Oesophageal Patients Assocation website, under The Oesophagus, and Achalasia for the meeting in July 2015.
You might also think about any medication that you are taking that might promote constipation?