[derrydaughter]

Hi! Am I alone? I've been miserable and am having the 2nd Diverticulitis attack so far since the beginning of the year. I had a really bad one last spring too.
It's truly gotten in the way of any efforts I've been able to make as far as WW is concerned.
I'm kind of miserable. But, my jeans are not fitting me and I want to lose a few pounds.
Right now, I'm on a low residue diet. I can't have whole grains, nuts, seeds, even orange juice with pulp in it, no raspeberries, roughage of any kind.
I want to eat salads, but I can't.
So, where do we go from here? I need to get better and lately I've been just putting my WW efforts aside. But, this cannot go on.
Have any of you been through this?

[kaplods]

I have IBS, and it's been extremely severe at times in my life. It was probably worst in late highschool and early college, when I couldn't even eat a single piece of fresh fruit or a single salad without having some weird digestive issues (diarrhea or cramping from gas pains).

It was a weird balancing act - too few veggies and I'd get constipated. But too many veggies - or any raw veggies and I'd have the opposite issue. I felt like I was on a diet tight rope, because "junk food" (fat) also triggered issues so I couldn't eat chips or fried foods either.

I've stabilized my digestive system tremendously, but it took years of experimenting and gradual changes. I've rarely been on medications and the issues aren't exactly the same as diverticulitis and diverticulosis because with IBS there is no structural damage to the intestines. Rasberries might cause me pain and bathroom issues, but they wouldn't damage anything which isn't necessarily true with diverticulitis.

But you can still count calories or dietary exchanges or use Weight Watchers (you might have to make some exceptions to the rules and guidelines), and make other dietary adjustments. It just requires some extra planning.

It can help to make a list of all the foods you know you can eat, rather than a list of the ones you can't. Then create a list of foods you think you probably can eat (but haven't tried yet), and talk to your doctor about experimenting with those foods.

If you can see a dietitian, you can bring your WW materials and have the dietitian look at them. Ideally you want a hospital dietitian or diabetic educator (as they'll have more experience with diverticulitis).

[seagirl]

Can't you just count points of the foods you are able to eat?

[mandalinn82]

Can't you just count points of the foods you are able to eat?

My concern with this would be that your calories would end up too low. The WW plan assumes you're eating a certain number of calories of fruits and veggies per day - your point allowance assumes that you're eating an extra 300 calories or so above what your points allot you. So if you just count the points of the food you are able to eat, you may end up coming in too low on calories.

[derrydaughter]

I appreciate the remarks and comments. I've thought of that "can't you just count points" scenario and one of my problems is that the foods that don't upset my digestive system are truly not the ones that I would ever recommend to people on Weight Watchers, I guess. White bread is one of them. I have to be so careful.
I feel cheated as I have the desire to follow the program and eat all those free fruits, but I can't. I have to watch vegetables and salads are not an option.
I'm sad about this.
I think, once I feel a bit better, that exercise/walking might have to be all I can do for now? I wish I could change this.