Colonoscopy prep suggestions for a young adult on a restricted diet.

November 19, 2022 3:52 AM

I posted about my son’s stomach issues few months ago .Like many of you suggested , we took our son to a new gastroenterologist and he did CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, multiple blood test. They found some intestines wall thickening and slightly elevated fatty liver.

This new gastroenterologist is amazing.He is patient, listens and has been ordering all the non invasive tests/procedures but at last he wanted the colonoscopy done to get to the bottom of this. The colonoscopy/endoscopy appointment is this coming Tuesday( initially it was scheduled for 2nd week of December). The doctor called yesterday and tried to get him ASAP as my son has been in pain last few days.

My son is on a gluten free ,soy free , dairy free vegetarian diet. Doesn’t like egg in any other form except in cakes and muffin. As such , he has stomach issues, he has to eat every hour and has bowel movements after every meal. Now he needs to avoid many things like nuts,seeds,whole grain,lentils, veggies, fruits, etc etc and on a low residue diet too………………Being vegetarian with allergies and added restrictions, I have been scrambling my head all night thinking what to feed him this next 3 days. First thing came to my mind is potatoes( without skin ofc ) in many ways.

Many gluten free cookies have seeds /nuts or something that is not suitable at this time. So, I will be cooking 24/7 unless I can find something to grab from Wholefoods/Trader Joe’s/Costco/Wegmans( these are stores within 10 miles ..so anything you can think of that is readily available, I can ask my partner to get it )

So, Looking for tips and suggestions to first handle this tough three days and then whatever comes after the colonoscopy results(can’t think of that right now🤯)

Thank you all.

posted by SunPower to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

A lot of the stuff on this list is obviously not going to work long-term but hopefully can get you through the weekend:

- frozen potato products (french fries, tater tots, hash browns)
- baked potatoes but you scoop out the insides to give him (easier than peeling potatoes, for me at least)
- sweet potatoes (baked and scooped out)
- Potato chips
- vegan GF ramen noodles (e.g.Lotus Foods Rice Ramen, available at WF and Wegman's)
- canned green beans (these are usually allowed on low-residue diets, sometimes tomato sauce as well, obviously ignore this if you've been instructed otherwise)
- white rice (easy if you have a rice cooker, otherwise you can make a big batch and reheat or get the prepared shelf-stable kind in packages)
- GF, nut-free, dairy-free cake, cookies, muffins (Homefree is a brand carried at my local Wegman's, also Katz)
- GF, nut-free, dairy-free breads (most Schar's varieties have added fiber which may be a no-go, but Udi's has much less fiber)
- GF toaster waffles (TJs has a good one, or Van's are usually available at WF and Wegman's)
- GF pasta (Delallo and Barilla brands at Wegman's don't have whole grains or nut flour or anything, just corn flour and rice flour)
- Snyder's GF pretzels (available at Wegman's)
-"unhealthy" breakfast cereals
-- Wegman's store brand rice krispies should be GF (but check, obviously)
-- Most General Mills cereals are GF and in general processed cereals are allowed on low-residue diets
- juices like grape, apple, no-pulp orange

Also if there's someone you can reach out to about whether nut milks, coconut milk, oat milk, etc. are allowed it might be worth asking! That could open up things like ice cream, ice cream bars - assuming your son likes that kind of stuff.
posted by mskyle at 4:50 AM on November 19, 2022 [3 favorites]

I have Crohn’s and get a lot of colonoscopies, and also work in GI and food allergies! Some ideas off the top of my head…

- White rice (you could try fried rice with liquid aminos and frozen peas and carrots, or white rice plus any safe food your child likes.)
- puffed rice cereal, rice Chex, or corn flakes, etc with dairy free milk
- Well-cooked fruits and veggies are safe, without the skin, so you could try making dairy free butternut squash soup, any other soups that are acceptable, homemade smoothies with dairy free yogurt, packaged applesauce
- No Whey Chocolately Covered Pretzels is also client favorite snack for GF/soy/dairy free snack. I think some purchase from Amazon.
-Apples without skin and nut butter
- Beyond Beef meatballs are gluten and soy free as well. Use those however you see fit!
- Rice cakes (savory toppings or vegan butter, honey) tortilla chips, with homemade guac. Corn tortilla quesadillas with dairy free cheese.
- Loaded baked potato without skin, instant mashed potatoes
- Kate Farms nutrition shakes is what I use for my folks with lots of food allergies, including soy, dairy and gluten. It can be pricier, but if you work with a GI or RD, you might be able to get a prescription for your child.
- If you need any more recipe ideas, I like Pick Up Limes. They’re vegan, and you can filter by allergens.

As an aside, I’d also recommend looking into working with a registered dietitian that specializes in eating disorders, GI, and food allergies. We see so many kids with GI issues and food allergies/restrictions that have fear of foods due to the pain they can be in. If you need any more suggestions, please DM me!
posted by buttonedup at 4:53 AM on November 19, 2022 [6 favorites]

Mashed butternut squash with vegan butter, salt, pepper, is delicious.
Butternut squash soup, for me, is pureed squash, and thickened with broth and thickened with a roux made from vegan butter and rice flour. I do the same with broccolli, cauliflower, and spinach. i think of it as vegetable porridge.
Rice pudding made with almond milk and apples.
Is chick pea flour allowed? I made scalloped root vegetables with layers of sliced parboiled beets, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, and a batter of chickpea(gram) flour and water.
You can roast sweet potatoes in the microwave, delicious with vegan butter, salt and pepper. I've had sweet potato souffle, and it was tasty, so sweet potato mixed with beaten egg, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and baked might make eggs tasty for him.
Frozen cauliflower, squash, Brussells spouts, roast beautifully in olive oil with seasonings. You can add mushrooms for some variety. Frozen veg are way less work when you have your hands full.
Corn bread with extra eggs and liquid(cider is nice) makes it pudding-y.

This must be so hard on him and all of you, good luck.
posted by theora55 at 6:05 AM on November 19, 2022

Response by poster: Got through this weekend with some of your suggestions and I’m feeling much relaxed now. Thanks a lot.
posted by SunPower at 11:55 AM on November 20, 2022

A starting point is goggling specific carbohydrate diet. It’ll provide a list of foods to avoid and those foods beneficial when dealing with a gastrointestinal illness. Ultimately the goal is to avoid or lessen the inflammation. Also, green and peppermint teas are good beverage options. I have ulcerative colitis. Medication allows me to be in remission as well as a gluten free diet with supplements which lessens my inflammation. Everyone is different in what works. A combination of a good gastroenterologist and becoming knowledgeable about the diagnosis and the do’s and don’ts leads to maintaining a normal life. Good luck and hope you have answers in a couple of weeks.
posted by onair at 3:03 PM on November 20, 2022