Why GI Docs Can't Effectively Treat Digestive Diseases

[tex]

Hi All,

Here's what the American College of Gastroenterology lists as the benefits of fiber in the diet:

Keep in mind that a high-fiber diet may tend to improve:

Chronic constipation
Coronary heart disease
Hemorrhoids
Diabetes mellitus
Diverticular disease
Elevated cholesterol
Irritable bowel syndrome
Colorectal cancer

http://patients.gi.org/topics/digestive ... ips/#bloat

And yet (as I point out in my book) research shows that there is no convincing evidence that fiber actually protects against the development of colorectal polyps or cancer, nor has it been shown to be provide any help for constipation or any other digestive system symptoms. In a research paper titled Fiber and colorectal diseases: Separating fact from fiction, published in 2007, Tan and Seow-Chen disprove most of those claims and even conclude that fiber appears to make a diverticulosis problem worse, rather than to help. That conclusion is difficult to dispute, considering that despite increasing fiber intake in most developed countries, the prevalence of diverticulosis has continued to increase during recent decades.

http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/13/4161.pdf

If the American College of Gastroentrology doesn't even understand something as basic as fiber in the diet, how can they be expected to understand something as complex as an IBD? And yet they continue to promote these misguided claims.

Tex

[mzh]

When I first had this "problem" starting in 2002, the GI doc told me to take Metamucil, then the pill-type of fiber. Of course, all that made matters worse yet he looked so confounded by that. The good news is that he eventually quit practicing gastroenterology and -- bad news -- became head of the GI dept at the local hospital. Well, at least he quit prescribing fiber. Scary because look who's running the GI program there. Talk about the Peter Principle at work.

[JFR]

Selective inattention. The gi doc I saw about 6 years ago, after determining that I did not have celiac, told me to eat fiber, even though I said it made things worse. I ignored his advice and never went back.

Jean

[mzh]

I suspect that most GI docs make their livings doing colos and endos and don't want to think - or learn more - about actual diseases. Takes too much brain power or something.

[Lesley]

My PCP sent me an email telling me my cholesterol was bad, and told me to eat more fiber. Granted, she isn't a GI, but I have talked to her about the effect of eating it. In one ear and out the other.

[mzh]

Lesley, all I can say is UGH! The same with "Take NSAIDS for arthritis and muscle pains". So many docs refuse to think about the individual patient's needs. MC and NSAIDS=I don't think so!

[Christine.]

Scary! My daughter, the personal trainer/ boot camp queen swears fiber is all- important. I would be interested in hearing how Leah feels since her background is the same but is likely altered by mc.

[draperygoddess]

When I got my first "IBS" diagnosis, I was first told to eat Activia and take Metamucil. That didn't work, so the doctor told me to take Florastor. After that he gave up. Unfortunately, the GI's advice wasn't significantly different: avoid dairy and artificial sweeteners, take Immodium. Of course, this is a doctor who looked at the path report of "colonic mucosa inflammation and edema" and told me my results were normal.