Opinions on Coffee....

[ErinD]

Since being mis-diagnosed the first time and following the IBS Diet i had stopped drinking Coffee. I miss it terribly and i am wondering if coffee will bother MC? Only once in awhile it would bother me prior to my diagnosis but i think it was because i was using creamer and i have since gone Diary Free...

Can anyone else tolerate coffee? I would love to go back but afraid to try!

[tex]

I don't drink coffee, (I never did), but I drink tea, and other caffeinated drinks, and I believe that many other members here drink coffee.

Many "experts" advise against caffeine for anyone with MC, because it is classified as a secretagogue, (an agent that stimulates secretion). The type of diarrhea that can be most troublesome with MC, is known as secretory diarrhea, where the colon actually secretes water into the lumen, rather than taking it out, as it normally does. Presumably, that is the basis for the logic that advises against the use of caffeine for anyone with MC.

This is just my opinion, (and remember, I am not a doctor), but IMO, the effect of caffeine on most of us, (unless we happen to be extremely sensitive to it), is similar to the effect that nicotine has on the healing process for a broken bone, for example. Any doctor will tell you that smoking will slow down the healing of a broken bone. What they don't tell you is that the effect is so slight that you will most likely not be able to measure it, or even detect it. IOW, it probably slows down healing by about ten minutes, in the six week time span that it normally takes to heal a broken bone.

The bottom line is, I don't believe it will hurt you, in moderation. I wouldn't recommend overdoing it, but that applies to almost everything we might eat or drink. Hopefully, you'll get some responses from members who actually drink coffee. One of the worst things you can drink, (if you have food intolerances), is anything with artificial sweeteners, especially aspertame. Many members have had major problems in the past, with aspertame.

Tex

[jen051279]

I indulge in occasional coffe. Mostly i drink the blended coffes but I have never really had problems with it. I would say try a small amount once and see what happens.

[kate_ce1995]

Coffee can definately have an effect on one's gut, but I tolerate it every morning. Best bet is to try a cup on a day when you don't have to go anywhere and see how you do. If no problems, you're good to go. If it bothers you, you'll know but not have to miss otherwise important activities.

Katy

[Mars]

I'll second Katy - I drink coffee daily - morning till night but am mostly in remission with the chronic poops too. (I now deal with autoimmune issues). I think the creamer might have been the problem in your case. Try it on a slow day........you might find it doesn't bother you!

Good luck!

[barbaranoela]

Coffee drinker here--

Make a 6 cuppa pot in the morning-----usually guzzle 4---then sorta savor the last 2 during the day---

Coffee never bothered me-----


Barbara

[Peggy]

I drink a lot of coffee, too, and it doesn't seem to bother me. I have a latte (regular, not low fat) every day and then drink about 4 cups of regular caffeinated throughout the rest of the day.

We're all different with this damned disease and you have to figure out what's best for you, through trial and error. My GI's advice to me when I was first dx'd and asked what my dietary restrictions were was that I had none...if something bothers you simply don't eat it again.

Peg

[annie oakley]

I drank coffee before I was diagnosed and still drink it. It has no effect on My MC what so ever. Like Tex I drink alot of Teas, green tea in piticular. It has many uses. Oma The Herb Lady!

[JJ]

I drink coffee....but....I also take Entocort.....Norman is around most of the time... JJ

[Polly]

Hi Erin and

So glad you have joined us!

I drink several cups of coffee a day and seem to tolerate it just fine, which is really saying something given all of my food intolerances (see list under my photo at left)! I don't know if you have any intolerances (they are common in MC), but to be safe, I drink a plain, unflavored coffee and add nothing to it. Over the years I have found that the artificial ("natural") flavors in coffees (hazelnut, chocolate, etc.) are often made from wheat or barley or other foods I can't tolerate.

Although we are all different, of course, my hunch would be that you'd be just fine with a plain coffee without dairy. Can you skip sugar too? (Sugar feeds the "bad" bacteria in our guts and can bring on the diarrhea.)

Good luck! I know how you feel. I am miserable if I don't get my daily fix of coffee.

Love,

Polly

[ErinD]

Just had a small cup with a little sugar and some Almond Milk instead of the creamer i used to use. I did ok. My stomach got a little angry with me and i had more bowel movements than without (but the Entocort is still working and keeping them mostly formed).

I went grocery shopping in the afternoon and came across the Folgers Simply Smooth coffee for Sensitive Stomachs and picked some up to try and see if that was any better. I will wait until next weekend to try it though just in case!