Obstructions and Resections

Eli,
You told me you have had recent obstructions and that you had been advised to have another resection. Please be advised that the tissue (probably close to the previous resected intestine is involved) cannot be reversed by the diet. The diet prevents further inflammation of tissue but cannot reverse damage that is already there.

Therefore, before you go on the diet, you have two choices:
(1) You avoid even some of the "legal" foods that might plug up the narrowed ileum or
(2) you have the resection and start from fresh and that way you can eat just about all foods recommended.

I have experience with similar situations; it is not unusual. What happens usually is that (if you decide not to have the resection immediately) is that you will progress but, occasionally, (not anywhere as often) will have an obstruction if you have things like spaghetti squash, lots of raisins, grapes, very fibrous foods like whole nuts, etc. Often, the inflammation will decrease around the affected area and you can do very well watching some of the foods (you will get plenty to eat) and may not need the second resection.
Others have the resection and eat carefully for about one month and then eat all of the foods allowed. The reason for this is because: once the affected area has undergone inflammation for extended periods, that part of the intestine loses its elasticity (yes, there are actually fibers in the intestinal wall that are called elastic fibers) and is unable to "give and take" (stretch and relax) as normal intestinal wall does. So, even on the diet, if the area is really fibrotic, then some foods on the diet can actually plug it up like the raisins, grapes, spaghetti squash, etc.