Sesame Seeds: Safe or Troublesome?

I went out to eat with my husband tonight at Arby's. I had eaten almost all of my roast beef sandwich when I realized the top of the bun had sesame seeds on it. Does anyone know if these cause a lot of problems? I just didn't think about it because everything is so new and I thought the roast beef would be safe. Please let me know if I'm gonna be in trouble or not.

Hello freedancer. 

What's done is done! There is little you can do about it now except wait to see if it has any effects adverse or otherwise. Anxiety/worry and anticipation are often the cause of gut problems rather than the food itself so try to see it as an experiment where you 'want' to know the results, rather than worrying about what those results might be. 

We are all different in what we can and cannot eat so there is no definiitve answer to your question as to whether sesame seeds will cause a problem. They are so small that it seems unlikely uless you are allegic to them in some other way. 

I have tried all sorts of food, one step at a time so that I am sure of what is doing what when I eat it. So far, I have found that I can eat everything I was eating before and more, as long as I chew it well and allow it to digest without aggravating the system by worrying. Changing my job to a less stressful one was probably the best thing I did to aid proper digestion and avoid problems.

I hope this helps 

Best wishes

Bill

Whew! Thank you! So far so good for now. I can say that I was feeling a little nervous for sure but no effects at this point.

Hi freedancer ... I did not see if you had a colostomy or ileostomy and since I have an ileo I am more restricted but I have no issues at all with sesame seeds. The first time I had them was like your instance; however, I did not realize they were on the bun until I saw them when I emptied my pouch LOL; I was like, what are those little things floating around? And yep, that's what it was.

I am almost 2 years into having my ostomy and have found that, as Bill said, if you try one thing at a time and just a little bit to how you do, you will build up your "menu" in no time. In fact, again as Bill said, I can eat everything I did before and more -- I do try to go light on the raw veggies -- just a little at a time, but I do eat them occasionally.

So you should be fine -- take care!

Paula

Hello Freedancer. I also have an ileostomy and find I can eat just about anything and it's not even a year old. I'm super careful on certain foods to make sure I chew extra well, but sesame seeds have never been an issue. They are very tiny. Just go slow when you eat. Everyone is different.

Hi Free,

Everyone has a different level of tolerance for different foods. I found that I was unable to eat corn or corn products for quite some time and I avoided seeds of any kind for the first year after my colostomy. Now, I am able to eat anything and everything but I do recommend small amounts, especially when you add something new to your menu. Trial and error is the way to find out. Stay well.

MarVee

Hi! I've never had any problem with sesame seeds, or other small seeds, although I try not to eat bell pepper seeds anymore. (They tend to give me gas, for some reason). And I can't eat popcorn anymore - that causes me problems. And I do so miss it when going to the movies! Other than that though, I can probably eat just about anything. It did take me a while of trial and error to bring those things back into my diet and find out what worked and what didn't, so just go slow, experiment a little at a time, and enjoy what you eat rather than worry about it!

Dana

I agree with all that has been said concerning sesame seeds as they are so tiny. Many have mentioned intolerance to popcorn. For many years after my ileostomy, I was able to eat popcorn with no problem. But as the years passed and my tract became more narrow, I couldn't digest popcorn well anymore. I started a search for hulless popcorn and to my pleasant surprise, I discovered a snack that I actually like better than regular popcorn. It is called Chester's Puff Corn butter flavor. It tastes exactly like movie popcorn without the hard hulls. The only negative with it though is that it's addictive! Hope this helps those popcorn lovers like me enjoy a great alternative.

I tend to stay away from seeds as well, but sometimes they sneak into the food that I am eating. Chew, chew, chew...is my motto. I also limit my raw veggie intake. I have an ileostomy from severe UC. Prior to my one and only life-changing flare, I never had bowel concerns other than the usual. Thank you Vollovr for the recommendation of Chester's Puff Corn butter. I am going to give it a try. I can eat very small amounts of popped corn, but who can eat a small amount of popped corn... not me :) I can't wait to find this product in my grocery store and give it a try. In the old days....popped corn was my go-to for many years.... I would eat popped corn with butter/salt as my dinner. LOL. LH