Some ways to manage gut symptoms

Dry mouth

A dry mouth can cause difficulties with tasting, chewing and swallowing foods.

  • Sip fluids regularly throughout the day and have a soft, moist diet
  • Chew sugar-free gum and suck ice or sweets to help stimulate saliva
  • Try sugar-free sharp lemon / lime / orange flavoured squashes
  • Artificial saliva is available if necessary from your chemist or doctor

Difficulty swallowing

Muscles in your throat can slow down, causing swallowing difficulties; you may need a referral to a Speech and Language Therapist.

  • Allow plenty of time for meals.
  • Eat slowly and chew your food well.
  • Choose soft foods or purée your foods in a blender to help you swallow safely.
  • Avoid tough meats, stringy vegetables, nuts and seeds.
  • Add extra sauce/gravy/milk to your foods to make them a consistency that is more easily swallowed.
  • Fortify your foods if you begin to lose weight.

Gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying)

You may find that your stomach empties very slowly, causing you to feel full and uncomfortable.

  • Always chew food well
  • Sit upright during and after meals
  • Eat little and often
  • Try to avoid alcohol and fizzy drinks
  • Avoid solid meals that are high in fat or protein, as these will empty more slowly
  • Softer foods, such as tender/puréed meat and fish, well-cooked vegetables, eggs and dairy; as well as liquid nutrition including blended soups, smoothies and milky drinks may be better tolerated
  • Lower fibre foods may be easier to digest, such as white bread, pasta or rice and lower fibre breakfast cereals. Always peel fruit and discard the pips and pith. Avoid eating nuts and seeds

Heartburn and reflux

Heartburn refers to a burning pain in the chest that is usually felt after eating. It can be a sign of reflux, which occurs when acid from the stomach moves backwards into the oesophagus.

  • Sit upright during and after meals
  • Eat little and often
  • Avoid very fatty/fried foods as they stay in the stomach for longer
  • Cut down on caffeine, alcohol and fizzy drinks
  • Have your main meal at lunchtime rather than in the evening
  • Elevate the top end of your bed by six to eight inches
  • Avoid eating and drinking before bed

Diarrhoea, constipation and bloating

Everyone will have a different experience but whatever your symptoms, there are a number of measures that may help:

  • Have regular meals each day, taking the time to sit down and relax while you eat
  • Avoid skipping meals or leaving long gaps between meals
  • Avoid chewing gum, fizzy drinks, caffeine and alcohol

For diarrhoea with wind and bloating

  • Limit fruit to three portions per day, including fruit juice

For constipation with wind and bloating

  • Try oats or golden linseeds (one tablespoon per day) to help soften the stool. Ensure that fluid is taken with these to increase effectiveness

For diarrhoea (with or without alternating constipation)

  • Reduce your fibre intake. Choose white varieties of bread, pasta, rice and cereals, and try to avoid nuts and seeds
  • Avoid the skins, pips and pith from fruit and vegetables
  • Avoid sorbitol (a sweetener found in sugar-free sweets and drinks) as this has a laxative effect
  • Avoid fatty, spicy and processed foods

For constipation

  • Gradually increase your intake of high fibre foods. Choose wholegrain breads/pasta/rice/cereals and introduce nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables
  • Increase your fluid intake as you increase fibre, to a minimum of eight glasses - approximately two litres - per day

For diarrhoea (with or without alternating constipation)

  • Reduce your fibre intake. Choose white varieties of bread/pasta/rice/cereals instead of brown, and avoid nuts and seeds
  • Avoid the skins, pips and pith from fruit and vegetables
  • Cut out anything containing sorbitol (a sweetener found in sugar-free sweets and drinks) as this has a laxative effect
  • Avoid fatty, spicy and processed foods

Difficulty maintaining weight

Weight loss and poor appetite can become common issues for people with scleroderma. Try to eat little and often. Aim to have three smaller but regular meals with nutritious snacks in between.

Drink plenty of milk and milky drinks such as hot chocolate, malted drinks and milkshakes. Aim for at least one pint of whole (full cream or full fat) milk per day.

Fortify your meals and drinks to increase the energy and protein in every mouthful that you take in. Some examples of ways to fortify your meals include:

  • Add four tablespoons of dried milk powder to one pint of full fat milk. Use this in place of regular milk, in drinks, on cereal and in porridge and desserts
  • Add butter, margarine or olive oil to savoury foods such as potatoes, vegetables, soups and sauces
  • Sprinkle extra cheese over dishes
  • Add double cream to both sweet and savoury foods and drinks such as porridge, cereal milk, coffee, custard, soups and sauces
  • Add jam, honey or sugar to breakfast cereals, desserts and drinks
  • Some people may require oral nutritional supplements that are prescribed by a doctor or dietician if they continue to lose weight. You may be referred to a gastroenterologist if your symptoms persist. Please visit our nutrition page for more information on eating well

Pain or immobility in the hands

These symptoms can make preparing and cooking meals more difficult, however there are some steps that you can take at home that may make things easier.

  • Buy pre-cut and ready-packaged foods such as frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables, or ready-chopped, re-sealable portions of staple items
  • Cook double what you actually need, then freeze the other half in portions for another day
  • Try online shopping

An occupational therapist can provide you with cooking and feeding aids to help maintain your independence

More information and finding support

SRUK are here to support you and we offer a number of ways to access information and resources, find support and connect with others who may be in a similar situation. Please give us a call on 020 3893 5998 and we will be very happy to help you. 

Social media

Our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube pages are designed to enable you to interact with others, discuss different issues and share advice. You can also help us to raise awareness of Scleroderma and Raynaud's by sharing web pages using the share buttons.

Join our online community

You can also visit our online community hosted on the Health Unlocked website. This is a friendly space where you can chat with other people who are affected by scleroderma, exchange advice and information and share support.

Ask us a question

If you have a question and you cannot find the answer, please contact us at info@sruk.co.uk and we can forward it to a specialist on your behalf.

Receive our Newsletter to keep up-to-date with the latest news and developments

Become a member

When you join the SRUK community, you will receive a number of benefits, including:

  • Our quarterly magazine

  • Priority booking for community events

  • Regular member-only discounts at the SRUK shop

  • Opportunities for observation and product trials that we may run with partner entities

Our free Helpline - 0800 311 2756

The SRUK Helpline is designed to provide support and is open from 9am until 7pm, 365 days a year. It is answered by trained volunteers who have been affected by Scleroderma or Raynaud's.

Find your nearest Support Group

We have Support Groups all over the UK, that enable people affected by Scleroderma and Raynaud's to make connections, either in person, via email or over the telephone. Please click here for more information.