What should I eat during a flare with pain, nausea, or diarrhea?

During a flare with pelvic pain, nausea, or diarrhea, we generally recommend keeping meals small, simple, and easy to digest. Soft, cooked foods like broth-based soups, oatmeal, rice, scrambled eggs, poached fish or tofu, and stewed fruit are often better tolerated than heavy or complex meals. Sipping fluids regularly—especially options with electrolytes—can help you stay hydrated when your appetite is low or your stools are loose.

For many patients, symptoms worsen with raw roughage, high-fat meals, and very spicy foods, so it can help to temporarily scale those back until things settle. Once the flare eases, you can gradually reintroduce a wider range of foods and watch for patterns that reliably trigger symptoms. If bowel symptoms are frequent or escalating, our team can help evaluate whether endometriosis, adenomyosis, or overlapping gastrointestinal conditions could be contributing, and discuss a plan that fits your day-to-day life.