Mucosal Healing - Colonoscopy...

[Guest guest]

Hi there, We haven't talked before, but a while back I read a very encouraging email you posted on BTVC. Thanks so much for posting it! I've got a bit of an odd question and was wondering if you could help me out with it. I've been doing some research and I wanted to find out if people who follow SCD have been able to achieve mucosal healing, or if it's usually just symptom control that occurs rather than internal healing. Your results are great to hear, and i wanted to know if this happens very often.My question for you is if you have heard from, or

know of any other SCDers who have had colonoscopies or endoscopies and had success in healing the mucosal lining, If you can think of anyone I'd really appreciated their contact info, as I'd love to ask them about it. Any help would be much appreciated... Thanks again! Crohn's: Since July 2005, Dx Sept 2008SCD: Since Sept 2008Meds: Duiflucan 6 wks (spring 2009), LDN since Aril 2009To: BTVC-SCD Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 12:11:38 AMSubject: Good news - colonoscopy results after 4 years on SCD

Hi all. I used to spend a lot of time on this list (more when it was still the long island list) but I must admit I haven't logged in for a while. I have continued to keep up with emails on the scd.net list and help out there. I hope everyone is well. I have already sent this info to the other list but I wanted to spread my good news as far and wide as I could!

I had a colonoscopy on Friday after 4 yrs on SCD (I have had UC for 6 years). It was done because my specialist wanted to know how far the disease extends to know whether I now need to begin cancer surveillance (having had UC for 6 yrs). I have not had a flare for the last 2 and a half years and have been feeling fantastic for more than 1 year.

He gave me a copy of his report and it says "Preliminary diagnosis – normal colonoscopy" . He also says in the report that no mucosal abnormalities were seen. He told me he couldn't see any inflammation at all, absolutely nothing. However, he has taken biopsies and it's possible that these might identify that there is still some UC present – I'll have to wait and see. He says if they don't show anything either then he will take me off my remaining med (Colazide - the remission dose), if they show something I guess he'll want me to stay on a bit longer. Either way it's great news. I can't compare it with a previous colonoscopy because this was my first – however I had 2 previous sigmoidoscopies where my Dr was able to see UC inflammation on a visual inspection.

I have been feeling great for the last year and a half, able to eat everything on SCD with no real problems, but it's exciting to have that confirmed by the scope. It's a bit confusing when you have had UC because you don't know whether tiny little things are signs you are still not quite right or are unrelated - like a streak of mucus when you are constipated or a bloat after eating a big meal and sitting hunched over.

I hope this provides some inspiration to some of you who are in earlier stages of SCD healing!

I have always taken the approach of combining SCD with the meds my doctor recommends. This is what Elaine recommended, and I believe it is the way to go. I know there was one time when the SCD would not have been enough for me and I really needed prednisolone to kick me out of that flare, but equally the meds on their own were not enough either to get me symptom free. Together they were a winning combination. I have never worried about getting my meds compounded and any tiny amounts of `illegals' in them have not hindered my recovery.

I have not always done well on SCD, it has been an up and down journey – I got better and better for a while then had a huge flare for which I needed to take prednisolone for more than a year but then strangely after that I just got better and better again. I think the reason I was able to persevere was because I noticed a definite response after about 4 weeks on the diet, and that convinced me there was something in it. Also I read Raman Prasad's book Colitis and Me – he gave such an intelligent account of his experience that it convinced me SCD certainly does work for some people. After that, based on advice from Lucy (Lucy's kitchen) I tried not to sweat the ups and downs too much and just give the diet time to work (a lot of time in my case!). You do need to stick with it through thick and thin, be patient and cope with some disappointments along the way (and in my opinion take meds too if they help you!)

I wish you all as much success as I have had.

Kylie

UC 6 yrs

SCD 4 yrs

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