Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Hello everybody I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my brain/nerves/depression/anxiety. I've always felt the two to be closely related. I found the diet surprisingly easy to begin with. I really enjoyed making the food. For the first week I felt pretty good mentally, but I noticed an increase in bloating. After 7 days I had a big crash - really nervous, depressed, irritable etc. At the same time the bloating has decreased and my stools are more formed and a better colour etc. Does this make sense to anybody? I'm still feeling pretty hideous - but I thought this was supposed to happen in the first few days, not after a week. Any encouragement much appreciated as I so want this diet to have answers for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 > Hello everybody > > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal > - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my > brain/nerves/depression/anxiety. I've always felt the two to be > closely related. > > I found the diet surprisingly easy to begin with. I really enjoyed > making the food. For the first week I felt pretty good mentally, > but I noticed an increase in bloating. > > After 7 days I had a big crash - really nervous, depressed, > irritable etc. At the same time the bloating has decreased and my > stools are more formed and a better colour etc. > > Does this make sense to anybody? I'm still feeling pretty hideous - > but I thought this was supposed to happen in the first few days, not > after a week. Hey , Welcome to the list. You are experiencing die off - there are a myriad of neural connections between the gut and the brain, and one survival strategy that the pathogenic bacteria/ mold/fungus have is to increase symptoms such as you describe in order to get the subject - you - to break down and feed them their preferred foods again. Make you feel crappy enough to take solace in the junk food that feeds them again. Also, as these pathogenic critters begin to die off, all kinds of toxins are released into your gut and blood that will make you feel terrible - in ways that you describe - those are among the symptoms. But there is no precise rule as to when it will occur - a few days, a week, a few weeks, depends on how hardy and resistant your pathogens are. So you are right on track. Just keep on going - and once the die off is over, you'll feel much, much better. Mara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Hi & Welcome, I would venture to say you just experienced a big dose of die-off. It will happen periodically, a.k.a. “the 3 month flare”, and the 6 month flare and so on. I had the 3 month flare more times than I can count. It has been my experience that the die-off episodes become (mostly) less severe. It’s a process. Healing takes time, though if you’ve had pain associated with your IBS then you should find symptom relief fairly rapidly. Pain relief was immediate for me when I first started the diet. Your entire digestive system is, as Elaine Gottschall said, switching from rumen to human digestion. You’re on your way to healing! I learned that people with bowel disease do not produce much endorphins. So consequently I have experienced bouts of depression my entire adult life. I too think there is a brain-gut connection. So I suggest you look into Low Dose Naltrexone or LDN. It helps the body to produce endorphins. I’ve been using it for 4 months now and I have never felt better. www.LowDoseNaltrexone.org Dysbiosis can be addressed by eating the 24 hour yogurt and/or taking a legal probiotic, adding Saccharomyces boulardii (a community minded yeast) supplement and/or taking anti-fungals if needed. Hang in there! Carol CD 21 yrs SCD 5 yrs B12 shots & LDN cream From: BTVC-SCD [mailto:BTVC-SCD ] On Behalf Of johnniehaz I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my brain/nerves/depression/anxiety. I've always felt the two to be closely related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Hi , Regarding the mental effects caused by intestinal disease Dr. Haas, the original SCD developer, wrote http://ulcerativecolitissite.info/Page_96.pdf Aloha, Mort From: BTVC-SCD [mailto:BTVC-SCD ] On Behalf Of Mara Schiffren Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 7:14 AM To: BTVC-SCD Subject: Re: diet update > Hello everybody > > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal > - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my > brain/nerves/depression/anxiety. I've always felt the two to be > closely related. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 I agree with the gut/brain connection. I've always been in a fairly good mood, but the mental symptoms- anxiety, depression, insomnia were at least as bad as the D. I had last spring. They were hard to tolerate and were very frightening. It was the strangest thing. Now that I've been on SCD for 6 months, both gut and mood are thankfully improved. PJ > > > Hello everybody > > > > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal > > - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my > > brain/nerves/depression/anxiety. I've always felt the two to be > > closely related. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 I also agree about a brain/bowel connection. My daughter had extreme anxiety about 3 years ago. We found out she had celiac disease and went GF. She did ok for awhile. Then summer of 08 the anxiety was over the top again. We had no idea what was happening. Thankfully the Lord lead us to a nutritionist in our area who did tests and found an overgrowth of bacteria in her gut and put her on the SCD on October of 08. It has been a year on it. Her anxiety is not gone. She's still on Lexapro and sees a counselor. but she's at school which last year at this time, she missed 3 months of school because of the anxiety. Lately we see huge improvements in her regarding her anxiety. But then today she had the set back with the extreme gas at school and went to the nurse and I picked her up. So tonight her stomach is bothering her and her anxiety is up about going to school tomorrow. I see a huge connection that whenever her stomach is bothering her, the anxiety is up. It's just so obvious to me that there is a huge brain/bowel connection. Marla To: BTVC-SCD Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 5:34:29 PMSubject: Re: diet update I agree with the gut/brain connection. I've always been in a fairly good mood, but the mental symptoms- anxiety, depression, insomnia were at least as bad as the D. I had last spring. They were hard to tolerate and were very frightening. It was the strangest thing. Now that I've been on SCD for 6 months, both gut and mood are thankfully improved. PJ> > > Hello everybody> >> > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal > > - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my > > brain/nerves/ depression/ anxiety. I've always felt the two to be > > closely related.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 I just want to say one more thing. I have felt all year very upset and sad thinking about all of the mental patients in hospitals who maybe all they need is a diet change. Last year when Rach was off for the 3 months from school because of the anxiety, doctors suggested us admitting her to a psych ward for teens. Thank God we didn't do that. That would have been the worst decision of our lives. She's a beautiful, smart girl who gets straight A's. This wasn't a troubled kid who is cutting herself or a rebellious teen. It drives me nuts just thinking about what doctors were telling us last year. The medical field was useless last year. Her pediatric gastro doctor at Univ. of Chicago said her pains were all in her head. Totally nuts!!!! Things started to turn around once the diet was started. So, anyway, it has bothered me for a year about the mental patients idea. I also want to add that she also has thyroid issues. Her TPO is the level that is off, so she's on Nature Throid which is like Armour. and on natural supplements for the TPO to come down since August. That also could be why her anxiety levels are better lately. Marla To: BTVC-SCD Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 5:34:29 PMSubject: Re: diet update I agree with the gut/brain connection. I've always been in a fairly good mood, but the mental symptoms- anxiety, depression, insomnia were at least as bad as the D. I had last spring. They were hard to tolerate and were very frightening. It was the strangest thing. Now that I've been on SCD for 6 months, both gut and mood are thankfully improved. PJ> > > Hello everybody> >> > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal > > - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my > > brain/nerves/ depression/ anxiety. I've always felt the two to be > > closely related.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Just keep on going - and once the die off is over, you'll feel much, much better. I have found in the 3 months I've been on SCD that the thing that helps me stay encouraged the most is this. I have plenty of bad days with die-off, or I tried something a little too soon, whatever, and it often feels just like the bad old days before SCD. BUT, when I don't have a bad day, the good days are better! I presume as time goes on there will be more good days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Thyroid and anxiety are related. I completely agree with you about the diet. It's a shame docs go straight to meds first. PJ > > > > > Hello everybody > > > > > > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal > > > - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my > > > brain/nerves/ depression/ anxiety. I've always felt the two to be > > > closely related. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Marla, Might I suggest that you make sure she is getting selenium? If she is taking SCD recommended vitamins, she probably is, but you might check. According to my doctor, and other things I have read, the body needs it to convert the T4 (which is what is given in the thyroid tablets) to T3 (which is what is used on a cellular level in the body). Amelia > > > > > Hello everybody > > > > > > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal > > > - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my > > > brain/nerves/ depression/ anxiety. I've always felt the two to be > > > closely related. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Hello Thanks to you all for your support and encouragement! I think I feel marginally better today, but still in one BIG crisis! I bought a book by another doc who uses the SCD, Dr Natasha McBride. Her diet is exactly the same, but no dairy is allowed. What do you make of this? I'm not sure if I could cope without dairy... > > Hello everybody > > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my brain/nerves/depression/anxiety. I've always felt the two to be closely related. > > I found the diet surprisingly easy to begin with. I really enjoyed making the food. For the first week I felt pretty good mentally, but I noticed an increase in bloating. > > After 7 days I had a big crash - really nervous, depressed, irritable etc. At the same time the bloating has decreased and my stools are more formed and a better colour etc. > > Does this make sense to anybody? I'm still feeling pretty hideous - but I thought this was supposed to happen in the first few days, not after a week. > > Any encouragement much appreciated as I so want this diet to have answers for me! > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Read the comments here about McBride. As far as SCD is concerned, dairy is OK if you tolerate it. Keep on SCD and hopefully both GI and mental symptoms will improve. You may feel pretty bad with the " die off " but it's temporary and you may not feel bad at all. For me, I got a really weird rash at the die off time, which went away. PJ > > > > Hello everybody > > > > I began the diet 10 days ago. I have two main areas I want to heal - one is my gut (low level IBS, dysbiosis etc) and the other is my brain/nerves/depression/anxiety. I've always felt the two to be closely related. > > > > I found the diet surprisingly easy to begin with. I really enjoyed making the food. For the first week I felt pretty good mentally, but I noticed an increase in bloating. > > > > After 7 days I had a big crash - really nervous, depressed, irritable etc. At the same time the bloating has decreased and my stools are more formed and a better colour etc. > > > > Does this make sense to anybody? I'm still feeling pretty hideous - but I thought this was supposed to happen in the first few days, not after a week. > > > > Any encouragement much appreciated as I so want this diet to have answers for me! > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 At 06:04 AM 10/28/2009, you wrote: I bought a book by another doc who uses the SCD, Dr Natasha McBride. Her diet is exactly the same, but no dairy is allowed. What do you make of this? I'm not sure if I could cope without dairy... Dr. C-Mc's diet is based on the SCD, but her starting point was children with autism, who often have such compromised guts that they cannot handle any dairy at the outset. As a consequence, her version of SCD is dairy free. Note: Pecanbread's program also begins dairy free, but then progresses to goat yogurt and goat cheeses. The GAPS diet allows some things which SCD does not, and promulgates certain probiotics which SCD does not. (I have not tried the GAPS probiotics, but I have experimented with similar blends, and the bifidus made me very ill.) I'm afraid I couldn't do GAPS, myself, because giving up cheese and yogurt is an impossibility for me. Also, when I was starting SCD, if someone had told me that not only did I have to give up all grains, all potatoes, make my own food, AND give up my beloved cheese and yogurt, I'd have said, " <Bleep> THIS! " — Marilyn New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001 Darn Good SCD Cook No Human Children Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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