Re: Fw: Success with SCD

[Guest guest]

Thank you SOOOO much for a Crohn's success story!

Dora

Crohn's

SCD 5/06

& Charlene Flikkema wrote:

H all,

I was given permission to forward this from the LI list. It's bit long but worth

the read

Enjoy!

Charlene

UC 8 years

SCD 5 1/2 years

Hi,

I am new to the list and would like to pass along a bit about my success with

the diet. Be patient, this may be a long note. I have Crohn's, diagnosed in

1996, after a colonscopy. That was after about a year of really frequent

diarrhea, 10-12 times a day, especially after eating. I never had too much pain,

mostly in the right lower quadrant of my abdomen. I was given Pentasa 4gm daily

and was able to taper it down to 2 gm daily. Didn't have too many side effects,

just the usual light headness and slight headache. The diarrhea never went away,

but was much less and manageable. I still worried about going out, found the

bathroom everywhere I went, and thought about it constantly. I ate everything I

wanted and never thought it might be causing my problems. With such a mild case

of Crohn's, the next years were pretty uneventful but were full of D.

Since my mother had colon cancer, my MD recommended another colonscopy after 5

years. It was pretty good, a few inflammed areas, a negative biopsy, clean small

bowel. Stayed on the 2 gm of Pentasa. Two years later, I began have pain right

in the middle of my abdomen. It was colicky, coming and going, cramping. It

would wake me at night. The D increased and I felt pretty sluggish. Went to MD

who ordered an Upper GI Series which showed that my small bowel was narrowed,

fat wrapped and nodule for the lower 20 cm. That definitely explained the pain.

The MD reviewed the potential treatments, risks and future treatments. All of

which many of you are familiar with. I was very nervous and anxious and went for

a consultation with a well known surgeon. I thought that if I needed surgery, I

definitely wanted to do it as an elective surgery and not an emergency if I

became obstructed or the bowel perforated. He wasn't concerned as I was and

suggested delaying any kind of surgery.

For the next two years, I watched what I ate to be sure not to irritate the

small bowel. No lettuce, no raw vegetables, no raw fruit, no nuts. I remained on

the Pentasa. Finally, I found the SCD and started on it in July 2005. Within 4

weeks, I had no pain, no diarrhea and felt very energetic. Having been a bit

overweight, it even helped me lose a few pounds.

I was very faithful to the legals on the diet, read lots on the SCD web site,

bought the book and became a bit fanatical. In April 2006, I decided I needed to

get another evaluation. Went to a different GI Specialist who was at the medical

center with the surgeon I saw. Took my Upper GI xrays. Explained that I was

still concerned about the narrowing and wanted to get his opinion regarding any

potential surgery. He ordered more tests than you can imagine, speculating that

I might need surgery since two years had passed. He even said that with Crohn's,

many people will obstruct by the 8th year. That's where I was, 8th year.

I had a cardiac stress test, endoscopy, colonscopy, Upper GI series, lots of

blood tests.

To my surprise, amazement and uncontrollable joy, all the tests were negative.

No Crohn's visible on any of the exams and the biopsies were negative for active

Crohn's. The SCD was the key to my success.

I feel great, will continue on the diet, no longer so worried, taking Pentasa

and have had no D, pain, nausea or any other symptom.

Sharon

Crohn's 10 yr.

SCD 11 months

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