How do you tell?

February 15, 2010

I'm wondering how each of you tell if something is " die-off " or if you're doing

or eating something that your body just can't deal with and shouldn't have? I

think part of the reason I ask is that I've been SCD for at least 4 years now.

I make all my own stuff, I don't eat anything illegal. Ever. But I do have a

mini flare every month, no matter what (hormone related?). And this past year

I've had 3 major flares. We haven't been able to figure out what caused them

(no infection, no sign of disease, no new foods). The starter diet isn't enough

to get my symptoms under control anymore but, fortunately, I've found that my

body responds really quickly to a juice fast (heh...pre-starter diet for me )

and then I can start adding one food at a time from the starter diet. During my

last colonoscopy (a couple weeks ago) my doc said that there was no sign of

disease and to keep doing what I'm doing. After doing this for four years it

seems unlikely that these are episodes of die-off but I'm really not sure how to

tell if flare symptoms and die-off symptoms seem to be the same (I say this

because I've not experienced the achiness/headache/fever etc symptoms - it's

always flare). So I'd like to hear how you can tell whether you're actually

flaring or having to deal with die-off?

Stacey

February 15, 2010

> I'm wondering how each of you tell if something is "die-off" or if > you're doing or eating something that your body just can't deal with and > shouldn't have? I think part of the reason I ask is that I've been SCD > for at least 4 years now. I make all my own stuff, I don't eat anything > illegal. Ever. But I do have a mini flare every month, no matter what > (hormone related?). And this past year I've had 3 major flares. We > haven't been able to figure out what caused them (no infection, no sign > of disease, no new foods). The starter diet isn't enough to get my > symptoms under control anymore but, fortunately, I've found that my body > responds really quickly to a juice fast (heh...pre-starter diet for me > ) and then I can start adding one food at a time from the starter > diet. During my last colonoscopy (a couple weeks ago) my doc said that > there was no sign of disease and to keep doing what I'm doing. After > doing this for four years it seems unlikely that these are episodes of > die-off but I'm really not sure how to tell if flare symptoms and > die-off symptoms seem to be the same (I say this because I've not > experienced the achiness/headache/fever etc symptoms - it's always > flare). So I'd like to hear how you can tell whether you're actually > flaring or having to deal with die-off?> Stacey >What symptoms do you get when you experience what you're calling a flare?For me, a flare involves, first and foremost a resurgence of abdominal pain (in a very specific location) and renewed gas and diarrhea. Die-off makes my joints ache, creates some fatigue or at least tiredness, mental fog, irritability and nausea at some level. True, all of those can also accompany Crohn's itself. But over the years I've pretty much gotten to be able to tell the difference, since depending on the cause, they feel subtlely different.n ______________________________A funny, touching gift book for cat lovers. Signed copies, free shipping (U.S., reduced elsewhere): Confessions of a Cataholic: My Life With the 10 Cats Who Caused My Addiction by n Van Til www.wordpowerpublishing.com

February 15, 2010

I don't know if I've had die-off symptoms or not, so I can't answer your question, but what you describe sounds hormone-related.

To: BTVC-SCD Sent: Mon, February 15, 2010 3:16:15 PMSubject: How do you tell?

I'm wondering how each of you tell if something is "die-off" or if you're doing or eating something that your body just can't deal with and shouldn't have? I think part of the reason I ask is that I've been SCD for at least 4 years now. I make all my own stuff, I don't eat anything illegal. Ever. But I do have a mini flare every month, no matter what (hormone related?). And this past year I've had 3 major flares. We haven't been able to figure out what caused them (no infection, no sign of disease, no new foods). The starter diet isn't enough to get my symptoms under control anymore but, fortunately, I've found that my body responds really quickly to a juice fast (heh...pre-starter diet for me ) and then I can start adding one food at a time from the starter diet. During my last colonoscopy (a couple weeks ago) my doc said that there was no sign of disease and to keep doing what I'm doing. After doing this for four years it seems unlikely that these

are episodes of die-off but I'm really not sure how to tell if flare symptoms and die-off symptoms seem to be the same (I say this because I've not experienced the achiness/headache/ fever etc symptoms - it's always flare). So I'd like to hear how you can tell whether you're actually flaring or having to deal with die-off? Stacey

February 15, 2010

The mini flares that I have each month have something to do with my period. My

colitis acts up the week before and during. It's extraordinarily miserable but

I've never found anything that would help with the symptoms. The suspicion is

that it's hormone related. I have to make an appointment with a new GYN. I'm

going to one that my GI doc recommended so my hope is that she'll be more

familiar with patients with UC and the complications that go with it.

Stacey

> >

> > > I'm wondering how each of you tell if something is " die-off " or ifyou're

> > > doing or eating something that your body just can't deal with and

> > > shouldn't have? I think part of the reason I ask is that I've been SCD

> > > for at least 4 years now. I make all my own stuff, I don't eat anything

> > > illegal. Ever. But I do have a mini flare every month, no matter what

> > > (hormone related?). And this past year I've had 3 major flares. We

> > > haven't been able to figure out what caused them (no infection, no sign

> > > of disease, no new foods). The starter diet isn't enough to get my

> > > symptoms under control anymore but, fortunately, I've found that my body

> > > responds really quickly to a juice fast (heh...pre-starter diet for me

> > > ) and then I can start adding one food at a time from the starterdiet.

> > > During my last colonoscopy (a couple weeks ago) my doc said thatthere

> > > was no sign of disease and to keep doing what I'm doing. Afterdoing this

> > > for four years it seems unlikely that these are episodes ofdie-off but

> > > I'm really not sure how to tell if flare symptoms anddie-off symptoms

> > > seem to be the same (I say this because I've notexperienced the

> > > achiness/headache/fever etc symptoms - it's alwaysflare). So I'd like to

> > > hear how you can tell whether you're actuallyflaring or having to deal

> > > with die-off?

> > > Stacey

> > >

> >

> > What symptoms do you get when you experience what you're calling a flare?

> >

> > For me, a flare involves, first and foremost a resurgence of abdominal

> > pain (in a very specific location) and renewed gas and diarrhea. Die-off

> > makes my joints ache, creates some fatigue or at least tiredness, mental

> > fog, irritability and nausea at some level. True, all of those can also

> > accompany Crohn's itself. But over the years I've pretty much gotten to be

> > able to tell the difference, since depending on the cause, they feel

> > subtlely different.

> >

> > n

> >

> > ______________________________

> >

> > A funny, touching gift book for cat lovers. Signed copies, free shipping

> > (U.S., reduced elsewhere): Confessions of a Cataholic: My Life With the

> > 10 Cats Who Caused My Addiction by n Van Til

> > www.wordpowerpublishing.com

> >

>

February 15, 2010

Flare for me consists of pain/cramping, D (occasionally with mucus, I usually

catch it before it gets to the blood phase though), sudden urgencies all

throughout the day. I lose weight (ha, not that I mind that part!) and often

feel nauseated during the urgency. I get fatigued a day or two after it starts

but I think that's less a symptom and more my body reacting to the cramping,

pain and inability to keep anything in it. So yeah...fun! /end sarcasm

Stacey

> What symptoms do you get when you experience what you're calling a flare?

>

> For me, a flare involves, first and foremost a resurgence of abdominal

> pain (in a very specific location) and renewed gas and diarrhea. Die-off

> makes my joints ache, creates some fatigue or at least tiredness, mental

> fog, irritability and nausea at some level. True, all of those can also

> accompany Crohn's itself. But over the years I've pretty much gotten to be

> able to tell the difference, since depending on the cause, they feel

> subtlely different.

>

> n

>

> ______________________________

>

> A funny, touching gift book for cat lovers. Signed copies, free shipping

> (U.S., reduced elsewhere): Confessions of a Cataholic: My Life With the

> 10 Cats Who Caused My Addiction by n Van Til

> www.wordpowerpublishing.com

>

February 15, 2010

Stacey - this really could be yeast related. Yeast tends to flare right around

that time. That is very similar to what happens to me, just much less severe in

my case.

> > >

> > > > I'm wondering how each of you tell if something is " die-off " or ifyou're

> > > > doing or eating something that your body just can't deal with and

> > > > shouldn't have? I think part of the reason I ask is that I've been SCD

> > > > for at least 4 years now. I make all my own stuff, I don't eat anything

> > > > illegal. Ever. But I do have a mini flare every month, no matter what

> > > > (hormone related?). And this past year I've had 3 major flares. We

> > > > haven't been able to figure out what caused them (no infection, no sign

> > > > of disease, no new foods). The starter diet isn't enough to get my

> > > > symptoms under control anymore but, fortunately, I've found that my body

> > > > responds really quickly to a juice fast (heh...pre-starter diet for me

> > > > ) and then I can start adding one food at a time from the starterdiet.

> > > > During my last colonoscopy (a couple weeks ago) my doc said thatthere

> > > > was no sign of disease and to keep doing what I'm doing. Afterdoing this

> > > > for four years it seems unlikely that these are episodes ofdie-off but

> > > > I'm really not sure how to tell if flare symptoms anddie-off symptoms

> > > > seem to be the same (I say this because I've notexperienced the

> > > > achiness/headache/fever etc symptoms - it's alwaysflare). So I'd like to

> > > > hear how you can tell whether you're actuallyflaring or having to deal

> > > > with die-off?

> > > > Stacey

> > > >

> > >

> > > What symptoms do you get when you experience what you're calling a flare?

> > >

> > > For me, a flare involves, first and foremost a resurgence of abdominal

> > > pain (in a very specific location) and renewed gas and diarrhea. Die-off

> > > makes my joints ache, creates some fatigue or at least tiredness, mental

> > > fog, irritability and nausea at some level. True, all of those can also

> > > accompany Crohn's itself. But over the years I've pretty much gotten to be

> > > able to tell the difference, since depending on the cause, they feel

> > > subtlely different.

> > >

> > > n

> > >

> > > ______________________________

> > >

> > > A funny, touching gift book for cat lovers. Signed copies, free shipping

> > > (U.S., reduced elsewhere): Confessions of a Cataholic: My Life With the

> > > 10 Cats Who Caused My Addiction by n Van Til

> > > www.wordpowerpublishing.com

> > >

> >

>

February 16, 2010

Stacey

I have a dysfunctional upper GI, so I have some chronic

symptoms; kept minimal since being on SCD. The cause of my Sphincter of

Oddi dysfunction is thought to be neurological and I certainly have been

experiencing a slow but steady decline in neurological functions. One of

the interesting things I’ve discovered is that I have a regular cycle of

flares of both digestive and neurological symptoms, sometimes together,

sometimes separated by a few days. In other words, I haven’t

eaten any “new” foods, haven’t taken any new supplements, my

daily life isn’t any more stressful, but yet my digestion will go

downhill for a few days or I’ll experience what I call a neurological “crash”

when my body just doesn’t work right (different set of symptoms).

For 3 years I’ve seen a regular mild deterioration about

every 14 to 18 days (I kept a log for a year) with a severe digestive symptom

flare twice a year. The neurological crashes have been regular (same 14

to 18 days) but haven’t gotten any worse.

Although I haven’t done a lot of research into this

issue, I have mentioned the symptom flare to both my gastroenterologist and

neurologist. Both said this is “normal.” I’ve

certainly seen plenty of emails from women who experience a symptom flare every

month as part of the hormonal shifts.

So I wouldn’t worry, as long as your body recovers

each time. I sometimes fall back to my intro. diet or even clear liquids

for a day or two during my severe symptom episodes, then when things recover, I

go back to my usual routine and am fine for another two weeks or so.

Kim M.

SCD 6 years

>>>>>>>>>.

I'm

wondering how each of you tell if something is " die-off " or if you're

doing or eating something that your body just can't deal with and shouldn't

have? I think part of the reason I ask is that I've been SCD for at least 4

years now. I make all my own stuff, I don't eat anything illegal. Ever. But I

do have a mini flare every month, no matter what (hormone related?). And this

past year I've had 3 major flares.

February 16, 2010

I definitely think the hormones impact the immune system at that time. If I

ever got a cold or any illness, it was that time of the month!

>

> I am way past periods now but I always had an IBS flare before and

> during the heavy part of my periods. Always. I really think this is

> hormone-related though I can't tell you how. I don't know what you

> could do about it, alas. I hope your new GYN will have some ideas.

>

> The mini flares that I have each month have something to do with my

> period. My colitis acts up the week before and during. It's

> extraordinarily miserable but I've never found anything that would

> help with the symptoms. The suspicion is that it's hormone related.

>

February 16, 2010

Could you have endometriosis? There was a woman at a crohn's board I go to who

thought she had crohn's for many many years. When she finally had surgery, she

found out she didn't have crohn's at all, but endometriosis. Here are a couple

of links on how intestinal endometriosis can mimic crohn's:

http://www.medindia.net/news/Intestinal-Endometriosis-Mimic-Crohns-Disease-33410\

-1.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080222101604.htm

Holly

Crohn's

SCD 12/01/08

>

> I'm wondering how each of you tell if something is " die-off " or if you're

doing or eating something that your body just can't deal with and shouldn't

have? I think part of the reason I ask is that I've been SCD for at least 4

years now. I make all my own stuff, I don't eat anything illegal. Ever. But I

do have a mini flare every month, no matter what (hormone related?). And this

past year I've had 3 major flares. We haven't been able to figure out what

caused them (no infection, no sign of disease, no new foods). The starter diet

isn't enough to get my symptoms under control anymore but, fortunately, I've

found that my body responds really quickly to a juice fast (heh...pre-starter

diet for me ) and then I can start adding one food at a time from the starter

diet. During my last colonoscopy (a couple weeks ago) my doc said that there

was no sign of disease and to keep doing what I'm doing. After doing this for

four years it seems unlikely that these are episodes of die-off but I'm really

not sure how to tell if flare symptoms and die-off symptoms seem to be the same

(I say this because I've not experienced the achiness/headache/fever etc

symptoms - it's always flare). So I'd like to hear how you can tell whether

you're actually flaring or having to deal with die-off?

> Stacey

>

February 16, 2010

I've actually read about that and at one point thought it might be the case

except that I have UC, not Crohn's. Plus we've seen the UC (the ulcerations,

bleeding, inflammation) in the colonoscopies. I was checked for ovarian cysts

many years ago (when I went to my doc with pain in my side that I thought might

be endometriosis) but, like most of my ailments, nothing showed up during any of

the tests. Eventually it went away on its own and comes back fairly

infrequently now.

Stacey

> >

> > I'm wondering how each of you tell if something is " die-off " or if you're