Re: Question for Kim: Was: gettting off diet one day

[Guest guest]

I didn't have an IBD, but it still took my body a long time to restore my gut

ecology and stabilize my upper GI once I developed functional disorders. I had

a major candida overgrowth (from massive antibiotic doses) when I started SCD,

compounded by years of stress on my immune system (ovarian cyst that grew quite

large and a month before I discovered SCD I was rushed into surgery for its

removal...) I didn't understand all of this at the time, but now that I've

learned more, I can see all the problems my body was attempting to deal with

over the years just before my digestion went downhill.

So it took time to get my candida levels back down, restore the microorganism

balance, and figure out what foods were best for my dysfunctional upper GI.

So, yes constant ups and downs the first year (symptom flares), less the second

year, and less the third year. Since then I do get symptom flares periodically

because it is the way my digestion and nervous system work now. And if I happen

to go out to eat and pick up some illegal additives in the meat or veggies I

order.

When I started SCD I could only barely tolerate 4 foods, but my abdominal pain

started diminishing after the 5th day (once I stopped eating crackers or

potatoes), so I knew I was on the right track. That motivated me enough to

continue, and as the weeks went by, I felt enough improvement that I remained

dedicated to making it work for me. At year 5 on SCD I could finally say I was

as " cured " as is possible given my wonky digestion and nervous system. Which

means I can go several hours a day without noticing the upper abdominal pain and

nausea, which is a huge, very huge improvement.

Took some fine-tuning of food choices, of course. Lots of trial and error

[grin].

Well, let's see. I have to be super careful with fats, fiber and seasonings.

So I cook everything, eat small meals frequently, and eat mostly low-carb to

medium-carb vegetables. I can handle one nut flour muffin per day, one serving

of cooked fruit per day, one glass of diluted fruit juice per day (homemade

juices). Most days I can handle a spoonful of peanut butter mixed into my

applesauce -- very tasty!! Can't eat dairy or snack on whole nuts or dried

fruit.

I eat a lot of fish, eggs, poultry. I can eat very lean beef and bison. Can't

touch ground meats of any kind. How I cook the meat and fish make a big

difference in my digestive tolerance -- that's the fat content at work. In the

vegetable area, I eat a lot of Italian green beans, summer squash (yellow and

crookneck and zucchini), broccoli, spinach and other mild greens. Other

vegetables I can tolerate but not every day, more like twice a week: carrots,

beets, green peas. Tomatoes are once a month, but they do make me slightly more

symptomatic. All veggies cooked, of course. I do make soups, but I can only

have one serving a week, otherwise my immune system gets into the act, not sure

why.

Garlic and onions are now off-limits, once I ended up in the ER with my first

and only dose of a prescription antifungal, Diflucan. My immune system reacts

very badly to natural antifungals even today, six years after the initial

response [sigh].

Everything I eat is bland, of course. I can get away with some mild seasonings

included in the nut flour muffins, but can't use anything other than salt on

vegetables and meats.

It sounds limited, but I am doing very well. I've figured out how to supplement

the minerals and vitamins my body requires. I'm still taking a few things to

help with constipation (poor digestive motility) but the doses are much less,

and I'm off several prescription meds. for improving motility. I started

gaining weight last year, in fact, so have had to cut back my calorie intake.

I'm not exercising as much as I used to because of my neuromuscular issues which

make walking and exersicing difficult. I still walk a bit every day, but not

enough exercise to use up the calories...

Guess that's enough of me. Just shows how wonderful and flexible SCD is in that

each of us can find what works even though we each have different needs and

health issues.

Kim M.

SCD 6 years

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction 6+ years

neurological and spinal deterioration 3+ years

>

>

> " It took me 3 years to get my gut

> ecology restored and my digestion stabilized, but I don't regret a moment

> of those 3 years and the hard work it was at first. "

>

> Can you elaborate? You're saying for 3 years you went back and fourth with ups

and downs even though you were on the diet? If that's the case, I bet you

wanted to quit many many times.

>

> What foods do you still not tolerate? What do you eat mostly?

>

> -

> UC - 1+ years

> SCD - 8 months 100% strict and 4 months restricted diet.

> Asacol - 12 pills a day

> Prednisone 40mg

> entocort With vit E mixed in

> Back to intro/stage 1 for now.

>