Question on SCD helping Malabsorption

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have a dear friend who seems to have what they used to call a

wasting disease. She's down near 100 pounds and eating a lot but

cannot gain weight. She's now finished a gazillion tests and the docs

say they can't find anything at all for a reason. Of course, I am

thinking maybe SCD could help her though I've never heard of any gut

troubles per se. My main diagnosis here is IBS though I've had

malabsorption for decades longer than IBS and I do think the

malabsorption has improved, too, slowly.

My question is, has anyone else had this sort of improvement? Been

able to gain weight (at least after awhile)? Presumably she doesn't

have cancer if they've been through so many tests so it seems like

malabsorption must be what's left and there sure aren't that many

docs that pay attention to that. I'd like to have a bit more info if

I can, other than just me, before I start telling her about it. I'm

afraid they are strictly SAD diet over there, so it would be a huge change.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Me too! I haven't been diagnosed with anything really but I've always been

underweight. I used to eat like 3000 calories a day of fatty carb laden junk

food and not gain any weight. Doctors told me I was skinny because I was a

teenager. At 25 I was still around 90 lbs. It took a few months on SCD for my

weight to stabilize and I started gaining after a year and a half. I'm now up at

least 12 lbs.

I was chronically deficient in folate and B12, and at times iron. I would take

vitamins off and on to try and bring my levels up. they would get up to a

low-normal and my doctor seemed ok with it. I'm now consistently at the high end

of normal in all these vitamins without taking any supplements for them. I want

to stress the high end of normal part. Taking supplements never got me to the

high end of normal, only healing on SCD has done that.

Kat

http://scdkatfood.blogspot.com

>

> You can add me to the list of people who's malabsorption issues have

> improved on SCD. I noticed that in the 2nd year of being on SCD my hair,

> which was nearly all white, started coming in with some color, light brown

> instead of white. That said to me that zinc, needed for hair color, was

> being absorbed. Also, my iron levels were in the normal range for the 1st

> time in years.

>

> You can also add me to the list of people who have gained weight on the SCD.

> It took a few years and I had many bouts of weight loss, weight gain, weight

> loss. I finally gained a total of 18 much needed pounds. I did have to

> consciously eat pretty high SCD carb laden foods (oh darn <g>). Now, at 105

> pounds my weight has pretty much stabilized and I eat low to mid carb

> levels.

>

> I also wonder if SCD can help your friend. I think it's worth a shot.

>

> Carol

>

> CD 22 yrs SCD 5 yrs

>

>

>

> From: BTVC-SCD [mailto:BTVC-SCD ] On Behalf

> Of My-Stitches

>

> I have a dear friend who seems to have what they used to call a

> wasting disease. She's down near 100 pounds and eating a lot but

> cannot gain weight. She's now finished a gazillion tests and the docs

> say they can't find anything at all for a reason. Of course, I am

> thinking maybe SCD could help her though I've never heard of any gut

> troubles per se. My main diagnosis here is IBS though I've had

> malabsorption for decades longer than IBS and I do think the

> malabsorption has improved, too, slowly.

>

> My question is, has anyone else had this sort of improvement? Been

> able to gain weight (at least after awhile)? Presumably she doesn't

> have cancer if they've been through so many tests so it seems like

> malabsorption must be what's left and there sure aren't that many

> docs that pay attention to that. I'd like to have a bit more info if

> I can, other than just me, before I start telling her about it. I'm

> afraid they are strictly SAD diet over there, so it would be a huge change.

>

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately my experience is the opposite. I kept loosing weight while on SCD.

Not because SCD was not providing enough calories, but because it failed to

stabilize my disease. Frequent 'back to stage 1' or not being able to move to

next stage foods will cost you weight and if you are already malnourished can be

dangerous.

>>Yeah, at my worst I was down to 90 something pounds in my 20s (I'm 5'5),

>>severe D, and had bleeding ulcer. I really think SCD saved my life, I

>>eventually got back up to healthy weight with it, even into the 140 lbs

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately my experience is the opposite. I kept loosing weight while on SCD. Not because SCD was not providing enough calories, but because it failed to stabilize my disease. How long were you on the diet? Just curious. Peace =)Alyssa 16 yo UC April 2008, dx Sept 2008SCD June 2009 (restarted)Azathioprine 50 mg 1x per dayPrednisone 35 mg 1x per day