Re: 2 months on diet and seeing increase in symptoms

[Guest guest]

,

Yes, the 3 month die off could happen a bit early. It's always a good idea to

return to the intro diet for a couple of days when symptoms get worse. Also,

remember that you might need to pull out foods that he's started eating shortly

before symptoms increased. I do see some red flag foods in your list though. I

would absolutely pull the raw pears and cantelope even though they are pealed

and very ripe. I remember an SCD veteran who is no longer on this list telling

me that many of the kids really have trouble with the melon family. That's why

they're further down on the stages chart. Raw foods are always harder to digest

anyway. Brocolli is also considered an advanced food even when cooked. I'd

pull that, too. Try going back to intro for a couple of days. Then, slowly

begin reintroducing foods. I'd try all pealed, seeded, and cooked fruits and

veggies. Try fruits like pears, apples, banana, and maybe peaches. Try veggies

like carrots, acorn or butternut squash, zucchini, spinach, and green beans.

Meleah SCD 05/06

iel 3.5yrs. ASD, Ethan 5yrs., Mark 20mths., both NT

2 months on diet and seeing increase in symptoms

Our 8 yo son with severe UC has been on the diet for 2 months, and

over the past 2 weeks we've been seeing a gradual increase in the

bleeding, which never entirely went away but had subsided a great

deal. He's still only having 2-4 movements in the morning (down

from 10-15 day and night mvts), but the later ones have b and m.

The first movement of the day sometimes has form, but mostly it's

loose.

Before starting SCD he was bleeding so much he needed 2 transfusions

over 6 weeks and the doctor was encouraging us to take out his

colon. Since beginning the diet he's improved a lot, gained back

weight, his latest blood work came back entirely normal. He is also

on prednisolone (15mg/day, hoping to taper) and azulfidine (1500

mg/day).

Because the bleeding has been getting worse I'm getting very

concerned, probably because he was so very sick just a short time

ago. I've been reading here about the 3-month die-off, but wondered

if others seen an increase in symptoms after about 2 months? I

should also note he started back to school part-time this week for

the first time since early September. Other than the b he's great,

has energy, playing with friends again, and enjoying school.

Should I try to get him to do the intro diet again? He'll hate it,

but if it may help I can try.

Right now he's eating chicken (usually baked with lemon, olive oil,

and cilantro), salmon and cod (baked with lemon, olive oil and

oregano), very ripe pears without the skin, canteloupe (also very

ripe), very well-cooked broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and zucchini

from a frozen blend. He's eating huge amounts of chicken and fish

each day, and will eat 5-6 pears a day if we let him.

The prednisolone syrup probably has sugar in it, and it may take us

12 weeks to wean him from it. His doctor said we could switch to

the pills -- are they any better?

Thanks for any suggestions.

(celiac) 8 yo ds w/UC since 4/05, SCD 11/06

[Guest guest]

,

If your son has only been on SCD for 2 months, it is TOO SOON for raw fruits. I

know he probably prefers the pears and cantaloupe raw.... but even " very ripe "

is not okay at this point. You need to go back to all cooked.

Also.... broccoli and cauliflower are considered very advanced veggies. All the

cabbage family veggies should be for later on.... not for someone who is still

having symptoms like this.

The frozen zucchini you are using (from a " frozen blend " ) is probably not

peeled, right? This is a much smaller infraction than the raw fruit.... but

since I have to look at everything that might possibly be tripping you up, that

would be another one. I would cook the carrots and zucchini from scratch (yes...

I know.... more work for you) so you can make sure they are peeled first.

Will he not eat yellow squash? Butternut squash would be an excellent choice

for needed carbohydrates.

As far as his medication, YES.... if you can get the pill form, it might still

have some trace illegal starch in it, but would be better than a sugar-laden

syrup. If you can get capsules, you could open them into applesauce (or

pearsauce).

patti

2 months on diet and seeing increase in symptoms

Our 8 yo son with severe UC has been on the diet for 2 months, and

over the past 2 weeks we've been seeing a gradual increase in the

bleeding, which never entirely went away but had subsided a great

deal. He's still only having 2-4 movements in the morning (down

from 10-15 day and night mvts), but the later ones have b and m.

The first movement of the day sometimes has form, but mostly it's

loose.

Before starting SCD he was bleeding so much he needed 2 transfusions

over 6 weeks and the doctor was encouraging us to take out his

colon. Since beginning the diet he's improved a lot, gained back

weight, his latest blood work came back entirely normal. He is also

on prednisolone (15mg/day, hoping to taper) and azulfidine (1500

mg/day).

Because the bleeding has been getting worse I'm getting very

concerned, probably because he was so very sick just a short time

ago. I've been reading here about the 3-month die-off, but wondered

if others seen an increase in symptoms after about 2 months? I

should also note he started back to school part-time this week for

the first time since early September. Other than the b he's great,

has energy, playing with friends again, and enjoying school.

Should I try to get him to do the intro diet again? He'll hate it,

but if it may help I can try.

Right now he's eating chicken (usually baked with lemon, olive oil,

and cilantro), salmon and cod (baked with lemon, olive oil and

oregano), very ripe pears without the skin, canteloupe (also very

ripe), very well-cooked broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and zucchini

from a frozen blend. He's eating huge amounts of chicken and fish

each day, and will eat 5-6 pears a day if we let him.

The prednisolone syrup probably has sugar in it, and it may take us

12 weeks to wean him from it. His doctor said we could switch to

the pills -- are they any better?

Thanks for any suggestions.

(celiac) 8 yo ds w/UC since 4/05, SCD 11/06

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for quick reply. We've taken out raw fruit, which he is very

unhappy about. But already see a little improvement, only one bm this morning,

with more form, also more m but less b, which is better.

He'll eat homemade cranberry sauce (with pears and honey in it) with chicken,

but says he won't eat any other cooked fruit. I'm happy to experiment and

welcome any thoughts about fruit recipes. Are all cooked fruits ok at this

stage? And we've taken out broc and cauliflower and moved to cooked carrots

(from chicken soup), string beans (although the seeds come out whole) and

squash. Will it be a problem if most of what he eats is chicken and fish?

I can't tell you what a help it is to be able to ask questions of the group --

it makes me feel less isolated. Thank you.

Also wanted to note that I've been doing the diet with him, and have lost 15

lbs that I've been trying to lose for 5 years. I've been gfcf for 25 years but

this diet seems to be even better for celiac.

(celiac) mom to 8 yo ds, uc since 4/05, scd since 11/06, 15 mg

prednisolone, 1500 mg azulfidine.

[Guest guest]

You can pretty much use any cooked fruit..... although I think pineapple, for

example, would be a bit more fibrous.... and perhaps not best for a beginner,

even when cooked. Berries would need to be strained..... because of the seeds

(and skins, in the case of blueberries).

You might try steaming slices or chunks of various fruits.... and then freezing

them on a paper-lined cookie sheet (so they aren't touching each other).... and

offering them to him in frozen form. Some kids who like a more crunchy texture

will eat cooked fruits this way (make the slices as thin as can be managed... so

they can bite through them while frozen). Another idea is to puree cooked

fruit... and freeze into popsicles. Or add frozen cooked chunks to a blender,

with some diluted fruit legal fruit juice and ripe banana (not cooked or

frozen).... and do a smoothie, if he will accept that. (Some of our inventive

parents have managed to " sneak " cooked VEGGIES into these yummie smoothies! )

RE: the string beans.... are you using the " french cut " type? Usually, they

are easier to digest. I think it's because they start with a smaller, more

slender, less mature bean (so... smaller inner seeds). You can also find

(frozen) whole green beans that are called " petite " ... which are very small, and

slender... so the inner seeds are extremely small and tender.

Patti

Re: 2 months on diet and seeing increase in symptoms

Thanks so much for quick reply. We've taken out raw fruit, which he is very

unhappy about. But already see a little improvement, only one bm this morning,

with more form, also more m but less b, which is better.

He'll eat homemade cranberry sauce (with pears and honey in it) with chicken,

but says he won't eat any other cooked fruit. I'm happy to experiment and

welcome any thoughts about fruit recipes. Are all cooked fruits ok at this

stage? And we've taken out broc and cauliflower and moved to cooked carrots

(from chicken soup), string beans (although the seeds come out whole) and

squash. Will it be a problem if most of what he eats is chicken and fish?

I can't tell you what a help it is to be able to ask questions of the group --

it makes me feel less isolated. Thank you.

Also wanted to note that I've been doing the diet with him, and have lost 15

lbs that I've been trying to lose for 5 years. I've been gfcf for 25 years but

this diet seems to be even better for celiac.

(celiac) mom to 8 yo ds, uc since 4/05, scd since 11/06, 15 mg

prednisolone, 1500 mg azulfidine.