Ulcerative Colitis

Supplements / Alternative

• A naturopath created a tincture for me that contained: Licorice, Geranium, Wild Yam, Oat, Comfrey, Shepherd's Purse, Bayberry, Goldenseal, Una de Gato, Wild Indigo, Ioquat
• L-glutamine (I took 500mg Country Life brand)
• FYI (For Your inflammation) by Garden of Life
• Suprema-Dophilus (probiotic blend)
• Tyler Nutrizyme
• Natural Factors RevitalX - this stuff helped significantly
• Fish Oil (Omega 3 fatty acids) - unsure if this helped
• Chiropracty - Unsure if it directly helped the colitis but it did make me feel generally better
• Boswellia - no noticeable effect (I didn't try it for that long though)
• AMP (Aloe) - no noticeable effect and was expensive
• Goatein (Garden of Life) - no noticeable effect
• Primal Defense (Garden of Life) - no noticeable effect
• Deglycerized Licorice (DGL) - other people have reported this helping a lot
• Never tried acupuncture or traditional chinese medicine for it
• Never tried VSL #3 (wasn't yet available) - I did try this later on when I had the j-pouch and it helped
• Cassava/Arrowroot/Tapioca flour recipe (haven't tried this) - in a glass of lukewarm water mix 2 spoons of cassava or arrowroot or tapioca flour, 1-2 spoons of brown sugar and a dash of salt. Drink 3x a day.
• Codliver oil (haven't tried this) - 1 tablespoon/day
• Marijuana (where legal) - In California, UC is a valid diagnosis to obtain a medical marijuana card
• Update 2010/12: Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) NPR article
• Update 2011/04: 'Zonulin' appears to play a role in causing gut permeability which leads to autoimmune disease: http://somvweb.som.umaryland.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=1445&z=5
• Update 2011/04: Hypnotherapy appears to help by relaxing patients: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8572818.stm

Anemia

• Take black strap molasses
  
• Eat red meat
  
• Cook in an cast iron skillet
  
• Take folic acid and vitamin C to aid iron absorption
  

Drugs / Medicine

• Calmoseptine (ointment) - This is over the counter ointment helps out a LOT when things get irritated down there
  
• Asacol / Mesalamine (NSAID) - this was the best NSAID I tried
  
• Colazol / Balsalazide (NSAID) - didn't help me
  
• TPN (total parenteral nutrition) - I had this when I was really emaciated and the hospital refused to let me stay any longer. You get to wear this backpack filled with IV supplement bags that connects to a PICC line. The nutrition bags have to be refridgerated and are pretty heavy for an emaciated person to be carrying around. This stuff made me pee A LOT and messed up my sugar levels but at least I didn't have to worry about losing more weight.
  
• suppositories (NSAID/steroid) - Not only was this inconvenient and humiliating but it seemed to irritate the bowels and increase urgency
  
• Prednisone (corticosteroid) - this drugs SUCKS but is the best way to keep inflammation down
  
• solumedrol (IV prednisone)
  
• 6 Mercaptopurine / 6-MP / Purinethol (antimetabolite) - potentially really bad long term side effects and didn't really help
  
• Metronidazole (antibiotic) - this stuff tastes horrible; try not to let it touch your tongue!
  
• Flagyl (IV metronidazole)
  
• Cyclosporine - had an allergic reaction to this
  
• Remicade - never tried it (wasn't yet approved for UC usage)
  
• Dilaudid / Hydromorphone - the best pain killer you can get; an IV dose of this is pure heaven
  
• Levsin / Hyoscyamine (sublingual painkiller) - oral pain killers normally take upwards of almost an hour to take effect; you can put this one under your tongue and it takes effect within minutes.
  
• Atavan / Lorazepam / Xanax / Alprazolam (relaxants)
  
• Fleet Phospho Soda - you'll have to take this for a colonoscopy; this stuff will make you almost throw up! To make it easier to swallow I used to suck on a popsicle before taking it to mask the taste.
  
• Immodium - This provided some temporary relief from going to the bathroom so often when things weren't really bad
  
• antidepressants - I tried almost all of them; none of them really worked (I had a damn good reason to be depressed!) and had strange side effects

Side effects of Prednisone

• inability to sleep
• nervousness
• irritability / mood changes
• confusion
• puffiness in my face
• slight jaundice
• increased urination
• night sweats
• acne
• mild blurriness in vision
• calcium depletion / osteoporosis
• depression (from adrenal suppression)
• If you stop taking prednisone without tapering the dose you can go into adrenal shock.

Notes

• During the colitis I would get bouts of lactose intolerance. When I became intolerant I would eliminate all dairy from my diet. When I wasn't intolerant I still had to watch dairy products for gas (which is really painful).
• Excessively greasy and fried foods caused problems After meals my blood sugar would sometimes bottom out for some reason making me real tired. I would eat a hard candy to get the levels back.
• Painkillers and sleeping pills would make me bleed more
• Painkillers with codeine in them would lessen the frequency of bowel movements
• The least irritating toilet paper I found was AngelSoft and Charmin
• It is VERY important to take time to relax; stress will exacerbate the colitis. I would set aside time every day to do Reiki to myself to relax. I later became a Reiki Master.
• Watch out for developing Toxic Megacolon
• Taking antibiotics coupled with hospital stays can cause you to get a C. Diff (Clostridium difficile) infection (which I got at one point)
• Invest in a toilet seat cover to make your bathroom stays more comfortable; you can get them at Target or Walmart
  
• Update 2011/08/15: The WellApps mobile app, GI Monitor can be used to track symptoms and other useful things

Colitis Information

Support

197 Comments
Lee 1 0 wish you all the best. Your tips are definitely very helpful! Take care
Felicia 1 0 Ditto - I feel for you, your comments are very helpful, too! Thank you for doing this.
AE 0 0 Thank you soooo much!!!
Lisa 0 0 very helpful, thanks!
George 0 0 Thank you for your help, wish you well
George Singh 0 0 I have had a flare up since being given iron tablets and also drinking orange juice daily. I have stopped both to bring the flare up under control, lesson learnt, I do not eat red meat as the doc said eat white meat but i guess will have to try the other way round temporary, thanks once again.
this is a really helpful list 0 0 awesome notes thanks a lot
Relebogile Mogale 0 1 Thank you for this, I have been so confused in terms of what to eat. I hope this will help me, I am currently awaiting final results for biopsy done during Colonoscopy but on meselazine "pestana 500gm" already, taking 2 tablets twice daily. All the best to you and God Bless!
Your Name 0 0 Very helpful list.I am a vegetarian so the choice for iron replenishment is limited.Doctor has advised me to keep away from milk & dairy products.what to eat?
Yash Bhatt 1 0 I am a vegetarian and have a limited choice for iron replenishment.Notes are very helpful. Doctor has advised to keep away from milk and dairy products. I dont know what to eat.pl. advise & help.
Yash Bhatt 1 0 Recently I was reading article published by Australian scientist (doctor/nutritionist - i dont rememeber.)where they have mentioned that phospholipids helps in strenthening the mucus lining of the intestines.Whether butter milk has more of the phospholipids in it? Pl.reply.
Suzi 2 0 After many web searches I found you, and I am grateful for everything you posted! Thank you for your list of foods. I was stumped on what I can eat, therefore, I wasn't eating because of fear of more diarrhea. Thanks again!
Anne 0 0 I feel for you I am trying to avoid surgery for 2 years now, and I have done all that you have done! Its an awful disease but "that which does not kill us makes us stronger." God Bless you as I have been blessed. This illness has taught me not to be petty and love is what is most important. Good luck with all your endeavors.
Jill 0 0 30 years of the quacks pumping me full of their killer drugs.........started goat milk kefir and yougart 3 months ago....feel like I did when I was 18!!! stopped all drugs....if you have not tried the goat kefir and yougart, you are killing yourself.....I had been hospitalized every year or two for 30 years.....now I feel like I'm cured!!!!
Mike 2 0 I was diagnosed with U.C. last year, though I've been dealing with the worst of it for about 2 years now. This was a good list, and I'm glad to see other people that were able to observe and learn their own patterns. Do keep in mind though (to everyone else) that the things people can eat with this disease vary a bit. For example, for me, I know that "honey crunch & oats, oats & honey granola" in the cereal category for me is instant suicide. Dilaudid is great. It works well and from my research, has less risk of side effects/addiction than the other alternatives (like morphine). Watch out for doctors that don't want you to have it, though.
Chris 1 0 I have to say I could never be a vegetarian while having UC. When it gets really bad I eat large amounts of beef, and I guess it's the high nutrient content but things seem to get better. You just can't eat enough vegetables to get that kind of nutrition, because when you try, that amount of healthy vegetables will exacerbate the UC. What's good for normal people can be VERY bad for UC sufferers. I've had UC since I was 16, I'm now 38 and still dealing with it. The biggest thing I've found is to steer clear of INSOLUBLE fiber. Soluble is good, INSOLUBLE is very very bad. What sucks most about it is it's very different for each person. They say not to take NSAID anti-inflammatory pain relievers, but they work GREAT for me when I get flare ups. "That which does not kill us makes us stronger" or it just makes you really, really weak until it kills you. Sorry, 22 years of this has brought me down a bit.
Your Name 1 0 Thanks for the info. I have had UC for 2 years, 2 hospital stays, one recent, been home for a week. Started L-Glutamine and it has already made a difference. Food varies for me, but vinegar is a problem every time.
Will 0 0 Vinegar is very acidic, perhaps you are very sensitive to acidity.
Miriam 0 0 Thank you for this list. I have just been diagnosed with UC. The last two months have been a nightmare.I was very confused on what other foods I can try. God Bless you.
Ara 0 0 Hi - interesting site. 20 years with UC myself. Interesting to see that painkillers make you bleed too. Paracetomol always makes me bleed, even when I'm not in an obvious flare but will the doctors believe me on this..? No! For me, about 75% of your food list works but I too could not touch granola - whereas oatmeal is easier. As for apples, pressed juice or stewed without the skin is good for me. I'm not much good with beef. Some nuts are OK if ground. Have recently discovered that coconut slows the digestive tract nicely. Sugary products seem to be the biggest evil for me - and boy is it hard to give them up! By the way, for 20 years my docs in the UK have told me that diet and colitis have no relation, I think if I'd listened to them I wouldn't have my colon anymore. Sure, when I'm well I can eat anything but, in a flare, carrying on that way would kill me.
Mike 0 0 Thanks for the info Will. I've had UC since 1989 and was one of the first people to take asacol and mesalamine when they were new. I gave up eating anything deep friend about 9 years ago and haven't looked back. I'm okay with most other things but had a flare up unexpectedly today. The only thing I can put my finger on is drinking lots of the fresh sqeezed grapefruit from our tree in the back yard. I'd never drank from it before (and its tasty) but I'm not sure if that's a connection. :)
Gail 0 0 Tks for the food list. I've had UC for 22 years. I'm back on prednisone and waiting for it all to subside. I'm considering the Renicade avenue. I of course have been on and still am doing the mesalamine group and enemias. Anyone with experience? Your food list was helpful. I find that foods i like are good for my UC and foods I'm starting to push away from are on your "no" list. Take care everyone!
scott 0 0 I have been taking goldenseal with my Lialda.....it seems to be taking away all symptoms ??
cassie 0 0 How do you know if you have this disease? WHat are the simptoms?
scott 0 0 wait there back...damn !
elaine 0 0 had uc for 13 yrs now from 31 to 43. i've been on asacol (which really never seemed to do a thing), prednisone, which did always but too bad you can't stay on that forever. xifaxan - helped alot. entocort - not much at all. my docs don't seem to care that i've been bleeding for a year straight multiple times daily. with me its real bad morning and i'm clear from 11am to about 9pm. does anyone else find that? i thought florastor was a miracle cure till i ate crabs one night. i don't know, maybe the crabs had some kind of bacteria in them to hurt me. i've been anemic for 12 years hemogl is 8. but never feel tired its wierd. and look so young probably from that! lol - very frustrated. i hate meds they're bad for the body.
Will 0 0 Things always got worse at night with me too. Stress and diet are the two things that can make things go bad with UC real quick so you have to really be vigilant about that.
Brad 0 0 I found that I could not eat wheat gluten. If I stay away from wheat, oats and barely I am fine. So no more beer and pizza for me. I have heard that the biggest UC triggers are wheat, soy, dairy, and corn. Just got a juicer and I am trying Cabbage juice.
abhi 0 0 THanx
Guy Sykora 0 0 Dear Friend...Bless your heart for sharing your learning experience with all the UC sufferers including myself. UC is a harsh and unforgiving teacher. So I know you speak from first hand knowledge. I'm now in my third "flare-up" and each and every one had it's beginning in too much sugar/coffee. The sugar is the most inflammatory substance you can ingest. While coffee is the worst acidifier you can drink. At the first symptoms don't waste time with "natural" remedies, go straight to an MD and get a prescription for a strong pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory like "Lialda". That will bring the flare under control in short order. Once things have calmed down you can make the transition to the natural remedies. Skip the yogart. Unless you can find one that hasn't been pasteurized it's worthless. Instead you can re-establish the intestinal flora with a good pro-biotic by "Jarrow". Next add 3 grams of the amino acid "Glutamine" to distilled water twice a day, stir it up and drink it down...it repairs the damaged tissue lining the entire GI. And finally, don't leave out DHA and the essential fatty acids including EPA. Best of luck to all who are living with this nightmare called Ulcerative Colitis (UC). You can beat it but will come back if you get careless.
Will 0 0 Thanks for the post, glutamine and the Jarrow brand probiotics are good tips indeed. Yea coffee+sugar has been out of the question for me ever since the UC even after the Jpouch, though there is a new product called Teeccino that is a natural coffee replacement that I drink now. It's actually alkaline and contains lots of b vitamins/potassium etc to give you energy and you can brew it like normal coffee. It does taste chocolatey though which is an interesting difference.
Tiffany 0 0 Date: 11-18-09 Ara, sugar is my nemesis as well. In fact, sugar and coffee are the WORST combination period. Closely followed by too much Wheat. (in any form) Elaine - I completely relate with being clear through certain times of the day and not others. I'm 28 now and have had UC since I was 23. I was undiagnosed and untreated for nearly 5 years. I just bled a bit and nothing more. Was when I became pregnant that I decided to finally go to the doc and get a colonoscopy bc I became much more symptomatic. (4 months pg at this point) I thought I had a Polyp or something, never even considered a disease, so it was 4 months pregnant on the table that I learned this. After, I was put on Asacaol but didn't take it because I had a hangup with taking drugs while I was growing a baby and for the most part I was ok. I caught C-diff in the hospital having my daughter and to be honest, it seems as if my body has never fully recovered from that. I'm a regular bleeder now (couple times daily) but I still don't experience diarrhea like most UC patients. I will just bleed a ton if I don't watch it and I do love my sugar. It's hard but I've switched everything to Blue Agave, cut out most caffeine and barely ever eat Wheat.. When I cheat though, it's like I fall utterly off the wagon, it's not a bite of something naughty, it's a bite .. followed immediately by binging on the 'anti-food'. Some psychological stuff going on there I suppose. I tend to be the worst in the morning, first thing then at night around 7pm. I have found a reason for this though.. Days that I eat only 3-4 times and NOT anything inbetween, I'm better. Days where I'm constantly eating little stuff all day long are the times my system seems to be overloaded. I can't 'pick', it's nit good for me, no matter how healthy what I'm picking at is. Also, Marshmallow Root is great. The mucilage in it is healing to the intestinal lining while supporting the immune system.. which is a quandary to us for obvious reasons, but it seems to work fine with me. Oats in large amounts make me somewhat acidic (natural oats, stove cooked, plain w some Agave)but a 11/2 cup portion sits fine. I know it's not naturally good for my body however. AVOCADOS people.. AVOCADOS!!! If you don't like them, try 'n try again. They are one of the most complete foods. Protein, Amino Acids, Vitamins & Minerals! They're great for when we're flaring and needing nutrients without anything caustic to our intestines. Just DON'T eat them with corn chips : ( I know I know. I am taking Asacol now and it has never stopped the bleeding for me. The only thing that stops the bleeding is eating really really clean, like we said.. the equation is simple in theory.. no caffeine, sugar, 'scratchy foods', wheat products or 'skins'. (and for some, dairy) I do really well with rice (I like to mix in fresh cheese & whatever cooked or fresh veggies I want) 2% cottage cheese with whatever (dill, cucumber, pinch of sweetener, onion or fruits) and soups. Homemade soup has SAVED me so many times I'm learning. I keep some fresh made in the fridge weekly. The BEST for me from all angles has been my delicata squash soup. Roasted carrots, onions, garlic & delicata squash with thyme salt and pepper to taste.. blended with hand blender.. Voila! Instant, nutritious and easily digested food. Mix rice in for added sustenance. Things that have helped me -VSL #3 -Organic Foodbased Multivitamin -Folic Acid (precautionary / protection) -Cooking with a good Olive Oil, using it neat on anything I can -Marshmallow Tea throughout the day -Kefir (it is smooth, high in good fat and calories for when that matters) -Exercise(when possible, Yoga, Spin) I want to try the Glutamine & coffee substitute someone here mentioned. I tried Yerba Mate and while I LOVE the flavor, it just doesn't sit well with me. :( I also want to try Cabbage Juice, Goldenseal & Goat Milk Kefir.. We'll see.
Tiffany 3 1 AS I understand it ~ Not all Omega's (EFA's) are created equal. One stimulates the Immune system, one inhibits it and one is neutral having no effect either way. In effect, it makes sense to me that if we ingest the EFA's that are Immuno Stimulanting, we'd be undermining Prednisone for those of us who are on it (being the Immuno-Suppressant that it is) and the possible danger of ingesting EFA's that are Immuno Stimulating is that our bodies end up attacking our intestinal lining even more. It's an F'en slippery slope we're on. How to keep our Immune System's strong without attacking ourselves is the real question?!
Guy Sykora 0 0 Dear Friend; You are a true humanitarian to be sharing your knowledge and concerns with others. Although ulcerative colitis symptoms are collectively the same among individuals the remedies are relevent to each of of those individuals particular body chemistry and genetic disposition. What I'm finally beginning to understand about this condition is that it can be managed if not cured altogether. First: Stop the diarrhea! Juice of 1/2 lemon..mix with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda..stir 'till foaming subsides then drink. Do this on rising and before retiring. Second: Identify antagonistic foods and avoid. Your list is good first hand information. Third: Restore and support the integrity of the immune system. Ulcerative Colitis is essentially an auto-immune illness which occurs when our own immune system, in the process of attacking undigested food within our gastrointestinal tract, attacks our own tissue lining that tract. By taking quality digestive aids with our meals we eliminate that danger. Completey digested food then provides the nourishment necessary for a healthy immune system. At the heart of the whole issue is complete digestion and the nutritional benefits that go with it. Hope this helps. Guy W. Sykora
Lindalee23 0 0 I have Crohn's, colitis and a form of spondylitic arthritis that accompanies them. The ONLY thing that has helped me is to be on the 'IBS Low-Starch' diet by Carol Sinclair. It has literally saved my life. I tried all the supplements and medications and every drink and theory out there and NOTHING helped until I went on this diet. It meant the difference between day and night. I truly do not think I would be here if not for this diet. Give it a try, anyone that is at wits end like I was. Good Luck! L.L.
Arin 0 0 Im surprised no one has mentioned turmeric/curcumin. Buy it from any middle eastern/indian store in powder form and mix as much of it as possible with water. Its not palatable, but its effect is overnight and far superior to Lialda. Ive noticed for me that oranges/strawberries/oats/granola and anything with too much linoleic acid will bring about a flare. Search linoleic acid and ulcerative colitis on pubmed... theres a significant connection and then wiki linoleic acid to find out what fats to avoid. Any fats with a linoleic acid concentration of 15% or more might be too much. After following these guidelines, ive been symptom/pain free for quite some time....knock on wood. And dont be afraid of the negative stigma with saturated fats; its baloney.
Tito 0 0 I have had ulcerative colitis almost 3 yrs. Became anemic my first year and yes the iron pills can upset your stomach. I would stay away from those. I take a Hematinic Formula tablet that is made by Solgar and was recommended. Has all the iron, B12 and other vitamins you need. I just take one daily and I highly recommend as it's all natural and gentle on the stomach. I have been almost a year without flare ups and I think a lot of it is due to a strict change in diet. GI doctors won't really get into diet but if you are reading this, please consider changing the foods you eat to more natural and organic. My lunches consist of spinach salads now, and I only eat fish, beef, chicken or lamb for meats. I've noticed any food with high fructose corn syrup is horrible for sufferers of UC. So is chocolate and fried foods.
Elsie Dillon 0 0 I have been very ill lately with Ulcerated colitis, it has traversed across the top of my stomach which is causing me to have bolts of vomiting and diarrhea along with survere pain and faitnign spells
Caryn 0 0 After bleeding for two years and visiting the bathroom 25 times a day I gave in to food combining. That along with eating 80% fruits and vegies and 20% grains or meats daily I am symptom free and off the meds.
Dave 0 0 You should get bidet toilet seat. You will not have to use toilet paper. They are expensive but, well worth it. I got ours at Lowes. Make sure it has seat warmer.
D 0 0 During my worst (and longest) flare up, I took a dose of Remicade and the flare up was completely gone within 72 hours or so. Highly recmmended based on my (limited) experience if anyone is considering it.
Trisha 0 0 Hi, my daughter has had UC now for over a year. She has been drinking rice and almond milk fairly well. She doesn't really care for soy milk, we heard about coconut milk. Has anyone tried that? I know everyone's bodies are different, just thought I'd ask. She has not had a flare up since the hospital stay when she was first diagnosed Sept.'08.
Will 0 0 I didn't try coconut milk while I had UC but I would imagine it would fall in the soy/almond/rice milk category and be fine
naomi 0 0 I've had UC for 7 years, periods of remission, but now have been bleeding (no diarrhea) for 4 months. Two transfusions in 3 weeks, HMG at 5.6. Just going on prednison, my doctor is pushing remacade. I want to avoid it. Anyone know of a good GI MD in SF area for a second opinion? PS the Specific Carbohydrate Diet works well for me most of the time.
Lisa 0 0 I have been on prednison for one year now! My first doctor almost killed me. Finally I found the best doctor. After a 2nd colonoscopy i was completely inflamed throughout, was taken out of work, put on 60mg of prednisone and 4 .375 apriso a day. I slowly came off predisone .5 mg every two weeks. Now that I just stopped the predisone my symptoms are comming back. You all know what they are so I won't take you on that journey. Anyone out there having trouble coming off prednisone? If so, what are you now doing to stop your symptoms?
M R 0 0 I have been diagnosed for nearly 10 years. I have only recently realized some of my triggers. Red meat and most oils, including olive oil (safflower, grape seed and coconut oil I do fine with). Too much cheese and processed foods bother me. I have only had 2 really bad flares where I needed prednisone. Once or twice a week I have a mini flare, where during one bathroom visit I am good once everything has passed.
Lisa L 0 0 I've been diagnosed for 13 years. Left sided UC. Was on Prednisone, Rowasa (Yuck!!), and Asacol for about a year. Then reduced to Asacol only, after in remission. I have excessive hair loss that some say due to Asacol. Any with the same?
jason PhD 0 0 I've had IBS since I was a kid, I wanted to stress just how amazing Shiitake mushrooms are...I've been eating 3 a day in a simple soup made with vegetable broth and my symptoms are literally 95% better...I'm so happy I tried this .... bacon or other cured meats, almonds and onions were my major triggers
WAZ 0 0 Cod liver oil!!! Try it and you will be amazed after only 24 hours and drug free within a week.
yo 0 0 Cod liver oil,yes it is amazing and the dosage is 1 tablespoon a day.
amardeep 1 0 thank you
Sara 0 0 I've been taking Asacol for the three years I've been diagnosed, Lisa, and yeah, it causes me crazy hair loss. My poor sink drains ...
Diana B 0 0 Thank you very much, God bless you!
Will 0 0 I added some new stuff to the page from people I've heard from recently who are reporting successes handling UC: Deglycerized Licorice (DGL) and the Cassava / Tapioca / Arrowroot flour recipe. As well as refining yogurt to greek style yogurt recommended and recommending Ghee over butter.
Will 2010/10/06 Contact Me0 0 I have added dates to the comments as well as a way for people to confidentially contact each other through here. I hope you are all still finding my information presented here useful in its 6th year of being online :)
Chrystal 2010/10/20 Contact Me0 0 wow, I,m not the only one...have had colitis for 14 yrs. I am flared up and have been for 6 yrs. Considering surgery, will not try remicade, dont know what to do...?I wish I had some one to guide me.
gee 2010/10/31 Contact Me0 0 im interested in this shiitake mushroom soup recipe... let's have it!
amy 2010/11/08 Contact Me0 0 Hi, im 19. My name is Amy. I was diagnosed with hep c in february. Ever since february, ive had diarrhea. 2months ago I began seeing blood. My GI doctor thought it was hemorrhoids. After I went to the hospital he realized I was serious about my pain. He scheduled a colonoscopy a week later where I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Im taking Lialda, mesalamine tablets. 4 a day. A week after it was aleviating my symptoms but I dont know if it was an arguement I had, or a pain reliever I took for a headache that made my symptoms comeback. :( I feel helpless. It has interfered with my life. Im taking my hep c treatment, my colitis pills, and vitamins. Total 12 pills day. Any advice helps me. Please. I have gotten to the point where I have said I dnt wanna live any longer. Im so sad bcuz my job and school were my priority. Plz help me.
GG 2010/11/15 Contact Me0 0 * Bael Fruit - works wonders * SeroVera - nobody has mentioned it, just ordered the expensive aloe vera substitute, anyone tried it? * Boswelia Gel - Heard this brings remission quickly * Vitamin E Enema - Can bring remission, difficult to take since Vit.E is think and won't go in easily !
john 2010/11/170 0 contact me
Mario 2010/11/19 Contact Me0 0 Can we buy Bael fruit here in North America? Or Supplement?
Cindy 2010/11/21 Contact Me0 0 I have been diagnosed with mild crohns/colitis in May. Recently I was diagnosed with anemia. I have been sensitive to vegetables and fruits for a while and really don't eat them too much in the raw. Usually cooked. Rice, oatmeal, chicken, eggs, fish, some meats,lots of plain kefir, greek yogurt and lots of water do well for me. I take digestive enzymes, probiotics, colostrum (an immune builder), slow released iron, folate, D3, calcium, Vitamin B12. I also get the B12 shots monthly. I have been on Flagyl(antibiotic) for about 6 weeks and it seems to be helping. Don' drink alcohol and drink herbal tea or decaf coffee. Sometimes I cheat and throw in a very small handful of organic coffee and mix it with decaf. That is my only vice. All I know is that diet has a great deal to do with symptoms and keeping on tract.
Thadd 2010/11/240 0 Wow... You have been through absolute hell and back!
David 2010/12/180 0 I would advise everyone that the foods listed can have different effects on colitis in different people. It's best to experiment and not take lists as absolute until you are certain what works for you. However, it can be a good starting point. For anyone that wants more help/advice - I found healingwell forum pretty good.
trent 2010/12/220 0 ive had uc for about a year now and ive been on and off of predisone but wut ive started doing that is a HUGE help is juicing vegetables every morning and not only does it seem to really help but i have more energy,sleep better, and i get all the nutrients,minerals, and vitamins i need. I also lift weight which is in my opinion the best thing you can do. Obviouly working out isn't a cure but it really helps. I also started taking aloe elite which is said to be very effective in the fight of uc and crohns but i havnt been on them long enough to see for myself. I also take 6 omega 3s a day 2 boswelia serrata and 2 circumin as well as a probiotic called Align which definetly helps. Its kinda alot of pills but so far i havnt had to be hospitalized and i have a pretty strong case of uc so hopefully this helps everyone.
JR 2011/01/070 0 I have had UC since 1983 it came after the birth of my second child before asacol was on the market and all my dr. thought that it ws the miracle drug but I could shit them out faster than they went in LOL. Over the years I go into remission and stay they for along time then I want to try the craze of green juice. I can't eat lettuce but can eat spinach so I've been trying spinach celery and cucumbers with a few strawberries and a little apple juice to thin it down, well now I'm have trouble again. Why and help, should I add fibre one cereal or bran flakes metemucil any thoughts please. I like this green juice.
Will 2011/01/07 Contact Me0 0 Too much fiber is bad for colitis but you can get some like from wholewheat pasta which is just good on a number of fronts. The spinach should help with your blood which is good but don't eat too much veggies because of the fiber, try juicing them instead; it will remove the fiber and make the nutrition more available for your body. Also take probiotics like from greek style yogurt or even just the pills. A close relative of mine had a lot of success with DGL licorice (he ate a lot of it during the UC and it did help a lot). Of course also keep your stress levels in check.
2011/01/140 0 Lisa My child suffering. Recently diagnosed. Why is he fine all day and then has to get up all night long to go to the bathroom? Why does it hit at night? Just finished Asacol but, still tapering off Prednisone. Trying Vitamin E also. Don't want him on meds the rest of his life.
Pete 2011/01/18 Contact Me0 0 Have any of you ever tried Asacol HD ... OMG, this drug is a god sent. There are Zero side effects, breast feeding mothers can continue safe usage. Note to Lisa: Contact me ... I had the same issue, the doctor double my dosage of Asacol and everything went back to normal
LA 2011/01/300 0 Be careful with aloe treatments. My son tried the best and it caused elevated liver enzymes within three months of using the recommended dosage. It created problems upon problems, and there are other documented cases of this.
ol 2011/02/010 0 thank you all for the the info. i am curious about yeast infection with the cassava. has anyone try the noni juice. i cannot eat fish, beef, cow , goat or chickken, they all putrify inside me****does anyone has a hint of what is going on. vegetarian enzymes and probiotics is really helping. thanks
ol 2011/02/010 0 has anyone try the macademia nuts? it is the highest in monosaturated fatty acid, but very rich in sugar. i am guessing it will slow down the peristalsis movement in the gut.
Si'mone 2011/03/070 0 Thank you! I asked the GI doc about what foods to eat and all he gave me was not to eat dairy if it caused inflammation. I have been extremely frustrated and was going to the doctor almost every week. I asked for help so that I could live an almost normal life. This information atleast gives me a guide to go by. Thank you!
Zonwa 2011/03/12 Contact Me0 0 Was diagnosed a few wks ago, the pain is truely terrible, really drinking alot of water, bananna, cod liver oil, sardine,apple with skin peeled. The most important factor is to study your body & know what suits you well
Annie 2011/03/210 0 This is this first time I've stumbled on this forum! I was diagnosed three years ago and have been on three different medications and two rounds of steroids. All of you have listed wonderfully helpful advice! Here is some of my own to add: >coconut oil/coconut milk/coconut water -- I would be dead without these >ditch vinegars, sugars, caffeine >tulsi tea (and Indian herbal remedy)-- drink daily >eliminate gluten, soy, and dairy >smoothies made with Ultrainflamix (http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rls=com.microsoft:*&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&q=ultrainflamx&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=4735647778654431781&sa=X&ei=RYOHTd7RFojEswbcu7mSAw&ved=0CDoQ8wIwAg#) >SLEEP!!! Get adequate rest. Your body is exhausted and it isn't getting the resources it needs. So give it a break. Take cat naps on your lunch break.
Will 2011/04/250 0 Came across this study today: http://somvweb.som.umaryland.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=1445&z=5 Says the compound 'zonulin' plays a key role in causing permeability in the gut which leads to autoimmune diseases like UC.
Jackie 2011/04/27 Contact Me0 0 Was diagnosed last year, and since I have felt isolated from my family. Working all day, I am just exhausted and the medications, plus I have hypothyroid and menapause don't help my moods at all. Just tired all the time. My daughter and husband just don't understand why I don't want to go and just have fun with the grandsons . I feel the the old me died last year and now I just exist from day to day. I also don't eat the meat or eggs. I also have been diagnosed with anemia now. We just have to pray for one another. Depression is something I never had until the last six months and so far there is nothing that is helping.
Shannon 2011/04/28 Contact Me0 0 WOW! How did I not find your site sooner!!! I LOVE IT! You are soooo spot on with everything I've been through in the past 9 years. I am one year out from my proctocolectomy w/ Jpouch and have been pretty good so far. Have bouts of severe abdominal pain and recently have been "kind of" diagnosed with gastroparaesis (REALLY SUCKS!) I have noticed that stress really exacerbates my problems and I've been under a terrific amount of that lately. Not only am I a UC patient but I also am a nurse for a colorectal surgeon...how ironic eh? Suffered through ALL the meds, which never did much, including Remicade, before I finally begged for surgery. I used to do triathlons on a regular basis but have been unable to find my endurance since my surgery. I seem to get too tired too fast now and can barely run around the block! I'm trying to figure out what I need to get back into it...Experimentation...always experimenting with this disease! There is no UC in my family history as far back as Great G-parents. I have read a medical article about smoking cessation causing increased possibility of UC and I stopped smoking approx. 2-3 years before my symptoms started. My GI doesnt think there is a link but I really do! It really sucks that I stopped smoking to get healthy and got more sick than I have ever been in my LIFE!!! Anyway...thanks for your story! It makes us UC'ers feel more normal knowing there are others out there like us!! ;D
Will 2011/04/280 0 Shannon, I think the reason stopping smoking is related to getting UC is because usually smoking is a mechanism of dealing with stress. This is also why hypnotherapy helps people with UC, it calms people down and thus reduces stress. Stress is a very large factor in UC symptoms and is the single highest contributor to people getting sick in general. This is because from an evolutionary perspective 'fight or flight' mode would cause your body to react in certain ways affecting your immune system. This article has more details on it: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361287/ Jackie, it will be hard for your family to understand what you are going through if they haven't gone through something like this before. The medication could be contributing to your depression but having UC in general is just really depressing. But the depression makes going through it even worse, try to find something to be positive about or something to distract you from focusing on the illness.
Amy 2011/05/310 0 Is Ezekiel bread better because of the lack of flour even though it seems to be nutty?
Will 2011/05/310 0 The ezekiel bread was something i saw in Patient Heal Thyself and tried it out and it happened to work for me.
tammy 2011/06/02 Contact Me0 0 I have had Pancolitis for 14 years. I always try to utilize more natural types of healing. I have had only 1 hospitalization and that was for the original diagnosis. I have used pred. probably too much over the years and found that eventually, it seemed to make the bleeding and mucosal shedding worse, although it might help the other symptoms. I took awhile for me to get all the way off of it. I used natural supporting vits and minerals. The BIGGEST factor is what you eat, do not listen to the doctors that say it is not affected by your diet, that is total BS. No high fructose, hydrogenated or partially hydrog.oil. Wheat is a giant problem. If in a really bad flare, make sure you are not eating raw. Make your diet mostly soft, cooked veggies. Mashed carrot, potato,parsnips, celery,squash. Banana or pears. Soft steamed fish and chicken. No breads, grains, fried things. EV coconut oil, l-theanine. If you absolutely have to have it, a little soft cooked rice is okay. NO citrus juice or whole citrus fruit.until you are much more healed.DO not eat for a few hours before bedtime and I find it is much better to sleep somewhere that allows you to keep your head and shoulders elevated. Give these things a try,do not overeat at all. a very tiny amount of sugar. No soda, sport drinks ect. Try iced chamomile tea instead. Good luck to all.
Bret 2011/06/10 Contact Me0 0 I have had UC for 27 years. 18 of those it was in remission. No drugs, could eat/drink whatever I wanted. Then I took a new job in a Canadian City and within a month I was in the hospital. Knock on wood so far no bleeding, but I do get every other symptom. Saw my Gastro-guy today, he's young and willing to experiment. I'm on Asacol, Ativan, 30 mg codeine phosphate to slow down my bowl, which is lightening fast and caused absorption issues. I too was a smoker in my former city and then quit when I moved to Canada. My Gastro-guy told me to either start smoking again or take nicotine pills, apparently it's the no. 1 alternative therapy in Canada for UC. I do not eat anything with dairy, or any fast food, I cook my own food, very low calorie, no fresh fruits or veggies and I take a probiotic pill daily. I also drink a coca-cola daily as it kills bad bacteria, seriously. When it comes to UC i'm one of the lucky ones that have experienced long remissions, and except for the beginning when I was dignosed, I've not had the bleeding. When things get rough with stress, I fast for 2 days and things calm down. Getting the best Gastro-guy you can is essential to surviving this horrible disease.
Jackie 2011/06/100 0 I am currently getting accupuncture and found it is more helpful than the steriods from the gastroenterologist. I haven't felt this well or happy in over a year
Charles 2011/06/13 Contact Me0 0 I was just diagnosed with UC 2 days ago after 7 weeks of symptoms. It has become more tolerable since i started a low fiber diet. Less pain. I've been off work now for 3 weeks and cant leave my home due to symptoms. I have spent the last 2 days trying to absorb as much info about this disease as i can. The one thing i am certain about is that most of us have the same issues but there are so many variables in treatment/prevention of flare ups. I have concerns and am scared about the future. Can I hold my job? No job = no health insurance for my family and I in addition to the loss of income which would be devastating. I started on Apriso yesterday,time will tell if it works. Thanks to all for listening and hang in there.
Mario 2011/06/18 Contact Me0 0 I am taking regular accupuncture treatment along with herbal supplements by the dame therapist. It has been about 8 months and there Is no sign of any symptoms. Please feel free to post any questions and I will be more than happy to answer. Thanks
Mario 2011/06/180 1 Sorry. I meant same therapist and not dame therapist. Typo.
Will 2011/06/200 0 Apriso is the same thing as Asacol, they are both mesalamine. There are a lot of factors which will determine if you will be able to keep working like will it go into remission, the severity of the disease and the side effects of the medication you are on. In the worst case scenario, you will need the jpouch surgery to eventually be able to continue working; that is always an option if things get really bad. Stress also triggers the disease to get worse so it's very important to have some sort of way to destress on a daily basis. Yes a decent number of people have had success with acupuncture, I believe it highly depends on the individual practitioner on the results. If someone who is experiencing a lot of success with acupuncture would post here what exactly their acupuncturist is doing; others will know what to look for in a good acupuncturist :)
Evan 2011/06/21 Contact Me0 0 I was the one who initiate tapioca recipe in the world. It should be a glass of room temperature water.
Anna 2011/06/300 0 I have UC from the past 2 years and it changed my life, I have never felt so miserable ever, it started with just losing blood now and again but then became a daily routine and became worse that I started losing blood every time I had a BM, my flareups have made me so scared that sometimes I don't feel like leaving home and going anywhere...I didnot want to go on steroids so I opted for diet change and use of certain herbs, I only eat cooked food no raw vegetables, no salads, when I feel I am constipated I eat more vegetables to be able to go to the bathroom and when I have diarrhea I eat grains or food made with flour and that stops the diarrhea...I eat yogurt everyday, room temperature liquids, no sodas or juices, plain water or tea, I do use DGL in a cream form,and marshmallow root in my tea that reduces inflammation, I try to keep my diet clean, I do not eat any nightshade vegetables that is tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, eat lauki squash everyday(indian), I am a vegetarian so I donot eat any meat or eggs, only fresh cheese not aged cheeses, all I can say is listen to your body it does give u signs and tells u what is good or bad for your body typeI have started to listen and that has helped me, I wish none of us had to go through this horrible condition
Mitch 2011/07/09 Contact Me0 0 IJWTS wow! Why can't I think of tghnis like that?
Brandon 2011/07/110 0 Thankyou I wish doctors would give us a chart to try and list their possible affects. DGL licorice does help me like you mentioned. I'd also like something not on there for stress called the "dive reflux" and "longevity maneuver" for stress
Lisa 2011/07/13 Contact Me0 0 I just got discharged from the hospital last week for my severe UC flare. I had developed ulcers in my esophagus due to the medication I was on and dropped down to 88 lbs in addition to the massive colon inflammation I was experiencing. The last 6 weeks have been the worst of my life, but things are finally looking up. I'm currently on Prednisone 30mg per day, Asacol 12 tablets per day and recently got my first Remicade infusion. I've been experiencing adverse side affects from the Pred and Asacol - sleeplessness, face puffiness and bad gas - but the Remicade seemed to have suddenly stopped the bleeding that let me out of the hospital. Since discharge, I've completely changed my diet. I've removed dairy and all fried and fast foods and started to incorporate high protein foods into my daily diet (mostly eggs and fish), as well as dietary supplements. Now that I'm paying attention to my body's response to food and taking regular walks to keep my bowels in motion, the stomach pain has subsided substantially and the frequency has been cut in half. I have my second Remicade infusion scheduled this week and I think it will be the turning point into going into remission. Thanks so much for your story - it's definitely helped provide much of the preliminary dietary guidance. I also live in the bay area and looking to change GI specialists (I'm currently being treated in Michigan where my parents live), so any referrals you have would be extremely welcomed!
Will 2011/07/150 0 I moved to the bay area after my surgery so I don't know which GI specialists are good here. If anyone else has a recommendation feel free to share.
Stephanie 2011/07/21 Contact Me0 0 *sigh* Ulcerative Colitis hate you!! 8 years crap. 2 stroke, 4 picc lines, anemia, etc. AND U.C. !!! (I'm 33 years old.) (I LOVE fentanyl) Well..."Don't let it beat you...NEVER!!!"
Colleen 2011/07/260 0 UC since 2003 which became severe and flared with bleeding lasting over last 1 1/2 yrs. Started on Pred 60mg after months of other meds and tapered off over 3 mo putting me into remission for only 6 weeks. Had been on all mesalamine drugs (Lialda, Apriso, Asacol, Pentasa, Rowasa, cort enemas and Sulfas) w/o remission. MD wanted to start on Remicaide - didn't want to take due to side effects. Read about Asacol HD and asked Gastro to start me on - I was asymptomatic within 1 week and have cont'd to be in remission since Feb. (5 mo.) On vacatation past week and had alcohol on 3 occasions along with eating everything and started bleeding again. Plan to increase Asacol to 3/day (had been taking 2/day since it was working.) I think I'll be ok back to watching diet and no alcohol which is clearly an irritant for me along with junk diet (chips/corn chips/salsa/dips etc.) I eat vegetarian w/some fish, lots of H20, tea, eggs, cheese/yogurt, occasional grains/pasta/bread. I stopped my morning coffee for the 1 1/2 yr but resumed when bleeding stopped. Plan to stop again and back to green tea. I do believe acidic foods are a trigger for me and don't eat fried foods ever. Try the ASACOL HD - it was the only med that worked for me and I don't have any side effects.
Marty 2011/08/121 0 I have had U.C. for many years. I've been suffering for many years now with a multitude of symptoms. I have had a ileostomy for a year & have had Four Major surgeries. The Cleveland Clinic Of Florida did all of my surgeries. ~ I still suffer after all of the operations. It's a terrible illness to have.
Will 2011/08/120 0 Did they remove the entire colon when they created the ileostomy? If you are having trouble after that are you sure it's not Chrons?
lourdes 2011/08/120 0 omg my boyfriend has ulcervitis colitis this page was so helpfull his doctor wasn't thank you so much
Marty 2011/08/130 0 Will, r u asking me? I don't have an ileostomy any more. That was years ago. When I was in the Hospital they tested me for Chrons. I believe they gave me a Sonogram & they said that I did not have Chrons. & doesn't Chrons go all the way the the esophagus? They removed most of my colon, practically all of it & created a J - Pouch, which I have now.
2011/08/130 0 Just try this, I am telling you with all my heart, you can feel better if yu will commit. 1 week and you will improve. I do not know if you will be cured, but I promise you it will feel better.The only real help I have had has not been from GI docs.You do not have to do it overnight, stop eating any bread pasta sugar aad eat a banana or egg in the morning. For lunch have something easy like another banana or a soft cooked butternut sq. Carrots are the best thing, cook them soft or just go buy bolthous juice. Just give it two days, tell your boyfriend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I have done it all, from meds to dispare.It is a hard road living with this.
Will 2011/08/150 0 Just a quick update, I added a link to GI Monitor in the notes section. It's an app that you can use to track UC symptoms, medications etc on your android/iphone.
Coralie 2011/08/19 Contact Me0 0 Hi, I was recently given this recipe to try to clear up UC symptoms. A glass of unsweetened cranberry juice after any food or drink (Ocean Spray does a light version that only has 5g per serve. Most others have 30g. Also a tsp Slippery Elm in plain acidophilus yoghurt (tastes like butterscotch instant pudding) and calendula tea. I have been doing the cranberry juice for 2 days and have already noticed an improvement.
KELI 2011/08/210 0 Hi, I was Diagnosed with Colitis in 2008. Since then I have had 2 bad flares, one that caused me to be hospitalized for a week in 2009. I was in a severe flare for over almost 2 months causing me to lose an extreme amount of blood in which I had to get a blood transfusion. My GI Doc shut my colon down by feeding me through an IV for 5 days. After about a week my symptoms turned around and I started to get better after being on 60mg of Prednisone, Asacol, and Rowasa. For about a year I went into remission and decided to take myself off the drugs. I felt better than ever before and BOOM the horrible storm hits once again. About a month ago I noticed a change in my bowel habit, and extreme gas. I went to see my GI and he thought I might have had a bad bacteria in my stomach lining and gas so he put me on Prilosec. (I had been under his care the whole time with doc visits every 6 months) After two weeks symptoms began to worsen and I ended up having a colonoscopy that indicated I was in a moderate flare and my colon was so inflamed that the doc had to end my colonscopy because he didn't want to risk Proferation. Now i've been on prednisone for 3 weeks, taking Lialda, Rowasa and I haven't seen any signs of improvement. Today I purchased GLC Licorice and 15 billion probiotic. I hope that along with my medication these natural supplements will do me justice. I was doing so great and living a healthy life and BOOM! I don't know what to do as far as diet & lifestyle change because the only foods I've found to irritate me are salads, nuts and those high fibre foods. Everything else I eat seems to be ok. Trying to diet with this disease is very difficult for me because I don't know what hurts me until I eat it. i.e. the sloppy joe I ate the other night. TORE MY STOMACH UP! I also have noticed that mornings and sometimes at night are really severe with abdominal pain and diarrhea. From 10:00a-9:00pm i'm ok. WEIRD.. Thank you all for your comments and feedback as I know I am not along fighting this horrible disease!!!!!! Believe in HEALING!!!!!
Kate 2011/08/22 Contact Me0 0 I'm 43 and was diagnosed w UC at 19. I had two options because my disease is located rather close to my rectum: take out the colon and live w a bag, or steroids. The doctors chose steroids. Unfortunately, the dose they gave me should have been for 3-5 days. I was on it for a month and a half. I gained 100 lbs in 8 months (I was a PE minor in college, so THAT should not have happened. We are now finding out what the long term effects of that high dose of steroids are: degenerative disc disease (just had my third spinal fusion this summer...fused up the the thoracic zone now, and damage to my pancreas. I've had good luck w Asacol 3 tabs two times a day and metfomin 1 tab twice a day. I'm in a flare right now. I pinpoint it to fried food and trying a very small spinach salad...I really miss salads. Here is the list of my foods to avoid...the list sucks ass, but so does missing out on life because I am stuck on the potty: No nuts or seeds No caffeine Very limited dairy 1-2x a week No uncooked veggies No corn, popped or otherwise No fried foods of any kind Meat is one of the hardest foods to digest, of the meats chicken and fish are easiest Limit red meat 2x a week No fruit skins or seeds
Kate 2011/08/220 0 Also: Limited alcohol! Good things: Apple sauce Watermelon Bananas Cottage cheese Canned peaches and pears Wheat bread (without seed or hulls...they HURT!) White bread Butter Jelly (no seeds) Mac and cheese Hot dogs (on occasion) Scrambled eggs Taco dip made w cream cheese, vegetarian refried beans, a little sour cream an 1/2 envelope of MILD taco seasoning...flour tortilla chips are ok for me...it's hard not to add olives and diced tomatoes (on my NO list along w pickles) Chocolate is ok in moderation (like chocolate chip cookies, but not a whole Hershey bar) I don't have trouble w peanut butter
Kate 2011/08/22 Contact Me0 0 My biggest salvation: SMALL MEALS MANY TIMES A DAY! My colon is so scarred that it is featured in medical textbooks used in Omaha (Creighton)! I'm famous from the inside out! :) If I eat 5-6 small meals in the day, I feel much better . I know this is hard as we were programmed to eat meals 3x a day. But that just doesn't work for me...my family, God bless them, is very supportive in joining me on the 5-6 small meals a day journey...it makes them sad when Mommy is stuck on the potty! I understand that the damage in my colon is so severe that this is what I have to do to preserve what is left! I do fall off the wagon, and my "hangover" is a flare. The forbidden food is never worth the flare! Feel free to contact me for an understanding email ear and support. People without UC cannot possibly understand the pain, urgency, and sadness we face w this disease, try as they might. I understand what you all are going through...and it sucks ASS! But think of the good we are doing for the toilet tissue industry!! LOL! May your God bless you all! And those of you not into God, have splendid days!! Thanks for providing this website! It lets us UC Warriors know that we are not alone! Big hugs to you! :)
Marty 2011/08/230 0 Kate, Good Luck with your battle b/c it is very trying & difficult. U have much discipline to stay on your routine. Foods r very tempting when one is hungry & wants to have foods that taste pleasing to their tastes.
2011/08/230 0 Marty, You got that right...I watch all of the commercials on TV and most are for restaurants...salads and deep fried goodness. Living in Wisconsin is difficult...I think this whole state is deep fried! :) The only good part of this disease is the weight loss...at least I look good while I can't eat anything fun! Bahaha!
Pharmf846 2011/08/23 Contact Me0 0 Hello! cdceabd interesting cdceabd site! I'm really like it! Very, very cdceabd good!
Pharmd632 2011/08/23 Contact Me0 0 Very nice site!
Pharmk677 2011/08/23 Contact Me0 0 Hello! gdgbeea interesting gdgbeea site! I'm really like it! Very, very gdgbeea good!
Mia 2011/08/29 Contact Me0 0 I need help with my problem i cant control my stomach i have no insurance and im 19 everything feels like it triggers so if ne one can help please help ameliapbocanegra@hotmail.com
Amanda 2011/08/30 Contact Me0 0 Hi My names Amanda and i just found out i have UC and i would love to talk to people about it. I feel like theres nothing that i can eat and im so depressed because of all of my pain.. If you would like to chat please let me know
Marty 2011/09/05 Contact Me0 0 Hi Amanda, my name is Marty, I have UC & if u would like u can contact me via email.
2011/09/070 0 BIG BRODA IS ALWAYS WATCHING U, JUST REMEBMER THAT!
Steve 2011/09/07 Contact Me0 0 Hi your food lists are identical to mine and I have recently become lactose intolerant...hopefully we can share information in the future.
Tam 2011/09/070 0 Hello all, I have had pan colitis for over a decade and have tried everything from conventional to alternative treatment. Natural approaches have always been mre helpful. I have to share will all of you, I have been following the SCD diet for a couple of months now and it is nothing short of a miracle. It does require complete compliance and NO cheating. If you are sick enough, you can do this with ease. It is so easy after the first couple of weeks. I urge all of you to try this.
Raymond 2011/09/18 Contact Me0 0 Great attention to detail. I appreciate the info. Please feel free to contact me at my email. Being Soldier it is hard to manage the stress and eat healthy. I have a good regiment going and for over a year I haven't formulated any activeness. I am on Azathioprine (imuran) and it is pretty potent.
Amanda 2011/09/23 Contact Me0 0 I have a question..?? When you go into remission is it possible to still be very weak, body aches, and tired??
Kate 2011/09/240 0 Yes it is very common to feel weak and have body aches. But you should also watch your symptoms since we are now in the cold/flu season. I recently came out of my longest flare EVER...then I got the flu this week...my autoimmune system probably couldn't handle the multiple stresses. With my UC, antibiotics can often put me into a flare, so I use them very conservatively. I am going to continue my super-bland, no fun at all diet of yogurt, applesauce w benefiber, grilled cheese sandwiches, very mild rice and beans, and chex mix (works for me) until I'm off the antibiotics for a week. Oh, I can have bananas, too...which I enjoy w dip made from cream cheese and Fluff. :) take good care of yourself, stay hydrated, eat what works for you, and take your meds as prescribed. To boost your immunity...get some sun every day (even cloudy days allow for some Vitamin D). Rest when you need to. I hope you have understanding friends and a supportive family! Best wishes for a long remission! I hope to join you there soon! :)
Cal 2011/09/270 0 I appreciate everyone sharing here. Thank You. I had my first UC symptoms when I was 24. I was afraid to go to the doctor because i kept thinking it would just go away... it did not. Two years later i was diagnosed with UC, I am now 44. I noticed when ever I stop drinking & having "fun" it would go into remission. Recently I had been in remission for about a year til last month, now im back to 10-12 bowel movements & bleeding again while i`m taking prednisone & asacol. Lately I had been thinking about trying a juice & water diet for a full day to see what happens...
2011/09/270 0 Cal, if you are losing that much "fluid" a day...make sure you keep yourself hydrated. Also try to keep a little food in your tummy, if possible. Cramps are your patoot's answer to dry heaves and can be very uncomfortable. I hope you start to feel better soon. I know this is so frustrating! We are inundated w food, we can't celebrate or mourn without it, but it seems with me, at least, food is an as adversary that I must contend w each day. The girls at work can eat anything they want, whenever they want. It's not like that for me. I have to plan and strategize about my food. Total drag. But I do like pudding and applesauce, and that's better than nothing! :)
Christa 2011/09/270 0 I am 30 and I was just diagnosed with ulcerative colitis last month. I am currently 37 weeks pregnant. I never had any bowel problems until 4 months ago. (Except for several years ago when I was diagnosed with severe lactose intolerance.So I am dairy free.)I do not suffer from diarrhea or frequent movements ( I have been told this is probably because I am pregnant things slow down.) but I do have large amounts of bloody mucus with or with out bowel movements. I was put on Lialda for 3 weeks which helped tremendously. 2 days after being off the drug the problem came back. It also happens to coincide with when I started Keflex for a uti. The diet the Dr. put me on on is not helping and I cant seem to pinpoint any triggers from what I am eating. I am frustrated and afraid. I dont like taking medications while beimg pregnant and I really want to nurse but I am not sure if that will be wise if I am put on more medications. I find myself getting very depressed. This is our first child and we tried very hard to concieve. I dont understand why my body is doing this, especially now. I have been living a very healthy life style over the years and not being able to get any answers as to what caused this or how to fix it, is frustrating to say the least. I am afraid to eat and when I do I am afraid I am not giving my baby the nutrients she needs. Any words of advice would be deeply appreciated.
A.M. 2011/10/050 0 I have just had a hospital stay from Colitis, its very new to me, I hadn't never heard of it before but boy am I aware of it now, The dr has put me on a medicine called Flagyl, and taken away my caffeine, which has resulted in a migraine. I am scared to eat anything and really have no appetite. How long did it take everyone to get an paaetite back ot trust eating.. my experience was horrible! The night I went to the ER I was diagnosed with food allergy and stomach flu! I woke up about 1:30 with bad stomach cramps, I got dizziness, sweats, chills, burning in myt hands and feet and broke out from head to toe from foods that I have eaten many times.. I also got diarrhea and vomiting.. Cheeseburger with everything on it, fries, later I ate an apple with some peanut butter and a glass of milk.. The dr sent me home after giving me a shot and pain meds to stop the diarrhea! 2 days later I ended up back at the emergency room with excruciating stomach pain and bleeding from my bowels.. and was admitted.. This whole ordeal has been scarry for me.
Sarah 2011/10/07 Contact Me0 0 What a wonderful site. Thank you for having this out there as a resource for others who also suffer from UC. I have it bad and was just hospitalized 3 times over the past couple months. We were starting to talk surgery because I wasn't responding to drugs and I started on Remicade which is working well so far. Just had my 2nd dose today. I had been on very high doses of steroids and now I am bloated/fat and diabetic. That stuff is EVIL. I am tapering now and going down to 30 starting today thank the Lord. I was on 100 while in the hospital. So glad the Remicade is working so I can get off these horrid steroids. Best wishes to you! Hope you are able to achieve remission for a long time.
felton 2011/10/110 0 Ive had uc for about 10 years now. I use asacol anti-inflamtory to lessen the inflamation. But to make a real difference eating raw veggies has helped me, I just stock up my fridge with bell peppers, avacado, carrots etc. And when I feel hungry i dive in. My opinion is that there is a connection between age and the first onset of the disease. Most people get it when in there 20's. Since levels of stomach acid and levels of pancreatic digestive enzymes (paricularly lactase) deplete as we get older. We can assume there is a link there. Veggies in there raw state contain there own enzymes, which is helpful. So I dont eat big meals, i just snack. Oh yeah cut out DAIRY WHEAT CORN SUGAR AND YEAST. Try Cider vinegar, it may help produce stomach acid, and occasionally take digestive enzymes. Good luck. Felton
tam 2011/10/110 0 Felton, I would bet a large amount of money that you would go into remission if you would l;ook up the SCD Diet. It is easier than it sounds, you can eat almost all veggies, fruits and meats. Works really well for approx 85% of people that will really follow the diet, does require complete compliance.
Elizabeth 2011/10/120 0 I have been on Remicade since 3 weeks ago. I have only had one dose. After 5 days I noticed a significant improvement in symptoms and no side effects. I can sleep again. I am also taking Slippery Elm in plain yoghurt each morning after 1 tablet of L Glutamine which is an amino acid that is very good for the bowel. I also drink unsweetened Cranberry juice after everything I eat or drink. This was passed on to me by someone else. I don't know why it works but it does.
Kimberly 2011/10/15 Contact Me0 0 Hi, I came across this site while i was researching what to eat. Is an amazing site, very helpful inforation. I was diagnose with UC a week ago, after almost a month with diarrhea, a 3 days stay in the hospital, and so many antibiotics that just made me sicker, one of those is Flagyl, this a really strong antibiotic and it will just make you feel worst.. I started Asacol HD the same day I got diagnose, and with in 48hrs there was no more blood. So far I'm better as days go by I'm on day 8 of Asacol HD, and even that the diarrhea is not gone, I feel overall 80% better, I only have one trip to the bathroom a day and no cramps. this medication is working very well for me, my GI did not combine it with anything else. I need some advise from anyone that is kind enoght to answer me. I have been in a very strict diet since i got diagnose. I only eat avocado as veggie or fruit, turckey burgers, chicken burgers and fish (all home made, and nothing fried) I dont put any spice but sea salt, and I drink a lot of water with a bit of apple juice to give some taste. All the list of food that Will listed above seem very tasty, and I would like to know which ones are safe to eat while having a flare? also I love sweets but I cut all sugars over 20 days ago because I found out it would make the diarrhea worst. Is there anything I can use to make my camomille tea a bit sweeter?? Thank you so much for this site, it's a relief to know that I'm not alone in this...:) God bless all of you!
Christa 2011/10/170 0 I have found Stevia (the green pure stuff) works well for adding some sweetness and organic honey. Neither upset my UC. I have also found my juicer is my best friend for getting some much needed nutrients from fruits and vegetables I otherwise could not eat.
2011/10/170 0 Kimberly - I cut out dairy and wheat - kinda did the BRAT diet. Low fiber foods and don't eat raw veggies. Anything that is hard to digest like red meat should be avoided while in a flare. These are tips given to me by my doctor and the nurses while I was in the hospital. Remicade is helping me since steroids and all the other 9 million pills I was taking did nothing after 3 hospitalizations in 6 weeks.
damien 2011/10/26 Contact Me0 0 Thank s for the list. i have had UC for going on 6 years and had a really bad flare up in 08 and was hospitalized twice that year once becuase my doctor prescribed Azacol and I developed Pancreatitis. I found out that this is a side effect in rare occasions. Now my doctor rpescribes me Sulfasalizine but it never really works. I get headaches and severe heartburn probably because I have a Hietal Hernia. Anyway Thank you for the food list it should help. Also any over the coutner painkillers work for you without the bad side effects. I have been taking Tylenol but it is so weak that pain never goes away and comes back full force three hours later. THis is a problem since can only take it every six hours. Thanks
Rich 2011/10/27 Contact Me0 0 I am doing a lot of research at the moment and I must say what a great site. My wife has been diagnosed with UC since 2002. Right now I (and our 5 month old son) am sitting beside her bed in the hospital while she is experiencing her worst flare up ever. She experiences upwards of 20 almost pure blood BM's a day right now. She had been on 3 a day lialda and 1 a day canasa for quite some time until now. She is as most of you can guess on IV fluids and receiving prednizone and Morphine both by iv at regular intervals. Tomorrow her specialist is going to discuss and try to start her on 6mp. My research on 6mp results in fear and anxiety in my own eyes. I am going to do the diet with her. It is so hard to watch her suffer like she is now. On top of this disease, missing her new born son every day is really taking its toll on her. The back to back hospital stays (they actually sent her home a week ago) have been nothing but frustrating. She is so miserable and at wits end. Her current symptoms with treatment in the hospital include: 20+ BMs mostly blood, nausia, chills, slight burning in the esophagus (sign of Crohns?) , extreme urgency, no sleep, over all not feeling good and just not feeling right. I totally agree with some of the comments above that non UC persons (this includes almost all medical staff she see's outside of the GI team) do not understand. I do not have UC, my wife does, and the pain, sickness, frustration and battle with depression that I am baring witness to is too great for anyone to have to go through. I thought I knew but I finally see this as the disease that it is. I feel for you all. I hope the diet truly helps and I look forward to helping her with it. We just need her to make it over this hurdle.
2011/10/270 0 please, I am offering a branch to those that are at then end of their rope. I have had UC for so many years. The only lasting change has been SCD diet, available on a very widespread basis online. Please look at it as what you are able to eat, rather than what you can't.. This has given me my life back after so many years. Please , jst give it a try. I finally have energy, able to be part of the family.Also, not afraid to ride in the car, shop,camp even. thoght it wold never be my life again. the information is so available online. Good luck to all, you with the wife and small baby, plese feel free to contact me, taammyjea@aolcom..My worst time of my life was post baby, too hard and sad. Tam
Marty 2011/10/270 0 Can the SCD diet help people who have had several surgeries & have practically their entire colon removed? And can u please provide us with a / the Link(s), url or specific web address to find out more about that diet. ~ Thank You, very much!
2011/10/270 0 http://scdiet.org/ http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/ Okay, here are just couple of links, there is a ton of information out there. Regarding people that have had previous resections ect, I guess I am not an expert on the matter, however I do know that many people that suffer from chrons/colitis also have other symptoms such as arthritic disorders, general body ache, even serious things such as Ankylosing spondylitis . All of these disorders respond to the SCD diet, it is an anti inflammatory diet.Presumably, better health can be achieved. The very meds we are forced to take, also lead to a host of symptoms. This does reqire a commitment, it took me 6 weeks to notice big bowel changes, however I did feel improvement in other ways from the first week. Some people will have dramatic change within a couple of days. If I knew before, what I know now, I would have been spared so much pain. Some days, I really just want a big bowl of mac and cheese, so NOT worth giving up the strength and energy I now have. Good luck, if you decide to try this, it can't be a half hearted attempt. Think of all of the vegetables, fruit, meat and cheese you can eat, rather than the sugar, grains and starches you forfit. This is full of really good healthy food, no, it is not atkins diet at all.(there is always a critic in the crowd,lol)
Scott T. 2011/10/27 Contact Me0 0 Have you or anyone leaving comments been reading about this "helminth's Therapy"? it is verey interesting and very creepy, but may have some significant results. Ingesting whip worms or hook worms into system thru swallowing or on band aid and they harbor themselves into body, rest in the colon, lay eggs in the colon and help produce a mucus IL-22 that somehow has been healing the ulcers and keeping people in remission. food for thought!
Scott T. 2011/10/27 Contact Me0 0 I left the wrong email address
Marty 2011/10/270 0 Thank You, I will definitely check it out. I need some relief from this illness / condition! The discipline / commitment thing would be the most difficult thing for me.
sue 2011/10/280 0 I used to weigh 135 pounds. Then I got this horrible thing..I now weigh 101 pounds I look like death. I can't tolerate regular milk,fat of any kind chocolate..Sometimes pasta is a trigger. Seems like I live on flagyl,vitamins,yogurt,bananas,and probiotic supplements. No soda,chips. Red meat is totally out.Everybody is different.. Just getting over a week long flare up after a month of being free. Before that I had been really down for 3 weeks..I hate this thing..How do I gain weight? I am skin and bones help!
Amy 2011/10/280 0 I just wanted to say thank you. I was recently diagnosed, was hospitalized for 4 days. It was not a good experience. I have been looking for a good website to find out what I can or can not eat and this is just what I was looking for. Greatly appreciated. :)
Marty 2011/10/290 0 Ya see one of the things with Colitis, Crohns, IBS is that it's not just one thing. I mean with the symptoms. If it was just one thing it might be not such a terrible illness, but it is a multitude of symptoms that one has to deal with. & that is very rouch & can be depressing as well. Has anyone tried Beano? I was thinking of trying it to see if it works ok & helps with some of the nice symptoms. ~ Thank You.
Scott 2011/10/300 0 Is anyone out there bummed that we can't get paregoric anymore? Did anyone ever use this? The stuff was unbeleivable for cramps and discomfort. The FDA just pulled it from the market. They are really looking out for us, isn't that wonderful, they really care!!!!
Cal 2011/11/030 0 I wish everyone including myself, to somehow gain success from this very disrupting annoyance in Our Lives. To the Person that responded to my earlier post Thank You soo much for the encouragement. Although I never liked planning for anything before... planning is what I now do, all the time. Although I also never eat pudding or applesauce, I think it`s time that I try that as well! :)
Sarah 2011/11/03 Contact Me0 0 I'm Steroid Refractory UC - so last resort was to do Remicade Infusions. Anyone else has success with Remicade? I have had zero side effects from it and it started working after the 1st infusion. Just wondering about long term remission with it.
2011/11/030 0 selvi Thanks for above information. I have some suggestion try to take everyday 1 spoon of honey in morning with empty stomach and at night before go sleep. It really helpful those have ulcerative colitis.
Rich 2011/11/04 Contact Me0 0 A week or so ago I put up a post here regarding my wife who is still hospitalized. She is on day 13 of being in the hospital with a colitis flare. She has been on a regimen of Dilauded for pain and steroids to try to push back the flare. The steroids haven't worked at all (after 16 days) and my wife is certain now that pain comes after the steroids are administered. A glimmer of hope. We were very afraid of Remicade however she received her first infusion yesterday. They had to stop at one point because her BP dropped but she came back and finished the infusion at 11pm last night about 10 hours after the initial start. The turn around has been impressive. The passing of blood has greatly reduced as well as the number of BMs so far today. It looks as though Remicade is her wonder drug. She want's to taper of the steroids now ASAP.
Rich 2011/11/04 Contact Me0 0 Sarah from 11-3-2011, How soon and how fast did they ween you off the steroids? My wife is also steroid refractory UC. She just received her first Remicade infusion with the first positive results in the last 3 weeks. I think the docs waited too long to realize the steroids weren't working. She was first hospitalized on 10/16 and then given oral steroids and sent home on 10/18. She continued to get worse and I brought her back to the ER on 10/23. She was admitted and put on IV steroids. She continued to get worse. The docs admitted being baffled by the steroids not working. The Remicade process took about a week to process. The hospital was ready to give it but they had to make sure she could continue to receive it as an out paitent. She had her first infusion last night and the response has been great. When that was done, she then had to get the steroid which led to awake all night with pain. Less movements and less blood since the infusion. She also had to be switched from Morphine to Dilauded because morphine was not doing the trick with her pain.
Sarah 2011/11/04 Contact Me0 0 They waited too long to take me off too. I would go home from Hospital and go back 4 days later. They say the third time is a charm. That's when I ended up with a seasoned older GI specialist who decided I had to get off steroids asap and start remicade. Otherwise it was surgery. I also started to notice improvements within 24 hours of remicade. I will be getting my 3rd infusion next week. I take my last 20 mg Prednisone today and then 10 mg for a few days then done. Hurray. Steroids are horrid. I gained 20 lbs and went diabetic on them along with a really fast heart rate, insomnia, night sweats...... Morphine wasn't doing enough for me either. Although combining it with an antispasmodic called Levsin (Hyoscyamine) - the one that you dissolve under your tongue works the fastest - really helped. I think Will has it in his list above. Kinda wish they had switched me to Dilauded for pain as the morphine would wear off an hour before I could get more. I finally pitched a fit and made them up my dose. Seems like they are paranoid about people using controlled substances. Kinda angers me because the last thing I want to do is be a druggy when I am in so much pain. As if people like us want the added complications on top of what the steroids do to our bodies. But, on the same hand, you really must try to limit the opiates because they can contribute to Toxic Megacolon which you do not want. That's an emergency for sure and can lead to an emergency Colectomy surgery. See if she can get the Levsin (Hyoscyamine). It lasts for 6 hours. At least the ones I had did. She may find that it helps lengthen the time the pain stays away. I found that it complimented rather than replaced the pain meds until I was healed up more and the pain lessened. Then I would just take the Levsin (Hyoscyamine) by itself. I still pop a pain pill once in a blue moon if I eat something that doesn't agree and I get crampy. Best of luck to you both. Hope you continue to see the improvements with the Remicade.
Rich 2011/11/06 Contact Me0 0 All, My wife had her Remicade treatment on Thurdsday. As of today still in the hospital. She has moved from IV steroids and dilauded to steroids and dilauded by mouth. At this moment she is experiencing what she describes as both a numbness and pain feeling in her jaw and neck area. Her BP is consistently around 88/54 and her pulse is staying around 100. We feel her BP is too low for to long, she is getting IV fluids but her BP hasn't come up. The staff here at the moment does not seem concerned but we are border line about to activate their rapid response team because this just doesn't seem right. Has anyone else experienced the numb and dull pain feeling after a Remicade infusion. (This is her first one)
Kate 2011/11/06 Contact Me0 0 Wow! That blood pressure does seem to be quite low. I'm not a nurse or doctor, but I think you are correct for being concerned. Yay! I'm in remission! I had the longest flare of my 21 years w my UC. I pulled meat from my diet. (I sometimes eat tuna in tuna salad, and I will dip bread in meat gravy...so it's not like I'm a vegetarian! My mantra always was: meat's for eating, fur is for wearing. I am obviously not on the PETA board of directors) The meat-free change has REALLY helped. I do miss it, though...but I remind myself that I would rather be comfortable than eat risky foods. I have HBP, so I'm on the lookout for low sodium cheeses...does anyone know of a great tasting brand? I live in Wisconsin. Thanks for your help. Wishing you all many tummy-trouble-free days! :) k8
Donna 2011/11/15 Contact Me0 0 Thanks for the site I am in the middle of what I call the little one. Still bleeding but only in bathroom 9-10 a day . Hate prednisone but think it is a must again. For all those who know the feeling this really sucks.
Cal 2011/11/170 0 for a week now i have been going to the restroom 7-8 times still bleeding but not as much as before when i was going 12-14 times. i stopped eating/drinking soy products. i was putting soy milk in my cereal everyday. i hope everyone gets well soon.
Donna 2011/11/170 0 I don't know if anyone else has noticed a pattern to their flares? For the last 4 years I can almost predict when I will have a flare, mostly in September through January and again in the spring. Summer is usually pretty good.
2011/11/170 0 Yes. Even my Gi doc told me she has seen a pattern in patients. She said that she sees a lot in the fall. Although this year there were a lot in late summer. Personally, I flare every fall season. This time around it was late summer and I was in the hospital 3 times until I went on biotherapy.
Will 2011/11/190 0 Fascinating tip about the flare pattern, I actually never picked up on that that it goes by the seasons. Curious why that happens.
Sarah 2011/11/19 Contact Me0 0 I don't think they quite know yet why. Would be interesting to solve this mystery.
Alana 2011/11/210 0 I fell pregnant whilst in a flare up and finding it hard to get into remission with meds, does anyone know of anything natural that is safe I can try?
Kevin 2011/11/250 0 Hey there soldiers. My fiance is in the middle of her first big flare up. Doctor is going to call us next week to tell us that she has UC, Crohn's already ruled out. Where we are running into a problem, as it seems to be the case with many of you, is pain relief. Doc perscribed Acetaminophen with codeine, but the Acetaminophen is causing her to vomit. Ibuprofen is minimally effective. Does anyone have some alternatives we can try? Looking into the peppermint. Thanks and keep up the good fight.
Rich 2011/11/25 Contact Me0 0 You should avoid any NSAID, they are not ulcer friendly. As far as over the counter there isnt much. Tylenol might help a little. If your fiance is in the hospital she should be able to get morphine.
Marty 2011/11/250 0 Has anyone tried the B.R.A.T. diet? It's a bland diet.
NuffingButtTrouble 2011/11/26 Contact Me0 0 Pain is often caused by gas, which can be reduced by eliminating certain foods from your diet. It can also be caused by meds or the use of effective probiotics when die-off occurs...but diet is the key to avoiding gas related pain. For me, the key to controlling flares is exercise (40 mins daily light jogging or brisk walking), herbal vitamin/mineral supplements, sufficient rest (bed by 11pm if possible), diet (avoid sugars, excessive starches and dairy especially cheese) and probiotics.
Byrd 2011/12/020 0 ate a lot of candy got a lot of mucus just was put on predzone hope it helps gotta find cook book for colitis
NuffingButtTrouble 2011/12/020 0 sugar is really bad for you and many people with UC can't eat sugar because it causes flares. Sugar is even bad for the heart too.
Svetlozar 2011/12/06 Contact Me0 0 UC since 24 years old (2 and half years now) Many things on that list does not match for me. I am currently only on Asacol and Lactaid since I became Lactose intolerant. Banana - NO WAY! Pineapl juice - I drink almost a litter per day. Orrange juice - If I drink a tea cup - I get bleeding in a 4-6 hours. Rice - not good for me. I can only dream watermelons (it is hard product even for healthy people) It took me 2 years to determine what is good and bad for me :(
Donna 2011/12/060 0 I have found that olives are a no no for me, it does not matter black or green the results are the same
NuffingButtTrouble 2011/12/060 0 that's interesting because many people with UC are lactose intolerant with me included. Bananas, orange juice, pineapple juice and too much rice are problems as well. There are a lot of similarities...it's amazing that there's still no cure.
2011/12/070 0 well as I said earlier Pineapple juice is my favorite drink (drinking my fourth can for the day). But pineapple fruit or orange juice - big enemies.
Alex 2011/12/090 0 Keli: In one sentence you say you have a good diet, and in the other sentence you talk about eating sloppy joes. You also make a statement "the only foods that seem to irritate me.." Basically, this shows that you do not know what a good diet is, and you do not know how to determine and develop a good diet for yourself. Just watching "what seems to irritate you" is sooo not enough. Nutrition works in slow motion, do yourself a favor and read some books on nutrition for UC, on separation diet, etc.
Graham 2011/12/13 Contact Me0 0 Anyone seen Dr Hart's research regarding olive oil? I found nothing stopped my UC (apart from smoking)until I started 3 table spoons of olive oil per day. 6 weeks now and only very, very slight symptoms, never thought I could feel this good without the nicotine!
Bielizna Damska 2011/12/20 Contact Me0 0 Hey! I realize this is somewhat off-topic but I had to ask. Does building a well-established website such as yours take a massive amount work? I'm completely new to operating a blog but I do write in my diary on a daily basis. I'd like to start a blog so I will be able to share my own experience and views online. Please let me know if you have any kind of recommendations or tips for new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!
Will 2011/12/200 0 Well, this site took a lot of work because I created it before modern web templates like Wordpress existed. Nowdays it's very easy to create a site using these templates. I think the popularity of this site is mainly because it's been around since 2004 and touches a very charged niche topic. I didn't build this site to make money or anything like that, just wanted to have a community of people that help each other with colitis related things because when I fell ill in 2002 I didn't have that community for myself.
Gloria 2011/12/210 0 I hesitate to join in the topic b/c my experience is so similar to others but i guess the more the merrier. I had been in remission while taking Calazol for 5 years. I started skimpping on the med for various reasons which landed me out of the blue in the hospital with my worst ever flare in September. A new dr increased my Colazal to 3 caps 3 x daily and I had seemingly returned to remission. Or so I thought. Had check up with dr last week and she said I could cut the med to 2 caps 3 x daily. So I decided to cut back slowly with 2/3/2. Began feeling unusually tired for a couple days but absolutely no w/abdominal discomfort or symptoms only to wake up yesterday with lots of blood and diarrhea. Dr phoned in an Rx for Mesalamine sup to use before bed. That didn't work to well as it all seemed to come out before I was even done putting it in. This morning still much fatigue and diarrhea about once an hour but no blood. My biggest problem is with work. They do not care one bit how sick I feel or that it's difficult to work when you have diarrhea. Not to mention the drive there and the 1/2 mile walk to the building. I also am a caregiver to an eldery parent. I just feel so much weight on my shoulders. My job has been laying on people by the tons and I am close on the list. Without health insurance i don't think i could afford the Colazal. What to do, what to do.
2011/12/210 0 Many typos with my last message. Appologies. Also wanted to say that I've noticed with each flare is that I will feel much fatigue a couple days prior to other symptoms. So I think that is now my queue. I've also been eating more sugar than usual (people bringing in sweets to work for the holidays). My typical diet is vegan and i'm also a 1/2 pack smoker. Also, my hospital stay in Sept was not a good experience and I will try to avoid another such visit at all costs. A nurse only came in once in the a.m and in the p.m. I had nothing to drink (no water) for over 24 hours. They brought me in coffee. Now why would someone with a UC flare want coffee? The bed was so uncomfortable and the noise from outside the room made it impossible to sleep. So I left there feeling completely dehydrated and lacking sleep. I thought hospitals were suppose to make you feel better (i know, i know).....
2011/12/210 0 Me again. I also have had continually active psorisis for the past 10 years and since my Sept flare my fingers joints have been slightly swollen and sore. I am going to try the store bought kefir but I don't have much hope for that since I use to eat tons of greek yogurt which i was doing before my Sept flare (was a deviation from my vegan diet). I will also check out the Scd diet. But at this moment I am so tired with diarrhea and feel sightly nauseous so that I had to again today call in sick to work but i said i would come in later to work a half a day. Not sure how I will manage that :(
NuffingButtTrouble 2011/12/21 Contact Me0 0 Gloria, I have managed to control flares and feel normal by cutting out sugar and dairy from my diet. I also take garlic supplements after each meal to control yeast and I try to jog 40mins every other day on a treadmill. Sugar is a major problem for lots of people with UC because it will lead to a flare, fatigue, joint pain, etc.
2011/12/220 0 Thanks NuffingButtTrouble. I try hard to eat a healthy diet but i do have a sweet tooth and had been really good for a time keeping sugar foods at bay until just recently. My blood fats have been getting higher and higher so I have actually cut almost all fat out of my diet so I think I was making up for "yummy" foods by snacking on no fat sweets of late (ie candy canes etc) without realizing it could upset the UC.
2011/12/220 0 Also..NuffingButtTrouble, could you recommend your favorite UC diet book if you have one? I would really appreciate that :)
Christa 2011/12/220 0 I was diagnosed with UC when I was 8 mths pregnant. I was prescibed Lialda which put me in remission. When I gave birth 8 weeks ago I stopped taking the medicine. I have been in remission drug free until recently when i had to take antibiotics for Mastitis. I have a colonoscopy tomorrow morning to confirm my doctors original diagnosis and see if there is anything else going on. However I believe his diagnosis may be incorrect at least I dont think what I have now is a UC flare. The symptoms are not the same. I am having normal movements and they are only once or twice a day, there is some blood in my stool and a small amount of mucus. It does not seem to line up with the typical UC symptoms. Has anyone else had this? Is this a UC flare as my Dr. says it is? I am still off the meds as I am a nursing mother and the meds are very harsh and seems a bit excessive when I am not having a serious problem at this time. I have been maintaining a low fiber/residue diet since my original dianosis and am also dairy free (im allergic) Not sure what else to do diet wise, I pretty much only eat chicken, fish, turkey cold cuts and steamed pureed veggies.
Lisa 2011/12/220 0 Hi Christa, Definitely sounds like UC symptoms. During my first flare, I was also having normal BMs, but accompanied by blood and mucus. Mine was restricted to the lower-left side so it was easily treated with rectal meds. I went into remission within a week. The last thing you want to do is wait to get treated and have the UC spread throughout the colon. I got off meds and am currently in the midst of a 7 month flare.
Rich 2011/12/22 Contact Me0 0 Christa, Your symptoms, as Lisa suggests, are very much so UC symptoms. You are having a mild flare, the kind of flare that Lialda seems to deal with fairly well. Lialda is baby safe (confirmed with multiple docs but for your own peace of mind you should confirm with yours) Lialda is a topical medication even though you take it orally, It breaks down as it passes through your digestive system and coats the ulcers. It's not a narcotic and is not absorbed by the blood stream. It is my understanding that milk supply is affected by absorption through the blood stream as opposed to what you eat. (This was a concern of ours) If the blood is fairly bright with your solid BM then your ulser(s) is/are probably closer to the rectum than the cecum and you might benefit from an enema or suppository during a flare. As Christa stated, do not wait to get treated. A severe flare could put you in the hospital and through a very expensive ordeal. My wife has had UC for 10+ years. Her worst flare of her life came 4 months after the birth of our son just this year. She was hospitalized for 3 weeks and is now on a Remicade regimen as well as received blood transfusion and iron infusions as a result of the blood loss. Previous to this last flare, her flares were basically what you describe and upping the doses of Lialda and Canasa usually quelled the flare. I am not a doctor and you should ask your doctor about anything I suggested.
Christa 2011/12/230 0 Lisa and Rich, Thank you both so much! I had my colonoscopy and yup its a UC flare but its mild the Doc said and contained to left side of the colon. He wants me back on the lialda but only one a day. Your advice really has prompted me to take action and has put my mind at ease. UC sucks but it really is great to have people to talk to and share with even though Id be ever so happy if none of us had to deal with UC. Maybe someday they will find the cause and eventually the cure. Best wishes to you Lisa and to your wife Rich, may you both get into a nice long remission soon.
matthew 2011/12/31 Contact Me0 0 hi ive just stumbled on this site by sheer luck .Im a uc sufferer .I got this misery of a condition when i was 41 im now 49 .im still strugling to cope with it I never seem to get two days in a row of feeling well Does anyone else out there get this .i Find you just have to take one day at a time its a very sole destroying condition both mentally and physically.
Jon Boyd 2012/01/02 Contact Me3 0 Hi This is a Great load of info. Do you mind if i put a link on my Facebook Group that helps people with Ulcerative colitis It's Called ( Ulcerative Colitis Support Group Global) http://www.facebook.com/groups/UCSGG/ Be great for The member to see and if anyone wants to see the group copy and paste the link i put Thanks Jon
matthew 2012/01/020 0 hi happy new year to all you u/c sufferers out there .just like to say i saw my GP a few days ago as im curantly on a flare up .I ask him does stress bring on flare ups .He said [NO] there is no evidence that suggests it does .Well i disagree i beleive for me its one of the main factors that agravates colitis .GP DONT NO EVERY THING
Will 2012/01/020 0 Feel free to put the link on your group Jon. Matthew, doctors don't know everything; there obviously is a link to stress: http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/ulcerative-colitis/features/link-between-stress-ulcerative-colitis Ultimately the only person responsible for your body is yourself, doctors can try to treat you but at the end of the day you have to live with the result and they don't
Dennis 2012/01/04 Contact Me0 0 I've had U/C for a few years. Been in a bad flare for a few weeks now. My wife found this site today, what a god send. Been looking for some examples of good and bad things to eat and do. Thanks Will!!!
spider repellent 2012/01/05 Contact Me0 0 I'm curious to find out what blog system you're using? I'm having some minor security issues with my latest website and I would like to find something more risk-free. Do you have any suggestions?
Will 2012/01/070 0 Spider repellent: I made this whole site and backend from scratch.
matthew 2012/01/080 0 Hi everyone, just a little tip that might help some of you out there. I have tried nearly every juice out there and none of them agree with me, then last week i tried PomeGreat PurePlus 100% wholefriut Pomegranate juice. I have read up on it and it helps to keep inflamation down, i have found since i have been drinking it my appetite has got a lot better plus its a lovely juice to drink - it might be worth some of you trying it. I would be interested if it works for anyone else.
nancy 2012/01/150 0 my UC is gotten so bad that I was not able to tolerate any foods other than vegetables and boil fish. any other foods would cause fatigue brain fog and fever. my biggest worry on this diet was lack of antioxidants that is abundant is fruits which I could not consume due to inflammation and diarrhea response I would get from their high sugar content. I was able to solve this problem by taking juice plus supplement with provide 17 variety of fruits and vegetables in a couple of capsules. all sugar sodium water and most of the fibers are taken out and what is left is all the antioxidant and phytonutrition you get from 7 daily servings of fruits and vegetables. I discovered this product online at www.nutritiontogojuiceplus.com
.Tonia 2012/01/19 Contact Me0 0 Thank you for sharing. I am trying to understand this condition and support my boyfriend as much as I can with his.
Twon 2012/01/230 0 thank you for this list, def helped me. Is ranch good?
Pharme342 2012/01/24 Contact Me0 0 Hello! cadfbed interesting cadfbed site! I'm really like it! Very, very cadfbed good!
Pharmc777 2012/01/24 Contact Me0 0 Hello! degekdc interesting degekdc site! I'm really like it! Very, very degekdc good!
namenotimportant 2012/01/2416 0 anyone come across (Dr) David Klein ??? is hard to follow...but could be rewarding? and what of turmric powder in hot milk....i am currently having that, been prescribed immunosuppresant azathioprine and prednisolone....dont wnt to take them......hoping for natural CURE not just treatment

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