Just a little update

JMulkey · Post by **JMulkey** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 1:08 pm

Hi everyone! Just thought I"d post a little update. I'm doing what I consider to be a whole lot better. Got enough money to order the Entecort from a drug store that I could afford. Have been back on two a day now for about three weeks. Am pretty much at a paleo diet point. Except for occasional 'intentional' mistakes, I'm doing pretty good. I realize that those have to stop in order for me to get better, but I had been eating the elimination diet for so long that I got to the point where I was starving. Couldn't get enough to eat. Was eating hamburger, made into patties, chicken breast (made sure it has nothing on it or in it), rice, some green beans, applesauce and bananas. So had a couple of weeks where I literally ate everything I wanted. Learned a whole lot from doing that though. I have sores in my mouth, from gluten (I'm assuming), which is something that I've never done or had before, so, that told me that I had been off of gluten just long enough for my body to realize that it was something really bad and to react to it in a way it had never done before. So, back to GF. I cannot do soy in any form. Even something with soy lecithin seems to make me react. Corn is a big reactor....hate that, because I love corn and corn chips were my favorite go to snack. But, no more corn. Dairy I find I can do in VERY small amounts, for example, a teaspoon of half and half in my coffee doesn't bother me. A half a cup of milk, does. Cheese in any forms causes heartburn immediately and for several hours afterward. Spices I have to be careful with. Some bother me, some don't. I'm finding that tomatoes are bad!!!! Even ketchup (darn it!). So I'm using mustard on almost any type of meat, sometimes with a little honey, to make honey mustard. Started smoothies this week (YEA!!! saved enough for a mixer). I can't use the almond milk (Silk). BOY do I react to that, which kind of makes me sad, because I always ate almonds plain by the handful, as a convenient source of protein. And I'm using the SO delicious coconut milk, but think I'm going to have to find another brand, there is something in it that still gives me some problems. Found I cannot do mangos at ALL. NOT a good reaction. I kind of react to bananas, but not severely. Applesauce is still ok. Raspberries, are not good, but blueberries are ok.

Also was able to save up enough money to buy a used copy of "Paleo Diet"...which I'm REALLY excited about. So will start that as soon as I get the book and have time to read up on it.

I have lost 30 pounds in this last year. Not trying at all, it's just falling off, and I had it to lose, believe me. I finally went under 200 lbs this week. First time in 15 years. And believe me, I had tried every diet known to man, and walked and walked and walked and walked, a could NOT lose a pound, no matter how hard I tried, and now it's just falling off, which is kind of disconcerting. Hoping I get to a healthy weight and it will slow down.

So, for all of you who continued to lift me up during all the really bad times (and I'm sure they aren't over yet), and who continued to give me encouragement, thank you. I think and feel like I'm getting there, finally. I have days now when I have 3 to 4 trips to the potty, and still never norman, but getting closer all the time.

OK, for the strange news. My husband was diagnosed last week with ulcerative colitis. I know it's been discussed about husbands and wives having this together and the possibility that it could be a bacterial problem. I'm now convinced. How strange it was to hear the doctor tell me that it was colitis, although even before he had the scope, I almost knew. His symptoms were almost identical to MC, except for the ulcers and pain that he has are much worse. So, they put him on Asacol. Waiting to see how he does with it. He's almost on the same diet I am, except he still has bread at almost every meal (no not gluten free). So, after I get the book, I'm going to see if he will read part of it too. He's not much on reading, but I'm hoping I can convince him to try to cut out some stuff in his diet.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, all of you for being here. For being the wonderful people you are. For sharing with all of us newby's. For sticking with us when we are depressed, frustrated and probably not very nice due to that frustration. I can't tell you how awesome it has been to have a place where I can come and express that frustration and have everyone still be so KIND! It does mean a whole lot and I will always appreciate it.

I'll let you know how I do on my new "Paleo" path. I'm sure now, after reading so much in the last two years, that my entire life, I've had a problem with gluten (as I told in my last posting, I had had D for over 10 years, so I know it was ongoing). I'm almost convinced that the Lupus, Fibro, and perhaps even the breast cancer had something to do with my diet and malabsorption of basic minerals and vitamins.

Hope everyone is having a good day today and as Arnold says "I'll be back" :)

Jennifer

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 3:26 pm

Awesome post jennifer!

Sounds like you are listening to your body and it is giving you clear indications of what works and what doesnt!

with all the hard work you have done this past 18 months, supporting your DH should be an easier path

take care

Post by **tex** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 3:32 pm

Jennifer,

Wow! It's great to see that you're really making progress. Your post made my day. For a long time, I've been really concerned about your long-term prognosis, so it's really gratifying to read that you're making such good progress, now.

I'm sorry to see that your husband has developed UC. I hope that you can convince him to try the diet for long enough to see some benefits, because I really believe that if he avoids any foods that he is sensitive to, he can control the UC and prevent it from spreading and progressing to a more serious stage.

Your hard work is certainly paying off, and I hope that you continue to feel better with each passing day.

Thanks for the update,
Tex

Sharaine · Post by **Sharaine** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:37 pm

Congratulations, Jennifer. I know it's not easy, but I'm happy for you that you're figuring out your sensitivities and making progress on your weight loss goals. So sorry about your husband's UC diagnosis though.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

Sharaine

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 6:59 pm

Jennifer,

I'm very impressed with how much progress you have made in determining your intolerances, especially because they are numerous and don't seem to have a lot in common. Good for you! I hope you continue to do well.

It does seem coincidental that your husband has UC - it sure makes you wonder. I hope he will try to go GF along with you, but I know how difficult it is to convince a spouse to join us in the endeavor. I'm still trying to convince my DH. The hardest part is giving up carefree dining out. He loves to go to fast food places, and they're a gluten lover's paradise.

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.

Gloria

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 8:33 pm

Congratulations, Jennifer - it sounds as though you're in a great place on this crazy journey. I am mostly Paleo, too - I have read the book and skimmed the cookbook from the library, and there are some really good web sites (and some only-OK ones) with recipes... you will not go hungry. Social eating (in-home or at restaurants) has been the biggest challenge... hopefully your husband will feel better as you explore Paleo together, and at least you'll have that 'social network' supporting you both.

Hope you're feeling better and better, and wishing you continued (and delicious) progress,

Sara

JMulkey · Post by **JMulkey** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 9:33 pm

Thanks to you all for your responses and your well wishes :) Gabes, I sure hope I can help my husband out, he's feeling so lousy right now and well I know how he feels! Tex, I know what you mean, there for a long time, I was really seriously in despair, wondering how in the world I would ever get any of this figured out and anything under control! I'm not there yet, but I do feel like I'm headed in the right direction. I'm not expecting miracles, either, which in my case, is good, because as you and others have said, it took me a whole long time to get to where I am, so it's not going to get better overnight. I'm just hoping now that in a few years time I can feel like I can at least take a trip or something. For a long time, I've not dared to even hardly get away from a bathroom, let alone leave the house for any length of time, all appointments had to be late in the afternoon, etc. I know that all of us have been at that point at one time or another. Thanks, Tex, for the ongoing support you have shown and your incredible amount of patience! Thanks, Sharaine, for your well wishes and compassion! Gloria, I only hope that I can talk Tom into at least trying to get rid of some of the things that might be bothering his gut (pop, of course!), but it's so hard, because he's seen what I've gone through and I think that he's thinking "no thanks" at this point! But hopefully someday! Sara, you are such a sweetheart. I hope that I can do the Paleo diet, and am hoping to learn to cook all over again!

I think my biggest problem with all of this, was truly coming to terms with the fact that this was not going to go away, and not get any better unless I truly committed to changing my diet. I baked for a while in a restaurant, yes, I did all of the breads and deserts, so I was surrounded by wheat and it's dust on a daily basis, and I have wondered if that was part of my problem all along for these years. I have no formal training, so I couldn't call myself a pastry chef, but I did everything a pastry chef would do. I also did wedding cakes for a while. So, to not be able to ever use wheat again was just more I think than I could wrap my head around at first. Making cakes is more than just eating the wheat, it is an art to me and I could lose myself for days in a cake. And I don't know if I will ever be able to do that again. I don't use wheat at all right now in our kitchen, and neither does my husband, but at this point, I have a suspicion that if I immersed myself in a cake made from wheat, with all of the dust flying around, that I would react in some way. So that is almost a loss for me. Hopefully I can learn to cook with other things as I go along, and if not, I have come to the point that my health is much more important.

So again, thanks to all of you, for your support and open offers of friendship :) I am truly blessed to have such good folks in my life helping me right now :)

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 9:45 pm

Jennifer, not only do we have to 'accept' that MC is for life, most of us have to make some big changes and some of the changes involve doing a 180 turn around on beliefs about ingredients, meals and digestion in general.
As eating is generally a social event, making these changes can attract attention and curiousity.

prior to MC, i too did cake decorating, post MC diagnosis and not wanting to risk any contamination in my kitchen, i gave the big tub full of all my colours, and tools, to a friend who had started to decorate cakes for her kids birthdays. i have found other outlets for my creativity (that doesnt involve food)

and Woo Hoo for all that you have achieved.