Good bye to yogurt hello rice cereal - BAD CHOICE!! HELP!!

[DJ]

Hi Babs, I Googled the SCD list so I could tell you which foods would not agree with me. Yikes! Just about everything on the list would make me sick!! I would be in a full-blown flair and need to restart my stabilization, even while on Entocort! I could not eat raw fruit, especially with skins (with the exception of controlled amounts of banana), or raw veggies. I eat only small amounts of cooked fruit and veggies.
I am entirely free from gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, and chicken. I eat all other meats and fish (that do not include the ingredients I'm free from) in any quantity I wish. I eat sweet potatoes, rice, and quinoa quite easily.
I would need to back up and start from the beginning and I think you should too. Eat a lot of meat and very small amounts of rice, quinoa, or sweet potato at a time. Can you find coconut beverage at the supermarket? It's good with GF Rice Krispies. Maybe you could tolerate a little bit of that. Canned coconut cream or milk is thick and caloric. It's tasty in sweet potatoes.
If you have been diagnosed with MC, the SCD diet is.......

[barbiem]

thanks all for you help and info - I have decided I need to get my mental health dealt with before I can even move on from here. Time for the anti depressants and will try wellburtrin first I am thinking.

I cannot even go on with this type of diet of not eating anything but 4 foods.

I am stopping ketotifen as well since no point being on a drug when I need to see what my body is doing.

thanks and good luck to the rest of you all. will let you know after my tues apt with new gi specialist who works in the malnutrition unit at the hosp. been waiting 1 1/2 months for this apt

babs (I am trying to keep smiling but the tears keep coming) :(

[sjbruce]

No carbs didn't help me at all, made me VERY weak. I find that any amount of high fat food, starts my symptoms. Rice, particularly the rice in baby cereal, should be easily tolerated so I wonder too if it was the bacon? I know if I eat chicken skin (a favorite of mine when crispy) I always pay for it! Good luck!

[carolm]

Babs-- It sounds like 20 years of dealing with IBS has already left you mentally drained. So now you develop MC and all the rules changed,. It takes mental energy to stay diligent and try a new plan and it sounds like you're just depleted. It all sucks, pure and simple. It's overwhelming. Your insight is correct-- get your mental health support in order first. You'll need persistence and determination to find the best eating plan for you.

I'm glad you are seeing the Dr. on Tuesday and do definitely report back to us.

At my sickest, I was dropping 2 to 3 pounds a week just laying around. I dropped 28 pounds total and felt like I had no control. Worse yet my stamina disappeared and I spent my days dizzy, horribly nauseated, and scared I was going to end up disabled, losing my career and my insurance, etc. I was already losing the quality of my life.

Be encouraged-- that there are people here who found a plan that let them heal, without Enterolab tests (Gabes is one, but there are many). The nice thing about Enterolab results is that they can give you a short cut and eliminate some doubt. But it's not absolutely necessary.

There are people here that started their path to wellness making and drinking bone broths, because that's all they could tolerate. They were also scared and lacking calories, then slowly added one or two foods, like well cooked carrots and one meat. Some changes are tiny-- for example I couldn't tolerate whole almonds but I did fine with almond butter (I'm guessing it was just the form of the food and I couldn't digest whole almonds as easily). I also found broths to be helpful. I started fruits then dropped them out for awhile- -the sugar was too much. It was constantly 2 steps forward and 1 back. It was very hard when I realized I needed to drop soy out of my diet, but when I did my gut settled even more. When I stopped Entocort I found I was reacting to eggs. GAH! So there went my egg drop soup-- my favorite staple.

It's a journey of 2 steps forward, 1 back. Always. Expect it. I still tell myself that-- 2 steps forward, 1 back. Disappointments and frustration (and yes, tears) come with it. But-- taking care of yourself, mentally and physically, will put you back in control.

It's not my intent to lecture you. I want you to feel encouraged and to know that your decision to develop coping skills and to get support for your mental health is the key to your success. Please persist.

Carol

[sjbruce]

Carol I enjoyed your reply and found it very encouraging. As a newcomer here, I appreciate the "long view" very much, as well as the support and hope.

Thanks!

[barbiem]

thanks carol - I am having a total mental breakdown today - my bone broth soup is going right through me. I just cant do it anymore. I am starving and I cant stand seeing all the food around here and being unable to eat it. It is torture at it's best. That cant be good on a person. I just want to run away from all this especially the house where food is everywhere. I cant even eat my bone broth soup today or a banana - both went right through me and luckily I had a depends on. I ate about 5 raw soaked then cooked cashews last night and they came right out like I never even chewed them UGH!! what is wrong with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did take diflucan a week ago - would that be it?? I am really depressed to and that always happens a week after. Or could it be the ketotifen as that has been over a week now too. Or it's the rice cereal and the SCD people maybe right that I just disturbed those bad bacteria and now they are going crazy!!! That rice cereal is the only new food I added. UGH!! I just am mentally done.

babs

[Leah]

I DOUBT THE DIFLUCAN DID ANYTHING, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I FEEL FOR YOU AND I WISH I HAD A GREAT SUGGESTION, BUT I AM ALL OUT :(
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHETHER YOU TRIED BUDESONIDE, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T, IY MIGHT BE TIME FOR STEROIDS.

LEAH

[ldubois7]

Babs,

Did you take the diflucan for a yeast infection?

Yeast infections can be a result of low stomach acid. I take betaine HCL successfully after every meal, due to my low acid.

Just a thought!

[barbiem]

Hi Leah - I have been on entorcort since May LOL

And Linda, yes diflucan for yeast vaginal yeast infections that I seem to get continuously which is why I can't eat fruit.

No food today, just woke up from hours of bawling my eyes out. Slept for 2 hours which was nice but even the thought of food brings back the tears. Will get on Elavil when I see the dr on tues.

Thanks everyone. I guess I am just a special case LOL - too many food sensitivities and the 23andme testing proves this theory as I have 10 out of 14 genes for it LOL. Oh well it is was it is I guess. It may be time to bring out the big guns "prednisone". UGH

babs

[maestraz]

Great post, Carol. As a fellow (former) educator, I always enjoy the thoughtful and informative nature of your posts. I'm sure Babs will also appreciate the sensitivity of your response. My hope (and, I'm sure, the hope of the many who have responded to her) is that she will quickly move forward with therapeutic help and anti-depressant medication, but then slow down and find a methodical way to start to take positive control of her response to this disease.

PS, I had to stand in front of my steam radiator after seeing the photo of you at the football game, LOL! It was wicked windy and freezing here in CT today and I did not stick my nose out the door!

[Jeanemcl]

I really like how supportive everyone on this site is. Babs, I am sorry you are having such a time of it. It reminds me of how I felt a couple of months ago when it was my third time in a year that I needed to go back on Endocort. My mind raced and everyday I seemed to be going in a different direction trying to just make it STOP and be over. I finally decided to go the route of the testing through Enterolabs. I was not happy with the results and felt like a victim until I realized it was only making my day worse. I am staying far away from my intolerances and trying this thing a day at a time. I am doing better and do not feel as scattered as I did last month, but fear and panic still creep in on my bad days. I think I will go see a counselor to help me sort out some of this because I know that I need to stay centered and calm to heal. I am steering clear of things that may rattle me ( the nightly news!) and I am resting as much as I can. I am trying to keep everything as simple as possible and be patient. I have learned that here from the people who have walked this walk before me....I listen and will continue to listen with an open mind and heart. I will do my part and the rest is up to a power greater than me. Good luck...we are routing for you.
Jean

[barbiem]

thanks jean appreciate your words of encouragement. Don't I have to be off all steroids and mast cell stabilizers before I even think about getting tested at enterolabs? and also is the IgG testing?? If so I already did that back in july but didn't show much of anything then.

babs

[Jeanemcl]

Babs, my IGA test was done in March and it showed nothing....I was on steroids April - June and again in September. We used my March testing number which was ok and I did the first panel which showed intolerances to casein, gluten and soy. I make a chicken soup with over cooked carrots and celery and white rice. On my bad days I eat that for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On good days I eat meat and overlooked vegetables and a potato or rice. I tried to add a few raw veggies stupidly and it has been a no go. When I was feeling sorry for myself someone on here told me to think of this very limited diet as a gift I was giving my body. I try to do that instead of freaking out over what I can't eat. We are spoiled with all the food choices we have and who says we need that many or that they are even good for us???!!! Keep it simple and and turn your thoughts to building a new life which is healthy and productive. Have a good day.
Jean