HappyBird's Journal & Journey

[HappyBird]

After struggling since 3/4July with what I now believe to be re-accuring flare ups of MC, I finally found, with some help, my way to this forum. After reading as much as possible and learning from members I embarked, albeit, tentatively on an elimination diet. This is my fourth attemp after making cardinal errors not excluding EF, DF, MF except for turkey. I have in the previous start to this discovered the NSAID Ketaprofen is part of my problem.

ELIMINATION DIET

Basic foods: salt, pepper, ghee, tea, coffee, almond milk, carrot, sweet potato, banana, turkey, sugar + coconut milk

27/09/15 - Sunday Day 1 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Banana & Tea, water colured with berry juice.
Lunch: Carrot, sweet potato & turkey, Coffee.
Afternoon: Jelly
Dinner: Carrot, sweet potato & turkey soup.
Condition: No BA, very tired, brain fog, listless, slept on & off all day and still exhausted.

28/09/15 - Monday Day 2 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk, black tea
Breakfast: Banana, juice & water
Lunch: almond milk, carrot, sweet potato & turkey soup, Tea, Coffee
Dinner: Carrot, sweet potato & turkey, jelly x 2, almond milk.
Condition: BA small hard, no abdo pain, migraine headache persisted all day, tired, slept a lot.

29/09/15 - Tuesday Day 3 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk, black coffee
Breakfast: Carrot, sweet potato & turkey, tea, Juice & water, Almond milk, coffee
Lunch: jelly x2, carrot, sweet potato & Turkey soup, Almond milk.
Condition: Bad migraine all day, no BM, Bad migraine 2h45am, brain fog, very tired & sleepy, slept a lot in the morning and afternoon.

30/09/15 - Wednesday Day 4 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee, tea, water
Lunch: turkey, sweet potato, carrot soup
Afternoon: jelly, water
Dinner: Turkey, carrot & sweet potato soup
Condition: migraine all day and night, very tired, slept a lot. Consultation with GP

01/10/15 - Thursday Day 5 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee, tea, water.
Lunch: Turkey, sweet potato & carrot soup
Afternoon: jelly, water, banana
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato & carrot soup, water
Added: Coconut milk in tea
Condition: Woke up with migraine, persisted all morning. Slept till 11am, afternoon better but still tired. Listen to harp music 14h00, felt better in evening.

[HappyBird]

ELIMINATION DIET contd.

02/10/15 - Friday Day 6 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk, tea,
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk
Lunch: Turkey, sweet potato, carrot stew, rice milk.
Afternoon: jelly x 2, banana.
Dinner: Rice Chex, almond milk, jelly x 2, Rice milk.
Medication: as usual with juice flavoured water
Added: Koko coconut milk, ingredients include grape juice
Condition: BA at 16h40 + 22h00, normal, good volume. No discomfort with am BA, but was some with PM BA. Very tired this morning, better in the afternoon, slumped again at 18h00. Slight abdominal discomfort & gurgling. Woke at 04.30 with itching all over including eyelids. 06h00 took extra allergy pill. brain fog & headache again.

03/10/15 - Saturday Day 7 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk,water
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk
Lunch: olive oil, sweet potato, banana, water
Afternoon: water,
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato, olive oil, ghee, salt, pepper, turkey stock, almond milk, jelly.
Medication: as usual with juice flavoured water, Telfast 7pm.
Added: nil
Condition: BA - nil. Woke up at 11.30am after disturbed sleep, been itchy all day - ears, abdomen in particular. Had hair done, Jonathan says he can see I have lost weight. Didn't take enough water our with me to hair appointment. Headache started at 9pm.

04/10/15 - Sunday Day 8 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, water.
Lunch: Banana, turkey, water
Afternoon: Coffee, water, jelly
Dinner: Sweet potato, white potato, ghee, salt, pepper
Medication: as usual
Added: nil
Condition: Woke up at 4am with rushing migraine & still itching a bit, headache subsided at 2pm but itching persists.

05/10/15 - Monday Day 9 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk, water
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk
Lunch: Turkey, 12gr collagen in turkey broth
Afternoon: Almond milk, banana, coffee
Dinner: turkey, carrot & sweet potato, salt, pepper
Medication: as usual
Added: 12gr. Great Lakes kosher collagen 12gr BD
Condition: Slight headache most of the day. Still tired and needing a nap.
Felt a bit better in myself. BA x small Bristol 2.

06/10/15 - Tuesday Day 10 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, Collagen 12gr in coffee.
Lunch: Turkey, carrot & sweet potato.
Afternoon: Almond milk, tea, water
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato, carrot
Medication: as usual, took lemon Strepsil for sore throat.
Added: Collagen BD
Condition: second day on collagen, feel better in myself but still tired and needing a midday nap. Feeling more motivated and managed to do some course work for an hour, took photos and made notes. This PM developed a sore throat, took lemon Strepsil at bed time.

[HappyBird]

07/10/15 - Wednesday Day 11 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffe + collagen
Lunch: turkey, almond milk with teaspoon of Almond butter, coffee with collagen
Afternoon: tea, turkey, coffee + collagen
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato, carrot, salt, pepper
Medication: as usual
Added: Almond butter
Condition: Very slight headache, throat better, feet painful under heels.
Didn't need a nap today but still tired.

08/10/15 - Thursday Day 12 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee + collagen
Lunch: turkey, tea, jelly.
Afternoon: banana, tea, coffee,
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato, carrot, coffee + collagen
Medication: 20mg Furosemide
Added: zucchini
Condition: BA reasonable size, Bristol 3, no headache, feet still sore, slept for an hour during he day.

09/10/15 - Friday Day 13 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, banana
Lunch: Turkey, sweet potato, carrot, zucchini
Afternoon: jelly, tea, coffee with collagen
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato, zucchini, carrot, ghee.
Medication: as usual
Added: Nil
Condition: BA Bristol 2, Up much earlier - maintenance work on house - stressful day with workmen making noise, very tired that night, no headache, feet sore to walk on.

10/10/15 - Saturday Day 14 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk
Lunch: 2 x bananas, almond butter, sugar
Afternoon: Tea, coffee, jelly
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato, zucchini, carrot, ghee jelly
Medication: as usual
Added: Nil
Condition: BA Bristol 4, very tired possibly from Friday's boiler fitting. Feet still sore
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[HappyBird]

12/10/15 - Monday Day 16 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk.
Lunch: Turkey, jelly.
Afternoon: Almond butter with sugar
Dinner: Turkey, carrots, sweet potato, white potato, zucchini, ghee, jelly
Medication: as usual, 1/2 Furosemide
Condition: Slept fairly well, up early, took an hour long nap at 11am
BA's: Very small Bristol 1.


13/10/15 - Tuesday Day 17 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk
Lunch: sweet potato, ghee
Afternoon: jelly, almond milk
Dinner: Egg white omelette (3egg whites), jelly
Medication: as usual
Added: Egg white, jelly, almond milk
Condition: Took a nap 11am - 1pm, went to bed late, up early, feeling better and more motivated but still very tired. Sleeping better and not waking up till 5am to go to he toilet.
BA's: Small Bristol 3


14/10/15 - Wednesday Day 18 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee with collagen
Lunch: Turkey, carrot & sweet potato left overs
Afternoon: coffee with collagen, water
Dinner: Egg white omelette, jelly
Medication: as usual
Added: egg white
Condition: Fair day, took a nap when tired.
BA's: Bristol 1/2


15/10/15 - Thursday Day 19 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, lmond milk
Lunch: Turkey, banana
Afternoon: coffee with collagen, coffee, water
Dinner: Egg white omelette, banana
Medication: as usual
Added: egg white
Condition: reasonable day, had a nap for an hour.
BA's: nil


16/10/15 - Friday Day 20 Elimination Diet
Early morning: almond milk
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, black coffee with 12gr collagen
Lunch: almond flour & banana cup cakes x 2, water
Afternoon: black coffee with 12gr collagen, water
Dinner: Turkey, roast white potatoes, carrot, sweet potato, jelly
Medication: as usual except Furosemide 20mg
Added: Nil
Condition: Very tired again today but did not sleep during the day. Drank loads of water. Urinary output less than usual.
BA's: Bristol 1


17/10/15 - Saturday Day 21 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk
Lunch: almond flour & banana cup cake, coffee & collagen
Afternoon: water, coffee & collagen,
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato, carrot
Medication: as usual
Added: Egg yolk
Condition: Woke up at 10h00, very tired slept again from 11-1pm
BA's: Nil


18/10/15 - Sunday Day 22 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee, collagen
Lunch: banana, jelly
Afternoon: coffee, tea, water
Dinner: omelette with extra egg yolks, banana
Medication: as usual, added metronidazole for infection, probiotics
Added: anti-biotic, probiotic
Condition: Woke up with toothache, headache & tired, developed discomfort on (L) side of abdomen liver area - ascending colon. Had a few noisy spells with tummy.
BA's: small Bristol 3


19/10/15 - Monday Day 23 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, Almond milk, coffee, collagen
Lunch: banana
Afternoon: Rice Chex, almond milk, almond paste, sugar
Dinner: Turkey, mashed white potato, carrots, ghee
Medication: as usual, anti-biotic, probiotic
Added: Nil
Condition: slept for 2hrs during day, sore feet, tired.
BA's: Enormous Bristol 4 at 11.30 am, very little warning - very suspicious that this might be because of the anti-biotic.

[HappyBird]

20/10/15 - Tuesday Day 24 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee, collagen
Lunch: banana, very dry almond flour muffin
Afternoon: coffe, collagen, water
Dinner: Banana, almond milk & almond butter smoothie
Medication: as usual + Vit D oil &
Added: new antibiotic
Condition: Headache, sore feet, neck stiffness, just feeling very tired and poorly. Falling asleep sitting up.
BA's: Bristol 4

21/10/15 - Wednesday Day 25 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee, collagen
Lunch: Turkey, potato, carrot, stock
Afternoon: coffee collagen, water
Dinner: Rice Chex, almond milk, jelly
Medication: as usual
Added: new antibiotic
Condition: Frequency urine ? UTI, toothache, headache, bored with everything, just coping and wanting to go to bed early. Feeling very tired and have headache. Falling asleep all the time.
BA's: Bristol 4


22/10/15 - Thursday Day 26 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, black coffee, collagen
Lunch: Banana, almond milk, almond paste, water
Afternoon: coffee, collagen, water
Dinner: Turkey carrot & sweet potato.
Medication: as usual
Added: new antibiotic
Condition: Headache, toothache, falling apart, crying, upset, can't cope, feeling very low
BA: Bristol 3


23/10/15 - Friday Day 27 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Almond milk jelly, banana
Lunch: 50g Turkey, sweet potato, carrots
Afternoon: nil
Dinner: Turkey, courgette, sweet potato, carrot, jelly
Medication: as usual. Added magnesium oil eight squirts & Liq. ionic magnesium + Vit D oil to skin
Added: courgette
Condition: Better than yesterday but had a short meltdown twice. Very lethargic, slept a lot and didn't feel like doing anything. Very distressed and labile.
BA's: Bristol 3/4


24/10/15 - Saturday Day 28 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee + collagen
Lunch: Banana, black coffee
Afternoon: Still water, coffee
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato, carrot, courgette, stock
Medication: as usual + magnesium oil eight squirts & Liq. ionic magnesium + Vit D oil
Added: Nil
Condition: Feeling much better, dentist appointment at 12h30, went to Waitrose afterwards for shopping.
BA's: Bristol 4


25/10/15 - Sunday Day 29 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee, collagen
Lunch: banana, coffee
Afternoon: banana, water, tea
Dinner: Pouisson, sweet potato, carrot, chicken stock, jelly
Medication: as usual + magnesium oil eight squirts & Liq. ionic magnesium + Vit D oil
Added: Poussin
Condition: A good day again, feeling so much better than I have in a long while, didn't take a nap today.
BA's: Bristol 3/4


26/10/15 - Monday Day 30 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee, collagen
Lunch: Pouissin, sweet potato, carrot, stock.
Afternoon: banana, almond butter Rice cake x 2
Dinner: Pouissin, carrot, sweet potato, stock, jelly
Medication: oral as usual + magnesium oil eight squirts & Liq. ionic magnesium + Vit D oil
Added: Rice cake
Condition: Good day, needed a nap at 13h00 for 2 hours.
BA's: Bristol 3/4


27/10/15 - Tuesday Day 31 Elimination Diet
Breakfast: Rice Chex, almond milk, coffee, collagen
Lunch: Chicken, sweet potato, carrot
Afternoon: almond butter, honey, rice cake
Dinner: Turkey, white potato, spinach, chicken stock, jelly
Medication: as usual + magnesium oil eight squirts & Liq. ionic magnesium + Vit D oil + Ionic Trace Elements + Ionic Zinc + Ionic Selenium
Added: Kallo Corn cakes
Sleep: Awake: 1:05h. Light Sleep: 2:25h. Deep Sleep: 3:54h Total Sleep: 6:19
Fell Asleep : 15 mins. Woke up: x4
Condition: Slept fairly well - Woke up on my own at 08h10 feeling rested. Had a good day. Did not need a nap today. Energy lasted well, looking forward to another
BA's: Nil

[HappyBird]

I heard from the USA company EnteroLab, they sent their protocols for overseas clients.

[tex]

Jen,

Antihistamines will not affect the EnteroLab test results, but avoiding foods will eventually affect the results. The sooner the test is done after making diet changes, the more accurate the results will be.

Tex

[HappyBird]

Thanks Tex...........

I'll contact Enterolab today and get their sample dispatched soon. Its going on two months now on my restricted diet - hope that is still fine. There is not much chance of me eating things that upset me just to get a result.

[tex]

The tests will probably still catch your food sensitivities. The longer we react, the higher our antibody levels climb, and therefore the longer it takes for the antibody levels to decline to normal levels after we begin avoiding those foods. After 3 or 4 months of avoiding those foods, the risk of a false negative test result increases.

Tex

[HappyBird]

Thanks Tex........

I'm well within the 3-4months on my elimination diet, started on 1/9/15. The tests will be an interesting exercise hopefully pointers to some things I need to avoid.

I wish I knew a very good Homeopathic Practitioner near me. I used to see Dr. Heinricksen years ago - he told me to avoid whole wheat, grains etc. At that time I had to hold two metal tubes in my hands and quite frankly I didn't take much notice because his equipment resembled something out of a Victorian museum.
I'ma bit sorry now.

[HappyBird]

Today someone phoned me from York Testing to say that they recommended I take the package testing my blood sample for 138 common food and beverage ingredients. I opted for the speedy reply so should have results by early next week.

[natythingycolbery]

Today someone phoned me from York Testing to say that they recommended I take the package testing my blood sample for 138 common food and beverage ingredients. I opted for the speedy reply so should have results by early next week.

That is exactly what happened to me. Apparently it was one of the fastest positive tests they had ever seen! Hope you get the answers back quickly. If my memory serves me right, they rang me to tell me that the official printed results were enroute to me via royal mail, but they did tell me what I had reacted to over the phone too.

The one thing I didn't take them up on though is the dietician, but only because the person I spoke to admitted that the dieticians that work for them have next to no experience with dealing with IBD.

[HappyBird]

The one thing I didn't take them up on though is the dietician, but only because the person I spoke to admitted that the dieticians that work for them have next to no experience with dealing with IBD.

When they offered a consultation with the Nutritional Therapist I asked if they were Registered Dietitians and whether I could have a Skype consultation rather than a phone consultation and this was the reply :

"All of our Nutritional Therapists are fully qualified and are BANT registered. Unfortunately our Nutritional Therapists do not use Skype so it would need to be a telephone consultation."

Registered Dietitians are registered and regulated by the Health Care Professions Council (HSPC) and the BANT Nutritional Therapists are registered with Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). HSPC is aligned to medical profession and CNHC to complmentary medicine such as homeopathy.

I'm not sure how helpful a phone call will be, Skype would be better because of the face to face experience. I might also just say no on the grounds it will be very impersonal and therefore not helpful. Why they don't offer a face to face consultation with someone in your area surprises me and I'll tell them that too in the fullness of time. They may be shocked - who cares!

Jen

[tex]

Maybe that type of telephone sales solicitations is accepted and common in the UK, but here in the States it would be considered to be an overly aggressive sales tactic, designed to take unfair advantage of vulnerable individuals. Legitimate laboratories do not call patients attempting to sell them additional tests — that's not kosher.

You can bet that they make that same sales pitch to everyone who orders any tests from them. And the actual value of their nutritional therapist consultations probably ranges from negligible to zero. If you don't believe me, try it and see how many supplements they try to sell you. And if you try the supplements, be sure to take note of how long it takes for a relapse of MC symptoms to occur. Those folks are in the game to make money, not to help patients.

But of course that's just my cynical, unprofessional opinion.

Tex

[natythingycolbery]

Tex- they ring you to tell you the results at the same moment they send out the letter confirming the results. I can also confirm from experience that they don't try to push anything on you or sell you supplements and you can chose to not do any further testing at all with them. Not once was it a solicitation call. Nothing was forced and they listen to what you have to say. Personally I asked if I could think over the weekend as to if I wanted further testing and they told me to take as long as I wanted.

They just include a dietician in the package because it can be difficult to access dietitians here. I also happen to know someone who works as a dietician there and they would rather do face to face consultations too apparently. Also a lot of them used to be HSPC registered when they worked for the NHS, yet many lack experience with IBD's.

And as a final point, I've also known a lot of non IBD friends be refered to this company for testing by many GPs which to me does suggest that there is some level
Of support for the company and what it does.