New to MC

[tex]

Deb,

Unfortunately your doctors are very uninformed about treating LC. Diet changes are essential for long-term control of the disease.

Cutting out certain food groups is no guaranteed solution, because in order to control our symptoms by diet changes, we have to absolutely avoid all traces of every food that causes us to produce antibodies. If we miss one, then our symptoms will continue. That's why most people who try diet changes fail to get results — they overlook 1 or more foods that continue to cause them to react. We have to do everything right in order to win the MC treatment game. And we have to do it long enough to allow sufficient time for our gut to do some serious healing (the intestines heal very slowly, compared with other organs). And the longer we react, the more damage we accrue, extending our recovery time after we begin treatment. It's a difficult disease to control, but as you can see by the many success stories here ( Member Success Stories ), it's certainly doable.

I hope you will consider trying to get your life back, because that's our goal for everyone here on this board. It's the reason why we created this board in the first place, over 10 years ago. Many of us (including me) have now been in remission for over 10 years, and we remain that way, as long as we are careful with our diet.

We're not able to go back to exactly the same lifestyle we had before the disease showed up, but we can certainly control the symptoms, so that we no longer have to worry about where the next bathroom is located, and we can travel, and do things that we love to do, again. Life is good, after we get our symptoms under control.

Thanks, and I hope that you will be able to stop your flare soon.

Tex

[Jude]

Hi. Well that's done (colonoscopy). Thanks for advice. I love the idea that I can start afresh and monitor diet. They took lots of biopsies. There were lots of odd little spots, clusters of little blister like marks, mainly in my right colon. The consultant hadn't seen them before....he suspected colitis but said it could be inflammation caused by food sensitivity. I suspect it might be inflammation....it looked sore. I also suspect that due to my dietary changes, it might be inflammation that has already started to heal. He was also interested to learn I had been infected with a big juicy tic...which I removed live. Apparently this can also cause symptoms similar to mine. He was pretty positive about the dietary link....maybe the light is dawning. Whether or notm.c. is definitely diagnosed I am so so delighted to have found this forum and such insight which has helped me get through (and continues to help) me get through a really tough time. Thanks also for the advice on bile acid diarrhoea...... Will hold that information. :)

[Jude]

Hi Debs
Sorry to hear you have suffered so long.
It is, for me, WHATEVER, anyone says, diet related. I am ill if I eat any form of grain (including white rice). My consultant said, initially, that there was no dietary link so I ate bread - and was so ill - so tired, horrid stomach pains and discomfort - like I had a coconut mat in my stomach - couldn't drink anything because the taste was disgusting and had no appetite. Before I started to experiment with the diet I was going to the loo 30 times a day and had no life. I fortunately found this forum and Tex's book and I feel blessed to have done so at such an early stage of all of this - because I am starting to feel human again and living life.....I have lost 2 stone (28lbs) and looked awful (still rathr scraggy)! but have now started to put on weight. For me it is grains, dairy, soya and yeast (including anything with citric acid - which means I cannot drink anything fizzy or alcoholic). I suspect red meat too....but following colonoscopy (results in a couple of weeks) I am doing an elimination (ish) diet to check out reactions.
Love and stuff.
Judex

[Leah]

Welcome Deborah. Most doctors are so unaware of the food connection, but all of us here know the truth. If you want to heal, you must stay away from the foods that you have become intolerant to. Gluten is always the most important to totally get rid of. Most of us also have to drop the dairy. Soy and eggs are the next on the list ( although I have never had to give up eggs) Scroll up and read the detailed list of of foods to avoid while healing. It works! I am over three years post dx. I followed all the great advice here and am in remission and have been able to add almost all foods back in ( except gluten, dairy and soy). It's so worth it to do the hard work up front to heal your gut, so you can get on with the rest of your life :)
Leah