C00kie

Hi,

I was diagnosed with Crohns four years ago. I've been quite unfortunate in that when I was first diagnosed I took steriods which cleared it up however as soon as I was off them the drug I used to maintain remission wasn't working. SInce then I've tried everything to no avail except azathioprine which sadly gave me bad constant headaches. Steroids have no effect for me either now. As I was trying to live with these headaches as to keep my Crohns under control a fee times I stopped taking it and experienced a bad flare up however in May 2005 I was searching the internet and found the 'specific carboydrate diet' which helps people with various bowel disease incl Crohns to control or possibly rid it in some cases of the disorder without drugs. I had reached a point where my consultant wouldn't give me the last lot of drugs I could try due to the side effects. Hence I made the scary decision to come off my tablets and try the diet.

Everybody is different but this diet really really is worth a shot. I was so fed up of all the ailments and complications that come along with Crohns but now I have my condition totally under control provided I don't eat wheat and I feel much better in myself. I have to say that when I thought about this diet I was desperate but I also thought how can a diet alone possibly control such an aggressive disease? The first few months were very very hard, not only did I suffer with a crohns flare up and a severe kidney infection but it is actually a very strict diet and hard to follow but after being on the diet for 3-4 months, everything was better.

I'm not saying it's easy nor should you attempt this without seeing your specialist and discuss it with them. But I was so surprised that neither my specialist nor any other doctor had mentioned the existence of this diet and give the patient the choice. But now my specialist is happy for me to carry on without medication and not see me for 2 years which is amazing as I was seeing him every 3 months. (although I secretly think he's sceptical about it and thinks I'll return begging for medication along with the side effects).

As with everything, this diet is trial and error and a long process and it may not work for eveybody. I have been fortunate in that I cut out everything they mentioned for about 6 months but have now found that I can eat almost anything I wasn't previosuly allowed except for wheat and rice. I did try some things that I wasn't allowed in the first six months and found that I reacted very quickly and had a flare up which was then difficult to bring under control without having a very very restrictive diet for almost a month. However I've learnt my lesson. Use your own judgement, some things will upset me that won't you and vice versa.

Anyway this post is far too long, I just wanted to spread the word for those of you who've reached your tether with this horrible disease and may be willing to try this under the guidance of your physician. Do your own reasech into it and I'm not sure if I can post this web address here telling you about the diet but here goes:

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Elaine Gottschall , she founded the diet although sadly she's passed away. Her work was and still is truely pioneering. Its certainly improved my life but everyone's different.