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Looking to Control the UC with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet

My name is Erin and I live in New England. I was diagnosed with UC in early November, 2013. Hoping to manage the UC using the Specific Carbohydrate Diet!

Some more about me:

I’m married with three kids. If I could be doing anything in the world right now, I’d be reading a good book on the beach!

Symptoms:

My symptoms at the time of my diagnosis were bleeding, mucus, urgency/frequency, plus fatigue and joint pain. Right now, I’m not showing much for symptoms…feeling pretty lucky about that!

Looking to Control the UC with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet

My symptoms started about two months ago – Sept 2013. I initially thought the bleeding was due to an internal hemorrhoid and my GP thought so too. But I did get referred to a GI doctor, as the bleeding had been going for a month, and I’d never had an issue related to a hemorrhoid go on for so long.

So, off to the GI doctor for a colonoscopy! By this time, I’d been doing some research on my symptoms and figured they were looking for UC. Colonoscopy confirmed it; the doctor called it mild/moderate, as apparently he saw the signs at both the beginning and the end of my colon. Because I’d been having some serious joint pains and fatigue, it was almost a relief to know that these were related to UC…I was kind of afraid that I was developing arthritis or another disease impacting the joints.

Because I had been reading up on UC (including this very informative site!!) I had a rough idea of the medication options and the impression that controlling one’s diet could do a lot to control the disease. Yet most of the mentions to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet that I saw online were not on major sites (CCFA, Mayo Clinic, etc) but rather sites such as this, and I have to admit, I was skeptical. It kind of sounded like a fringe-y, fad thing: no whole grains, bananas must have brown spots to be ‘legal’, and a lot of recipies that seemed to use a whole stick of butter.

When I told the doctor that I wanted to control it with diet, he seemed surprised but told me to get ‘Breaking the Vicious Cycle‘ so I figured there must be something to it.


He gave me a 30 day Rx for Canasa as well. I am not anti-medicine by any means but I do believe that meds intended to treat one thing can have side effects requiring either more meds or causing ill effects in a different form. (The Canasa was $130 for a 30 day supply!!)

Started the SCD, and I’m amazed at how it’s worked. Not that I don’t think that diet is a contributing factor to health, I’m just surprised that the symptoms are mostly gone without meds. I say mostly, because I’ve cheated a couple of times (and learned my lesson the hard way) and also because I am pretty new to this.

The doctor cautioned that it was important to keep ‘flares’ in check to limit the spread of UC. Any tips on at which point a flare is getting out of control, and I should call the doctor, or see about starting meds? Or will it be self-evident? :)

Medications & Supplements / Vitamins:

written by Erin D

submitted in the colitis venting area