Intro:
I’ve had colitis symptoms most of my adult life, but only in the last year has a massive flare-up with blood and so many near-misses almost crapping my pants made me go and seek medical help. I’m glad I did.
What is different about me is that I’m over-weight. This seems out of the ordinary as most Cronhs/Colitis sufferers seem under weight, especially when at the conditions worst.
Story:
Hi. I’ve degrees of ‘runny poo’ for most of my adult life, in fact I can remember running out of University exams cross-eyed and in a cold sweat! Years later I’m now in my mid thirties, and things got a whole lot worse for me. In the first half of 2010 I noticed the first signs of blood in my stool. Very light red in colour and sort of weepy. Anyway being a guy I ignored it of course and figured it would go away. Well it didn’t, and reading the stories of you all on this site I can identify with what you all have been through, because I have gone through it now too. The blood got darker and more frequent. There was upwards of 6-8 bowel movements a day. Feeling like you urgently have to poo straight after pooing! So nearly crapping my pants that many times now. I would emerge from the bathroom clammy and pale. Time to see the doctor.
I’ve been to GP and then the Gastroenterologist. I’ve had the colonoscopy and saw the photos. Ulcerative colitis all up the left hand side of the colon. I was shocked at what I saw and even more so to learn that according to modern medicine, the condition is ‘curable’ totally only by having a colectomy!!!!
But it is treatable. I’m on the drugs now, and they are working. So far it’s going really well. i’m on a declining dose of cortico-steroid prednisolone, and am taking Salofalk Mesalazine tablets 4g daily. The steroid is a sucker punch for the inflammation and the mesalazine to treat the condition. My Gastro says the mesalazine is long term and at this stage has no plans to take me off it.
I’ve heard it’s not good for your kidneys, ad i notice I have to pee real bad during the night. I guess I would like to be off it long term, and have read with much interest the experience of others on the SCD diet. I have actually done a similar diet to this to lose weight in the past. Interested to know
Very interesting to report that the Gastro has no confidence that any dietary approach can treat the illness. He says I need to eat ‘low-residue’ diet – low in fibre etc. Great so eat McDonalds and pop my pills and all will be cool.
I’m going to try SCD and I’m really interested to know the stories of others on this eating plan. I think I can make it work and if it gets my mesalazine dose right down if not to nothing then I’ll be sweet. But please dont get me wrong, compared to just a few months ago – man I’m cruising!
Cheers,
Bennett
PS Adam – I make your shakes about 3 times a week and really enjoy them :-)
Medications: As I said, I’m on mesalazine and at the moment on 30mg prednisolone.
