Introduction:
28 year old grad student, diagnosed in 2008 with very mild symptoms. Just blood on the paper, no pain, no cramping, no irregular movements. Had a flex-sigmoid to confirm. Was put on Lialda in 2009 at increasing dosages to control blood, but still no pain or other symptoms. In Nov of 2011 had a NASTY bout of food poisoning that had me laid up for a week with diarrhea. 2 months later, had my first legitimate flare. Thought I was dying. Was put on prednisone, tapered off. Was in remission for two months after finishing taper, but had another even worse flare in July that kept me out of work for 2 weeks. Higher dose of prednisone and methotrexate, tapered after symptoms subsided. Flash forward to this November, 2012. Have been off prednisone for 1 month, continuing on methotrexate. Middle of a mini-flare, messing around with SCD, back on 40 mg Prednisone.
Some More About Me:
Huge geek. Enjoy tabletop role-playing games, board games, and fantasy novels.
My Colitis Symptoms:
Cramping, diarrhea, blood in stool, increased frequency of movements.
How Do You Start SCD While on Prednisone?
My question is how to start the SCD diet while on a high dose of prednisone: I was starting the SCD diet earlier this week, but was having difficulty controlling the diarrhea and was worried that things wouldn’t subside in time for a big experiment I have on Tuesday (must be in tip-top shape). Decided to give myself a week on the Prednisone to make sure I’m in the clear. Really didn’t wanna be back on this stuff, but work comes first.
Since methotrexate isn’t working, I know they’re going to want to put my on biologics. As a student of the life sciences, I am not down with something that will blunt my TNF-alpha. The side effects from the biologics sound worse than UC. The only other option besides that would be removal of my colon, which just seems barbaric. My problem is UC, not “acute having of a colon”.
So I want to continue weaning myself onto the SCD diet. My problem is, if the prednisone clears up my symptoms temporarily, how do I know which foods to add or not? Most of the SCD lit on the internet suggests adding 1 1egal food at a time, in stages, and gauging your reaction. Before I started the prednisone I was on the intro diet for 3 days with a severe drop in cramping and blood, but active diarrhea. I added ripe bananas and today was nothing but cramps and blood. Thus, I went on the prednisone.
So how do I continue my journey into SCD if my main gauge for food safety is blunted by the prednisone? Anyone else start SCD while they were already on prednisone and possibly asymptomatic? I would hate to be headlong into SCD, thinking I’m tolerating certain foods well, only to come off the prednisone and be shot into a relapse.
Current Colitis Medications:
Lialda: 4 per day, Methotrexate: 3 per week, Folic Acid: 1 per day, (New): Prednisone: 40mg per day.
written by: A D
submitted in the colitis venting area
I’m a 28 year old grad student, and I was diagnosed in 2008 with very mild ulcerative colitis symptoms. Just blood on the paper, no pain, no cramping, no irregular movements.
