Introduction:
I’m Dee from Ireland, 34 years old. I have moderate UC (mainly proctitis) officially for the last 5 years, unofficially for the last 25 years (didn’t get diagnosed properly for a LONG time).
My Symptoms:
My current symptoms – NONE! That’s why I’m writing… I found a great natural solution that has stopped the constant bleeding of my colon and so I wanted to share :)
My Story:
So, let me tell you that I’ve had some pretty bad flares, wound up in hospital a couple of times. I’ve tried almost everything from super strict diets, to eating what I like, taking meds, not taking meds.
I have regular colonoscopies, around once/year. Had been taking high doses of Mesalazine (Asacol, Asacolon) 4.2g per day, plus a not-fun rectal enema every evening of Salofalk foam (1g/night) plus high doses of high-grade fish oils (natural anti-inflammatory). But, it still wasn’t stopping my bleeding. Tried the Salofalk oral granules as well as the enema – slight improvement, but as soon as I stopped the enemas, I would bleed again. So, this cycle continued and my UC wasn’t getting any better…
UNTIL! I came across an article by well known nutritionist extraordinaire, Patrick Holford. He recommended that as well as high doses of fish oils, take tumeric capsules, beta glucans caps, b complex caps and quercetin – all available from your health food store.
I was pretty skeptical as I have tried EVERYTHING natural to sort my body out. But, I gave it a go… and within 6 weeks, all bleeding and inflammation stopped!!! Seriously, it was amazing. So, at around the 2 month mark I decided to wean myself off ALL my meds. Plus, what’s even better is that 5 months down the road, I still haven’t had any bleeding or any other of the not-so-nice UC symptoms of that last number of years… and am completely medication free!
So, I would really urge all you UC folks to get down to your local health food store and get all of the supplements I mentioned above and take them religiously every day. Give it 6-8 weeks and let me know how you go!
Best of luck to you all. Any questions, just drop me a comment :)
Where I’d Like to be in a year:
Still symptom free… like I am today :)
Colitis Medications:
Best: high doses of fish oils, take tumeric capsules, beta glucans caps, b complex caps and quercetin – all available from your health food store.
written by IrishDee
submitted in the colitis venting area
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I’m Dee from Ireland, 34 years old. I have moderate UC (mainly proctitis) officially for the last 5 years, unofficially for the last 25 years (didn’t get diagnosed properly for a LONG time).
Hi Dee
Well done on your remission
Can I ask, since taking these supplements and the dissappearance of your symptoms, have you had a Colonoscopy which shows Histologic remission (no inflammation in your colon)?
While curing the painful, annoying daily symptoms we experience is brilliant, cutting out medication without confirmed remission wouldn’t be most medical professional’s idea of good cancer prevention.
It’s an interesting debate to be had on this site as a lot of people that post stories and comments are great believers in not taking medication but ironically most are from USA where their monthly prescription bills are 50 times higher than mine. I’m not saying I wouldn’t think about finding different approaches if my monthly medical bill was $400 but as it stands I pay about £10 ($15) for my medication every month.
Hey Tom,
Thanks for your comment :)
To answer your question, I haven’t yet had another scope since I only had my last one 7 months ago… The results of which actually drove me further into finding a non-med option to my UC: I had been taking my meds as advised for that last year and was still bleeding when I had my last scope. I was told by my consultant that “bleeding is just part of UC life” and that I would just have to live with it. I wasn’t willing to accept that. So, even when I was on my meds I still had inflammation and the scope proved that. Since meds only help prevent cancer by reducing inflammation, they weren’t doing their job. Yes, it would be a great experiment to have another scope now to see if, now that I’m off my meds and stopped bleeding, the inflammation is also gone but to be honest, I can’t face drinking another 3 litres of salt water!!!
For me, it’s not about the cost of taking meds… It’s the fact that I would be taking meds for an unknown length of time, possibly forever. That can lead to all sorts of other complications later in life and I would prefer to not take drugs “forever” if I can help it! I wouldn’t advise anyone to go off their meds without consulting their doctor… But if the drugs aren’t working or you don’t want to take meds forever, then maybe there’s another option. :)
You have said a mouthful IrishDee!
Everything you are saying is so true. I am completely ned free. I weaned myself off of that nasty ‘maintenance’ drug asacol about 6 months ago. It was doing zippo for me. I was still bleeding like a son of a gun, and feeling generally rotten in a thousand other ways. I started on probiotics about two months before I weaned off of the asacol. I’m not sold on the fact that taking these medical drugs will ward off cancer…
I am now in total remission, on a good probiotic, l-glutamine, astaxanthin, and a few other misc ‘goid things’. Inflammation seems to be the name of the game with this disease, and if you can stop that, you can beat this!! Medical drugs seem NOT to stop the inflammation, even tho they are called ‘anti inflammatories’! Hah, I say!
Cheers, and great news!!
Bev:)
Hey Bev,
Thanks for your comment. Delighted that you’re also in remission! Exciting, isn’t it? Good work!!
D.
Sheesh IrishDee…sorry for all of the typos…I am MED free, not ned free…and I am on a few other misc ‘GOOD’ things…not goid things…but I digress
I was feverishly replying to your wonderful posts, and the typos were flying!!
Also, gotta agree again with you on the not wanting to ‘cleanse’ before another scope…I think that can also bring on it’s own batch of problems. Seems like not such a great idea to make a UCer crap their guts out to within an inch of their life, anyway, no?
I understand your concern Tom…especially concerning cancer…but Dee and others who do natural treatments, be it diet or supplements, do not do them to save costs. We do them because the traditional treatments are not working or the traditional treatments have too many negative effects to make them worth it. I mean, why would I want to take a medication that is making me bleed more on it than without it? If they are not working…meaning there is still symptoms of UC, discomfort, inflammation, bleeding, there is no promise cancer will not take hold either. By removing the cause of the disease and healing—like Dee, Bev, Adam—there is little chance of ever having a cancer issue, in part due to cancer being the manifestation of bad health. While some are predisposed to get it, our bodies have the ability to fight off free radicals that cause cancer. When we suppress those abilities…smoking, eating a crappy diet, etc…we raise our chances of getting cancer of all forms. If we eat right—lots of fresh organic produce with exercise, adequate rest, a no stress lifestyle, we give our bodies the best chance to keep fighting those free radicals.
Plus, even if we go for more natural treatments, it doesn’t mean we are forgoing ever seeing a doctor to get our insides checked out. I know I plan to have a scope just so my doctors can see the evidence for themselves.
So glad you have found something that appears to be effective.
I tried a fish oil capsule once. It caused me problems so I never took them again. Anyone else have issues with fish oil capsules? I can eat fish by the way. I have only eaten cod, tilapia, and tuna so far.
Hi there,
Thanks for your comment. Regarding fish oils, there are many different grades of fish oils out there… And it can take some time finding the right one for you. I take Xtend Life’s ones (available to order online) as they are a really high quality and don’t give any gross fishy indigestion! You need to make sure you’re taking a high enough dose on a daily basis in order to gain any benefit froth them.
Best of luck!
Hi! Just wanted to comment that I am currently drinking a teaspoon a day of cod liver oil (which is basically fish oil) and I think its helping. Its rich in Omega 3 which is very beneficial and since I lost a lot of weight since starting the SCD diet, it also helps gain weight. I personally prefer eating fish because it obviously tastes better than the oil.
I am really excited about trying kefir milk, hopefully get some this week. Not the easiest thing to get hold off. I see in the US you guys have lifeway Kefir which via branding may make people with IBD sceptical. I am going to give it a go as I am reading all the right things. I am off my tapered prednisone today (after 4momths). Still on enema and asacol and awaiting my full scope yet not 100%. I assume my diet before wasn’t great (in fact I know it wasn’t) so im taking more good foods than the processed options so overly available. I do think everyone has there own system of treatment that works for them as our disease is individual. I find salmon is firstly a great tasting fish and seems to be really good for me-also a better alternative to taking fish oils-quick food to make and I try and base my diet around it, I munch on some probotic tablets which I have in my car (don’t know how much it helps), and will try kefir to see its impact. has anyone out there tried kefir or planning to?
I take kefir!
I was already taking a good probiotic, so I don’t know if it’s helping me any more than I already was, as I am felling great. I’m in remission thanks, in part to the probiotic capsules that I’ve been on for about 5 months, so I’m wondering if I just stop the probiotic capsules, and just take the kefir, if I would stay in remission. It would sure be alot cheaper!
Kefir tastes good too, because I get the strawberry flavored one. One tablespoon a day is all you need and it has 50 billion probiotics in it!! It’s only $5.50 and lasts a long time…maybe a month or more, where the probiotic capsules have 50 billion as well, and cost $40 a month…I guess it’s a no brainer moneywise…
Cheers:)
OOOPS!
Just read my kefir and it has only 5 billion bacteria per tablespoon, not 50 billion…so I’d need 10 tablespoons per day. I bet it will still be cheaper than the capsules. I think I will just take both for now, until the capsules are gone, then just take 10 tbsps of the kefir per day after that and see if it’s all I need.
Hi Bev and uc family boy and …
I read a few articles questioning the extent of how valuable the store bought versions are compared to homemadeincluding the strains and yeast. Probably much like the yogurts and other probiotics. Also, I have a prescription for vsl#3 and 4 g fish oil in prescription Lovaza-not sure what’s available in other countries-it is purified and coupons online. It apparently is too hard to eat the amount you need daily of fish oil. And uc family by make sure it is good quality probiotic…chewable? As many of us preach..good quality probiotics, foods, etc.
Good health- Shelly :-)
Hey Bev,
Could you please tell me where you bought the kefir and what’s the brand? How does the kefir work for you? Were you be able to stop taking probiotics? Thanks very much!
Ann
Hey Bev, I found a supplier that does goat milk kefir. I hear the homemade option is better because you can control the amount of bacteria in there. Although the kefir with cow milk makes it tolerable for us IBD peeps I thought il try goat milk because of the following I picked up;
“When the average cow is given growth hormones, antibiotics, GMO feed, vaccinations and exposed to toxic conditions, it is no wonder that many humans experience negative effects from consuming pasteurized cow milk”
“Some research suggests that one of the main benefits of goat milk is that it may hold anti-inflammatory capacities. Another reason why it is easier for people with bowel inflammation to drink goat’s milk, instead of cow’s milk”
“Goat’s milk has the trace mineral, selenium, a key essential mineral in keeping the immune system strong and functioning correctly”
So I’m being lazy and going for the ready made stuff but I will see if it works and move into the laboratory and do the homemade stuff.lol. Apparently it has more of a chance to get to the colon and do its thing than capsules and in flares it can be consumed so maybe might be worth moving to kefir But if your program is working than keep going.
Hey Dee. It’s great you’ve found a natural way to remission, which is what I’m attempting to do. May I ask exactly how you take the supplements you mentioned? How many capsules a day, etc. I would really like to try it out.
Hey Hector,
I take 2x B Complex, 2x Quercetin Complex, 2x Beta Glucans, 1x Turmeric and 4x fish oils. Make sure you go for a high quality product. The brands I use are mainly Solgar, Xtend Life, Terra Nova and Pukka. Give it 6-8 weeks on all of those and see how/if you improve.
Best of luck, really hope you see the benefit.
Sorry, I meant to include that I also take Digestive Enzymes (1 cap) before each meal… The brand I use are Udo’s. Good luck!
Thanks a lot, Dee. I’ll definitely look into this. I simply find it hard to accept that all these dangerous meds they offer to treat this is the only way to go. I’ve already had a bad experience with Asacol, and that’s considered the “lightweight” med for colitis. I took it for 4 months, 4.2g a day, every day and nothing. Eventually the side effects put me in urgent care.
Wow, that’s rough Hector. I know how you feel… The dreaded Asacol and no results. My doc kept wanting to put me on stronger and stronger drugs but I just didn’t want to go for it, as I was sure there was another way to manage the condition. I’m so glad I stuck it out and really hope you see the same result.
For me, it doesn’t seem to be food related at all… but stress related instead, so I’ve really trying to manage my stress levels and think that has also helped too in the long run.
Let me know how you go! :-)
Sounds like a great combination of vitamins and supplements for UC Dee. From my online research, it seems tumeric (curcumin) is one of the most powerful supplements out there for inflammation. I take two curcumin capsules everyday for general inflammation. I also take beta gluccans for immune health. The quercetin is a powerful antioxidant, which fights free radicals. Free radicals can cause inflamation. The fish oil is also great for inflamation as well and the b-complex is great for a host of things. I don’t have UC, but if I did, I would certainly definitely try these. Thanks for the post!
Hi Dee,
Great to hear your news. Just wondering where you read Holfords article. I have one of his books and it’s excellent but no mention of UC. I’m taking your advice anyway and getting those supplements. I’m back on Pentasa but it didn’t work last time so here’s hoping your supplements combined with a gluten-free lactose-free diet does the trick!
Thanks
Andrew
Hi Dee – is there a particular brand of Tumeric capsules you’d recommend? I have an account with Holland & Barrett, do you think their 400g capsules (they advise one twice a day with meals) fit the bill? they also do quercetin with vitamin C. However, they don’t seem to have ‘beta glucans caps’ – just ‘OatWell Crispy Hearts with Oat Beta-glucan Sachets 7 Day Supply’ at £7.99 for 7 days – is that the same thing?? Found Solgar-Beta-Glucans-Tablets-60 on Amazon though, at £8.65 for 60 tabs…
Any advice re the suitability of the above would be most welcome, thank you :-)
Hi Elaine,
Personally,I don’t think the quality of H&B supplements are very good so I would stick with Solgar or Terra Nova. Really hope it works for you. Will be well worth the money spent :-)
Dee
Hi Dee,
Are you still doing well with the supplements you are taking?
Also, the Beta Glucan that you take 2 times a day, is that the Solgar brand? Is it the only thing in the supplement (beta 123 glucan)? How many mg in a single dose?
Thanks so much for your help.
Brenda
UC for 9+ years
Hi Brenda,
The supplements worked well for me for a couple of years so best of luck with them!
I don’t have the info re: dosage, but took two/three of each capsules.
Hope that helps.
D
Hi Dee,
I have just taken delivery of Solgar supplements… will let you all know how I get on with them!
Have also been taking Vivomixx (VSL#3 is only available at HUGE expense on Amazon in the UK – I assume because it has to be imported) pro-biotic powder for 5 days now – experienced some bloating initially (apparently this is normal at first) but now seem to be having a marked reduction in the number of morning trips to the loo! Doesn’t seem to have helped with the blood or the urgency when I do have to ‘go’ yet… will probably have to make use of the Pentasa again, see if that helps. I’ve held off adding other new supplements for now, so that I can get a clearer picture of how things go with each before adding something new to the mix… if that makes sense? Lined up I have the core items mentioned in previous posts (including Tumeric and Slippery Elm) – hoping to get some idea of what is normal on Vivomixx, then will introduce others one at a time and observe the results… watch this space! :-)
Hi Elaine,
That’s great! Best of luck with it and hope it works really well for you :)
D
Hi Dee! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’ve battled Uc for a while now going in and out of remission. Just now trying to sort things out and get a regimen that works. I’m currently in a flare and on top of that I have seasonal allergies ugh! I’m sure that’s not helping me at all! I started taking Quercetin about 5 days ago. I came across your thread last night and have since ordered the supplements you listed. I’m at my wits end right now and can’t wait to get into remission! As soon as I heal I’ve been told about food grade diatomaceous earth. A friend of mine had been on it and hasn’t had a flare in several years. Anyways, I just had a question of what your quercetin dose is, how many mg is in each serving? The one I have says take once a day 2 pills equaling 500mg. Thank again so much for posting this information!