Ulcerative Colitis

dustyyellowstar

Hi guys. I'm calling everyone on this site who has UC or IBD, as I would like a support group. I recently got officially diagnosed with UC and am on a highly restrictive/low residue diet. I have been eating this way now for 3 weeks and it has drastically reduced my flareups. I'd like some tips, diet plans, meal ideas and chit chat with other people like myself.

You don't have to be alone. Thanks guys.

minimoi86

Hey there. I've had Crohn's disease for 13 years now. I don't have many tips about diet as I just cut back a little on raw fruits and veggies and eat as little dairy as possible. I'm always open to new friends and someone to talk to though.

ladipoet

You should both look into following a ketogenic diet which has actually been shown to help both of these specific issues.

minimoi86

ladipoet wrote: »

You should both look into following a ketogenic diet which has actually been shown to help both of these specific issues.

Thanks. I've tried basically every diet out there that is supposed to help with my condition (including the one you mentioned), with no luck. I've really found that just listening to my body has worked best for me. For example: Some days I can tolerate eggs just fine and other days they have me sick in bed all day...and the same is true for pretty much every other food lol.

zane856

I have crohns. Its been in remission for 3 years thanks to a bowel resection and Humira, but my stomach has been very messed up ever since and I have to be very careful about my diet. I juice vegetables 3x a week (heavy in ginger) and that helps significantly, as well as staying away from dairy and fatty meats. Especially pork, that is the absolute worst. Invest In ginger drinks and teas and drops, those are a god send !! Lots of luck, there will be a lot of ups and downs before you find something that works ! And even once you do, you'll still have bad days where everything feels out of control. But it'll get better, just gotta pay attention to what you are eating!

ladipoet

I am truly sorry to hear that! There is very strong evidence out there linking IBM to gluten sensitivity. Have you tried cutting gluten out of your diet?

rsb1023

I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 23 years ago luckily I have been in remission several years so I eat anything I want but when I do have flare ups I stay away from raw fruits & vegetables and anything high in fiber. I don't have a problem with dairy or any types of meat when I have a flare up

RodaRose

Try eating small meals throughout the day. Also for foods that are suitable for you, try cooking them in soups.

monstrouslytasty

I'm currently following a low-residue diet to deal with a Crohn's flare. I was only diagnosed this year, and before this flare I could eat almost anything. Sigh. Plant-based as my guts allow.

swiviol

zane856 wrote: »

I have crohns. Its been in remission for 3 years thanks to a bowel resection and Humira, but my stomach has been very messed up ever since and I have to be very careful about my diet. I juice vegetables 3x a week (heavy in ginger) and that helps significantly, as well as staying away from dairy and fatty meats. Especially pork, that is the absolute worst. Invest In ginger drinks and teas and drops, those are a god send !! Lots of luck, there will be a lot of ups and downs before you find something that works ! And even once you do, you'll still have bad days where everything feels out of control. But it'll get better, just gotta pay attention to what you are eating!

Zane - have you tried Remicade too? My dr. wants to put me on that or Humira (my choice) but I'm reluctant to go on either.

I stay away from dairy, for the most part (although I love pizza). I seem to do okay with raw veggies. The best for me is actually bread and meat, I don't think I have an issue with pork although I don't eat a lot of it ... mostly chicken sausage and chicken.

lporter229

@dustyyellows-Sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I have Crohn's disease. I was diagnosed 13 years ago and it has been a lot of ups and downs since then, but I am finally in remission with the help of Remicade. I have found that a gluten free diet really helps with my pain. When I am flaring, a low residue diet is essential as well, but in remission I can eat many of the high residue foods. There is a Crohn's support group on here, but it is not terribly active.

@swiviol- As mentioned above, I am on Remicade. I was completely hesitant to get on it, so I understand your fears. But last May I hit rock bottom. I was 95 lbs, could not keep anything in me and prednisone wasn't even working, so I gave it a go. I can't say that it has been 100% bliss. I have some allergic reactions after my infusions and have developed some weird food allergies since starting it. But it has literally saved my life. I am pretty sure I will not go off of this drug. I went from feeling like near death last May to running a marathon in January thanks to Remicade. I think if you are feeling really poorly, it is definitely worth a try.

RebeccaD22

I have bad stomach problems. Have been tested for Crohn's, Colitis, IBS, ulcers, with no negative results. My stomach is all over the place. MFP has helped a little but knowing what is wrong would be nice.

rhtexasgal

I have ulcerative colitis and have been lucky it has been in remission for several years. When I got out of the hospital after a major flare, I tried following the diet you describe but it just wasn't for me. I had to experiment. I did avoid dairy for the most part except I did drink raw goats milk and that gave me such a sense of well being and my gut kept quiet! I did juice a lot which helped but there were a few fruits like fresh cherries and pineapple that I was able to eat whole because they are great anti-inflammatory foods. I quit soda and stopped with all artificial sweeteners.

Basically, I researched anti-inflammatory foods and ate them and as I started feeling stronger, I slowly added back a food at a time to ensure tolerance. I know I was lucky because after Lialda, I was able to go on sulfasalazine (a cheap old school drug that is also used for RA) for maintenance. I did have a proctitis flare a few years back but upping the sulfasalazine and adding rectal meds, stopped it quickly.

I credit probiotics with most of my healing. I started off small with just a few strains at a few million count and now I am up to 32 bacterial strains and several billion count. It gets expensive but sleeping on the bathroom floor because you cannot leave the toilet it worse! If you have not tried probiotics, do so. Don't get the over the counter crap at Walmart or your local pharmacy. Go to a health food store and get the kind that is stocked in the refrigerated section to ensure that the bacteria is still living and thriving. And if you can stomach them, try fermented foods, kombucha and kefir ... all sources of beneficial bacteria. There are also many supplements you can try that might help. In the early stages of healing, slippery elm was helpful. Now, I take supplements that offer anti-inflammatory properties like turmeric and bromelain. Supplementing with folate (not folic acid) also helping with the healing process too.

This is a lot of random information thrown at you and not all of it may be helpful to you, but it helped me greatly. I am paranoid about having a relapse so I am anal about the probiotics for sure. I also eat as cleanly as possible, cooking most of my food. I try to avoid processed stuff even going as far as making my own bread and tortillas on occasion using gluten free options.

rhtexasgal

Ok, that is funny, MFP put **** when I used the word"a-n-a-l" ...

SiaB12

I hope this group is still up and running! I'm new to MFP & did a search for Colitis. I've had UC for almost 3 years now. Last summer I was at my worst and was given prednisone and started Remicade. The Remicade has been great, but occasionally I have to use prednisone again. This has led to a lot of weight gain. Dieting, let alone eating normally with UC is a challenge so I'd love to add you all to see how you plan your meals.

Best,
SiaB12

alisontaylor585

Hi, I'm one of those rare fattie IBD sufferers. I was diagnosed with UC, about 8 years ago and my body missed the memo re it causing weight loss. I've had an ileostomy and subsequent reversal and now have a jpouch. I've put 4 stone on, after years of steroids and having a baby and am desperate to lose weight. I'm not sure calorie counting can work for me, though. I have a huge appetite and quite a restricted diet.