Crohn's Disease

AmyRhubarb

My husband had ulcerative colitis (finally had his entire colon removed a few years ago and is now living with a j-pouch) and found that some foods did trigger problems for him. Stress was the biggest trigger of a flare (and he was a cop - BAD combination! ), but as others have said, seeds, nuts, high fiber foods and most dairy bothered him.

And I agree with what a lot have said - unfortunately there doesn't seem to be an exact formula of what to do and eat or not do and eat - we found it really varied from person to person. I found a message board that was helpful - http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17 They have a forum just for chohn's, and it was a great place to glean tips and info of what did work for others. And sometimes you just need a place to talk with people going through the same thing you are. They will understand you more than anyone else!

Since having the surgery the hubs is off all the UC meds, but does suffer through bouts of "pouchitis" a few times a year. It's treated with antibiotics and no fun at all, and he hasn't figured out if there's a trigger for that. He still has to be careful with certain foods - high fiber is out, still has issues with most dairy, but he can eat yogurt and mozzarella cheese. Salads and pretty much all raw vegetables are out, and many cooked ones as well - they just go right through him without having a colon to break things down.

I hope you can find what works for you! Still hoping and praying for a cure for these diseases! :flowerforyou:

tamicando

Well I was diagnosed with early onset stages of Chrons, and it seems everything I ate made me flare, so I cut down on how much I ate, cut out dairy. Then I started taking a good calcuim/mag. vitamin, it was like a Miracle for me. Its like what CHRONS, I can now eat anything I want, fruits with seeds, drink Almond Milk, and other dairy products. I know everyone if different. But thats my story, hope it helps.

eylia

I actually agree with an earlier poster that recommended you see if gluten is a trigger, I've been diagnosed with UC since the age of 7 (about 14 years now) and a year later they discovered I was also Ceoliac. Unlike that person, my understanding is that doctors often look for this as a possibility as many of the symptoms are similar. Its fair enough to say they aren't linked, but they quite commonly come hand in hand (it could even be the fact that 'bread' is often a very processed commodity; I know someone very intolerant that can stomach spelt, so everyone's different).

Personally, I find large amounts of dairy give me discomfort/bad reactions, mostly milk. I also need to limit my intake of spicy food. Raw foods (namely vegetables), nuts and seeds are also things I have to avoid as much as I can-a little is okay. Tomatoes are one of my worst; the seeds and the skin (this is the worst). Things that are really processed, or high in sugar and fats. And pork too, I avoid it at all costs.

I remember when I was first diagnosed, the way they explained it to me was er, suited to my age at the time; think of the ulcers as a scrapped knee, or a scab. Things that can catch and cause harm (nuts ect) are best avoided in a flare up. Well cooked, soft things are less likely to cause harm. My parents were told to mash things when I was at my worse.

I don't drink much, and find some drinks cause a worse reaction to others. I do sometimes make a conscious decision to have something I 'shouldn't', but only when I know I'll be able to deal with it afterwards. If I were travelling or had a big week at work coming up, I can always resist. As for how quickly I experience reactions, I often get cramping and discomfort first, maybe bloating. The rest, shall I say, usually a few hours later, maybe around 4. It all depends on what, how much and the condition my body and health was to begin with. Some of my flareups have lasted months, as the sad fact is diet only controls so much.

No one else can say what you can and can't have, all our bodies react differently. But if you're having a lot of trouble, I'd say start with some soft, bland kind things and see if you have any improvement and go from there; eliminate one possibility at a time, and see what you do and don't react to. I hope things improve =]

shrinkingkiwi

I have Coeliac so can't comment specifically on Crohn's. However I can say just take the time to experiment and get your diet so it suits you. Once you have it nailed it will eventually become second nature.

I have become really good at reading labels and asking Chefs to avoid the problem ingredients.

Really worth putting the time in upfront.