SCD survey responses part 2
How long have you been on the diet?:
8 months
Age?:
31
Male or Female?:
female
Do you have Crohn's, UC, or IBS?:
UC
How long have you had the disease (In years & months)?:
~ 5 years
On a scale of 1 - 10, how religiously do you follow the diet? (1 meaning
cheating all the time, 10 meaning never cheating):
9
If you ever "cheat" on the diet, what foods are you eating that are not
on the diet, and what happens (symptoms if any) when you do?
I have eaten pasta, rice, potato chips,carrot cake,non-homemade
yoghurt,milk in tea, chocolate and little baby corns. I have not cheated
on a continuous type basis, it has only ever been a one off type thing.
I have not experienced any symptoms that I could relate to cheating with
respect to my UC. The only thing I did experience was after eating a
piece of chocolate I got a migraine, needless to say this was enough to
discourage me from cheating with chocolate again.
What medications are you also taking at the same time you are on the
diet?
Except for a duration of about 3 weeks I have been on prednisone the
whole time I have been on the diet. At the same time once I was at 30 mg
prednisone I resumed taking 5 ASA as well.
Has your medication regime or dosages changed within 1-2 months of
starting the diet (either before or after starting)?
I have reduced from 40 mg down to 0, a bad flare up sent me back to 20
mg, another bad flare sent me back to 40 mg and now down to 10 mg and
continuing down, all since being on the diet.
Do you feel your change in symptoms (if any) was due to the diet, or your
medications, or both?
Until I had the flare ups I felt sure that the diet was the reason I was
able to reduce the prednisone because I had been at 40 mg for a number of
months prior to that without any improvement, in fact I was getting
worse. However, the flare ups and the necessity to go back on the
prednisone while still sticking faithfully to the diet has made me
somewhat reserved. For me I will have to get off medication and be able
to continue for an extended period without a flare up before I will be
more convinced.
What supplements/vitamins are you also taking at the same time you are on
the
diet, how long have you been taking them, and do you feel they help?
multi-vitamin, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A & D, calcium, garlic,
alfalfa, evening primrose oil, cat's claw, lactobacillus acidophilus
tablets, aloe, caprylic acid off and on (Yikes, that's a lot!)
Describe your diet/eating habits before you went on the SCD?
Bad habits would have been a lot of coke and potato chips. I ate very
little meat and when I do it is usually chicken. Staples would be pasta
and rice and vegetable type dishes.
Do you eliminate or avoid any foods other than those listed in the book?
I find that I cannot eat the breads and muffins made with the nut flour.
All the nuts just seem too indigestable for me. I just do without any
kind of bread type of food these days.
Are there any foods that the diet disallows, which you still eat because
they don't seem to bother you?
Not on a regular basis.
On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 meaning no improvement, 10 meaning all symtoms
are gone since following the diet; How much do you feel the diet has helped your
symptoms?:
Too difficult at this time to distinguish between diet and medication
and the nature of the disease.
Would you recommend the diet to other people with IBD?:
I would definitely recommend that the diet is worth trying.
Does your doctor know you are following the diet?:
Yes
If so, does he have an opinion on it (approve, disapprove, comments)?:
My experience has been that all those in the medical profession who I
have talked to about this diet are extremely skeptical or at best
reserved in their opinion of the diet. However, I do think that they
realize that at some point when faced with a disease which is not
improving by any other means trying something non-conventional, or
unscientific is something that people are going to do. If it works,
great, as long as no harm is done in the process.
How did you find out about the diet?
My parents and desparation made me go on it and stay on it.
Any other comments about the diet plan?:
I too wish that there was more science associated with this diet than
anecdotal accounts. I see this diet as an elimination of just about
anything that has been known to cause ill effects in some people and I
question the necessity for that. However, since there is no established
cause for IBD it seems that it would be difficult to do anything else. I
guess each individual at some time must determine what they can and
cannot add back to their diet. But just the fact that at some point you
are supposed to be able to add things back just strikes me as odd.
Just one other interesting thing to note, I had a huge, very sore
planters wart on my foot for about 10 years which I had to live with
because removing it would have left a big hole in my foot supposedly. Two
months or so into the diet I realized one day that it was gone,
completely, you would never know it had been there! Whether it was the
diet or the anti-yeast type supplements I was taking or both, this I
thought was amazing. And whether the diet has had any affect on my UC or
not, I can say it was worth having been on it just for this.
On the diet for 4 months.
Age 11
Male
Crohn's disease
Had disease 4 years (exact date not known)
Follow the diet - 8 rating
Taking prednisone - 2.5 mg. daily, cortifoam/cortenema daily,alternating
Taking multivitamin and garlic pills.
Able to eat all foods listed in the book without problems
Helped symptoms - 9
I would definitely recommend the diet to others and have.
Doctor is aware we are on the diet.
Doctor doubts it's value but says it won't hurt to try. Haven't seen doctor
since starting the diet and having such wonderful results. Next appointment
is next week.
The diet is difficult to follow at first but is very do-able once you get
the
hang of it and as long as you plan ahead. Although it first appears very
limiting it isn't once you know what you can eat and keep those foods
available.
How long have you been on the diet?:
7 months
Age?:
37
Male or Female?:
male
Do you have Crohn's, UC, or IBS?:
Crohn's
How long have you had the disease (In years & months)?:
12 months
On a scale of 1 - 10, how religiously do you follow the diet? (1 meaning
cheating all the time, 10 meaning never cheating):
10
What medications are you also taking at the same time you are on the diet?
Dipentum
What supplements/vitamins are you also taking at the same time you are on
the
diet?
None
Do you eliminate or avoid any foods other than those listed in the book?
NO
Are there any foods that the diet disallows, which you still eat because
they
don't seem to bother you?
NO
On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 meaning no improvement, 10 meaning all symtoms are
gone since following the diet; How much do you feel the diet has helped
your
symptoms?:
8.5
Would you recommend the diet to other people with IBD?:
Yes. Have done so many times.
Does your doctor know you are following the diet?:
YES
If so, does he have an opinion on it (approve, disapprove, comments)?:
Neither. He sees that it is not causing harm.
Any other comments about the diet plan?:
It won't work if you cheat at all.
How long have you been on the diet?:
It will be 5 months on September 8.
Age?:
26
Male or Female?:
female
Do you have Crohn's, UC, or IBS?:
UC
How long have you had the disease (In years & months)?:
symptoms for 2 years & 6 months, officially diagnosed for 2 years &
2 months
On a scale of 1 - 10, how religiously do you follow the diet? (1 meaning
cheating all the time, 10 meaning never cheating):
cheated for my first time last week, so I was at a 10 until then, am
planning on going back on the diet but will probably cheat occasionally
now
that the first time is out of the way, so I will probably be about a 7
What medications are you also taking at the same time you are on the diet?
I take 4 (400mg) Asacol pills a day. When the bleeding is bad I
sometimes increase this to 6 or 8. And I sometimes take Salofalk rectal
suspension (4g).
What supplements/vitamins are you also taking at the same time you are on
the
diet?
I occasionally take a multivitamin and calcium but not very
regularly. I take iron supplements when the bleeding is bad (which has been
rare since starting the diet).
Do you eliminate or avoid any foods other than those listed in the book?
I have recently eliminated peanut butter from my diet because others
in my email group seem to have a lot of trouble with it. It hasn't been
long enough yet for me to tell if that has helped.
Are there any foods that the diet disallows, which you still eat because
they
don't seem to bother you?
I do use canned tomatoes and apple juice as long as they don't
contain any forbidden ingredients, even though Elaine Gottschall mentions
that you can't always trust the labels.
On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 meaning no improvement, 10 meaning all symtoms are
gone
since following the diet; How much do you feel the diet has helped your
symptoms?:
8
Would you recommend the diet to other people with IBD?:
Definitely (as a matter of fact, I already have).
Does your doctor know you are following the diet?:
No.
If so, does he have an opinion on it (approve, disapprove, comments)?:
Any other comments about the diet plan?:
Hasn't been as hard to follow as I thought it would be. It's true
what it says in the book about noticing results right away. I didn't
believe the diet would work when I first tried it so it can't be a placebo
effect. I'm not sure if the premis behind the diet outlined in the book
is
100% correct, but I do know that something is going on because I am feeling
so much better and taking less medication than I have in months.
I have been on the diet just three weeks. I am a 60 year old male
with UC for 4 years & 4 months. I religiously follow the diet (10),
only drinking coffee three times per day. I take prednisone, and
calcium and iron supplements. The only permitted food which I avoid
is peanuts. I eat nothing not in the book. My improvement so far is
about a seven (7), and I would recommend the diet to others. My
doctor does not know, but on my next visit I will inform him. He will
probably not have much of an opinion. If three weeks is any
indication, and I am able to get off prednisone, I will praise the
diet to the heavens!
How long have you been on the diet?: 17 months
Age?: 49
Male or Female?: female
Do you have Crohn's, UC, or IBS?: UC
How long have you had the disease (In years & months)?:
diagnosed 8 years ago, ill at least 3 years before
On a scale of 1 - 10, how religiously do you follow the diet? (1 meaning
cheating all the time, 10 meaning never cheating):
until recently 9 to 10, now 8 to 9
What medications are you also taking at the same time you are on the diet?
I stopped taking azulphadine (on my own) about 3 months ago
What supplements/vitamins are you also taking at the same time you are on
the
diet?
multi, C, garlic, glucosamine, calcium, aloe & oil of primrose
Do you eliminate or avoid any foods other than those listed in the book?
no
Are there any foods that the diet disallows, which you still eat because
they
don't seem to bother you?
I seem to tolerate coffee better than the book indicates
On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 meaning no improvement, 10 meaning all symtoms are
gone since following the diet; How much do you feel the diet has helped
your
symptoms?:
9 and 1/2, I do still get gassy and don't feel as though I'm digesting
well if I eat too much at one sitting.
Would you recommend the diet to other people with IBD?:
without hesitation
Does your doctor know you are following the diet?: yes
If so, does he have an opinion on it (approve, disapprove, comments)?:
he does not beleive that my recovery is connected with the diet and that
I'm in some sort of remission.
Any other comments about the diet plan?:
it has restored my life to me.
How long have you been on the diet?: 11 Months
Age?: 37
Male or Female?: M
Do you have Crohn's, UC, or IBS?: IBS
How long have you had the disease (In years & months)?: 15 Years
On a scale of 1 - 10, how religiously do you follow the diet? (1 meaning
cheating all the time, 10 meaning never cheating): 7
What medications are you also taking at the same time you are on the diet?
Librax, Inderal (hypertention)
What supplements/vitamins are you also taking at the same time you are on
the
diet? Natural Multi-vitamin
Do you eliminate or avoid any foods other than those listed in the book?
Almonds
Are there any foods that the diet disallows, which you still eat because
they
don't seem to bother you? Bialys
On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 meaning no improvement, 10 meaning all symtoms are
gone
since following the diet; How much do you feel the diet has helped your
symptoms?: 7
Would you recommend the diet to other people with IBD?: YES
Does your doctor know you are following the diet?: YES
If so, does he have an opinion on it (approve, disapprove, comments)?: APPROVES
Any other comments about the diet plan?: Got rid of my diarreha, still have
some
cramping and nausea.
How long have you been on the diet?: 12 weeks
Age?: 59
Male or Female?: Male
Do you have Crohn's, UC, or IBS?: Crohn's
How long have you had the disease (In years & months)?: 7 years plus?
On a scale of 1 - 10, how religiously do you follow the diet? (1 meaning
cheating all the time, 10 meaning never cheating): 10
What medications are you also taking at the same time you are on the diet?
Pentasa, Cirpo, Rowasa
What supplements/vitamins are you also taking at the same time you are on
the
diet? None
Do you eliminate or avoid any foods other than those listed in the book?
No
Are there any foods that the diet disallows, which you still eat because
they
don't seem to bother you? No
On a scale of 1 - 10, 1 meaning no improvement, 10 meaning all symtoms are
gone
since following the diet; How much do you feel the diet has helped your
symptoms?: 10
Would you recommend the diet to other people with IBD?: YES
Does your doctor know you are following the diet?: Yes
If so, does he have an opinion on it (approve, disapprove, comments)?:If
it
works stick with it
Any other comments about the diet plan?: My only regret is not starting
on
the diet when I first heard about it 3 years ago.