About me....where to start!

[hoiks]

Wow, this is harder than I thought it would be and brings up a lot of emotion. Hello, my name is Sara and I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's disease on my oldest son's 4th birthday in March 2008, but really for me mild symptoms started after his birth I just ignored them for a long time because they were tollerable and I hate doctors. I heard a lot of "we can't find anything" or "it's not viral or bacterial take this and let me know how you feel." In 2008, I also started seeing a naturalpath who began the push for Crohn's disease and finally got helped push my PCP to give me a referral to a GI specialist. That woman was and is my savior! I have been on Prednisone, Mesalamine, Azathioprine, Entocort EC and currently back on Azathioprine and possibly (I will find out in the next week) Cimzia, which is a newer injection therapy drug approved in 2008. I have a lot of anxiety about starting injection therapy; is anyone else currently taking Cimzia? The thought of being put on this medication that my doctor says that I am on for the rest of my life is extremely frightening to me and causes a lot of anxiety. I am also trying to control migratory arthritis pain that seems to be worsening as time goes by. My last colonoscopy revealed that there is still inflamation and ulcerations in my colon and small intestine, but also showed that my small intestine is narrowing due to scar tissue. I decided that this summer I needed to put myself in counseling for depression and anxiety because I realized with the help of my boyfriend, Jared, that I can't manage my feelings and the disease mentally on my own anymore, but I still have anxieties and can't bring myself yet to take any medications for mental health. I have been modifying my diet over the last two years and I really miss all the things that I shouldn't eat. My diet is designed around food intolerance testing (mine are anything dairy/derivatives and a combination to fruit and sugar mixes), the A'damo Blood Type Diet, and a scientific method to combining foods that was designed by Wayne "the Mango Man" Pickering who is also a friend of my father-in-laws. Even though I changed my diet and meds have helped a little, I still feel like I am in a downward spiral.

Thank you for reading my word vomit!
Sara

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Hi Sara, welcome to the forum. I enjoyed reading your word vomit (much better than actual vomit).

With regards to diet - there's a section on the forum about Food & Diet, with tons of information - give it a look. I've been eating mostly low-residue foods and that's been working out okay for me. We're all so different as far as diet goes, it seems like what works for one person doesn't work for the next person. It's a lot of trial and error and you may want to keep a food diary to see what bothers you and what doesn't. I believe there's a wiki entry in the wiki section that explains how to keep a food journal and what information to include. Good luck, and again, welcome!

 

[DustyKat]

Hi Sara and :welcome:

I'm glad you have found your way here, there's loads of info and support! There is a Cimizia Club that has just started so have a read through that and if you have any questions just fire away.......................

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=13661

Do you think at some point you will be able to take something for your anxiety? It just sounds like it would do you some good at this point in time. It is far from uncommon to have depression and anxiety when you have a chronic disease and have so many difficult decisions to make in your life associated with it. You may like to browse through this thread, it may make you feel a little less alone....................

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=12181

There is a wiki entry as Cat mentioned about what people might like to record in a diary.................

http://www.crohnsforum.com/wiki/Diary-Inclusions

I hope you find the answers you need and can get yourself on top of things again. Good luck and welcome aboard!

Take care,
Dusty

 

[Dexky]

My diet is designed around food intolerance testing (mine are anything dairy/derivatives and a combination to fruit and sugar mixes), the A'damo Blood Type Diet, and a scientific method to combining foods that was designed by Wayne "the Mango Man" Pickering who is also a friend of my father-in-laws. Even though I changed my diet and meds have helped a little, I still feel like I am in a downward spiral.

Thank you for reading my word vomit!
Sara

Hi Sara, welcome!! What blood type are you? I'm curious how your blood type diet jives with the "Mango Man" diet. I have the A'damo book also. We are type O's and it's very restrictive much like the Specific Carb. diet. Because EJ is so young and needs to grow, we just didn't see how we could limit his food intake that much. As an adult, I have followed the diet myself (mostly) and lost about 40 pounds over six months!!

Anyway, I wish you the best and I hope you find a treatment course that works for you soon!!

 

[hoiks]

Type O

I am also a Type O. The Mango Man's method is definately interesting, but it does seem to help. It is a scientific approach to eating, if you don't have the right balance the meal neutralizes itself and doesn't digest, then it is basically rotting in your system. For instance he suggests that a morning meal should consist of fruit and certain fruits should not be combined like sweet fruits and acid fruits, lunch could be fruit or vegetables again combinations are important because you don't mix fruit and vegetables, and supper may be a starch and vegetable combo or a protien and vegetable combo. Combining starches and protiens (like the sandwich unless veggie) cancel each other out and they don't digest. Melon is something that you "eat it alone or leave it alone," according to the Mango Man. I don't do well with melon at all, but my counterpart has a fruit intolerance and he can eat melon because it lacks fructose and citric acid, but it doesn't make him feel well when he mixes it with other foods. I myself have been trying desperately since 2008 to gain weight; I am 5'9" and on a good day 118 lbs. I did gains some weight near the end of 2008, but it was only because I was pregnant. At the end of my pregnancy I weighed in at 162 lbs but it was all gone within 7 mo. time and hit a low of 114 lbs. Since incorporating the Mango Man Method in to the Blood Type Diet about 2 1/2 months ago I have managed to reach 118lbs. again. I will say that because I ate virtually anything I wanted until I started having chronic problems around 27 yrs. old, it has been an extreme challenge for me. As a mother of two boys, it is hard not to always cave on things that they always want. My 6-yr-old, Thaddeus, has a moderate potato intolerance and he is also type O; I worry that he may one day have to battle what I am now and have been trying to incorporate good eating habits now and potato derivatives are in so many things if you don't watch. He is still trying to understand that somethings may not be potato, but they contain potato derivatives or starches. My one-yr-old,Phinnaeus, for the moment is pretty content with eating whatever mom eats, but I am sure their will come a day when I will have to explain to him why he shouldn't or can't eat certain things. Hang in there it is worth having a specific diet and the blood type diet isn't 100% percent accurate for me, but then I just avoid the food that irritates me. Hope you have success!

Sara

 

[hoiks]

I must say thank you for all of your responses and information. I definately have a lot to digest in info and threads. Cat, I'm glad you enjoyed my word vomit; I was a little hesitant to hit the post button, but I am glad that I did. Dusty, thanx for the links. I am undecided as far as medication, but have not completely ruled it out at this point. Alot of what if's race through my head and I am beginning to cry right now just thinking about it, but that's not uncommon it doesn't seem to take much anymore to make me cry. Counseling has helped a little, but my doctor wants to have another meeting because he says while a little better is good, we don't just want a little we want a lot. Rottengut, your post helpful and I will consider it while I am still on the fence about medication.

Sara
__________
Diagnosed: Crohn's 2008
Meds:: tried-Prednisone, Mesalamine, Entocort EC currently taking-Azathioprine 100 mg/day and possibly incorporating Cimzia