Abscess/Fistula Healing with Diet

[Crohnie12]

Hello everyone! I have had a perianal abscess for over a year, which has progressed to several fistulas. The area is draining still, from multiple areas it has broken through the skin around the rectum. I am off conventional meds, and I FIRMLY believe that diet is a huge factor in my healing. For those of you who have dealt with perianal crohns, what foods have you found to heal and irritate abscesses and fistulas the most? The rest of my intestines look great...it is really just that last inch or two of my colon that I need to heal! Please help, I'm sooo ready to get over this hump!!

 

[GABoy]

Hey there,

I am in almost the exact same boat. I did a whole 30 diet in January of this year. However, I am flaring again and had to have surgery. So that did not work at all. I'm interested in hearing from others about this as well.

 

[Robrich]

I'm in that boat too!
Tried SCD Paleo only thing that seems to help is bone broth.
Or elemental diet.
On the other hand once you get the darn thing closed diet will likely help it stay closed.
That'd be the SCD or PALEO diet and probiotics.

 

[Justanothercp]

I don't have perianal crohns anymore. I did have it there and in duodenum about 20 years ago, but for whatever reason it healed and moved to ileum. But, over the 30 years I've been dealing with this disease, the biggest help to me was going Paleo. Don't get me wrong, I still have to take lots of Meds, by no way healed, but way better day to day existence since starting paleo diet. I know it doesn't work for everyone and I'll be he first to admit it is very costly and time consuming, but for me it's worth the effort.

 

[GABoy]

As a general rule, I find that if I eat meats, veggies & fruits, I just feel better. If I eat bread, dairy or processed foods, I feel worse. So for that reason alone right now, I try to eat the former rather than the latter.

 

[Crohnie12]

I don't have perianal crohns anymore. I did have it there and in duodenum about 20 years ago, but for whatever reason it healed and moved to ileum. But, over the 30 years I've been dealing with this disease, the biggest help to me was going Paleo. Don't get me wrong, I still have to take lots of Meds, by no way healed, but way better day to day existence since starting paleo diet. I know it doesn't work for everyone and I'll be he first to admit it is very costly and time consuming, but for me it's worth the effort.

Did you follow the AIP guidelines or basic Paleo?

 

[Justanothercp]

Basic paleo

 

[GABoy]

Sometimes it's the little things...

I saw the CRS today as a follow up. I'm in pain all the time. The good news is no abscess. The bad news is pain and really nothing to do about it. The Entyvio takes time as does the 6MP. I just feel miserable.

 

[Basmah]

My Crohn's is still active, but I am feeling better than ever with my diet. I can eat some ginger on a regular basis, but if I eat too much of it, it really aggravates my perianal abscess. Otherwise, meat, cooked veggies, and cooked fruit are the only foods I Know I can tolerate. labs are looking excellent, and I am almost off one of my meds. Yay

 

[WingedVictory]

Basmah, Ginger is high in salicylates, a natural food chemical that could possibly be contributing your fistula. I've been eating a low salicylate diet for a few months now and got my fistula to close up. Judging by what you just expressed you may benefit from removing high salicylate foods from your diet.

Here's a thread I started in the fistula forum on my experiences so far.

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=72361