Diet MUST matter!!

[My Butt Hurts]

So....... the doctors pretty much all seem to say that diet doesn't matter right? I know that mine did, and it seems like many others of you have said that too. Well, we know better, because we all have things that make our symptoms worse.
I've been on Humira for 17 weeks, and have felt really really good on it. I started feeling bad last week, and it lasted for 4 days. I was going to the bathroom more, had some bleeding, and even a little leakage. I thought that my Humira was stopping, then I thought about what I had been eating lately. It was all stuff that could hurt my belly. A lot of fruit, spicy stuff, and tons of macaroni salad with peppers. I went back to a bland diet, and felt better within a day.
Moral of the story - be careful what you eat. Always! Even if you feel good.

 

[BWS1982]

Fortunately my GI's have stated diet has great implications in my quality of life, but confirmed what the literature says, that diet does not cause the disease. I still haven't found out one way or another whether diet can initiate a flare though, because I have a lineup of suspects from 10 months ago on this flare and would like to know that answer.

 

[AgB621]

I've been wondering this myself. I mean, I know diet didn't cause Crohn's, but I was wondering if certain diets would be easier on my stomach and help ease my symptoms. What sort of diets have people tried? I thought I might look into going gluten free for a few weeks and see how I feel. What are people's thoughts?

 

[jed]

my first thoughts are of BWS's "line up"....

do you actually have them lined up some where?:ylol2: :ylol2: :ylol2:

i personally try for a low fibre diet and it seems to work quite well for me when i'm flaring.

 

[BWS1982]

They are lined up, the guilty get the gas chamber when convicted.

 

[FruitLoop]

My consultant is of the opinion that diet does not ffect Crohn's at all.

However my dietician is convinced that there are diet aspects that will make Crohn's worse the main culprits being wheat and dairy.

Diet HAS to play a part as Elemental diet (pre-digested so you don't digest it) can cure a flare up faster than steroids according to research.

In an ideal world I would exist solely on the Elemental diet but it is so not practical!!

I also have the willpower of a slug so diet changes are hard, however reading peoples stories on here has me thinking I really need to find some willpower somewhere.

I know for definate that the following cause pain and mucous: sausages, brown bread, seeds, nuts, peas, sweetcorn, veg that's not mushy, salad, fruit with skins.

 

[Kev]

Yeah, I know a couple of doctors who are convinced diet doesn't play a big role in IBD. Mind you, they don't have it.. never experienced those panic trips caused by a 'trigger' food one was sure wouldn't hurt to have 'just a little' of. Think we all have experienced those.. I'm sorry.., I know that they haven't been able to yet show a direct connection OR long term detrimental effects.. but it doesn't make a bit of sense to me. Healthy people are being bombarded with warnings about eating healthier... obesity, hyper-tension, various forms of cancer, ALL have been linked to typically poor diet (amongst other causes). I can't see the logic, the common sense... in folks with IBD being told that using an IBD smart diet isn't necessary. It may not have been proven scientifically to those docs yet... but still. And, if a person has a problem sticking to an IBD diet EVERYDAY... its not like you lose the 'potential' benefits of the days you do.

 

[soupdragon69]

Clare,

Have a look at the website that one of the gastro cons at my hospital set up. He is renowned for the research he led in the UK to do with elemental diets etc.

www.crohns.org.uk see what you think but there is a page on "dietary treatment of crohns disease". Might give you a bit of a boost. Its a site I go to to refresh my knowledge or help get my head round new meds etc.

If its any consolation my asthma consultant told me I should stay on elemental all the time and I should be thankful for remicade or I would be permanently on steroids. I told him to try the elemental himself and show me how it was done as I said I did almost 7mths last year. There is only so much elemental anyone can do so dont be sore on yourself! Will happily join you on the slug front ;-) ((hugs))

 

[FruitLoop]

Jan - thanks for that link. Really useful.

I have given up trying to stick to the elemental 24/7 and am now having it for breakfast and dinner and then having a meal for tea - tea- time is really difficult as I have to cook for the kids and hubby.

I am sticking to low res food and pretty healthy stuff though.

 

[soupdragon69]

Glad I could help. Like I said I have found it a good site to return to time and again.

Can understand why you have paced yourself and are eating one meal a day. Thats what I try to do mostly when I am on the nosedive pre remicade and sometimes I get away with it and other times I dont.

Hope you pick up soon. If I can help in any other way just PM me ok? Thinking of you...