I'm hoping those of you who have been through the process of trying different diets might be able to share your experiences with me on this, and help me make a decision on my next steps.
I was on an elemental diet for 4 weeks, started the LOFFLEX diet and flared after 2 weeks. I did another 4 weeks on an elemental diet and re-started the LOFFLEX diet but much more carefully this time, adding 1 new food a day but only from those on the list of LOFFLEX allowed foods and removing anything that I felt possibly caused me symptoms. Then once I was fairly comfortable with my diet I started to add non-LOFFLEX foods testing each new food for 4 days.
I've been food testing for about 4 months now and have made very little progress. I've only successfully added 2 new foods into my diet and have tested 3 others which resulted in symptoms after 2-3 days of testing. Things have also been delayed because I keep picking up bugs which often lead to a return of symptoms and it can easily take 2 weeks for things to settle down each time.
I feel like the diet has brought me out of the worst flare I have ever had and I'm feeling 95% better, but unfortunately still not in complete remission. It's very clear that diet has a profound affect on my Crohns but it feels like there is still one hurdle to get over in terms of achieving full remission.
Has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so did you manage to overcome things with diet or did you require a medication switch? I'm currently taking Pentasa but my doctor is keen for me to start Azathioprine. I just want to feel like I've really exhausted all the diet options before I accept that it's really not the whole answer for me. Incidentally, my dietitian keeps telling me that I'm very sensitive to food, but then I don't understand why they aren't helping me make a more thorough investigation of my diet instead of taking the easy option and telling me to take the Aza.
Anyway, I was just hoping for some words of wisdom!
Thanks,
Sarah
I was on an elemental diet for 4 weeks, started the LOFFLEX diet and flared after 2 weeks. I did another 4 weeks on an elemental diet and re-started the LOFFLEX diet but much more carefully this time, adding 1 new food a day but only from those on the list of LOFFLEX allowed foods and removing anything that I felt possibly caused me symptoms. Then once I was fairly comfortable with my diet I started to add non-LOFFLEX foods testing each new food for 4 days.
I've been food testing for about 4 months now and have made very little progress. I've only successfully added 2 new foods into my diet and have tested 3 others which resulted in symptoms after 2-3 days of testing. Things have also been delayed because I keep picking up bugs which often lead to a return of symptoms and it can easily take 2 weeks for things to settle down each time.
I feel like the diet has brought me out of the worst flare I have ever had and I'm feeling 95% better, but unfortunately still not in complete remission. It's very clear that diet has a profound affect on my Crohns but it feels like there is still one hurdle to get over in terms of achieving full remission.
Has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so did you manage to overcome things with diet or did you require a medication switch? I'm currently taking Pentasa but my doctor is keen for me to start Azathioprine. I just want to feel like I've really exhausted all the diet options before I accept that it's really not the whole answer for me. Incidentally, my dietitian keeps telling me that I'm very sensitive to food, but then I don't understand why they aren't helping me make a more thorough investigation of my diet instead of taking the easy option and telling me to take the Aza.
Anyway, I was just hoping for some words of wisdom!
Thanks,
Sarah