Do biologics help you eat normally?

[Lizzie]

I'm weighing up the pros and cons of biologics and am wondering, would I be able to eat more normally if I went on this type of drug? At the moment I'm eating a very restricted diet and everything either gives me diarrhoea or makes me constipated. I fantasize about eating mushrooms, cauliflower, nuts, beans, pulses etc etc! Or are biologics primarily used to try and avoid surgery rather than increase the variety of stuff you can eat?

 

[DJW]

Good question.

I'm on Remicade and still avoid raw veggies. Biological meds will bring you into remission, helping to prevent surgery. That remission may also mean you can eat more without issues.
Sorry I can't give you a difinitive answer. I think their will be some trial and error as you go.


On a side note: I was put on Remicade because I've had so many operations the surgeons aren't keen on opening me up ever again.

 

[Absentminded]

I ate everything when I was on Remicade. It put me into full remission for about a year and bit and I didn't cut anything of my diet during that time.

 

[Lizzie]

Thanks for the replies. I could live with eating anything I liked except raw veg! Worrying that the drug doesn't sound as if it's effective for very long - you'd just get used to a normal life and then bang, it's taken away from you again. Bit depressing really.

 

[ronroush7]

I am on Stelara and still feel restricted in what I can eat.

 

[Clash]

Lizzie, you have to remember that the forum tends to represent a certain segment of the CD population. Those who have started meds, be it biologic or otherwise and are in full remission are not very likely to look for a support forum because they are out living life.

There are a number of members on here that have gotten 7+ years out of a med including biologics. It's so very individual.

As far as diet, many find once they are in remission they have very few restriction to what they can include in their diet.

I hope everything goes really well for you on the new med!

 

[Lisa]

Lizzie- I have been on Remicade for over ten years now and it is still working for me.

I also eat pretty much anything I want, although I know certain foods that are hard to digest or very spicy may not always agree with me.....but that can happen with anyone.....

 

[Nicnack]

I have been on Remicade for 12 years. I don't know if I am experiencing a flare yet or not, but if I am it is my first since starting
Remicade. I haven't been able to eat pizza or spaghetti since my diagnosis. Without Remicade I can eat nothing. With Remicade no pizza or spaghetti.

I find out Feb 1 what my GI thinks if I am currently flaring or not.

 

[ronroush7]

Best to you.

 

[Nicnack]

I really don't know what to think anymore. My gut doesn't feel as bad as it did. I actually feel pretty decent in that regard, but I have piecing together all kinds of symptoms I have been complaining about for months. I won't hijack this thread though.

 

[ronroush7]

Sending support

 

[2010mustang]

Before biologics i couldnt ear much. Almost back to normal. Humira i still couldnt eat anything qith red sauces or nuts. Im now on remicade and have ate pizza and had some cramps. Gonna let another 2 infusions happen then start trying foods i had problems with.

 

[Lizzie]

Thanks for all the info, much appreciated. It's good to hear that biologics do help many people eat a more varied diet and even better news that the drugs can remain effective for years - I was beginning to feel very downhearted and thinking that they rarely help for long in most cases. Also, it's a very good point that there are loads of people quietly getting along with their relatively healthy lives and not bothering with this forum, so to some extent we are a self-selected bunch of people with the most pressing problems and perhaps not a totally representative group.