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newbie intro
Hi
I was diagnosed with crohns about 2 years ago, though I'm pretty sure I had it to a lesser extent since my twenties (I was 36 when diagnosed I think). I basically couldn't keep anything down, it went straight through me, and had cramps and pain, and developed (seronegative) arthritis in my ankles and knees, and back, and lost heaps of weight. Had to wait a while to get a colonoscopy (waiting list is long in AUstralia unless it becomes urgent, though I went down to about 46kg so that made it urgent enough
) Found myself dreaming of foccacias and food, was so hungry during this time
So, I had a colonscopy and endoscopy. Thankfully, I was completely out for it. I don't know how you guys who aren't knocked out for it do it! My doc (gastro specialist) told me it was crohns, like they thought, when I was just coming to. She's lovely though, and said it was no big deal
ANyway, I was put on prednisone and azathioprine, and that combination got it under control. But the prednisone was only suppsoed to be temporary. Due to the side effects, she didn't like people being on it indefnitely. But I kept getting flare ups, and around this time remicade was approved for use on the PBS (Pharmaceutical benefits scheme) in AUstralia (Bascially drugs on the PBS are subsidised, or free if administered in a public hospital under the medicare scheme in Australia).
So, she talked about putting me on remicade. I wasn't too keen on the idea though, having read a bit about it. So, I did some research online, and found the probiotic lactobacillus plantarum, which works in the colon (where my crohns was). So I started taking heaps, about a bottle a week, every time I ate. And I had already started taking new zealand green lipped mussel (also heaps), and digestive enzymes. I was going through about a bottle of each a week. Cost a fortune but it did the trick, and stopped the flare ups. Now I just take the green lipped mussel, and I'm trying the aloe vera mega dosing.
I did find not eating wheat, eggs, dairy protein, to help a lot - especially the wheat. I wasn't too carefull about my diet for ages after I was diagnosed. Was happy to rely on the meds. And when I was taking prednisone, it was strong enough to overcome the effects of eating those things on my body. But azathioprine on its own wasn't, so at that point I started to take eliminating those things a bit more seriously. I'm not 100% strict - still eat a bit of cheese now and again, and thankfully cream and butter don't have dairy protein in them And I'm not completely strict on being gluten free, in that if I'm starving and I haven't brought lunch with me to work, I'll eat something that has a bit of gluten in it. But yeah, I found all those things helped. I just really don't like the idea of being on medication for the rest of my life.
Nice to meet you all!
Rebecca
Hi
I was diagnosed with crohns about 2 years ago, though I'm pretty sure I had it to a lesser extent since my twenties (I was 36 when diagnosed I think). I basically couldn't keep anything down, it went straight through me, and had cramps and pain, and developed (seronegative) arthritis in my ankles and knees, and back, and lost heaps of weight. Had to wait a while to get a colonoscopy (waiting list is long in AUstralia unless it becomes urgent, though I went down to about 46kg so that made it urgent enough
) Found myself dreaming of foccacias and food, was so hungry during this time So, I had a colonscopy and endoscopy. Thankfully, I was completely out for it. I don't know how you guys who aren't knocked out for it do it! My doc (gastro specialist) told me it was crohns, like they thought, when I was just coming to. She's lovely though, and said it was no big deal
ANyway, I was put on prednisone and azathioprine, and that combination got it under control. But the prednisone was only suppsoed to be temporary. Due to the side effects, she didn't like people being on it indefnitely. But I kept getting flare ups, and around this time remicade was approved for use on the PBS (Pharmaceutical benefits scheme) in AUstralia (Bascially drugs on the PBS are subsidised, or free if administered in a public hospital under the medicare scheme in Australia).
So, she talked about putting me on remicade. I wasn't too keen on the idea though, having read a bit about it. So, I did some research online, and found the probiotic lactobacillus plantarum, which works in the colon (where my crohns was). So I started taking heaps, about a bottle a week, every time I ate. And I had already started taking new zealand green lipped mussel (also heaps), and digestive enzymes. I was going through about a bottle of each a week. Cost a fortune but it did the trick, and stopped the flare ups. Now I just take the green lipped mussel, and I'm trying the aloe vera mega dosing.
I did find not eating wheat, eggs, dairy protein, to help a lot - especially the wheat. I wasn't too carefull about my diet for ages after I was diagnosed. Was happy to rely on the meds. And when I was taking prednisone, it was strong enough to overcome the effects of eating those things on my body. But azathioprine on its own wasn't, so at that point I started to take eliminating those things a bit more seriously. I'm not 100% strict - still eat a bit of cheese now and again, and thankfully cream and butter don't have dairy protein in them
And I'm not completely strict on being gluten free, in that if I'm starving and I haven't brought lunch with me to work, I'll eat something that has a bit of gluten in it. But yeah, I found all those things helped. I just really don't like the idea of being on medication for the rest of my life.Nice to meet you all!
Rebecca
