Remission

Hi everyone,

It has been a while since I have been on here, but I wanted to share my steps to remission in case it will help anyone..

I was dealing with a horrible flare, in which I had to use the bathroom probably 10-20 times a day. I lost 20lbs, was having joint pain, and generally felt in poor health. My mesalamine was maxed out (4800 mg a day), and I had tried 3 different cycles of prednisone (40mg a day then taper off) with no long term improvement. My doctor switched me over to Imuran (200 mg a day), and I didn't see any improvement on that either. I was willing to try anything at that point. I decided I was going to try Cippro (even though my doctors warned me against it, (they said I might kill all the "good" bacteria and leave just the bad")), and at the same time, I switched to a "processed carb free" diet.. All natural foods (no bread, just potatoes/rice, fruits and veggies). I had diarrhea for about a month after my Cippro, but no blood. I believe this was due to the bacteria in my digestive tract "resetting". My gut slowly healed over the course of two months and got better until I was symptom free. (During the entire period after my Cippro cycle, I was still taking Imuran and Mesalamine.) I cycled completely off of my Imuran and lowered my Mesalamine dose to 1200 mg a day (3 pills), and have been symptom free for 6 months. I really believe the main things that helped me were my diet, my Cippro cycle, and being on anti inflammatory meds.

I hope this helps some of you. I would strongly recommend the diet change, (as it is risk free). Some people will probably bash this post, but this is what worked for me, and I am very grateful for all the support and empathy on this site. I have tried many things, and I have seen how bad this illness can be. Good luck.

Sorry, one thing I left out, was that I was also taking cycles of natural testosterone booster during my recovery. I figured that prednisone was a type of steroid, and I needed all the help I could get.

No bashing here.  Congrats on your remission.  However you achieved it good for you.  I was just curious how long you were on the Imuran since it can take months to kick in?  I was put into remission with Imuran and now I am slowly tapering off of it.  At least I am lowering the dosage.  My diet has never seemed to made a dent into my UC.  Now that I am in remission I eat anything I want and don't worry about my UC that much. 

Hey good for you. Diet mod. worked for me too, I am off all carbs though including potatoes and rice (no grains).
Cipro killed me when I took it years ago (pre-UC), puking and D, so never again.

I hope people don't think this forum bashes people who post their success, no matter how they got there.
Yes I know there are many here who don't think diet helps, the whole medical community included.
They have a right to their opinion but not a right to flame people who are being helpful by posting their own results.


Again, good for you. Live long and prosper

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In remission April 2010 after 10 years of suffering and no remission ever
Jan 2010 started SCD diet (modified to remove dairy, fruit & juices)
Gluten-free=bleeding stopped in 3 days, 95% remission in 5.5 months on SCD
at 5.5 month stage homemade yogurt, hard cheese and some fruit OK
SCD Diet: Gluten/grain-free, starch-free, low carb, low-sugar
Supplements: tsp. fish oil, Vit D3 5000 with oil/fat, veggie juice, sunflower seeds, VSL#3, (4) Citrucel, (1) turmeric capsule, (1) calcium
Highly recommend: the book "Life without Bread" and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
Rx: (6) balsalazide daily, mesalamine enema occasionally

Thank you for sharing. I too control my UC and maintain my remission thru diet and watching for foods that trigger flares for me. And like you my initial remission was jump started with antibiotics, Flagyl in my case supplemented with probiotics.

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59 y/o male. DX ulcerative colitis Feb08, possible Crohn's colitis DX March 2010.
No Meds, allergic to Mesalamine. Allergy to shellfish contributed to 1st major flare.
Watch diet to maintain remission. Powdered Psyllium seeds especially helpful.

Boswellia, E. Coli Nissle (Mutaflor), turmeric, fish oil, S. Boulardii, VSL3, resveratrol, multivitamin, extra D3, K2, C, high gamma E, magnesium, slippery elm, phosphatityl choline, glutamine. Copious amounts of fruit and vegetables, no soda, no HFCS, no trans fat, tea instead of coffee, very few processed foods, no carrageenan.

Nature created all of the locks, therefore Nature has all of the keys

You said, "I really believe the main things that helped me were my diet, my Cippro cycle, and being on anti inflammatory meds."

This makes perfect sense. Anti-inflammatory meds (or natural supplements) reduce inflammation and gut irritation, Cipro irradicated harmful/bad gut flora and the dietary changes starved bad gut flora and/or reduced yeast overgrowth. I hope you're also planning to restore healthy gut flora with a probiotic supplement.

Congrats on your remission! It feels great, doesn't it?

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Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis spring 1999. Have been in remission for years with only a few minor blips. Scope on 6/22 showed no inflammation at all.

All

Do you drink coffee wwith caffein? How about chocolate.

Dan

I assuming your question Dan is addressed to all of us.  In that case yes, I drink lots of coffee with caffeine and I do like lots of chocolate.  Hope that helps.

MyUC

I have coffee with caffeine and chocolate...as a matter of fact I love to dip my chocolate in coffee before eating it. YUM!

q

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*Heather* I give suggestions, do with them what you will.
Status: ...Asacol 3 @ 2x daily; Salofalk enema @ 3rd night (nightly/ flares, tapered/maintenance)
~diagnosed January 1989 UC (proctosigmoiditis)
~Bentylol 20mg as needed; Ranitidine; Effexor XR 37.5mg (depression), Pulmicort/Airomir (asthma)
~vitamins/minerals/supplements; Probiotics....(RenewLife Ultimate Flora Critical Care+Primadophilus Reuteri capsules @ bedtime
~Metamucil capsules 6 twice daily with meals; Vitamin D 2000 IU
~URSO for PSC (or PBC) 500mg X 2 daily (LFTs back to NORMAL!!)
My doc's logic.. "TREAT (FROM)BOTH ENDS" worth it !!!