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Posted 12/17/2008 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
I have been so stressed out lately. I went to see a dietician a week and a half ago and my doctor has informed her that he wants me to go on a elemental diet for 2 months straight. No food or anything else. Just ensure for 2 whole months smhair . I'm worried that I can't do it.

Has anyone else been perscribed an elemental diet. My doctor is from England so he has different ways about him. Different types of practice I mean.

Posted 12/17/2008 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
Just ensure? Surely they recommended other things you could give to yourself? Perhaps you could speak to different dietitians as well to figure out what would be best specifically for you so that you can get through this without experiencing excessive weight and energy loss...it's just worrisome that's all. All I know is that I was grumpy enough for two weeks when all I could take in was ensure, boost, and water.
You definitely have our support no matter what happens...I wish you the best of luck and hope that whatever decision is ultimately reached will help you on your way to healing.
Posted 12/17/2008 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
The liquid diet actually really works, but it is HARD to comply with. It is more common in Europe too. But when it works, you get the results of meds w/o side effects.

I haven't done it for 2 months, but did it for a couple weeks. I would blend the shakes with ice to make them seem like something more. It also seemed like I was still hungry right after drinking them, but eventually my body would feel satisfied (not really full though). I stuck to it mostly because I felt better after being VERY sick and I was stressed and busy at the time (finals), so wasn't able to think about what I wasn't eating.

I think you still get some benefits if you mostly drink the shakes but add a few other things. Maybe ask about that. I've done a modified thing on my own when I was sick but needed to keep going at work/school. I'd have broth, juices and pudding too. [Nevermind, just reread your post and saw your GI ruled this out]

Oh and there are Rx drinks for this too. Some people here have tried those.
Posted 12/17/2008 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
I was not prescribed a liquid diet. I guess you could say my doctor tolerated it...he did not support it. I did it by choice and for two months "ate" only canned liquid diet diet and apart from that, drank only water. This is 100% possible and if you have the right mindset you will not be miserable.  I still cooked for my husband every day, and went out to dinner with my husband and friends. I just brought the can. I kind of enjoyed it... Not having to sit down and eat freed up quite a lot of time.

The best I have ever felt in the past 2 years is when I was on the cans alone. It took a few weeks and then I felt great. Obviously when you're not feeling well, knowing the cans help makes it easier to stay on track. After you've been feeling good for a while, that's when it becomes harder to resist "cheating." I did not cheat once and it's something I'm proud of  tongue  

There are two kinds of liquid diets... elemental (or semi-elemental) and polymeric. Polymeric diets taste better and are much less expensive. Some studies have shown they are about as effective. If (like me) your insurance will not cover the diet, try a polymeric one first rather than pay all the $$$. I have used Nestle Nutrition products: Peptamen 1.5, which is semi-elemental, and Nutren 1.5/2.0 which is polymeric. I buy it off Ebay. If you know someone who works at a hospital, they may be able to buy it for you at cost from the hospital pharmacy. Stay away from Ensure, too much sugar.

Expect to brush your teeth often...and buy a tongue scraper. The stuff coats your mouth.

If your doctor is from the UK, he might also be familiar with elimination diets. The best thing you could do is to go on the liquid diet and then follow a elimination diet--this might help to find out what is triggering your flares. Unfortunately I did not have this kind of support, and once I started back on food, I did not have a very long-lasting remission and ended up on Entocort for a while. Nowadays I still have a can for one meal out of the day and when I have a bad day I go back on cans exclusively for a day or so.

If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to answer.

Posted 12/17/2008 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Illini...stay away from ensure and boost. They have sugar as the 2nd ingredient (after water), plus high fructose corn syrup and other garbage. I don't know why they put so much of that stuff in a health drink.
Posted 12/18/2008 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
The reason these diets probably work is that they're depleted in starch; a few have no starch at all- I don't know as any of them have more than a bit of branched starch. If klebsiella are responsible for this disease, then this is probably why they work: the bacteria are not fed the branched starches that cause the problem.

If this is the case, it seems likely a "do-it-yourself" diet can be created- or you could follow the SCD, or mix "SCD-safe" foods with liquid diet. I'm sure your doctor wouldn't go for that, but it could be done.
Posted 12/18/2008 4:10 AM (GMT 0)

Good luck with the Ensure. These liquid diets can work really well to induce remission, especially if you’re willing to stick just with the formula without any other food. I’ve spoken with a man who has used Ensure Plus to keep his Crohn’s under control very successfully for years. There are also some published cases in which it was used. I wouldn’t worry too much about the sugar content. Basically, table sugar (sucrose) is a disaccharide (compound made of two simple sugars) that breaks down in the body into glucose and fructose (simple sugars). Maltodextrin, used in some of the other formulas, is simply a longer chain of sugars, made of a disaccharide, maltose (which breaks down into two glucose molecules) and dextrin (a longer chain of glucose molecules). Corn syrup also is just a long chain of glucose molecules, so none of these ingredients are very different chemically. I’ve used some of the formulas, and it’s actually not too bad to have to limit yourself to them for a while. Even though I enjoy cooking, getting every meal from a jar or can does save a lot of time. One thing, I find that my teeth stay a little cleaner if I use a straw to drink the formula (less exposure of the formula to the tooth surface).

Posted 12/18/2008 6:42 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone its been awhile well in trouble again looks like i have a slite blockage i dont know what to do just started a job because i just wanted to get on with my life also dose anyone have problams with a full moon seems my pains get more intense dont know what to do just want the pain to go away thats all would anyone recomend a temporey bag to let things settle.. cry
Posted 12/18/2008 12:02 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck to you. My liquid diet stints are usually only one - two weeks. But I take vitamin supplements while off food. Did you doctor say you could still take vitamins?
Posted 12/18/2008 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
Chronically Ill - I have done the two week liquid diet thing. I never used a can, just made up my own stuff. I used the old slim fast formula but the new one has stuff that makes me sick. But I would essentially blend a meal replacement powder with a protein power and some fruit, ice, and soy milk. I also drank broths, apple sauce, jello, popsicles, pedialyte, juices, yogurt, etc.

When I started to feel a lot better I slowly worked in a little rice in my soups, some banannas, toast etc.

Then I added some bland meats, plain chicken, slice of sandwich meat.

I did it all very slowly.
Posted 12/18/2008 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I'm on the Elemental 028 extra diet, and I find it really hard to stick to. Theres only been one week since I left hospital that I haven't cheated on it, and that's only because I didn't have much appetite anyway and I had alot of pain in my left hand side. After a week on the drinks the pain went, so I started eating again. I don't eat much anyway, so I sort of do a half elemental diet. I'd love to be able to stick at it, but I was on steroids to start with which made it almost impossible not to want food. Now I'm off the steroids, the drinks seem to taste different and I find them hard to drink now. They do coat your mouth though, I thought I had oral thrush for ages, but then realised it was the drinks making my tongue white.

I hope you get some relief from the diet and are able to stick at it. I was allowed to drink black tea and coffee but I don't really like either, so I bought a selection of herbal teas.
Posted 12/19/2008 5:26 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all your input. I will keep you all posted on how I am doing. I am thinking about posting everyday. All the support I know would keep me on track. :)
Posted 12/19/2008 5:32 AM (GMT 0)
Well, we will definitely be hear to support you!
Posted 12/19/2008 5:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks LMills. It's nice to have some support. I wish I had a group around here to go to. But I live in a really small town lol.

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