One month on SCD!

I've been on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for 1 month (and 2 days), and thought I would share my progress. I've been following the stages at pecan bread, and only introduce one new food/supplement every two days. I'm about ready to start stage 2, and can currently eat/drink Apple Cider, Green or Mint Tea, Welch's Grape Juice, Applesauce, Banana, Cranberry Sauce (rushed this one in a little for Christmas), Pearsauce, Carrots, Green Beans, Spinach, Zucchini (all the veggies are well cooked), Beef, Chicken, Fish, Pork, Turkey, Cheddar Cheese, Dry Curd Cottage Cheese, Eggs, Yogurt, Butter, Honey, Gelatin, Lemon Juice, Mayonnaise, and Mustard. I also supplement with Calcium, Fish Oil, Magnesium, SCD B Complex, and SCD Multivitamin. It's been nice to get a little more variety in my diet. Next will be almond/pecan butter.

The good:
After years of suffering from constipation, it was resolved the first week. I was kinda scared about no longer using Metamucil and other constipation aids, but I've been nice and regular all month!
Very little blood now, probably helped by not having constipation anymore.
Fissure doesn't hurt anymore, again probably due to not having constipation.
2 fistulas are on the way to being healed. One had a skin tag next to it, and it has completely disappeared. Both fistulas are now flat, painless, and no longer drain.
My fat stomach is getting flatter. I only weigh 100 pounds, but have always had a fat stomach. I've read that gluten sensitivity and yeast overgrowth can be the cause. Hopefully, it will eventually flatten out completely.
I've been able to reduce my acid reflux meds by half. The only time I get a little heartburn is if I overeat.

The bad:
My energy levels haven't improved.
Although 2 fistulas are healing, I feel like my old vaginal fistula may be returning.
I've been more anxious the past few days, but I did overindulge in fats and honey over Christmas. Hopefully that's the cause.

So all in all, it's been worth sacrificing my favorite not-paticularly-healthy foods. If I could just get some energy, I'd be a pretty happy camper!

Post Edited (spookyhurst) : 12/30/2008 10:52:46 PM (GMT-7)

That's great to hear :) I hope you continue to see improvement and keep us updated!
I've been semi-successful but my doctor told me I had to eat something because the weight loss was too much so I ate a sandwich yesterday and corn chip today...
I have to agree though that things feel better on this diet.
How long do you cook your vegetables? Do you tolerate ones with skin like peas if you cook them long enough? I'm tempted just to take the shells off of each one. Are you making your own condiments?

Osprey, I get blood work ever two months from my hematologist, but it's just a CBC and ferritin. I've been without a GI since last May, and was about to get my first appointment with a new one...but they stop taking my insurance as of tomorrow. It'll probably be another 3 months now before I can get into see another GI. The whole time I've been on Humira I've had no GI, and my primary care knows nothing about the medicine. That's a good idea about the red blood cells though. If I recall, they've usually been on the small side. Maybe they'll plump up once I've been on the diet longer.

LMills, I cook the carrots a long time. They say to do it 4 hours when you start out on the diet. I throw mine in the crock pot with whatever meat I'm cooking, so they get nice and soft. Then I smash them up good before eating them. Some people even puree them, but I only do that before adding them back into a soup broth. The green beans, zucchini (minus the skin), and spinach I just steam until tender, and then chew it really good too. I haven't tried peas yet. According to the stages at pecanbread.com, they're a stage 3 food, and I've only just started stage 2. However, my dad (has crohn's, but is not on the diet) eats them minus the shells. It's kind of funny, because I have a bird and she picks the shells off of her peas too! As for the condiments, you're supposed to make your own. However, I found some mustard with legal ingredients (the house brand at Safeway appears to be good). Same with Spectrum's Organic Mayonnaise. However, companies don't have to list ingredients under 2%, so there could be bad stuff in it. I don't eat a whole lot of either of them (with the exception of overindulging on the mayo over Christmas), so hopefully it doesn't hold me back on the healing process. If I get ambitious someday, I'll start making my own.

pb4, I just started a B complex vitamin, so if B12 is an issue, hopefully it will correct itself soon. I don't exercise, although I really really need to start. I'm sure it would help, I've just always hated exercise, with the exception of swimming. If I only had a swimming pool! My fistulas aren't really bothersome at this point, so they shouldn't interfere. I just need to find a form of exercise that I can stick with. I probably won't last 5 minutes when I first start out though.

Hi great to see your doing so good .lol gail

Spooky, what a great report! I'm glad you are doing so well!

I've had heartburn/indigestion issues my entire life. about 15 years ago someone introduced me to digestive enzymes. Turns out they're great for Crohn's as well so my son takes them, too. We use Ultra-Zyme by Nature's Plus, but like probiotics, there are other good brands (although I tried Garden of Life's and didn't think they were as good). My mom uses them for reflux and seldom has issues anymore. Just thought I'd pass that on since you mentioned you have reflux!

Keep us updated and I wish you continued success!!!