News story of boy who uses enteral nutrition to treat Crohn's

Enteral Nutrition must be given for six to eight weeks in order to induce remission and to maintain remission. The treatment must be continued for years.

Wut? How many years?

I've considered trying enteral nutrition, but I can't see my doctor going along with it - especially not at $200 per week. Plus I'm put off by the fact the disease comes back as soon as you start eating normal foods again. The only reason I'd try it at all really is just to experience remission for once, even if it's only temporary. And, hopefully, to heal the ulcerations.

Oh okay.

Do you know if enteral nutrition would work for long-term, unremitting disease? 6MP doesn't seem to make any difference, really (at least going by symptoms) and I can't try the biologics. I have no conventional options left, but this would appear to be at least worth a try.

I'm in the UK, so I'm dependent on the NHS and an underfunded gastroenterology department for my treatment. Tbh, if it's really $200 a week (I had no idea it was so expensive), I don't think I would get it anyway. And I would feel a bit guilty about if I did... :/

Interesting article. I've been thinking about a liquid diet.
Why bother with tube feeding? Why not just drink the stuff?

So is it basically Ensures then?

LOL ncot. I agree.

  Writer thanks for posting the link as it cofirms my thinking on this matter.The idea of tube feeding is to give the bowels complete rest. Recently in mid September I had an alergic reation to Gabapentine and 3 days and nights of vomitting. I was on a liquid diet for 5 days and soft foods for 2 more then I gradualy introduced solid foods. What followed was 15 days of major reductions in symptoms. It was wonderful. about the 11th or 12th day I could tell my system was begining to return to it's previous state (flaring). I was as careful as I could be with what I ate but the symptoms did come back. Even now my pattern has changed, instead of random blockages at about 2 per week (a few days in pain and a day or few days in lower pain levels and repeat) My system has switched to 2-4 days of blockage (stricture) and then 4-10 days of little or no symptoms. I'm going to speak to my GI about enteral feeding, if I got that kind of results after 1 week then perhaps, (please) 2 months would be enough for remission.

I am happy to tell you that some doctors—especially those in the UK—allow black coffee or tea (no milk in it).

I thought that milk might not be allowed. Black tea without milk is horrible, so I would just have to drink black coffee all the time. And end up high on a permanent caffeine fix! >_>

Anyway, thanks massively, Writer. Your input on this subject is always really good and knowledgeable.

@Ivy - I've heard that the UK is meant to be quite keen on enteral feeding, but I've never seen any sign of it :/ To be fair, just because they've never offered it to me doesn't mean they don't offer it to anyone else. I bet that they do use it mostly for children and adolescents, however.

I'm definitely encouraged to ask much more seriously about enteral nutrition and argue my case for it, if need be. I was slightly taken aback by your warning about a possible lengthy hospital stay, but then I remembered that the NHS can't push an ill person out of bed fast enough, so I don't think there's much danger of that with me. I was just envisioning going on the shakes anyway, and not taking TPN. (TPN is intravenous, right..?)

Just thought I would add my two penny worth :)
You can simply drink it if you are ok with that (best chilled) if not and your body desperately needs the nutrition they will do it via nasal tube(threatened son with this if he couldn't drink it) Second what Writer says re drinking it slowly, one morning son was running late, drank it fast and became dizzy/sick. The only other things he was allowed was water to drink and foxes glacier mints(not the fruit ones-for some reason!!)
If I recall correctly TPN is delivered directly to the stomach via a feeding tube, whereas enteral nutrition is either swallowed or by nasal tube.

Nice cup of tea, maybe you could ask consultant for a referral to a dietician? We hit lucky with ours! They usually have several brands at the hospital(and flavours) which they were more than happy to give some of all of them to hit on the right type/flavour.

I stand corrected :)

Ahhh, learning more I thought enteral feeding was intravenous, so I'd be more interested in TPN as I want total rest for my bowels. If specialist says no then I'll try enteral feeding. Writer I have cut back on solid food and it is helping. The importance of having a large break with no blockages allowed me to see how different foods affected my bowels. So I'm enjoying being able to learn what works and doesn't.

Very good topic, that appear from time to time. But this time, Writer has been a good "moderator"! Thanks!

When I'm in a flare (pain, no hunger, no gas, "blockage like") I always go on liquids - ensure like or Jini's drinks or safe smothies - and it always works to put me back on track.

Grandpato2 - when I was in Remi "alone" I had very similar simptoms... combining with Imuran gave me some relief. More time between flares, and now, about 7 months without one. (okay... some D, gas, etc. here and there, I'm still a cronhie!).

I like to think about enteral like a useful resource and, if necessary, a last bullet.

I bought ensures. They go right through me within an hour. They taste delicious, but the sugar content is so high!

So writer, having a liquid diet of ensures (even though high in sugar) can help induce remission of CD? For the ENT diet, should one avoid all other foods except the liquid diet?

I'm still considering this route, as it will help with my stricture too.