SCD AND HATING IT

so i started the SCD diet a few days ago, ive done variations of it in the past with good results, but this time ive decided to be super strict on it. Reason being is I got a catscan a few weeks ago that shows narrowing of my small intestines and my doctor is mentioning the possibility of surgery to remove it.

Ive been on Humira since January and I have noticed improvements since starting it, but still am getting flare ups now and then. So my doctor said we will wait another 2 months then do another test to see how everything looks. So I want to make sure the next test comes out alot better. I want to avoid surgery at all costs.

This diet is going to be HARD though. I keep telling myself it will be worth it to feel better, but the cravings are driving me nuts, I hope I can make it. I keep refering to a quote I heard somewhere " eat to live, not live to eat".

which makes perfect sense, we have to realize our lives dont center around food. My lifestyle has suffered drastically sinse the onset of this disease. There is more to life then wondering if tommorow im going to wake up in pain or not. If I have to give up the foods I love to help get my life back, it sounds like an easy decision. I want to still accomplish alot of things before i go, and im not going to let crohn's get the best of me.

So im going to fully commit to this diet, and pray for the best. My best days are ahead of me, not behind me. I will not let my bodys' cravings overcome my spirits will to survive. I am the creation and son of the almighty God, and I will triumph over anyone and anything that aims to stop me.

It took me two weeks to get over the sugar cravings. I did "cheat" and allow myself tortillas once a day for a wrap sandwich, which let me feel like I had more flexibility in preparing meals. Stay strong, good luck! My experience was that once I got past the cravings, the improvement in my health was rewarding enough to keep me going. Eventually I realized its not really as restrictive as I thought, and though I'm not a strict SCDer anymore, I still eat according to the guidelines almost exclusively at home. I enjoy the flexibility and health benefits of not eating processed food. It does help to only have "allowed" foods in the home, which I can easily do as a single person living alone.

There are lots of great SCD recipe blogs out there, which allowed me to find substitutes for most of the things I craved. Ones I have bookmarked are:

http://heal-balance-live.blogspot.com/
http://www.comfytummy.com/
http://elysiumeatery.blogspot.com/
http://nomorecrohns.com/deliciousrecipes.aspx
http://www.scdrecipe.com/recipes/
http://uclbs.org/recipes/
http://www.scduk.co.uk/recipes.htm
http://www.pecanbread.com/recipes.html

Not all of them are SCD, some just gluten free, but it gave me some good inspiration for more flexible meal options.

Hi Justcallme

What a powerful post. I can hear you drawing on your inner stregnth to make this happen. Good for you and congradulations.

I have been on SCD for about a year now. I try to be 100% legal at all times. So far it has been the best decision I have ever made re my health. Not only do I not feel sick, but because my gut is healed/healing I really think all this great organic food I am eating is giving me way more nutrition. This has resulted in more energy and generally just feeling good. I tell you this as I hope for you, yet one more story of how this works for someone will give you just a bit more power to stick with it.

Last year among other things I had drop foot and could not walk 100 feet without pain. I went to my doc for a disability parking sticker cause I was feeling so bad. This weekend I pedeled my bike over 100 miles and am planning the same for this weekend. Rightly or wrongly I credit SCD for this.

Given the dramtic change in my health, sticking to SCD is easy for me as all I have to do is remember feeling so poorly.

One of the biggest things for me is cooking in big bathes and freezing individual portions. When I make a meal I will make at least 5 portions and sometimes 10. This meand I always have something prepared that is SCD legal. Also, as this takes more prep I use a food processor, blender and even one of those stick blenders. I no longer worry about a perfect cut (I used to be a chef) but just getting it done quickly yet properly. One other thing is I use great herbs and spices. My food tastes great. ALthough I do not eat potatoes and rice and that stuff, if I serve my meals to non SCD folks they say they taste great and they do.

If I can be of any help please let me know.

I hope you find what works for you.

Dave

Just wanted to add my support as well!

Go easy on yourself - it's not going to be a simple process at first, but the more you keep doing it the better you will feel and the more second nature this will all become.

I keep a daily food/symptom diary and that really helps me to keep track of how much better I'm feeling and to remind me of foods that make me feel my best.

Like Dave - I also tend to do bulk cooking on the weekends and get as much prep stuff done whenever I have free time so I can just grab food and go.

In terms of feeling better...I noticed within the first week that my energy levels were higher than ever. I don't think I've had this much energy since I was in high school! And that's definitely a motivator for me as my fatigue was so awful before. I've only been on SCD since January, but I've been gluten/soy/sugar/corn/caffeine/etc free for about a year and a half. Once I cut out all grains and starches though I felt a significant difference in the energy and "foggy headed" feelings I had been having. Stomach-wise, things can be up and down...I'm usually pretty regular and use the bathroom 1-2x per day, but I try not to be discouraged if I need to go more, or have some urgency. I've commented many times though to friends and family how nice it is to eat a meal and not be worried I'll have to run to the bathroom 5 minutes later.

I know SCD doesn't always work for everyone...so be sure to listen to your body and how you feel, but definitely give it some time because if it works for you it can make such a difference! Good luck!!

Hi Just,

My Crohn's is was a 6 out of 10 (0 being worst) as rated by my GI. I had ulcers all through out the small bowel.

I did SCD for about 6 months with marginal results. I was about 95% complaint. A few days I was not at all compliant and only a bit of cheating daily.

I was getting mixed results at best.

After complaining that it did not work on this board, I was encouraged to start over and commit to be 100% compliant. This is what I did. I went back to the intro diet. I did everything I could to be 100%. I added food very slowly. After a couple of weeks I felt much better. I have been on that path since and continue to feel better and better.

After starting over about 6 months ago, I am still only eating stagee 3 to 4 foods with lots of "legal" foods I still do not take.

I hope you learn from my mistakes and go slow and 100% right from the start.

Sorry from long post, but you asked when did I see benifits, for me it took quite a long time, but I think that is because I was not 100% compliant right from the start.

Dave

Hey Im on only raw fish, raw egg butter and meat diet. (strict SCD).

You really wanna make it? Or you wanna fail? you act like the later..

First of all
your headline -do you believe this kind of childish acting helps you get used to this food

Diet? are you on a strict diet, or is it normal food you´re eating? If you were to ask some people in the beginning of last century or tribes today they say you are now eating normal food.

While Normal food for americans and us europeans today is "get fat and die"diet. Yes ITS A DIET

This might also be the reason why so many people fail the SCD diet.
When Elaine said to slowly go back to normal food she surely didnt mean the SAD/"get fat and die"diet made up of coke, pizza, ice cream.

So if you want to be thankful to your god thank him for the wonderful opportunity to have food on the table.

Also start helping people who has it worse off. This helpes all ppl stop whining and feeling sorry for themself. (myself included)

(yes I know this is very smug written and its kinda harsh... Im european)

I got a kick out of your headline, because my own daughter hates the diet. She has no symptoms, doesn't get flares, and her stricture is now gone, so she's not motivated enough to stay on SCD right now.

But if she did have flares, if her stricture or other symptoms came back, if she were worried about surgery, or if she were on a toxic med, then she would definitely jump back on SCD. And if it got rid of all these problems, be grateful.

You do sound pretty motivated, and you have good reason to be. Elaine did say that the diet needs to be followed with "fanatical adherence."

What constantly amazes me are the testimonials that come from people who, failing all other things, including meds, find that SCD works. I hope that in a couple of months you will be saying how great you feel!

Hey just I am in remission, but still get alot of pain in the same area you described. I believe mine is related to adhesions. Have you had any abdominal surgeries? Mine hurts much like you describe.

By the way broccolli tears me up bad!! Its one of the cruciferous veggies and can be hard to digest. Also causes me horrible gas pains. Just wanted to let you know that you aren't the only one. Hugs!

HI

I am not sure if you are aware but SCD is to be done in stages. Please see the follwing link

http://www.pecanbread.com/p/how/stages.html

broccolli is a stage 3 food. After about a year on the diet I am still eating stage 3 foods (with some 4). If I ate stage 3 after a couple of weeks the diet would not have worked for me.

Hope this helps

david