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Will I ever get to eat ice cream again?

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Posted 6/20/2012 10:25 PM (GMT 0)
Or Steak 'n' Shake? Or kettlecorn? Or a stinkin' huge Dr. Pepper? Or a long, tall, ice-cold glass of milk? Or chocolatey, fudgey cake?

I haven't eaten these things for almost a year. Still not in remission, but 1000% better than I was in February. But I find that I'm downright terrified to have a go at "no-no" foods that I don't seem to be able to tolerate anymore...mostly any sort of fast food, things high in sugar, dairy (except for cheese)...so, you lovely remission folks, what's the deal with yummy, tasty, bad-for-you food? Never again?

Really, more than anything, what I want is to go to Dairy Queen with my 3 year old and join her in enjoying ice cream. That's part of summer, right? Ice cream with your children? Will I ever get to experience that again?

Ta,
Lisa
Posted 6/20/2012 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
Just start slow and don't mix things up. Like have a spoon of ice cream and see how that goes after a few days. If that goes well try 2 spoonfuls and see what happens. What ever you do though don't go crazy and have a bowl/cone and have a blow out. Also don't try mixing things up, 1 thing/item at a time, you don't want to be second guessing what made you feel worse (ie; was it the pop, ice cream or something else).

I don't really seem to have problems with any foods, my colitis was crazy and it didn't matter what I ate or didn't eat for that matter. Everything in moderation though!
Posted 6/21/2012 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
Get on remicade....and then try what you want and see what's up.
Posted 6/21/2012 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
+1 on trying things slowly. Any major diet change can have weird effects on digestion, whether the foods are actually bad for you or not.

I don't have issues with foods (except greasy/spicy) when I am doing well. I am making a batch of chocolate ice cream as we speak! Even if you do turn out to have some food sensitivities, there are decent substitutes out there. Coconut milk and soy ice cream are awesome- you can also make a sugar-free "ice cream" from bananas that is quite satisfying:

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-creamy-ice-cream-w-93414

Have you ever tried a quality vegan dessert? They can be amazing if they are done correctly. Look for French Meadow Bakery products:

http://www.frenchmeadow.com/
Posted 6/21/2012 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
CoLah, I feel for you. Ice cream is my favorite food. Instead of diving deep into the sugary havens of Dairy Queen, maybe try frozen yogurt first and start out with small portions, and supplement really well with L-Glutamine. I would suggest other herbs and supplements but it looks like your on a lot. What type of symptoms are you dealing with? Pain? Loose bowels? Blood?
Posted 6/21/2012 1:16 AM (GMT 0)

CoLah, my heart goes out to you.  I hope you enjoy a remission asap.

Many great suggestions here! smilewinkgrin

If you find an alternative to ice cream you can tolerate, you might share that option with your 3 year old, too!  I wish I was introduced to ice cream alternatives as a child!  I'd learned to like most foods at that age, especially if I saw my mother or father enjoying them! (I even then loved liver and onions because I saw my dad enjoying them!  I wanted them because he'd liked them! Lol!) 

My point is your child will likely love any alternative you can tolerate and that is palatable, simply because a large part of the experience is about sharing and further bonding with one another! smilewinkgrin

I understand the food restrictions can feel like a bit much, especially as we each sort out our own individualized reactions to different foods.

I hope you find delicious alternatives to share with your beloved child, especially those which can stand in for some of the fun foods and fun times we share with family, like ice cream, etc.

Also, consider using some digestive enzymes if/when you want to try something new or want to add something back into your diet!  InSoFla has an interesting thread going on this topic of utilizing enzymes.  It is here on the first page today, as well!

Again, I hope you enjoy a remission very soon!

Enjoy the Summer! smilewinkgrin

In Gratitude~

Post Edited (Hopeful Heart) : 6/20/2012 7:20:01 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/21/2012 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
I miss that kind of stuff too- but compared to UC, deprivation of junk food is a walk in the park. And I'd rather spare myself the heavy hitter drugs if possible, and the hassles of surgery and complications that come with surgery- even if that would allow me to eat junk food (though I suspect that some of those who eat that kind of food again after surgery are setting themselves up later for things like chronic pouchitis) - as it stands, I have reacted to most all of those drugs anyway so I have no choice but to avoid sugary junk, which isn't great for health anyway. Personally, I could be just fine without ice cream if I could enjoy SCD or FAGE Greek Yogurt again- alas I definitely do better by avoiding all dairy. Everyone is different though and if one can eat ice cream, chocolate etc without consequences UC-wise, more power to you.
Posted 6/21/2012 6:27 AM (GMT 0)
As far as the ice cream goes, you could get checked for lactose tolerance....I found out I became lactose intolerant but my IBD was kinda masking it since symptoms are very similar, so maybe try some lactaid pills with your ice cream and/or get a lactose tolerance test done to know for sure.

Good luck!
Posted 6/21/2012 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
Really, more than anything, what I want is to go to Dairy Queen with my 3 year old and join her in enjoying ice cream. That's part of summer, right? Ice cream with your children? Will I ever get to experience that again?

You've hit on why so many people would rather remove their colon than use diet modification (I'm not dissing them for doing this, I can understand the decision). Food is such an emotionally charged factor in our lives. Sharing food with our family and friends makes us feel happy, makes us feel like we bond together in a very basic way. It's very primal.

I can answer your question with "Yes". Yes, you will be able to eat ice cream again, if your recovery is like mine or other peoples. I've been able to eat many, many foods that 3 years ago would just set my gut off. Can I eat ice cream every day? No. Chocolate? Not every day but now and then is fine.

What diet modification has shown me is that there are other foods that are better for me than the Standard American Diet based on pasta, bread and dairy. You are actually helping your family to better health by lowering (not eliminating) their intake of these three foods. It has nothing to do with UC in their case, it's a healthier way to eat and they will avoid obesity, diabetes and many other diseases.

InSoFla found an enzyme pill Gluten Relief that lets her eat gluten and dairy with no bad results. You could try this as long as you don't go overboard adding these back into your daily diet.

So much of our food enjoyment is emotional and we probably can't even remember why because it starts in childhood. Of course the fat and sugar high of ice cream blended with happy memories is a winning combination. Make new memories with your family using foods that are good for you and them. There are a lot of good recipes such as carrot cake (or cupcakes) made with nut butters. And maybe coconut milk based ice cream is a possibility as suggested.

Every now and then a small Haagen-Daz is my buddy and I'm still in remission :-)
Posted 6/21/2012 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
When I am flaring, I can not do dairy at all. So I take a Lactaid pill and I can enjoy my ice cream again :) But in remission, I can have dairy again - just in moderation.

Now that I am in remission, food is not much of an issue for me anymore. I still have to watch what I eat due to diverticulosis but for the most part I can enjoy all those no-no foods again.
Posted 6/21/2012 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
I tend to avoid all the no-no foods regardless of my status out of habit. For me really, the only things I out right avoid are deep fried foods and anything really high in sugar. Everything else (gluten, lactose, low sugar, processed foods) I take either on 'special' occassions or on rare events.
Posted 6/21/2012 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
Moderation is the key that helps one achieve remission (if meds kick in) & stay there long-term. You can try Lactaid ice cream or soy/rice substitutes, but better not to indulge in a large serving 'til you test how your gut reacts. The bottom line is: a whole lot of sugar & saturated fat really is not good for anybody. My cholesterol level would probably have blown off the chart from hot fudge sundaes & such if UC had not obliged me to eat more carefully. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 6/21/2012 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
I love ice cream. It's my favorite food. But the heavy cream which is harsh on our stomachs, and all of the dairy sugar is pretty inflammatory, and I've found this out several times throughout this last year as I wanted to abandon some of my healthy eating habits.

When I was first diagnosed, even at 21 years old, I still felt like my life was over and that I would stay in a miserable diseased state for the rest of my life. As time went by, I realized my situation would change for the better, if i continued to heal.

I would give your body a little rest, depending on when you were last having a flare, to when you start to notice improvement, and then add in small amounts.

I just got a scoop of handmade maple ice cream, and I usually experience some sort of achy feeling when eating, not the case this time. :)
Posted 6/23/2012 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
This disease can be a tough adjustment when you are first diagnosed. I had sensitivities to alcohol, dairy, very spicy foods, and some other things. I dropped popcorn. I was 22 when diagnosed, and we were still enjoying summers at the shore with friends, late nights out at the bar, etc. I wasn't a big drinker by any means, but I was a normal 22 year old. I had to sacrifice a lot to get into remission. I had not enjoyed an ice cream with my kids



At first it was really tough. As I felt better, the foods I gave up seemed like an easy sacrifice for feeling well. When I started not feeling well, that's when the sacrifices bothered me. In the 14 years I had UC, I tried once to have ice cream after taking Lactaid. Within 20 minutes I was in agonizing pain and barely made it to the bathroom. There are good substitues for ice cream, and I have had them all. Lactaid makes a 100% dairy free ice cream in chocolate and vanilla. It tastes almost like the real thing. Doctor it up with some toppings and it's great. My favorite was a product by So Delicious called Peanut Butter Zig Zag. This is a chocolate frozen soy dessert mixed with peanut butter and chocolate flakes. It comes in a pint, and I always found it in the local health food store, or some grocery stores even have it.
Posted 6/23/2012 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
I think you will be able to enjoy ice cream again. I've had periods of flare up where I thought I would never be able to eat some of the things I love but when I am in remission, I eat whatever I want without consequence.
Posted 6/23/2012 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
I have had UC for 11 years, been in remission almost 5, and was diagnosed when I was 14. I too could not tolerate dairy and did not eat it and many of the other foods you have mentioned for a long, long time. I would pick not eating them over making things worse or entering a flare.

Take your time and slowly try things again and see how they go. You may find that once you get used to your "UC diet" you don't eat some of the bad-for-you-foods even if you can. I have not had a glass of regular, 2% chocolate millk in 11 years, but I still will take my Silk over it now. I don't want to risk anything. I have eaten ice cream a few times in remission, but it always made me feel bloated, kinda upset my stomach. I would rather have italian ice or a popcicle over that. Frozen yogurt is a good substitude. I have had success in eating fast food, and eating at restaurants, but I am aware of what I order. I never eat enough to get really full and grilled chicken or french fries are always safe now. I used to fear eating at new places, but now I am able to, but I try to stay away from foods that I know could possibly be a problem.

I think you will find success in eating some of your old favorite foods, just take it slow.

Good luck!
A.
Posted 6/23/2012 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
I miss it too, but certain foods are just not worth the pain and agony that follows. You just never know what will set off a flare. I can tolerate frozen yogurt, have you tried that? it is a good substitute.
Posted 6/24/2012 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
Nope. Why worsen colitis? Why spike blood sugar and triglycerides? Many people never eat ice cream and their life is just as fulfilling.

First question you can ask yourself is, "do I want to the healthiest I can possibly be?" and then do the correct options from there. If your answer is no, than dig into the ice cream and other unhealthy foods.

Simple eh :P hard to do if you want to cut out ice cream, but simple.
Posted 6/24/2012 3:49 PM (GMT 0)
Maybe make your own ice cream...you'll at least control what's in it.

It won't make your UC worse...but I would think it would most probably give you lots of gas and possibly looser stool, depending on how much you eat.

q
Posted 6/24/2012 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
Are you lactose intolerant? I never have issues with ice cream.
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