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vitamins and diet for ulcerative colitis..

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/9/2012 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
vitamins and diet for ulcerative colitis..l start tapering off of prednisone at the end of this week, going down 5mg weekly from 40mg. GI said I could start tapering pred as of today but I'm too scared at the moment and want to give bowel more time to heal. I don't want to flare whilst tapering. I've heard lots about diet. Would appreciate some advice on diet and supplements. I've never tried any special diet but my Dr suggested I try cutting out wheat and dairy, this seems extreme to me but wanted to know if anyone else had any luck doing something similar? At the moment I am taking a multi vitamin and my calcium d3 due to prednisoline. Is there anything else I can add? Also any diets that people have found help keep the flares away.

I really want to know about probiotics, whether the yoghurt drinks are good or are they better in pill form. Also omega 3? What do you guys recommend

Also having a pentasa enema every night and taking 3.6g mesalazine daily.


Thanks x
Posted 10/9/2012 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
These are huge topics. You can search up multiple threads on almost everything you ask abut, and there are lots of conflicting opinions - especially about specialty diets. So, I would read and weight the information on those threads instead of holding out for a quick answer here. I think it is best to take more probiotics than you get in the yogurt drinks.

As for you doc's recommendation, when the gut bacteria that help digest gluten and lactose are depleted, you can get a lot of intolerance for these foods. Cutting the out/down during a flare might help a lot. Once your flare is tamed, the benefit is less clear. Some folks report doing better in general eliminating these foods. I find I could resume eating them without problems. The only thing I have more or less abandoned is ice-cream. I don;t know if it is the dairy or the sugar, but it increases my diarrhea.
Posted 10/9/2012 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
I cut back seriously on the lactose intake, especially during the day...and it helped with discomfort.

Cutting back on some foods are a subjective thing, and the basics of food intake are mind boggling since many of us don't eat the same way.

I'd never eat half the stuff others here eat based on discomfort, whereas others wouldn't eat what I eat.

i'm impressed you're on both oral/rectal 5ASA meds. it's unfortunate you're on pred, however.

What exactly is the extent of your UC...where located?

q
Posted 10/9/2012 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the advice I will definitely have a look at the threads for speciality diets. Thanks for explaining about gluten and dairy, makes more sense now. I thought gluten was just a problem for celiac disease but I see why my GI perhaps suggested its because of the intolerance just during a flare. Never found I have problem foods when I was out of a flare either. I will definitely get myself some probiotic tablets in the morning!

Thanks again
Posted 10/9/2012 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Heya, I'm not exactly sure how much of my bowel is affected by the colitis. It definitely affects the whole left side but haven't had a full colnoscopy. I've had 4 endoscopies which reached the splenic fixture and showed inflammation. Dr queried if I had crohns colitis during my first flare as the ulcers were particularly deep, however I did ignore it for a very long time so think I let it get bad. I've had several MRIs which show only my large bowel is affected.

At the moment I'm on the steroids which suck, but then they have helped so I am thankful for them. I started flaring at beginning of September, first symptom was mucus and blood. Steroids got rid of that within a week and a half at 40mg, GI Dr said I could taper down to 30mg at 2 week mark which went fine I also quit the pentasa enemas. But after a week at 30mg flared with blood and mucus again so had to go back up to 40mg. I've been on 40mg for a week and a half again. GI said I could taper down 5mg a week starting today, but I'm too scared. I want to stay on 40mg until next weekend so I have more chance to heal.

I know I can get off steroids without being stuck on azathiporine as I was off all meds for a year. Think I need to take it slooow.

Thanks x
Posted 10/9/2012 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
i am pretty much symptom free right now - i am also gluten, corn, rice, and dairy free -
Posted 10/9/2012 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
burdeboo,

Welcome to the forum.

I find it interesting that your doc suggested going gluten and dairy free.

For many of us, those definitely cause problems and an aggravation of symptoms.

I am a strong believer in the diet-UC connection ( as far as aggravation of symptoms), and that's the reason I follow the Paleo diet, as it is anti-inflammatory.

I also believe in the importance of certain supplements: probiotics and lots of them, Slippery elm powder, L-glutamine amino acid  powder as well.

There are things IMO that you can control, which will have a direct impact on your disease, the symptoms you experience and their severity.

I was able to control my UC into remission through various supplements, probiotics, diet modification, and LDN , low dose naltrexone.

For more info on the protocol which has put me into remission, please go to this link: https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=1666318 , and look at the 11th post.

I hope you feel better and let us know how we can help you.

Posted 10/9/2012 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
It is pretty much accepted that dairy, caffeine, gluten and alcohol CAN( not do) aggravate if not cause UC symptoms in some people. No effect on me at all. I do feel that eating a healthier diet helps me but can't prove it. Really fatty meat and junk food does bother me since get UC. More vegetables, whole grains, fruit and fish.

They had another news story last night on the hygiene hypothesis and hand sanitizer. Basically that our overly sterile environment cause the bodies immune system to attack pollen and other allergenies because they have no real enemy and hand sanitizers are bad because of it. Might explain the increase in IBD and other immune disease. Could be why some have problems with certain food also.
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