Strattera for ADD cured my UC??

Maybe it just caused constipation which helped the usual diarrhea of UC. It may have masked the fact that you still had UC. Just a thought. Hope you are feeling better soon!

I hope the Canasa works for you. My son is on Adderall and he likes it much better too. He tried two other ADD meds before he chose Adderall. The problem with some meds that can "mask" the symptoms is that it your colon can be getting worse and you would never know it. Granted it can be making you feel better but at what cost? When was the last time you had a colonoscopy? Have you had one while being on Strattera? I'm just curious to see if your colon looked good under the scope while on Strattera.

Maybe your UC is triggered by stress or anxiety and being on Strattera kept that under control? Just a guess, as I don't know much about ADD.

Tofu,

Also in response to your name, do you eat tofu often? I'm vegetarian and tofu was part of my regular protein intake, and a weakness too as I really like Chinese and Thai food.

However, after seeing a couple of eastern practitioners they advised on cutting down on the tofu as it's fermented and also some places add a lot of preservatives to their tofu. The main reason to cut down on tofu was that it's a food that creates heat in the body (some foods are cooling and some generate heat) and hot foods do not help when the colon is already inflamed.

That being said, I still treat myself to the occasional tofu meal, especially a place close to home that makes an amazing kung pao tofu.

Hi Tofu,
Glad you are feeling a little better. It is hard having IBD and other problems because so many meds affect the colon and its motility. It's like we have to find a balance with all of the medications and that is NO easy task. I wrestle with IBS as well and struggle with the antidepressants. Some of the ones that are good for my IBS/IBD give me other side effects and others that make me feel good mentally really mess with my colitis. Ugh! It is frustration city. I took zoloft for years but it started making my colitis worse so I had to go back on the cymbalta.

Tofu,

It's difficult finding the right balance of foods, especially when on a vegetarian diet. But once you work through it, it makes a huge difference.

I used to eat meat as a kid but stopped when I was 14. When I was first diagnosed my doctor actually recommended eating the exact opposite of what my diet was to see if that changed things. But I didn't want to start meat again, so I added eggs to my diet. His advice makes sense to me as food does aggravate or trigger UC symptoms.

I ate a lot of fake meats like Morningstar sausages and salami, but those contain a lot of artificial flavorings and are often made of gluten, so I avoid them too.

Since you eat fish, fish and rice should be a good combo for you.

Yes, Eastern treatments have a lot to offer. Many of them are centuries old and have been proven over time; unfortunately there are also a lot of quacks out there, so it's important to do some background checks on them - qualifications, licenses, references from their clients, experience with dealing with UC.

Juicing veggies (spinach, carrots) and taking supplements has helped me too - Probiotics, Soft/smooth fiber (not coarse), a few tbsps of cold-pressed flax oil several times a week.

I think the important thing is to eat/drink stuff that 'pampers' your system (for lack of a better word). Foods that are easy to digest, provide necessary nutrition, and give your digestive system a chance to take it easy and heal.