What do you use to treat your colitis naturally?

As for me... absolutely not.

I have reduced my meds to about quarter of what I used to take and eventually will be taking none. But I want to say that Rx (except for mesalamine enemas and Entocort steroids) never had any positive effects on my UC in 10 years. So it's not such a scary thing for me to do.
And I wouldn't tell anyone to quit theirs. It's an individual decision. But for those people without insurance who think that the Rx they can't afford are the answer please don't despair. Medication did not help me and I have very good insurance and took all the meds prescribed with no results.

I first started gluten-free Jan 2010 and stopped bleeding within days. Then I started Specific Carbohydrate diet with modifications to eliminate legal SCD food that didn't agree with my gut (yogurt, fruit, juices). I achieved remission from other symptoms (urgency, D) slower but at the 3.5 month point knew I was getting there.

Today I am almost back to complete health (5.5 months). If I was not hyper aware of my gut that 10 years of UC made me I probably would be completely OK. At this point I am monitoring constipation only.

I have been able to start eating a moderate amount of fruit, fresh and dried like raisins and just started trying SCD yogurt with good results also. Can also have few oz. reg. coffee, green tea and chocolate (yay).

I have tried many (many, many) supplements and they have made things worse. Food and diet mod. has been my cure.
VSL#3 was good help but added in late in my recovery.

Here are the few things I've found positive besides gluten-free and SCD:
Vitamin D3 4000 units day
cabbage juice and carrot juice (small amounts) cabbage juice has been proven to heal ulcers
spinach every day (small amount in omelets usually)
sunflower seeds (not every day but occasionally)
antibiotic free-food (eggs, meat, etc)
VSL#3 - to date taken for 2 months so far
drinking lots of water
hypnotherapy to deal with UC stress
having a supportive spouse who eats whatever I make
reading everything possible on this forum-past and present
mesalamine enemas when bleeding present (pre-2010 for me)
staying away from taking antibiotics unless absolutely necessary


I know that bread, gluten, grains and starch will not be in my diet in the future. But I won't die if one sneaks in.
As the doctor said in "Life Without Bread" "Once colitis always colitis"

I know that this diet is very very (very) hard to do. I tried it in the past and it didn't work. Why? Because I was ultra-sensitive to many foods that are SCD-legal and didn't know it at the time. Now I know that everyone with UC is different and we each have to discover our own version of the diet.
But now that I know the path I feel very sure I can find it again if I get lost.
I know that if a person has a mild UC case this diet would be way too difficult to follow. You have to be near-surgery or in despair to follow it. It is THAT difficult to figure out and follow.

Don't spend money on a cure from charlatans on the internet.
Don't take pills that may hurt you.
Don't opt for the quick and easy.

Best regards from someone who knows how awful this disease is.

Vitamin E enema. To me it's better than any medication or natural products

 

Dietary modifications, wild oregano oil to rid the gut of pathogens, high doses of omega-3s to reduce inflammation, high doses of quality probiotics to restore healthy gut flora, l-glutamine for gut healing.

I do still take a low maintenance dose of sulfasalzine for extra reassurance and because the long term risks are negligible compared to steroids and immunosuppresants.

I've used 5ASA oral/rectal for over 21 years. I did try to get off, but life crap happens regardless, and for me, it was just wiser to stay on them and taper to a maintenance level.

While the scale is not static....the extent of the UC is less than my original diagnosis plus all my c-scopes are unremarkable regaring precancer and cancer. I have to add my doc always does 30 - 36 biopsies each time.

5ASA meds are an amazing med.....if one can use a minimal amount for maintenance the option to up during flares is always there....taper to maintenance again. Not a bad plan for the rest of one's life.

I've also never been on prednisone or immunomodulator/suppressant meds.

But.....for those who are sensitive to salicylate meds...they are contraindicated and shouldn't be used. For some, the 5ASA meds can cause kidney and liver failure....so while it's an amazing med, the docs still have to keep an eye on function tests.

q

When I was younger I would have a flare and was given 5asa meds and cortenemas. The meds always worked and would end my flare. I was told after each flare ended to taper off my meds. I was never told to keep a maintenance dose. Keep in mind there was no internet then. For the last 5-7 years I kept myself on 6 tabs of sulfasalazine...My last 2 scopes were clean. Blood tests were all ok. I can't help but feeling if my original GI kept me on a maintenance dose I could have avoided many flares and damaged my colon less. For those of us lucky enough that the rectal meds and the oral 5asa works please stay on a maintenance dose of something...Now maybe 6 tabs is alittle high for a maintenance dose, but as my blood work has always come back ok, I ain't messing with success...Every now and then I also take some cort supp's...So far so good...

Rod

I started the SCD a few weeks ago. The GI says I'm stable but I don't want to live with that. The arthritic soreness and pain plus urgency in the mornings doesn't make for a great lifestyle. Before taking more or different medication, I'm staying on this regimen and expecting symptoms to improve. I don't consider the SCD a hardship. It takes a little effort to mix things up a bit but, there are some great recipes out there that are easy to make. Flax and almond meal can ease the bread cravings. There isn't any one fits all with UC but, I think SCD is pretty close.