For Quincy & Fruitgirl

Do you guys literally just need to use your oral and rectal med combos? And no diet is necessary?

Me too. Except I did learn last year that I was gluten intolerant, so now I'm gluten free. But that's my only dietary mod.

Hi Chrissy...no diet ever because I don't believe diet controls or causes flares.
I wouldn't eat half the stuff others here eat based on comfort, dislike, etc.

Yes, I do my meds faithfully...23 years.

q

I tried all the diets, none of them helped. Of course for me, oral and rectal meds didn't do it either, so I'm now on biologicals. But many people are not diet-sensitive.

Chrissy, the only things I actively do to treat my UC are use my Apriso, mesalamine enemas, and probiotic supplement.

beatUC, I do NOT have to avoid any foods because of my UC. I have always avoided MSG and artificial sweetners as they give me diarrhea, and I am a bit more careful to read lables and ask at restaurants than before, but that's it. I do cook from scratch and don't really ever use mixes/spice packets/etc, but again, I did that before my UC days because I enjoy cooking, think things from scratch taste better, and don't think preservatives and crap are good for anyone, UC or not. So while many UCers do end up with some diet modification, it's certainly not all.

When I was flaring I avoided spicy foods, "rough" foods, and spicy foods, but in remission, I can eat it just fine.

There do seem to be some who are not "diet-sensitive". There are so many different genes associated/involved that I think there are a number of distinct kinds of UC. The UC I got at 50 after massive doses of IV antibiotics is surely different from the severe UC developed by a 10 month old child with two high-risk genes.

The gut microbes are definitely involved in most (if not virtually all) UC, and they can be manipulated to some extent (in most people) by diet/nutrition. Also, with microbe disbiosis, some foods can become harder to digest (e.g., gluten, casein ...)

Then there are symptoms. Even when diet does not change the underlying UC, it can change gas, bloating, levels of diarrhea ... and so diet can contribute to comfort even if it is not changing or changing the UC. Other supplements (e.g., slippery elm, ginger toot) may also contribute to comfort

It seems to me it makes more sense to try a few manipulations that are based on nutritional/medical research related to UC (as opposed to random things someone wrote in a fad diet book), and see how it works for you. I would recommend probiotics. I would suggest seeing if you have some acquired intolerances due to too few helpful bacteria to help you digest some things. I would make sure you are getting enough iron to prevent anemia (especially if you are bleeding a lot). I am currently eating a bit of oat bran several mornings a week because I read about fermentation and butyrate - and it made sense to me.

It can be hard to "listen to you body" because not everything shows a clear effect the next day, and some things that work to maintain remission, or when flare is low-level, wil not hardly work at all when the flare is very hot. But, what works for you is ultimately going to be the question, and polling others only helps if your UC is similar to their UC (and possibly your meds similar to theirs too.)

Good luck

Just to add...I try to eat as balanced as possible. I don't eat a LOT of junk food and I do read labels.

Foods have action in the digestive tract...eating high fruits, certain fibre that loosens stool, etc could cause exacerbation. If one has constipation, choosing low residue or foods that slow things down might cause further problems.

we can constantly adjust...common sense and education should prevail.

But fear of food or eating is more emotional thinking and control. If one shouldn't eat certain foods based on not feeling well...don't eat them.

My fave staples are salsa and coffee. I'd definitely have to choose how much I consume if I were flaring based on comfort, nausea, etc.

q

In my experience meds do not lose effectiveness over time. Other things might happen to trigger flares: stressful life events, viruses, allergies, trauma......random bullcrap!

I think a reason they "lose effectiveness" is because people aren't using them correctly and try to go off them completely or taper to too low of a dose. However, I don't think it's truly that the med has lost effectiveness, I think it's that going off their meds has allowed their disease to become more severe.

Honestly, don't think about it. If a med is truly going to lose effectiveness through no "fault" of your own, there's not a darn thing you can do about it. Yes, it's sucks, but it happens. Control the things you can (like taking your meds, modifying your diet if it's necessary, etc) and let the rest go.

Thanks Fruitgirl :)

Kazbern- that sounds neat! :)

Chrissy....either you use the meds and commit to them or you don't.

Regarding meds losing effectiveness...some meds work, some don't. Some use them correctly, some don't. I've had an A+ effectiveness for coming on 24 years..so far so good.

q