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"Once in remission, you can eat anything you want"

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/6/2016 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
Yea, no, that's not true, at least not in my case. I had blood work done. My Lymphocyte levels are lower than they should be. Which only means the Azathioprine is working. And yet, I still have to take constant care with food. Eating things like grapes and pasta kills me.

Are you in remission? How are you doing?
Posted 8/6/2016 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
How does it kill you exactly? How do yiu do the padta and when do you feel the effects and what are they? Not all foods agree with all people...either with or without bowel disease.

Have you tried a digestive enzyme?

Do you eat those foods on an empty stomach or with other foods at a meal?

It takes a while to get things figured out. Good to hear the aza is working.

q
Posted 8/6/2016 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
I can definitely eat more than when flaring but I still cannot eat anything I like. Not sure who told you you could eat anything you want when in remission.
Posted 8/6/2016 5:11 PM (GMT 0)

emilp89 said...
Yea, no, that's not true, at least not in my case. I had blood work done. My Lymphocyte levels are lower than they should be. Which only means the Azathioprine is working. And yet, I still have to take constant care with food. Eating things like grapes and pasta kills me.

Are you in remission? How are you doing?

Hi, I'm on my 11th week of Aza and around 3 days ago my diarrhea came back. Is there a way to know if Aza is working or not through normal blood tests? I was advised to have Thiopurine metabolites test done but hospitals around here don't do that I guess.
Posted 8/6/2016 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
things usually improve diet wise as your gut continues to heal - but it can take a while -

hang in there 89 !
Posted 8/6/2016 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
My experience is that it pays to err on the side of caution, rather than to "pig-out" on rich or spicy food, raw produce, or overly sweet desserts. I avoid caffeine, carbonated drinks, most processed meats, heavily salted stuff, and junk food like potato chips and candy because they bother my gut. My gastroenterologist, who subspecializes in IBD treatment, always advises patients to stay on track with a nutritious diet daily, and if you ever overindulge during a holiday, wedding feast, or whatever, make sure you get right back to a reasonable diet the next day! / Old Hat (35 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 8/6/2016 10:15 PM (GMT 0)
No I cannot eat "anything" I want in remission because the wrong stuff (and I know what it is) gives bad results. But more foods have become tolerated the longer time goes on so that's a bright spot. But honestly my brain has selective amnesia when it wants certain foods. Just a day ago I ate strawberry ice cream (hubby's) and had a horrible sleepless night into the next day, multiple BM's. Vanilla ice cream? Not a problem, but fruit gives my gut fits.

Some GI's might call it IBS but mine says it's my UC. If I stay away from fiber and rough food like chips and crackers I have no bleeding.
Posted 8/6/2016 10:15 PM (GMT 0)

quincy said...
How does it kill you exactly? How do yiu do the padta and when do you feel the effects and what are they? Not all foods agree with all people...either with or without bowel disease.

Have you tried a digestive enzyme?

Do you eat those foods on an empty stomach or with other foods at a meal?

It takes a while to get things figured out. Good to hear the aza is working.

q

I have cramps. I have pain. The state of my bowels worsens for a couple of days after, it takes awhile for it to calm down.

Andrina said...
I can definitely eat more than when flaring but I still cannot eat anything I like. Not sure who told you you could eat anything you want when in remission.

I think I read that you can live a normal life when in remission.

solitudent said...
Hi, I'm on my 11th week of Aza and around 3 days ago my diarrhea came back. Is there a way to know if Aza is working or not through normal blood tests? I was advised to have Thiopurine metabolites test done but hospitals around here don't do that I guess.

I guess if your inflammation doesn't return, it helps.

I may be wrong... I think the blood work is done only to see whether it has any bad side effects.

soynomore said...
things usually improve diet wise as your gut continues to heal - but it can take a while -

hang in there 89 !

I've been taking Imuran since mid December.

Old Hat said...
My experience is that it pays to err on the side of caution, rather than to "pig-out" on rich or spicy food, raw produce, or overly sweet desserts. I avoid caffeine, carbonated drinks, most processed meats, heavily salted stuff, and junk food like potato chips and candy because they bother my gut. My gastroenterologist, who subspecializes in IBD treatment, always advises patients to stay on track with a nutritious diet daily, and if you ever overindulge during a holiday, wedding feast, or whatever, make sure you get right back to a reasonable diet the next day! / Old Hat (35 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)

A lot of people on this forum claim that "research has shown that diet doesn't stop UC from returning". There are many sources on the internet that also claim this.
Posted 8/7/2016 2:49 AM (GMT 0)
The thing about diet and UC is that everyone is so different on what their body can tolerate. You have to experiment them with your body.

In 2012, I couldn't eat any spicy food, fruits with seeds and nuts.
But in 2015, I started tolerating all kinds of food except for alcohol.

As time progresses, a lot of people with UC just start tolerating less and less food. We are so focused on suppressing inflammation with drugs in our gut without thinking about the work that we must put in for our intestinal linings to help them get stronger in order to digest and assimilate food better.
Posted 8/7/2016 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
What we can and can not eat remains an unsolved mistery no one is the same. Even without UC it is a complicated thing and many specialists in the matter seem no to agree on. I believe everyone has to find there own way.

I even find that my needs change from time to time and being in remission or not is not the only factor having an impact on what I can or can not eat.
Posted 8/7/2016 5:02 AM (GMT 0)

solitudent said...
... was advised to have Thiopurine metabolites test done but hospitals around here don't do that I guess.

any facility can get the test. labs send out for any tests they do not do onsite.

i would want to know my metabolites
Posted 8/7/2016 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
"Once in remission, you can eat anything you want". This is true for me, I have no diet restrictions when in remission. The worst that happens to me is I have 1-2 extra bms the next morning, if I over indulge in something very spicey, or have too many alcoholic beverages. I bounce back to my normal, the very next day.
Posted 8/7/2016 9:31 PM (GMT 0)

iPoop said...
"Once in remission, you can eat anything you want". This is true for me, I have no diet restrictions when in remission. The worst that happens to me is I have 1-2 extra bms the next morning, if I over indulge in something very spicey, or have too many alcoholic beverages. I bounce back to my normal, the very next day.

iPoop, you are very lucky. How much of your bowel is affected and how strong is your UC?
Posted 8/7/2016 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
My uc involves my rectum and my sigmoid colon, thus there's proctosigmoiditis in my signature. During my worst flare, my gastroenterologist said it was severe inflammation and I was put on Remicade. I had over 20 bms a day (there's a point you just stop counting), which was kinda crappy as I recall lol.
Posted 8/8/2016 7:21 AM (GMT 0)
You are what you eat. A person who eats well and exercises will probably be more fit than a person who sits on the couch all day eating nothing but ice cream and chips.

While our symptoms may respond differently to different foods, some foods are known to be pro-inflammatory and some are known to be anti-inflammatory.

Some ingredients are also known to be harder to digest than others.

The SCD diet is a popular diet for UC. The Low Fodmap is a popular diet for IBS, that is, for reducing diarrhea, gas, and bloating. The anti-inflammatory diet is good for reducing inflammation. I follow the Low Fodmap, anti-inflammatory diet, which is a combination of the too.

Moreover, there is a greater chance of flaring if you do not have enough good bacteria in your colon. Homemade yogurt and fermented foods are filled with good bacteria and are the best way to get probiotics into the system.

You can find a lot of information about these diets as well as recipes on the Internet.

For example, macadamia nut butter:

Macadamia nut butter is extremely easy to make. All you have to do is put the nuts into a food processor and blend for a couple of minutes. Macadamia nut butter tastes great with bananas.

Chestnuts and macadamia nuts are the easiest nuts to digest and are the lowest in terms of omega-6 and omega-6/omega-3, which means they aren't pro-inflammatory.
Posted 8/8/2016 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in remission but I still watch what I eat.
Posted 8/8/2016 6:10 PM (GMT 0)

iPoop said...
My uc involves my rectum and my sigmoid colon, thus there's proctosigmoiditis in my signature. During my worst flare, my gastroenterologist said it was severe inflammation and I was put on Remicade. I had over 20 bms a day (there's a point you just stop counting), which was kinda crappy as I recall lol.

I have a mild for of UC, but my entire bowel is covered. So when I eat something bad (like mac and cheese for example) I start having cramps and some pain and my stool is instantly softer.

Two days ago I was careless with eating so my stomach got irritated. That day, I emptied my bowels completely, I could see that the stool was two to three times the size/amount than normal. There was some undigested food.

Then the next day I ate ice cream and later watermelon (cold from the fridge). The diarrhea I had that day reminded me of a flare. So I got scared and jumped into full caution mode. I have pain in my left and right side of the stomach.
Posted 8/8/2016 6:49 PM (GMT 0)

subduedjoy said...
You are what you eat. A person who eats well and exercises will probably be more fit than a person who sits on the couch all day eating nothing but ice cream and chips.

While our symptoms may respond differently to different foods, some foods are known to be pro-inflammatory and some are known to be anti-inflammatory.

Some ingredients are also known to be harder to digest than others.

The SCD diet is a popular diet for UC. The Low Fodmap is a popular diet for IBS, that is, for reducing diarrhea, gas, and bloating. The anti-inflammatory diet is good for reducing inflammation. I follow the Low Fodmap, anti-inflammatory diet, which is a combination of the too.

Moreover, there is a greater chance of flaring if you do not have enough good bacteria in your colon. Homemade yogurt and fermented foods are filled with good bacteria and are the best way to get probiotics into the system.

You can find a lot of information about these diets as well as recipes on the Internet.

For example, macadamia nut butter:

Macadamia nut butter is extremely easy to make. All you have to do is put the nuts into a food processor and blend for a couple of minutes. Macadamia nut butter tastes great with bananas.

Chestnuts and macadamia nuts are the easiest nuts to digest and are the lowest in terms of omega-6 and omega-6/omega-3, which means they aren't pro-inflammatory.

I don't know about these diets... they seem go against what my bowel likes. Also there seems to be no proof that they work... AFAIK there is only anecdotal evidence.
Posted 8/8/2016 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
There have been many studies done on these diets--too many to list links to them all. I recommend researching the Internet about Ulcerative Colitis, diets, and studies. Make sure you go to reputable sites.

I also recommend doing a search on obesity and Pacific Islands and watching some videos on the Pacific island nations and obesity. Photos of inhabitants showed a very fit and slender population before the introduction of American food imports. Afterward, these nations became the most obese nations in the world and heart disease and diabetes became huge health issues.

I've seen it in my lifetime. When I was young, it was very rare to see an overweight teenager, let alone an obese one. Today, almost all teenagers would be considered overweight back in my day. If you don't believe me, then do a search for Woodstock 1966 images. You will notice that almost everyone is thin and fit. And these aren't just teenagers. My parents went to Woodstock when my mom was 29 and had already had three kids.
Posted 8/8/2016 9:18 PM (GMT 0)

subduedjoy said...
There have been many studies done on these diets--too many to list links to them all. I recommend researching the Internet about Ulcerative Colitis, diets, and studies. Make sure you go to reputable sites.

I also recommend doing a search on obesity and Pacific Islands and watching some videos on the Pacific island nations and obesity. Photos of inhabitants showed a very fit and slender population before the introduction of American food imports. Afterward, these nations became the most obese nations in the world and heart disease and diabetes became huge health issues.

I've seen it in my lifetime. When I was young, it was very rare to see an overweight teenager, let alone an obese one. Today, almost all teenagers would be considered overweight back in my day. If you don't believe me, then do a search for Woodstock 1966 images. You will notice that almost everyone is thin and fit. And these aren't just teenagers. My parents went to Woodstock when my mom was 29 and had already had three kids.

These are all valid facts, but I am not American. It's different here. The only member of my family that is "thicker" is my mom, but with her genetics play a role. All of her brothers and her parents are "thicker". All of my fathers relatives are thin. I can't remember a single obese person.
Posted 8/9/2016 12:43 PM (GMT 0)
A GI doc once told me when you have ibd you automatically have ibs as well. Not sure if you should generalize it like he did but it seems to be true for me. I didn't want to believe him back then.
Posted 8/9/2016 12:47 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in remission from my UC. But I definitely can not eat what I want. It's partly due to my Diverticular disease, my IBS and because of having UC for so long that I believe my intestines just don't work as it should. For instance, I can not have roughage in any form. My body just can't digest it. The only difference now is that it doesn't hurt like when I was flaring. Alcohol doesn't bother me but malt beverages do and I can't eat spicy food at all.

I get a bit envious of UC'ers that can eat what they want because I also thought remission meant that life went back to the way it was. But I learned that is not always the case.
Posted 8/9/2016 1:24 PM (GMT 0)
" AFAIK there is only anecdotal evidence."


hmmm, that sounds like what our members post about every day -

some find the information extremely valuable -
Posted 8/9/2016 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
I was in a neat six year remission where I could eat whatever I wanted. Things are less clear now I'm in a flare but I'm not sure diet affects me too much ... very hard to tell.
Posted 8/9/2016 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
If you could eat whatever you wanted, then you wouldn't have inflammation. Inflammation in the body is a sign that your body is reacting to something you are putting into it.
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