I know that the OP is pretty old for this, but I just saw an interesting article on the efficacy of baking soda solutions in mediating immune response. The focus what on rheumatoid arthritis, but...
Interesting, SallySally. I'm taking a daily multi and I still often have issues with shriveled fingertips. I generally stay pretty hydrated (always have a water bottle on hand). At this point I'm...
Hi Workingmom1, still here just not posting much these days. My fingers aren't so bad as they were, but I never figured out what caused the issue. All I know is that it started around the same time...
Old Hat, thank you very much for the advice! I was wondering what a reasonable taper schedule would look like. I know I've read in a few places that people get symptoms back when they start to taper...
Hmm, I don't know if it would -- but the side effects are pretty limited (since it's topical, not oral, it doesn't really go systemic like many steroid treatments). Worth a try! Good luck :)....
That's kind of what I'm hoping at this point. I'll keep fingers crossed when I start tapering the Cortifoam! (And I'll be very strict about not eating out again!)...
Ah, the diet -- here's my attempt at a (relatively) brief description: I was on the SCD diet for 6 weeks, and was getting better but losing a lot of weight. I was very strict, and was preparing...
And, Canasa: BAD!!!! (At least, for me.) I kind of knew that before, having taken all the 5-ASAs during my first year with UC and not improving. When I went off them and onto some dietary...
I think a major difference between what I'm doing and SCD or Paleo is also that the meats I buy do not have hormones or antibiotics in them. And the not eating out thing is pretty big. I'm kind of...
Insofar as you modify your food intake, I think it qualifies as a diet :wink: . In particular, never, ever eating food at a restaurant is a pretty major step, for me at least. It's been a struggle to...
After having no luck with meds or herbals (see sig line for list), and losing too much weight on the Simple Carbohydrate Diet (though it was helping my UC), I'm trying a new diet, which for lack of a...
You might also consider suppositories or enemas (Rowasa / Canasa). I did not do well on orals, they also made my symptoms worse. This is not uncommon. However, I didn't find that any of the...
Very interesting. I wonder if similar links will be found for UC. Also a disease on the rise in the developed world......
Have you considered enemas? I personally didn't find that any of the 5-ASAs helped (Asacol, Rowasa, etc. -- see the wikipedia page), but the enemas didn't mess up the rest of my system like the pills...
I was on basically all forms of the 5-ASAs: Canasa, Balsalzide, Asacol, Rowasa ... *none* of them helped, and I think some actually made symptoms worse. With my GI's blessing, I went off all meds. I...
I had good luck with the SCD (but mind you, this is only the first time, and as many of us know sometimes what works once doesn't always work the second time :smilewinkgrin: ). A few observations:...
Thanks everyone so much for the suggestions! I really appreciate it!...
Unfortunately, I don't really know (or trust) my primary care physician that much. I mostly picked them because they were local. So ... I suppose I could ask, but I would trust folks on this forum...
I moved to L.A. a bit over a year ago, and at the time I was in a relatively stable state (not-quite-remission, but if I had remained that way for the rest of my life, I would have been a happy gal)....
I was reading an article in the NY Times about the recent study of fecal transplants for curing C. Diff (which I know has been discussed here many times), and was happy to see that this is finally...
FWIW, mine aren't as bad any more. But, I've also moved from the high dry desert to Los Angeles. So, not sure whether that has something to do with it, in addition to having gone into remission. Too...
Yes, it's all mesalamine. NONE of it worked for me. I think the Dr. was hoping that a different delivery method would help, but ultimately, it didn't. Thankfully I'm in remission now (have been for...
Alinus, what about other aged cheese? Cheddar is often aged for up to two years or more, as is asiago, parmesan, and a whole host of others. In fact, I usually think of swiss cheese as a relatively...
What other ingredients are in it? I make homemade almond milk, which is pretty easy and *just* has almonds in it: 1. Soak 1 cup almonds for 8 hours in enough water to cover + 1 inch 2. Pop almonds...
I definitely get this too; my thinking is that the normal stool 1) could tear some of the inflamed area open, causing it to bleed, and 2) is an easy backdrop to see things like this against. Sorry to...
I can totally sympathize. I don't have any kids, but I do work, and even with only that the meal planning and creation takes a good bit of time! I played around a lot with this and that, restricting...
I was gluten-free for over a month and didn't find that it helped at all. There isn't any reason it will, if you're not gluten-sensitive or intolerant. Recently, I went on a very restricted diet...
Glad to hear you're feeling better :smile: :smile: !...
Why would your Dr. have given you antibiotics for a cold???? That seems quite incorrect. I'm sorry to hear it may have contributed to a flare :sad:. I agree with others that trying some form of...
This looks interesting, not sure if people have already seen it -- the F.D.A. has just approved a new drug to fight C. Difficile, called Dificid. Quote from the N.Y. Times article: "In clinical...
C_G_K, I'm *so* glad to hear that it's working well for you! (And that the probiotics are providing a measure of protection against bugs!) Keep feeling better :), and take care....
Another update: after almost a month of using the sfRowasa, I'm afraid I must report that it isn't doing any more good than the regular Rowasa :sad:. C_G_K, is it still working well for you? I'll...
I took it for around a month, with no obvious positive or negative effects. My Mom swears by it, though. She suggests that the most useful preparation is to get fresh, plump seeds, and grind them up...
Hmm, I don't think it's just dry skin for me -- I drink a lot of water during the day. I'm stopping the supplements for now and hopefully my fingers will go back to being normal. Anyone else...? I...
No, guess I wasn't clear on this -- they're wrinkly *all the time*. Not just after being submerged in water... though they are more wrinkly after that ;)....
For the past several weeks I've been noticing that the skin on the tips of my fingers has been getting wrinkly, like I was just in the bath. It's worse on my right hand, and feels rather unpleasant...
Wow, it sounds like you're going through pretty much exactly the same symptoms/severity as me, and Rowasa doesn't seem to be helping me either :sad:. I've never been on any of the corticosteroid...
I had a difficult time getting the sulfite-free Rowasa filled as well. I think it has to be brand name sfRowasa; none of the generics are sulfite-free. Be persistent and if it helps, you might try...
Agreed, this is normal. Hope they help you :smile:!...
An hour south of Albuquerque, New Mexico....
Here is what I did for the Miralax/Gatorade prep (my scope was at 1 pm, the directions are a bit different if you have a morning appointment): Three days before scope: No fruits, vegetables, corn. No...
I did the Dulcolax / Miralax & Gatorade prep. I too was pretty freaked out ahead of time (I'm also 5'2", and around 100 lb; I couldn't believe I had to do exactly the same amount of prep as everyone...
I think this depends a lot on the kind of yogurt. I'm sure that most are lacking, especially the ones that have thickeners in them (pectin and the like). But others are positively teeming with...
Brandy, please don't get too nervous about the colonoscopy. I was very upset beforehand, but it was just fine. I assume they're giving you general anesthesia? That's what I had, and there was...
I've found keeping track of things *really* helps. Otherwise, I have a very hard time knowing what (food, medicine, etc.) may actually be making a positive difference. What I keep track of (hope this...
I have to say I'm dubious ... my current flare got much worse after taking a round of antibiotics (for a sinus infection). I don't understand how the antibiotics can kill of *just* the "bad"...
By the way, I've seen a number of posts in this forum cautioning against taking NSAIDs if one has UC. OK, one doesn't want to overdo it if there's a fair amount of active hemorrhaging as is sometimes...
I'm sure everyone is different, but I've never experienced anything like a rebound headache or caffeine addiction. Yes, I can feel the affect of the caffeine (my heart rate speeds up a bit) but I...
Excedrin is the best for me! I haven't ever had any problems with the aspirin in there. Generally I only need one pill for even the worst of headaches, so I don't think the amount of NSAIDs in that...
C_G_K, so glad to hear it's working for you, and thanks for posting your progress! I'll chime in too now :). I've been using the sfRowasa for a little over a week now, and I'm showing quite a bit of...