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Date:
Tue, 11 Jul 2000
From: "sjovold" sjovold@start.no
Subject: 3 YEARS 7 MONTHS ON THE DIET.
Hi. There's
been a long time since I posted / read messages on this list
but I feel that I owe the List an update on my experiences
with the diet. A detailed story of my first year on the diet
can be found on: http://www.scdiet.org/3testimonials/knut.html.
Here's
a short version:
BACKGROUND male, 35 yrs, UC for 17 years,
BEFORE STARTING THE DIET: medication: prednisolon, pentasa,
flare ups: 2 times a year
AFTER THE DIET (started january 1997) 1st year: stopped taking
medication after 4 months. symthom free. 2nd year: 1 flare
up lasting 4 months (felt pretty bad) medication during the
flare-up. sympthom free since july. 3rd year: sympthom free.
last 7 months: sympthom free!!!!
THE DIET
WORKS !! Thank you Elaine for writing the book and sharing
your knowledge with us.
Knut Sjovold
(Norway)
Date:
Tue, 30 Dec 1997 11:47:59 +0100
From: "ksjoevol" <ksjoevol@telepost.no>
Subject: EXPERIENCES FROM ONE YEAR ON THE SCD DIET
This is my story of 15 years with UC and with a particular
focus on the last 12 months on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
DIAGNOSE UC
I ( 33 years, male) was diagnosed with UC when I was 18 years
old. At that time I was a high school student and the first
sign of the disease was more frequent bowel movements. The
next sign was passage of stool mixed with blood. My doctor
made some examinations and test and then gave me the diagnosis
of UC.
MEDICATION
I was then put on 4x500 mg Salazopyrin per day. In periods
in remission I have been down on 2 x 500 mg. For app. the
last 5 years I have been on Pentasa 2-3 x 50 mg a day.
During flare-ups I have been medicated with preds.
SYMPTOMS
Compared to many other who suffers from IBD I guess I am a
lucky person. My UC (proctitis) is located to the rectum.
I used to have regularly flare-ups twice a year. During flare-ups
I had 1-3 more bowel movements per day, never diarrhea. Flare-ups
starts with a period with gas, then passage of stools mixed
with mucus and finally passage of stools mixed with blood
and mucus. I have had some minor joint pains. All in all I
have been able to live a normal life. I have never been away
from work because of my UC. Still, the thought of having to
eat medicine for 50 years did not attract me to much.
PREDS
My flare-ups have been harder to control for each year. The
first years the disease went in remission by itself. For the
last years my doctor has prescribed 15 - 30 mg prednisolon
a day for periods of two weeks. My last flare-up started in
October 96 and ended in December. After two weeks on the preds,
my nose started bleeding. I guess for me the preds is the
worst aspect with the disease. During the last flare-up I
also had some very
irritating itching which I never had before.
BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE
In October / November 96 I was searching the internet for
more info about UC and found a lot of interesting information.
I also read about Elaine Gottschall's book "Breaking
the vicious cycle" and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
On a trip to the USA in December I found the book in a bookstore.
I decided to try the diet. Since I have had regularly flare-ups
2 times a year I decided to follow the diet for at least one
year to see if the diet had an effect and to be able to make
a conclusion. It couldn't hurt, the diet seemed nutritious.
I started the diet in January 97 and have followed it for
12 months. I have not had any flare-ups since I started the
diet. When I started the diet I also decided to follow my
medication (Pentasa) as normal. For some reason I stopped
eating drugs in April 97, so the last 9 months I have been
without drugs. (I do not recommend others to this without
consulting a doctor)
SIGNS
OF UC
As I said, no flare-ups the last year but 3 -4 times I have
felt this itching but not as irritating as during the last
flare-up. If this is connected to my UC I don't know. Three
times I have noticed very small amounts of blood in my stools.
The next days there have been no visual
signs. No mucus and gas when during a "normal" flare-up.
LIVING
ON A DIET
I am very fond of food. Before starting the diet I ate almost
all kinds of food, and I could hardly imagine my self on a
strict diet. My motivation was high and I have been able to
follow the diet without cheating to much. Even the diet is
hard to follow it was easier than I thought.
CHEATING
I have not been on this diet without cheating. For those of
you who know the diet:
- I have been drinking beer occasionally.
- 1-2 times a month I have been eating small amounts of potatoes
or rice. (at restaurants)
SEEING MY DOCTOR
Last time I had an appointment with my doctor was in September
96, two weeks before my last flare-up. My next appointment
was in September 97. I did not look forward to telling him
about the diet and particularly not to tell him I had stopped
taking my drugs. (He always tells me how important it is to
take them.) Totally unexpected he reacted positively to the
diet. I lend him my copy of the book and a printout of Wolfgang
Lutz's book
(found on Mik's Web page). After a couple of weeks he send
me a letter where he agreed with many of the conclusions and
that refined sugar is a greater danger to peoples health than
fat.
CONCLUSIONS
I have now been on the diet for 12 months. 9 months without
drugs. No flare-ups.
Since all my previous flare-ups has been pretty regular (
twice a year) I think there are reasons to believe that this
diet has an effect on my disease. Even though the diet is
hard to follow I will continue the diet. If I can manage to
stay off drugs on this diet there is no doubt what I want
to do.
WHAT NEXT
My next milestone will now be my next appointment with my
doctor in April, and I am looking forward to see him.
Finally I wish you all a healthy and a happy new year.
regards
Knut.
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Knut's story
