How I Got Thing Under Control Again.

[Nancym]

I posted awhile back that I just couldn't get my diarrhea to stop, even though I was gluten free, then dairy free. Well, I went on the SCD diet and everything seems to be all quiet in the southern half of me, for the last 4 days.

I have a feeling there was enough damage there that hadn't healed that everything was causing me to have diarrhea. I intend to stay on it for a long time, gradually add in new stuff.

If you're interested in giving it a try the main web site is www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info but www.scdiet.org and www.pecanbread.com are great sites too.

[Rachel--24]

Glad to hear your southern half is doing better!

I asked my doctor about the SCD...He kind of smiled at me and said "We're not doing that right now". He said he knows why it works but will explain it later (it was the end of my appt.). Now I'm curious....I wanna know why it works....and if it works why the heck arent I on it.

[Nancym]

Interesting! Wonder what the deal is too!

According to the author it works because you starve out all the bad bacteria and feed the good ones. In a nutshell, although she shows what happens when bad bacteria get complex sugars and digest them, basically hurting the intestines, causing extra mucus and villi damage.

So her idea is that eating only monosacchrides, which is the only sugar humans can digest (I think), doesn't feed the bad beasties, otherwise the sugars/starches you eat can't be digest by the human part of you and go down to get fermented and worked on by the bacteria in your gut.

One thing is I had been messing around with baking low-calorie/low-carb things and I was using a lot of stuff that is basically carbs that can't be digested. It might be how I got a lot worse in the last year.

[Rachel--24]

Hmmm...I'll definately have to ask about it at my next appt.

I know my doctor thinks I have some kind of parasite or bacteria infection going on but waiting for test results. During the summer I was only eating meats and veggies....no sugar...no carbs and I was feeling pretty good. Once I went back to the carbs some of my old symptoms came back but it was a gradual change. Now that I knew I was gonna be tested for the parasites I did a little research and found out a parasite infection would worsen on a high carb diet.

Sooo...what did I do? I decided to eat ONLY carbs.

Yeah....brilliant idea huh.

Anyways, OMG...I have worsened dramatically. I got depression and PMS again, nightsweats, worse chemical and food sensitivities, teeth clenching at night, itchiness all over....to name a few. All this in a couple weeks time. Maybe my doctor was right. I dunno.

If parasites or some kind of bacteria infection are there I wanted them to show up in the test....so thats why I gorged on the carbs.

The tests are done and I'm eating more sensible now and after 2 days my symptoms are clearing...except the food/chemical sensitivities which never goes away completely.

Maybe SCD works cuz of what you wrote but wouldn't the problem return once you go off the diet? Thats not a diet I'd want to stay on for years....I know that much.

[Nancym]

Mind you, I've only skimmed the book and read selected stuff but I believe that for most people she recommends staying on the diet for about a year. After that, she advises not going back and eating a diet of a lot of grains and to limit complex sugars and starches. Its very similar to the sort of diet Dr. Fine and Dr. Braly (Dangerous Grains) recommend too. Some people, like folks with bad autoimmune diseases, or autism she recommends a life-long commitment. She probably also wants one to keep up the yogurt and probiotics too.

You know, from the other message forum, we're not alone. So many people say their IBS clears up on a low carb diet. I know mine did... until I started on the low-carb bread (which is ultra-high in gluten!).

I think I've gotten to a point in my life where I'm very amenable to dietary changes to keep my health intact. It just seems like I've been on a decline for awhile now and I'm ready to stop looking at food as entertainment and more like a vitamin pill.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Congrats Nancy!!! I too love the SCD ~ I started last March, but have gone "off" a couple of times due to holidays, etc. I feel SO much better when I stay on the SCD. I am so happy for you!! I know how it feels to finally find an answer to feeling better.

[jenvan]

Glad you're feeling better--Go SCD!

Rachel, curious to see what your doctor meant. Do tell when you find out. Parasites--I have to say I am farily skeptical of the idea usually...I think b/c it was proposed to me several times as the source of my issues pre-diagnosis. I even did an herbal parasite cleanse for several months just to be open minded No changes, no help in my case. Sorry you've taken a bad turn..How I wish we had the ability to just look inside ourselves and figure it all out...

[jerseyangel]

I was only eating meats and veggies....no sugar...no carbs and I was feeling pretty good. Once I went back to the carbs some of my old symptoms came back but it was a gradual change. ...I have worsened dramatically. I got depression and PMS again, nightsweats, worse chemical and food sensitivities, teeth clenching at night, itchiness all over....to name a few. All this in a couple weeks time.

This is what is happening to me--I tried cutting out all grains and sugar for 2 weeks and felt better in many ways. I have been adding them back gradually, but even that may be too much because the eczema is back, as well as indigestion and the things you mentioned above. Teeth clenching--me too, and it causes neck and head pain in the AM.