Five Years

Wow!

It has been an interesting five years ... Ulcerative Colitis to appendicitis and Crohn's Disease. No sign of active disease during August 2010 colonoscopy, but switched from Pentasa to Entocort EC to address mild/constant pain about 8 weeks ago; follow up next week.

I am not SCD, but still dealing with allergies, and focused on getting fit!

Yesterday a coworker (and gym buddy) revealed that he is going into surgery for IBD, and that inspired me to visit the "community" ... see how my Crohnies are doing!

Crohn's After All

My appendix was inflamed (and removed); there was a lot of other activity in the RLQ ... but I have Crohn's Disease, for sure.

NOT Ulcerative Colitis?

Huh?

Well, I've failed to respond to Colitis treatment. Symptoms got worse with Crohn's treatment. It doesn't even seem to matter what I eat, or when. But the pain and malaise persist.

A ha! The CT scan did not illuminate my appendix!

Has anyone heard of chronic appendicitis presenting like IBD?

Back to Basics

Mmm. SCD Introductory Diet soup. I can eat this, if nothing else ...

No Heat!

Areas of the Northeast (including mine) have been without electricity since midnight on Thursday, 11 December. On Friday we were at home with running water, fireplace and gas stove; yesterday we headed to stay with my family. I am not feeling well; could not eat and experienced a rigor lasting two hours last night. Either there is a connection between UC and body temperature regulation, or I am just responding to stress and infection. Either way, this whole situation is definitely not good.

Winter Heat

Here it comes. That old familiar RLQ pain. Stiff, achy low back. The uncomfortably heated hips, thighs, knees. Fever, night rigors. The fatigue and general malaise.

Since my Jinxy July post, I have been fully preoccupied with an exciting--and excruciatingly stressful--project at work. Now commuting five days a week, I am less vigilant about avoiding grains and sugar, but not carelessly so. I still eschew all nuts, corn syrup, coconut, soy, and various other fruit allergens (due to OAS or oral ulceration).

For months, I have been treating low back pain with prescription Motrin. Initially, taking at certain points of my cycle only. Then, almost daily. I realize now that I have probably been denying the inevitable ... an Ulcerative Colitis (UC) flare-up.

The body DOES have a way of making stop and pay attention. Thank God for that!

GI doctor called in a 14 day course of Cipro on 10 Dec.

Jinxy

Is it every time I post "all's well" that something breaks down, or does it just feel that way right now?

Nut-free Meatfruit

I am happy to report that my health has been relatively cooperative during this eventful professional and personal phase! I avoid all nuts and feel so much better for it. Accidentally ingested some peanuts the other day. Intolerance re-confirmed (ugh).

Experiments with seeds, grains and starch have been somewhat unscientific--usually performed when I'm virtually starving but all I can scavenge is a bag of blue corn chips--or when my salad doesn't satisfy but those French fries promise an unctuously substantial conclusion!

Potatoes and onions seem to make the nose run; corn makes the tummy rumble; and tomatoes and soy result in a fat, tingly tongue (see Oral Allergy Syndrome). There are myriad other foods I avoid for similar reasons--too many to list--but fortunately, none of the reactions are bad enough to really bring me down!

To reflect present diet: this blog's banner shall change, though the URL remains the same.

SCD, Nut-free

Cross Reactions

Oral Allergy Syndrome OAS. Sounds a lot like me!