Doctor Visit and more

[JJ]

Hi all...have been really busy lately. I have two new students and have been trying to make them feel at home. Yesterday, the latest arrival, got off the bus at the wrong stop and wandered in the cold for 3 hours. She also doesn't have a cell phone, sigh. She finally found someone to call me and I picked her up at a local grocery store. She is only 17 and was scared to death...I fed her some hot food and after a hot shower she seemed better. I drove her around and made a map for her, and last night, my other student walked her to the bus stop so she could make her own map. Very cute. Even though one is from Hong Kong and one is from Korea, they both know Mandarin. They have bonded and it is very cute.

Yesterday I saw my GI. He is the new one and I continue to really like him. He said that I can lower my dose of Entocort as I see fit. So, today, I started taking two/day. I am also starting back on the low carb diet. I told him that I feel much better when not eating so much gluten. He doulble checked to make sure I had been tested for celiac and I assured him I had been. But....I told him that I could still be sensitive to gluten without being a full blown Celiac and he agreed. So...I am taking charge of my body from this day forward....healthy gut and weight loss for me! I have gained 20 punds since last March...uffda! Stress and also cooking too many casseroles for the kids ...trying to save $$$.

Well...I lost 2 pounds since yesterday...chicken breast, salad and green beans for me! It's a start!



TTFN...JJ

[tex]

Great way to start the new year.

Tex

[bobh]

Hi all...Yesterday I saw my GI... He said that I can lower my dose of Entocort as I see fit.

Cool. I also saw my MD today, as I approach 4 months of remission since the "short burst of Prednisone then Entocort". I have been on 2 Entocort a day, 3 as needed (rarely for me).

I know you are lowering the Entocort to 2, and not "stopping". Today, I asked my MD about "stopping".

For what it's worth, my MD said that if I sensed ANY INFLAMMATION within a 3 month time period, even if it's not full-blown "D", that I should maintain at least 2 Entocort a day. I do notice some "irritation" in the colon area that comes & goes, weekly, or every now & then. And the bowels get looser - but not to the point of even a "mini-flare". I explained this - and he was emphatic that this was not the time to stop.

He has seen people stop it too soon, or when the condition was gone for a month or so, had to go back on it with much higher doses to get things under control. He also added that those folks tend to end up on a higher maintenance dose than they would have, if they just maintained a workable dose.

He's a great MD, wasn't pushing to take drugs forever, and agreed that if one is TOTALLY FREE OF INFLAMMATION FOR 3 MONTHS it's fine to cut it down further, then to none.

[harvest_table]

Jill,

Glad to hear you had a good doctor visit. I was just curious, exactly how you are feeling these days? Are you symptom free or do you have still have D sometimes?

I know you have had previous positive experiences with Entocort.....based on my own experience with the medication, I agree with Bob that if you are still having symptoms now it might not be the wise to cut down the dosage just yet....

I told him that I feel much better when not eating so much gluten.

It's so important you try to cut gluten out of your diet while using this medication, and perhaps the rest of your life. But then again, you know that and it's easier said than done sometimes isn't it?

Here's to a new year and Low carb it is!!! Hope things slow down for you soon.

Love,
Joanna

[JJ]

Hi guys....ummm...I rarely have D anymore...just a couple of episodes lately...oh ya and one night, I had such bad gas pains, I was almost scared...took Imodium and Gas-X....did the trick! I think I will be better without all the junk food and starting skiing again will make me feel better too. I for sure will go back to 3/day if I things get funky again...thanks for the support! TTFN...JJ

[Polly]

Hiya Jill!

And way to go, girlfriend!!!! You really do! I can tell that you have taken charge and are gonna toss this old MC outta your life once and for all. I am wondering what your inspiration is?

The doc sounds terrific! Lucky you. And he even knew that one could still be gluten sensitive with a negative blood test. In our experience here that is a rare doc.

Are you going to try to eliminate all gluten or just cut down? Don't forget, there is plenty of advice/support for diet changes in the "kitchen" here.

Good luck with your new year's resolution. And happy new year!

Love,

Polly

[JJ]

Hi....ummm...I am basically doing the low carb diet which eliminates foods with gluten anyway...I realize that when I was on the diet in the past, I felt better, and D was better. So, to me, this is a win win effort. BTW, I went to the Orowheat Outlet store today to buy bread for "my girls", and they had several gluten free mixes on the shelf! I think it was called Bob's Red Mill...does that ring a bell? They had pancake mix, chocolate cake mix and others....cool!

TTFN...JJ

PS My Paleo Diet book arrived yesterday...that may be a good way to live after I lose some of my weight.

[CAMary]

Jill-

Just popping in to say I use the Bob's Red Mill GF baking mix...I mostly use it for waffles (since giving up bread, I'm not much of a bread consumer anymore, so I haven't tried biscuits etc...). I love it! I haven't tried any others as I don't eat hot cereal or grits or anything...though I may look into the chocolate cake

Our waffle-maker has become "dedicated GF" - so even my "super-picky" kids eat and love them! I found the batter to be a bit thick for pancakes (perhaps tweaking the liquid would help - I'm not a pancake fan, oddly enough - too soggy for my taste...). We use the standard recipe in an old Better Homes & Gardens (?) - the old standard cookbook with the red plaid cover....

Happy baking!

Mary

[JJ]

Hi....wow...cool...when I'm past the induction period of my diet, I may start adding back some carbs...those mixes might be just the ticket! Thanks for the tips! TTFN...JJ

[Polly]

Hi Jill,

That's cool that you got the paleo book! I am so impressed with it - it is very well-researched scientifically compared with most diet books, IMHO. There are over 400 references to articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Plus as I read it, it just makes so much sense intuitively. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.

Good luck with your diet. I know you'll be able to achieve whatever goals you set. When I was just avoiding all of my triggers I really didn't lose much weight, but once I went paleo I lost about 15 pounds. I was a little worried, but as the book says, you DO stabilize. And I now weigh what I did in high school, which is what they are now recommending - that we should NOT be gaining any weight as we age.

Bob's Red Mill is a good company. My local health food store carries many of their products. They have a website if you want to keep up to date with their products, etc.

Keep us posted on your progress so we can celebrate (or commiserate) as needed.

Love,

Polly

[artteacher]

Hi JJ,

That's how I started, too. I went on the low-carb diet with my husband, who wanted to lose weight, and accidently found out it took care of my stomach problems. You're lucky, because Bob's Red Mill is a Pac. NW company, isn't it? so you'll find it almost everywhere. And they test, so you know there's no contamination in their products. I used to use their baking mixes, and they're really good. I recommend the rice muffins on the back of the rice flour package. (Not that I can eat them now, but I used to, and they're really good)

Love, Marsha

[JJ]

Yum...I wish I could try it now...hahahaha...I've lost 4 1/2 lbs since the 29th and am eating well, but eating smarter. For breakfast, I made a protein powder shake...I used the powder, water and some frozen blueberries thrown in the blender...yum. yum! Later, I had a lettuce leaf with a little mayo, bacon strips and some low carb salami. I was good at dinner too...meat and veggies. Oh...had a few almonds as a snack! I am determined to make this work....my Helly Hansen ski pants are too tight...hahahaha...JJ

[harvest_table]

my Helly Hansen ski pants are too tight...hahahaha...JJ

JJ,

Your funny, and it's great to hear your so motivated with your diet- glad your feeling good.

I don't try the slopes, just the water and my HH fishing gear fits me just fine......hubby thinks it's sexy.

Hang in there, it's a learning experience for us all.

Love,
Joanna

[JJ]

Hahahahaha No one has ever told me that I look sexy in my Helly Hansen's hahahaha...thanks for the encouragement......I hit the end of my rope...I am sick of being a carb junky! I have now lost 5 pounds...a half pound a day is good right? After the first 2 days I knew it would slow down...TTFN...JJ

[tex]

A half pound a day is great. I'm having trouble with the math, though - on the 30th, you said that you had lost 4 and a half pounds since the 29th - that's only one day, though. So did you actually start on the 28th, and you lost that much in two days, or am I totally confused?

Whatever, it sounds like you are definitely taking it off.

Tex