Absorb Plus

[hoosier1]

What does everyone think of Absorb Plus shakes? They claim to be elemental nutrition developed by a patient with Chron's disease. I seem to have trouble keeping up my weight and my nutrition. Looking for a boost that won't hurt me.

Also, does anyone see the need to take calcium supplements?

Rich

[Linda in BC]

Hi Rich;
I looked into Absorb Plus for myself, because I was continuing to lose weight on the GF diet, and it looked to be a well-researched quality product. Cost seemed to be prohibitive for me tho ( I think Joe caclulated it to be about $250.00 per week if that was all you ate. ) Instead I decided to try to find a protein shake that I could tolerate, and just 'beef it up a bit myself to be more complete. I am SF, GF, and DF so it was not that easy, but I did find two.. one a rice protein powder and the other a hemp one. The hemp one was very yummy tasting but I reacted badly to it ( too much fibre??) but the rice one I am able to tolerate well. I only use it to supplement, for example to replace breakfast or lunch, and I have gained two pounds since starting to use it. I added a little olive oil, and my L-glutamine, a little chocolate syrup to make it more palatable, and sometimes a banana. I brought a blender with me the last time I travelled in Sept. and used it in my hotel room. It was really handy to have this for breakfast and not have to take my chances eating out. So for you, on all your travels, if you could find one of those little blenders, it might be good thing.

The Absorb plus would probably be better of course, if money is not an issue, because it is complete.
Linda

[Joefnh]

Hi Rich, when looking into the elemental diet I did run across a couple of articles on that brand and they seemed favorable. I have not tried it though

--Joe

[hoosier1]

Hi Joe and Linda,

Good to hear from you two! It has been a very rough week for me, I feel like I am almost back to square one. And I have been religious about my diet, to the extent that everyone serving me has been totally honest about their gluten free menu choices. I have about 2 -3 weeks of hell still in front of me work-wise, then I hope things settle down for a while.

I have been eating a lot of steak, sweet potato, and steamed vegetables for dinner. I have also been eating salads with italian dressing. May be time to stop eating those. Have been skipping lunch (I know that is bad.. but), and been eating banana and the like for breakfast. I have been snacking on fritos, potato chips, and a variety of gluten free snacks my wife picks up for me. I went to a restaurant in Philly called On The Boarder (Mexican Chain) and ordered from their gluten-free menu. I asked if their tortilla chips were gluten free and they said yes. So I ate up. And googled later to learn the chips ARE NOT gluten free. My bad, I know. On the flight from Philly to Dallas, the flight attendant tried to give me some fresh, warm chocolate chip cookies, she even woke me up to offer them. And I denied it. Told her to have mine. See seemed so shocked that a skinny guy like me would turn down cookies hot out of the oven. The guy sitting next to me also denied it, as he said he didn't want the calories. Funny, I would love to have the calories but it was neat to see the only other person within eyeshot to me, refuse the cookies. Made it a little easier to turn them away.

Linda, what is the rice protein supplement that you mentioned? Saving some money is a good thing. I have ordered a couple Absorb's, and yes, it is like taking out a mortgage. Pricey. Joe, glad to hear Absorb is well tolerated. What I have read about it, is that, due its low residual, it won't necessarily firm up your stool. It merely gets nutrients into you. So I need the nutrients, but I can't be "loose" during the week when I travel. That just cannot happen.

I see my doc in a couple weeks. I am 1 month into Entocort and still struggling. I am contemplating adding pepto bismal to my regimen (the high dose routine - 8 pills a day - anyone know the regimen?). Anyone see any problems with that? Also, I AM going to add calcium supplements, perhaps 2 pills a day, to see what that does. I know that since cutting out dairy, I am not getting enough calcium anyways so I see this as a good thing to do regardless.

Look forward to your responses. Hope you guys are doing well!!!!!

Rich

[Linda in BC]

Hi Rich;
The brand of rice protein powder that I found I liked best is called Prairie Naturals. it's made in BC Canada, (Vancouver, I believe) so may not be readily available in the US.
i beleive the idea about the enteric diet (the Absorb Plus) is to give the bowel a rest from having to digest anything, as well as ensuring that you get the nutrients you need, and are probabley not getting when everything goes right through you. I don't remember being any worse D-wise while drinking my protein drink than i am eating regular food (but then I am seldom good.)
But I would heartily recommend that you use pepto to control your symptoms while travelling. It might even enable you to get away with just eating the Absorb Plus, which might simplify things for you. Years ago a doctor told me to try taking 2 pepto bismol three times per day, for two months, as a potential "cure" for colitis. It wasn't a cure, but did control things nicely as long as I was taking it, and I felt no ill effects from using it in that quantity or for that long of a time. I only use it now when I have to, like when I have to leave the house when I am reacting, or when am travelling. I can't believe you have been doing all that travelling without using it or something, like immodium or questran ( which apparently has the same effect of firming things up.)

Yep, the salads could be causing you a lot of problems. That would be my first guess. Second would be the potato chips. Could be the potatoes themselves or the high degree of fat (I have read some MCer's say that they can't eat really fatty foods), or it might be the the type of oil used. Best thing really is for us to stick to plain meat, rice and well cooked veggies. Easy to say, hard to do, even at home let alone travelling!!! Have you tried rice cakes?

Linda

[Linda in BC]

Rich, also, be careful of the calcium supplements. Many of them have magnesium in them (I think our bodies need the magnesium present to be able to assimilate the calcium) but magnesium is known to cause D. in many if not most people, just a different levels for different individuals . And it certainly seems to in me! I have been switching around brands of calcium and trying to figure this one out for months now . And for me, I can't just say forget it, because if I don't take the magnesium , I get bad leg cramps and restless leg syndrome. So I have been recently taking a calcium supplement with only Vitamin D added ( I think they say we need that too to assimilate calcium), and no magnesium, and then using a magnesium "oil" spray to get my magnesium. You are wise to try to get some more calcium. Osteoporosis is a real risk with this disease.

I also forgot to say that I'm sorry thing are worse for you. I sure hope your next two weeks are not as bad. Way to go on passing on the fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.. my absolute fave!! Such will power!

I started on Entocort yesterday after trying everything else I could think of for the last 4 months, because I thought I would not be able to get affordable entocort up here. Wish me luck!
Regards,
Linda

[hoosier1]

Luck and prayers for your Linda! I hope Entocort works out for you. I am thinking they should have hit me with full on prednisone to start. May end up doing that.

Regarding imodium, lomotil, questran, etc., Linda, I do have those in my bag of tricks but they don't seem to really work anymore, and when I come off of them, I have worse problems. Imodium makes me so dizzy i can't think. Lomotil used to be my wonder drug. Would shut my system down for 24 hours. Not any more. Questran seems to plug me up like concrete to the point where I am worried about ever clearing out, and when I do, it feels like acid. Not a fun experience. I often wonder if I am not on the verge of UC as opposed to LC. That is what my grandfather had. He was very much like me physically.

I guess I will drop the potato chips too due to the fat content but the challenge is to keep my weight up, yet I cannot eat fat. That seems almost impossible. Any suggestions there? I bought some liquid flax oil to add to my absorb shakes. Brings one shake up to 500 calories per drink. Can add a lot of calories that way.

I am making gluten free bread as we speak in a 20 year old bread machine. Will be interesting to see how I do with that.

Always appreciate your advice and support Linda. Take care of yourself.

[hoosier1]

Linda,

Regarding calcium supplements without magnesium. How about just chewing some Tums?

Rich

[hoosier1]

...but I have also read that you need a little magnesium in order to absorb calcium properly. Tex, have you heard this?

Rich

[JoAnn]

Rich, I use NutriBiotic Vegan Rice Protein Powder. It comes in chocolate and vanilla. It's in my local grocery store and health food store, but I have ordered it online at a really good discount. I use it almost every day to make a shake. As far as fats, have you tried coconut oil or coconut milk? I use it in place of butter, add it to my shakes, fry in it, and bake with it. It's a healthy fat comparable to olive oil. You can add coconut milk to your shakes or you can also buy a coconut cream concentrate. I buy my coconut milk at a Chinese market because they have several brands that don't add guar gum. I'm with Linda on the salads. I avoided salads for at least a year and a half and have just now been adding them back in. One quick meal I make with the coconut milk is to brown hamburger, stir in coconut milk which makes something like a gravy (you can add coconut oil if you want more fat) salt & pepper, add well steamed chopped broccoli and then pour it over cooked corn or rice pasta elbow noodles. I've been off Entocort for 3 and a half mohths now. JoAnn

[hoosier1]

Joann,

Those are great suggestions. But I have been told that coconut oil can have a laxative effect. Have you heard this?

Rich

[hoosier1]

Linda,

You talk about getting "affordable entocort up here." Does the Canadian healthcare system not cover pharmaceuticals??? I find it interesting to hear the truth from real users of the system up there.

Talk about highway robbery down here in the US, I pay a $30 co-pay (that is not the robbery part). I am on my wife's insurance plan who works for a local hospital and my Walgreen's receipt says my insurance saved me $1,187.00!!!!! Might as well chew bricks of gold. I am so thankful for my health insurance. Everyone deserves affordable healthcare.

I always tell me wife that I work for the income and she works for the benefits, and with my healthcare costs, here job is more valuable, financially than mine. Crazy and wrong.

Rich

[JoAnn]

Rich, I have never had a laxative effect from coconut oil and I have had to work very hard to get into remission. I am gluten, dairy, soy, and egg sensitive and often react to drugs. If something might cause a reaction, I usually react. Coconut oil and coconut products have been very beneficial for me and safe. I know we're all different and you might just have to try it out and see if it works if it sounds like something you might like. I made some coconut milk yogurt over the weekend and it turned out great. It was a lot like the Greek yogurt that I've missed. It was probably too thick, so I'm tweaking the recipe this weekend and am planning on posting it on this board when I get it the way I want it. It had a great flavor without adding anything to it. I have read about many health benefits attributed to coconut oil and have wondered if it has contributed to my healing. JoAnn

[tex]

...but I have also read that you need a little magnesium in order to absorb calcium properly. Tex, have you heard this?

A number of members in the past claimed to have good results with this:

http://www.caltrate.com/OurProducts/cal ... Dplus.aspx

I agree with JoAnn - coconut oil is usually not a problem. In fact, it's promoted as a "cure" for IBDs, by some sources.

Tex

[hoosier1]

Tex,

That is the exact Calcium tablets that I purchased. What dosage are others taking?

All,

Regarding the coconut oil, do any of you recall the movie where Tom Hanks is stranded on that island? He lives on coconut oil and comments about getting the runs Just thought that was a funny scene. Not so funny anymore.

Rich