Re: frustrated - not sure what to do

[Guest guest]

Hey a,

Tell us a little bit more about yourself so we know how to help or

just reach into that bucket called " SCD experience " and grab some

useful info outta the hat for you.

What exactly are you eating?

What do you suffer from?

Any diagnosis?

Do you have C or D?

Exactly how long have you been on the diet?

Are you eating yogurt?

What are your major complaints?

Jodi

[Guest guest]

So sorry you are feeling so poorly. I can't handle avacado's at all. And chicken is tricky. Are you sure it's a chicken with no added water, chemicals etc.? I've had the injected chicken and it made me really sick. Have you tried a little hamburger cooked in water? I brown hamburger and onion, add carrots, celery and peas and simmer in water for a while until the carrots are real soft.

Eggs? Yogurt?

I pray you find something good to eat and you start feeling better.

To: pecanbread ; BTVC-SCD From: kristina.carlton@...Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:37:11 -0600Subject: frustrated - not sure what to do

Hi,

I have been on SCD since roughly January 2nd now with one slip and I feel absolutely miserable. The abdominal distention is worse, I am gaining more weight, and I feel like I have become intolerant to just about every I am eating. Where do I go from here? I am eating stage 1 foods mostly plus some avocado on occasion. Should I start over although I don’t even know if I tolerate chicken.

a

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[Guest guest]

>So sorry

you are feeling so poorly. I can't handle avacado's at all. And chicken is

tricky. Are you sure it's a chicken with no added water, >chemicals etc.? I've had the injected chicken

and it made me really sick. Have you tried a little hamburger cooked in

water? I brown >hamburger and onion, add

carrots, celery and peas and simmer in water for a while until the carrots are

real soft.

I buy my chicken from goodearthfarm.com – pasture raised, no

antibiotics, no hormones, no chemicals. I am intolerant to beef so can’t have

hamburger.

>Eggs? Yogurt?

I am intolerant to eggs and was holding off on the yogurt since

I am still feeling so poorly.

>I pray you find something good to eat

and you start feeling better.

Thank you. At this point I am really scared because I have no

idea what is going on with my body and no insurance to see more doctors.

a

.._,___

[Guest guest]

Hi a,

Read my replies below;

> I have had food intolerances, bacterial imbalance, and candida for a

long

> time, never getting better. My two most common reactions to food are

> abdominal distention and fluid retention in my lower body. I also

have those

> two symptoms during " PMS " although I have had a hysterectomy. On

11/18 last

> year my stomach went from flat to pregnant looking and I figured it was

> either hormones or something I ate.

Have you gone to a doc for this stuff? What about an integrative doc?

> that date my stomach has been distended. Actually, it's my entire

abdomen

> below and above my navel. When I eat it gets even worse - by evening

I feel

> a lot of discomfort.

I get this too. It's gotten a lot better but if I eat too much fruit

(my Achillies Heel is fruit juice) and I believe it somehow feeds the

bad bugs specifically Candida Yeasts. It's really bad and

uncomfortable. My belly has swelled at times to look like I am

pregnant too.

Last year a stool test revealed c. diff, toxoplasmosis

> and bacterial overgrowth but I felt ok. Never had D instead I

struggle with

> C and take magnesium citrate for it. I took probiotics and S.

boulardii for

> the c. diff and I am in the middle of doing another stool test to

check if

> it's gone as well as check for parasites and bacteria. But I feel so

> miserable I don't know what to do while I am waiting on the results.

>

First of all, How long ago was this test done last year? Which lab?

Did you do a purge? Which tests did you do now?

C Diff is a problem. I deal with C Diff issues too.

Have you gone on antibiotics for this? If so and it's not getting

knocked out you may need to try Vancomycin or even antibiotic pulse

therapy perhaps with Tindamax?

Toxo is a problem too. It's a parasite- not sure how they treat that

with active C Diff all I know is if you already have gut issues

perhaps be careful if they tell you to take Clindamycin for the Toxo

as Clinda is HORRIBLE for C Diff issues. That is what happened to me

and Clinda ruined my health!!

In general C Diff is one of those things IMO that has to be treated

with antibiotics. This diet will help other bacterial issues and help

keep things at bay but the C Diff must be treated.

> What exactly are you eating?

>

> Flounder, Ostrich, Pork, Venison, turkey zucchini, carrots, green beans,

> coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia nut oil. All veggies are well

cooked and

> usually pureed.

With the Toxo- are all of your meats fully cooked?

Also, coconut oil is delicious and highly nutritious but since it is

naturally anti-fungal it can produce a die-off reaction. Maybe you

should pull it and see how you feel?

> Since January 2nd - I started with chicken broth but felt I was

reacting to

> it. Then I spent 4 days eating nothing but veggie broth with pureed

veggies,

> then moved on to ostrich.

How long were you cooking the chicken broth?

How are you preparing the ostrich meat?

> Abdominal distention for 10 weeks now all day long, really bad in the

> evening - causes great discomfort; weight gain, mostly in my lower body;

> fatigue; food intolerances but can't really tell what I am reacting

to due

> to constant abdominal distention; trouble concentrating, fatigue, mood

> swings

Have you tried some very weak home-made ginger tea?

What about taking an epsom salt bath at night?

If you are suffering from Yeast issues too- activated charcoal might

be helpful for you to take.

I am so sorry you are feeling so bad. I hope you get your results

soon. I would also look into an integrative doc if funds allow.

ACAM.org is a great site to figure a name out.

Can help you navigate through your complicated issues.

It took me quite a while to feel better.

Hang in there!

Jodi

[Guest guest]

I wonder if this would have anything to do with Toxo??

Besides that so many things can be attributed to die-off and blood

sugar level dips.

Hang in there.

Jodi

>

> Also shortness of breath, pulse pounding in my head, and

pressure/discomfort

> in my chest after eating 3 meals.

>

> a

>

[Guest guest]

Hi K,

a wrote she had/has toxoplasmosis come up in one of her tests.

It's a parasite most of the noise is with pregnant women (although no

joke for anyone else- just effects the fetus if I am not mistaken)

Cat poop is a big culprit with Toxo.

I have been learning about the blood sugar level issues myself.

There can be so many reasons for this;

Candida, Adrenal fatigue/insufficiency, Low Cortisol, Thyroid

problems, Hormonal imbalance, electrolyte imbalance etc.. and on and on.

It is hard to pin point. One thing that helps is eating protein

regularly every couple of hours.. for blood sugar issues.

The cramps can be associated with Adrenal issues.. I would tend to

think it's a separate problem but I could be wrong.

Do you find that your cramps are associated with the blood sugar drops?

Have you ever felt different if you take Magnesium (I would stay away

from Mag Sulfate can cause headaches in some) or Selenium or potassium?

Another good indication if you need electrolytes is if you experience

leg " charlie horse "

I would try and up my electrolytes (Kim M has some awesome ways she

deals with this) and see if your leg cramps get better.

Jodi

>

>

> Jodi, you sound very knowledgeable. What is Toxo and what do you

know about blood sugar dips? I have low blood sugar. How about cramps

in the feet, hands, and legs?

> Thanks so much.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

> >Have you gone to a doc for this stuff? What about an integrative doc?

>

> I had a very low outpatient maximum which I reached when I had the

> colonoscopy last year. My benefit year runs from June to May so it

will be

> June 1st until I have insurance coverage again so I have not gone to

any new

> doctors. I did make an appt. with the gastroenterologist who did the

> colonoscopy last year and he handed me some samples of Amitiza to

take. It

> was a waste of time and money.

So, what tests have you done now and which doc ordered it?

> >First of all, How long ago was this test done last year? Which lab?

> >Did you do a purge? Which tests did you do now?

>

> It was last year in May with Diagnos-Techs. I am not sure what you

mean by

> purge. Now I am being re-tested for C. Diff., toxoplasmosis, other

bacterial

> overgrowth, level of good bacteria, yeast, and parasites.

That a long time to be walking around with C Diff detected in stool in

a normal lab...

A purge is a pill they give you before the stool test so that all of

the various bacteria and pathogens shed their layers into the poop. I

was highly suspect of this but over at HC was totally right as I

met this GI who is knowledgeable and dismisses many stool tests

without proper purges. I have fallen into this category for the past

7 years.

> >C Diff is a problem. I deal with C Diff issues too.

> >Have you gone on antibiotics for this? If so and it's not getting

> >knocked out you may need to try Vancomycin or even antibiotic pulse

> >therapy perhaps with Tindamax?

>

> No, I did not. I never had D or really bad problems until now or until

> November. Back when the test was done I actually felt pretty good.

From what

> I have read on the cdiffsupport forum, antibiotics do not work most

of the

> time because it does not kill the spores of c. diff and then you

have killed

> a bunch of good bacteria with the antibiotics which just lets the c.

diff

> get out of hand again.

Well ABX doesn't help some- but that depends on the treatment course

and how it was done! It also depends on how resistant the C Diff has

gotten. That is why Pulsing and Vanco are used. At times people need

to get it in IV. It is also important to work on Candida issues with

this (SCD naturally takes care of this- it's important to not be too

fruit, honey, nut, mushroom, cheese heavy)

It is also important to find a good quality probiotic and S Boulardii

while on the antibiotic therapy. That way the good guys get

introduced into the system.

Obviously, this is not perfect by any means.. but it is serious.

I was hospitalized for a month for C Diff.

> >With the Toxo- are all of your meats fully cooked?

> >Also, coconut oil is delicious and highly nutritious but since it is

> >naturally anti-fungal it can produce a die-off reaction. Maybe you

> >should pull it and see how you feel?

>

> I have been eating it since 2003 so I doubt it's still causing die off.

>

All I can say, is that things shift on the diet- so what once may have

worked in the past may need to be reintro'd later as we experience a

different layer of die-off and healing.

But you know your body best so if it is working than it's working for you.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hi a,

I am a little confused.. Please clarify for me.

> >So, what tests have you done now and which doc ordered it?

>

> In May 2008 I had a full GI panel with saliva testing for soy, egg,

milk,

> and wheat. Now the doc is just repeating bacteria, parasites, c.

diff, and

> yeast. They are checking for antibodies to parasites in saliva and

actual

> parasites in the stool. I took the first sample today and will take the

> second sample on Thursday and then overnight it to the lab. It was

ordered

> by a doctor I saw last year in January. I don't know that he is familiar

> with SCD and he did give me probiotics with FOS and bifido bacteria last

> year, but he is in favor of a grain free, sugar free diet.

Unfortunately he

> is very expensive. He charges roughly $165 for a hour.

Many good docs aren't familiar with SCD- that's ok as long as you know

what to choose for yourself diet wise and you don't load up on a

million illegal supplements. I just say " supplements make me sick " or

something like that.

Clarify for me;

So, last year you had the stool test and Saliva test done??

Does Diagnos Techs deal with Stool?

Which lab did your Stool test??

People with C Diff must have stool tested. One cannot gauge via Saliva.

Saliva can help with many different issues.

Have you looked into Genova Diagnostics and what about a urine

dysbiosis- Metametrix and Genova both do this. It works great with

stool testing as it measures the excretions of the critters. So

together the tests can really give a good piece of the puzzle although

stool is necessary, urine dysbiosis is just an added plus. So if

money is tight just go for stool.

All the stool tests you have done in the past was it through normal

labs like Lab Corp or Quest? If so they are utterly useless with this

stuff.

> >A purge is a pill they give you before the stool test so that all of

> >the various bacteria and pathogens shed their layers into the poop. I

> >was highly suspect of this but over at HC was totally right as I

> >met this GI who is knowledgeable and dismisses many stool tests

> >without proper purges. I have fallen into this category for the past

> >7 years.

> How do you find a doctor who orders a test like this?

Many good docs will do it. Maybe you can ask your current doc?

The tests can come with a purge- your doc sometimes has to request it.

I wonder how people can make-shift a purge? I should look into this.

> I don't eat mushrooms or cheese - I can't tolerate dairy - and I cut

back on

> honey although I wasn't using a lot anyhow. I don't think my doctor is

> familiar with pulsing. He said if the C. diff still shows up on this

test

> then we can try and antibiotic since the S. boulardii did not help. He

> recommended Tinidazole (sp?) for 10 days.

Tinidazole is Tinamax. Very similar to Flagyl with less side effects.

I would be skeptical if Tinda would knock C Diff out for good without

having trouble that it come back later.

Finding a doc that knows about pulsing and treating these things can

be tricky. A very good integrative doc should know this. Sally is

dealing with her son and pulsing. Not sure how he is doing these

days- maybe she would have tips on how to find a doc that understands

about this.

My GI is doctor Chapman in NYC- if all else fails maybe you want to

call his office and ask for a referral for a doc in your area that

would be familiar with the ins and outs of C Diff and pulsing.

Chapman is like the papa bear of GI's in the States.

Not a supporter of SCD but knows what he is talking about when it

comes to other things.

Still kills me how these intelligent docs are utterly useless when it

comes to diet.. Crazy to me.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Hi a,

> >So, last year you had the stool test and Saliva test done??

> >Does Diagnos Techs deal with Stool?

>

> Sorry for the confusion. Yes, Diagnos-Techs is one of the labs that does

> saliva and stool testing. I had to take 2 or 3 stool samples and

also take

> saliva samples. They check for antibodies in the saliva and for the

actual

> parasites and/or bacteria in the stool.

Ok, very good.

I can ask over at Healing Crow what she thinks about

Diagnos-Tech? She is like a Guru when it comes to this stuff..

Is this the lab?

http://www.diagnostechs.com/main.htm

> >Which lab did your Stool test??

>

> Diagnos-Techs - I have a PDF of the results if you would like to see

them.

> Actually my doctor said they are really good about finding parasites

> although they are hard to detect.

Sure- you can send it my way.

Not sure about the reputation of this lab when it comes to C Diff

testing- would know something like this.

> >Have you looked into Genova Diagnostics and what about a urine

> >dysbiosis- Metametrix and Genova both do this. It works great with

> >stool testing as it measures the excretions of the critters. So

> >together the tests can really give a good piece of the puzzle although

> >stool is necessary, urine dysbiosis is just an added plus. So if

> >money is tight just go for stool.

>

> I am familiar with Genova but since the last test was done by

Diagnos-Techs

> and that's the lab my doctor uses I figured I will use the same lab

so I am

> comparing apples to apples. Also, the re-test is a little cheaper

than a new

> test with Genova.

I understand.. And that is good thinking. It would just be

interesting to understand the quality of this lab's C Diff testng- not

that I am trying to undermine or shake you up in any way about what

you are doing. It's just I went through the useless lab loop for 6

years. Really terrible. So I am beyond cautious with this due to my

experience.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

a

Try switching to eating 6 or 7 small meals a day, instead of 3. I have chronic bloating (among other symptoms) because I have poor motility in my upper GI. It helps me considerably to eat a small meal/snack every 2 to 3 hours. And I eat the heaviest (most difficult to digest) foods and the larger volume between 11 am and 3 pm.

It's common for those of us with slow motility to feel the bloating increase as the day goes on. That's why I eat lighter meals after 3 pm. Feeling shortness of breath, pulse rate increases and pressure/discomfort are also common when you have poor digestive motility. Some of that might be due to high fat content in meals, if your body doesn't tolerate fat too well.

Food choices can make a difference. You might have to do some more testing.

Kim M.

SCD 5 years

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction & other upper GI stuff 5+ years

neurological deterioration 3 years

>>>>>>>>>>

Also shortness of breath, pulse pounding in my head, and pressure/discomfortin my chest after eating 3 meals. a