Good news - colonoscopy results after 4 years on SCD

[Guest guest]

Hi all. I used to spend a lot of time on this list (more when it was still the

long island list) but I must admit I haven't logged in for a while. I have

continued to keep up with emails on the scd.net list and help out there. I hope

everyone is well. I have already sent this info to the other list but I wanted

to spread my good news as far and wide as I could!

I had a colonoscopy on Friday after 4 yrs on SCD (I have had UC for 6 years).

It was done because my specialist wanted to know how far the disease extends to

know whether I now need to begin cancer surveillance (having had UC for 6 yrs).

I have not had a flare for the last 2 and a half years and have been feeling

fantastic for more than 1 year.

He gave me a copy of his report and it says " Preliminary diagnosis – normal

colonoscopy " . He also says in the report that no mucosal abnormalities were

seen. He told me he couldn't see any inflammation at all, absolutely nothing.

However, he has taken biopsies and it's possible that these might identify that

there is still some UC present – I'll have to wait and see. He says if they

don't show anything either then he will take me off my remaining med (Colazide

- the remission dose), if they show something I guess he'll want me to stay on

a bit longer. Either way it's great news. I can't compare it with a previous

colonoscopy because this was my first – however I had 2 previous sigmoidoscopies

where my Dr was able to see UC inflammation on a visual inspection.

I have been feeling great for the last year and a half, able to eat everything

on SCD with no real problems, but it's exciting to have that confirmed by the

scope. It's a bit confusing when you have had UC because you don't know whether

tiny little things are signs you are still not quite right or are unrelated -

like a streak of mucus when you are constipated or a bloat after eating a big

meal and sitting hunched over.

I hope this provides some inspiration to some of you who are in earlier stages

of SCD healing!

I have always taken the approach of combining SCD with the meds my doctor

recommends. This is what Elaine recommended, and I believe it is the way to go.

I know there was one time when the SCD would not have been enough for me and I

really needed prednisolone to kick me out of that flare, but equally the meds on

their own were not enough either to get me symptom free. Together they were a

winning combination. I have never worried about getting my meds compounded and

any tiny amounts of `illegals' in them have not hindered my recovery.

I have not always done well on SCD, it has been an up and down journey – I got

better and better for a while then had a huge flare for which I needed to take

prednisolone for more than a year but then strangely after that I just got

better and better again. I think the reason I was able to persevere was because

I noticed a definite response after about 4 weeks on the diet, and that

convinced me there was something in it. Also I read Raman Prasad's book Colitis

and Me – he gave such an intelligent account of his experience that it convinced

me SCD certainly does work for some people. After that, based on advice from

Lucy (Lucy's kitchen) I tried not to sweat the ups and downs too much and just

give the diet time to work (a lot of time in my case!). You do need to stick

with it through thick and thin, be patient and cope with some disappointments

along the way (and in my opinion take meds too if they help you!)

I wish you all as much success as I have had.

Kylie

UC 6 yrs

SCD 4 yrs