Hello, im new!

Hi, id like to say hello, im new to this forum (and bear with me coz im rubbish with computers!) My name is Vicky im a 21 year old student at the University of Lincoln (UK) studying Equine Sport Science. I'v had Crohns since i was 13, but didnt get diagnosed till i was 16. (got the whole, "Youve just got IBS" thing!) Ive been on every drug under the sun : Prednisolone, Pentasa, Mesalazine, Azathioprine, Infliximab, D3forte, Metronidasol, Cefradine, and of course Ferreous Sulphate. Ive had a right hemi collectomy, and i then got fistulising Crohns with peri anal disease and a nice big abcess to go with it! ( dont want to be gross but there was 500mls of puss when they drained it!) :-s I've had 8 operations witht he abcess, and setons in for 18 months. I then went on the elemental diet as a last ditch attemp, literally days before having a colostomy and i became a new pearson! Had the setons removed. I stayed on the drinks for 7 1/2 months, and became so well (even when i stopped them) ive been able to come to uni. Iv currently still got the abcess, had it for 4 years now, but remained well untill this easter holidays, where Ive had another flare up. So im now back on the elemental diet, 17 days encounting! And just wondered if theres any fellow 'suckers' (as in the drinks!lol!) out there.
Also can i just say ive never even spoke to anyone with crohns before so it would be great to hear from you!
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Vicky
XXX

Hello,

I am glad you have improved so much after all your problems.

I was wondering what the "elemental diet" consists of. I have just been diagnosed in the last few months and have not learned all of the different remedies yet.

I do not have hardly any symptoms but do not want to have surgery again if I can help it.

Try not to get stressed out at the U. I know stress played a big role in accelerating my disease. I had no problems until a big stress situation seemed to tip me into growing a stricture in my small bowel.

D Bergy

I too tend to liquid-it when I do something stupid and feel a twinge or two (usually if I eat a bunch of veges or wolf down pizza). I like to drink Ensure clones and find it tends to do great for me. That and jello pudding for treats. Jello does have milk, but once you cook it, it's safe. Cheers to the UK! And welcome to Vicky.

The diet i have is called 'Elemental 028 Extra' and is made by SHS company. They come inn 250ml cartons and there are a range of flavours, however i can only tolerate the one, and thats orange and pinapple. I have to have 9 a day, i think it goes on the severity of your condition and your hight and weight and all that! Their known as a 'no residue' diet, therefore your body should absorb most of it (however i still go to the loo about 3 times a day at least - so i dont know what that means!) When your on them your not allowed ANYTHING to eat, its pretty much a 'all or nothing' situation. You are allowed water (obv!lol) and i think balck tea with no suger or black decafinated coffe, but i dont like eaither! I'm permitted to have foxes glacier mints, im not sure why, but they help! Especially as if i drink one too quickly i tend to get bad breath, i think its because its high in protein. Their completely nutritionally complete, so when im on them i couldnt ask for a better diet, which i think helps with healing and feeling better and everything.
To be honest they were a god send for me, a treatment that worked, with practically no side effects. However (and im sure most people will agree) its difficult, but if you can persevere WELL worth it!
Hope that was of some help, if you've got anymore Q's feel free to ask, i see my self as a bit of a elemental veteran! lol! Hope everything goes ok! Cheers for the support, Unis not too bad at the mo, but it has been in the past which i think what brought my flare up on, but im coping!
Vicky!
XXX

Hi Vicky and welcome to the forum, we're not too far away from each other as I'm in Yorkshire. Glad to hear things have worked where the elemental diet is concerned. I never actually got to try it as my fistulae were just excrutiating and they had caused a lot of damage so I went straight for surgery after suffering for a good 18 months, I obviously like you also suffered with fistulizing perianal disease, and the abcesses but for the last 9 months I have had a stoma. My fistulae have totally healed now (thank god), I'm just waiting for the reversal op now. Hope the diet helps again this time, keep us posted.


Ruth

Thanks Vicky,

I wonder if the "elemental diet" is a treatment unique to your country or Europe in general. I have never come across it before. Hope it helps heal you up.

D Bergy

I live in Yorkshire originally! Im from Altofts which is near Wakefield! X

Hi Vicky!
Just popping in to say welcome to the forum!

I'm sure you will gather a lot of information here
and perhaps make a few Crohnie friends as well.

Once again, welcome!
Hugs~Nancy

aw, a fellow yorkshire lass, what a surprise. Seems weird chatting to you on here when we were originally less than half an hour away lol

How's Lincolnshire treating you?

Like the name by the way


Ruth

Welcome to the forum Vicky,

Isn't it funny that you and Ruth had to come onto the internet to find IBD sufferers who lived so close to each other?

Yeah thats exactly what I thought Mike. Thing is, noone gives out info on other people with crohns and very few people go to the local support groups. Its a difficult situation.


Ruth

Hi and welcome to the forum Vicky