B.R. asks from Columbus, OH on May 06, 2008
Recommendations for Supplements to Help Ulcerative Colitis
My 5 yr old has had ulcerative colitis for about a year now. I'd be interested to learn of what diet modifications and/or supplements anyone has used to prevent flares. The SCD would be difficult or impossible to implement for her since she can't have nuts or eggs. She also has eczema and food allergies, so I suspect a leaky gut is the root cause of her conditions. Would anyone recommend seeing a naturopath for UC?
She's currently taking an omega-3 supplement, probiotics (VSL#3 and Florastor), folic acid, L-glutamine, a multivitamin, and asacol as maintenance medication. When she's been bleeding, we give her a ferrochel supplement.
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J.A. answers from Cincinnati on May 09, 2008
A colleague of mine suffers from UC. Here is his regimin:
1. First thing in the morning: 2 caps OPC-3, 1 cap Maximum ORAC, 1 cap Vitamin C and 1 cap MultiTech in 10oz of water.
2. After 30 minutes with breakfast: 2 scoops of Complete Greens, 2 caps of Digestive Enzymes and 2 caps of Vitamin B-12 in 8oz of water.
3. At lunch: 2 scoops of Complete Greens, 2 caps of Digestive Enzymes and 2 caps of Vitamin B-12 in 8oz of water.
4. Around 4 PM: 2 caps of OPC-3, 1 cap Maximum ORAC, 1 cap Isochrome and 1 cap Calcium Plus in 10oz of water.
5. At dinner: 2 caps of Digestive Enzymes with 4oz of water.
6. Just before retiring for the evening: 2 to 4oz of Aloe.
In less than two weeks at taking the above regimen of nutrients, symptoms from UC diminished to the point where he began weaning himself off of prednisone (1 5MG tablet, 3 times/day) followed by the Asacol (3 400MG tablets, 3 times/day) 2 weeks later.
I have more detail about his situation if you care to read in more detail. Please send me an email to ____@____.com and I'll send the info directly to you. It's too much detail to list here. Also, more info on each of these products can be ____@____.com.
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D.G. answers from Columbus on May 07, 2008
Hi B.!
So sorry that you have a 5 yr old to suffer with ulcerative colitis, my heart goes out to you both! A very dear friend of mine, who is also a Physician Assistant suffered for about 5 years and basically lived on meat, only a few veggies and medication (none of which helped) until a mutual friend told her about USANA Health Sciences. Within one week of taking the high quality nutritionals, she no longer suffered. She has been taking them for over a year and a half without a flare up, most importantly, she's able to eat a normal, balanced diet again!
So, B., I can't stress this enough, but I encourage you to do your research on how these products may help your daughter have a good quality of life. Dr. Ray Strand is a specialist in nutritional medicine and his website is www.bionutrition.org. The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements by Lyle MacWilliam is another resource...Third party study that ranks over 1500 name brand supplements! Who's has at the top? You guessed it, USANA...even for the children's supplements!
Feel free to send me a message should you have any other questions!
Blessings,
D.
K.D. answers from Cleveland on May 07, 2008
I have ulcerative colitis. I take Lialda as my maintenance medication and I have not had any side effects at all. I find that I need to steer clear of dairy. That is really the only food that irritates it. I switched to soy milk and soy cheese. Every once in a while I will have real cheese, but only as a treat. That is the only food modification that my doctor suggested and it has worked wonders. Good luck!
D.R. answers from Fort Wayne on May 09, 2008
anyone with bowel problems should eliminate all gluten and dairy--gluten is especally a big problem for so many people.
M.R. answers from Columbus on May 07, 2008
There is a book called Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet by Elaine Gloria Gottschall. She talks of different supplements and also different receipes that could be very helpful. She also had a young child that was discussed with UC...she followed this specific diet with her child and it worked well. I too have followed some of her suggestions and they have worked well for me as well. I was discussed with UC as an adult and was looking for anything that would help this book gave me some really good ideas and some great tips.
Good luck.
K.E. answers from Columbus on May 07, 2008
B.,
I'm very intrigued by your post because my 8 year old daughter was thought to have ulcerative colitis, now they're not sure. In March they did a colonoscopy/endoscopy and found that the lower portion of her colon was ver inflammed. However, when the pathology report came back it was inconclusive. She's been on Asacol since then and has had no more incidence of bleeding or mucus in her bowels. What intrigues me even more is that my daughter also has a ton of food allergies. At about 3 weeks old we realized that she was allergic to milk and then at one found out that she was allergic to eggs, wheat, soy, milk, and peanuts along with several others. Since she began having the bowel problems I've wondered if there was a connection between that and her allergies. In June she goes off of the Asacol, so we'll see how everything goes after that. She's been seen by a GI doctor at Children's Hospital.
D.C. answers from Evansville on May 07, 2008
Im sorry your child is going through all of this. I would definitly recommend increasing her fiber intake. Also, I recommend you trying renew lotion. This product is great for eczema. My niece has this as well, and I have applied it to her skin and it helped clear it up really well. I get this product from an Online discount store. Let me know if you would like more information on this. I would love to help your precious child. My youngest is 6, so I can relate when your child is ill or irritated by something. As a mother we want to do anything and everything to help our little ones.
God Bless.
D.
S.W. answers from Toledo on May 07, 2008
B.
My name is S. and I am a Shaklee Distributor. We have had remarkable results with our probiotic system in the area of colitis and other digestive issues. We have been proven to be the best on the market. If you are interested in more info please go to my website and click on healthy you and follow whwere you need to go. www.livingwithsolutions.com I think if you are serious about getting help we are probably the only company on the market that can give you relief naturally. Please research for youself. Good Luck S.
B.S. answers from Dayton on May 31, 2008
I had ulceritive colitis for 40 + years. Nothing helped. I spent weeks of my life getting blood transfusions and when I was pregnant spent the last month in the hospital.
For years I had a friend who told me about Dr. Van Merkle -I listened, smiled and said ok, but never persued it. In a business setting on my way for yet another transfusion, I met Dr. Merkle. I decided to try his plan and not go into the hospital - my physician was horrified. But within i month I stopped bleeding for the first time since I was 9 years old. In addition, I developed epilepsy at 40 and the supplements helped the seizures also.
Please understand, I am a degreed RN, have worked in hospital operating rooms for years and am not easily convinced of anything outside the realm of "traditional medicine". However, the program Dr. Merkle put me on has had lasting effects. I feel like everyone who does not have colitis feels - for the first time in my life. I am not facing a colostmy because of the toll on my lower intestine, my colonoscopy was perfect and I feel like no matter what health issues I may face in the coming years I will not have to face transfusions before anything else.
Please call Dr. Merkle or go to his website. Your child does not have to live with UC and all the problems you have not experienced yet.
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