Went in for an iron infusion today and was thrilled to get my lab results. My CBC, iron stores, ferritin, B12 were all NORMAL! Since I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at age 19 and my doctor began monitoring me, I have always been anemic or border-line anemic, depending on disease activity. After my botched surgeries a few years ago, despite ongoing iron infusions, I became critically anemic and had to have several blood transfusions just to get me back to a functional level again. The last transfusion I had was in January of this year, just a week before I decided to make the radical dietary changes I'd been resisting for so long.
Since then, the CBC numbers have been on a steady increase until they first hit the low end of normal after three months on the diet. Now, after six months the iron stores have caught up and my doctor is comfortable reducing my infusion schedule down to just once a month and then pending the outcome of that, down to just quarterly.
I really can't say for sure what the cause of the improvement has been, but I suspect that eliminating gluten along with all grains has been the key. I have been tested numerous times for celiac disease and every test came back negative, but I am following the advice of this doctor now and plan on keeping gluten strictly out of my life from now on.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Week 1 update
I am on day 6 and can not believe the improvement in my digestion so far! I'll keep the graphic description out of the blog, but lets just say that the gas factory is out of commission and I couldn't be happier.
The transition to a diary-free, legume-free, and nut-free diet was less difficult for me right now because I've been off grains already for 6 months. It has helped a great deal to have meals planned out... no wandering the kitchen feeling bad about all the things I can't eat. Instead I know I have delicious recipes awaiting me and a refrigerator stocked with fresh ingredients to make them.
That is not to say that I don't still miss the things I can't have. I polished off my jar of peanut butter right before starting, so at least I don't have that tempting me. But there is still some delicious Wisconsin cheese taunting me from the meat drawer and giving up coffee hit me a little harder than I expected. I had headaches and was very tired the first three days, but seem to be over that hump now.
I do miss the nut-based SCD treats a bit. I am longing for the texture and reward of a cookie or muffin... Somehow fruit just doesn't do it.
The transition to a diary-free, legume-free, and nut-free diet was less difficult for me right now because I've been off grains already for 6 months. It has helped a great deal to have meals planned out... no wandering the kitchen feeling bad about all the things I can't eat. Instead I know I have delicious recipes awaiting me and a refrigerator stocked with fresh ingredients to make them.
That is not to say that I don't still miss the things I can't have. I polished off my jar of peanut butter right before starting, so at least I don't have that tempting me. But there is still some delicious Wisconsin cheese taunting me from the meat drawer and giving up coffee hit me a little harder than I expected. I had headaches and was very tired the first three days, but seem to be over that hump now.
I do miss the nut-based SCD treats a bit. I am longing for the texture and reward of a cookie or muffin... Somehow fruit just doesn't do it.
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