My Health Journey (This Year In Review)

For those of you who have been asking and praying over this past year...
For those of you who are on a similar journey, yourself...
For those of you who have a loved one with UC/IBD...
For those of you who are interested...

I've had UC for 4+ years now.  This last year, I went full-throttle into a flare that I couldn't manage to get myself out of.  This flare started way back in March (see When Am I Brave?) and we are still working on it now.  Here are the main steps I took along this journey of healing.

1. In April, I decided to seek help with an Occupational Therapist, who also has UC and subscribes, herself, to SCD.  At this point, my conditions were as follows: ~11 bowel movements/day, Bristol Stool #3-#7 with cramping, blood, mucus, night awakenings, and abdominal pain.  Immediately, we decided to take a week of elimination of cruciferous and FODMAP vegetables, almond butter, cheese, and SCD cow yogurt, as well as the addition of zucchini, spinach, kale, peas, fish, and broth.  After one day, I had immediate results with this game plan (decrease of BMs).  During this time, I started logging everything I ate and all symptoms on an online program (I'm now on day 191; not counting my days in France).
2. In May, we began looking at expanding FODMAP vegetables, looking at options for how I would survive in France, and looking at getting a consult for a SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) test.  We worked on getting rid of urgency/cramping by grounding all meats/fish (in a food processor) and taking-out all spices besides salt.  I was able to meet with the Naturopathic Doctor at the same practice who was able to order a SIBO kit for me, as well as many more tests to get to the bottom of the issue.  Mid-May I was able to take the SIBO test and many others.  At this point, all I was able to eat was meat (ground beef/chicken/fish) and spinach.
3. At the beginning of June, I was able to get results for all of the tests we had taken.  The SIBO test showed that I was a "methane producer" and not true SIBO.  The stool tests didn't show that I had C-diff/other diseases and the adrenal tests were fine, as well.  The food panel allergy test helped us in focusing on what foods I have huge reactions to (big ones being: banana, pineapple, chicken eggs, almonds).  We decided not to work on SIBO until I returned back from France, as we couldn't foresee how I would react to the treatment.  We also added in some good supplements and digestive enzymes to help my body.  You can see how I traveled in France (eating only meats/fish, spinach and sometimes butternut squash), by clicking: Travel Gear for France Trip #2.  At this time, I was continuing to lose weight and my cycle was gone but I was down to around 4 BMs and a lot of the bloating/blood/mucous was gone.  My body was weak but I was able to travel.
4. As soon as I returned from France, in July, I began with the SIBO treatment.  I was so very glad I didn't travel with the treatment, as the treatment caused tons of new and old symptoms for the first week, especially.  I also began eating every 3 1/2 hours to make sure that I was getting as much food as possible and also to follow the Low FODMAP's diet.  Unfortunately, the SIBO treatment wasn't the ticket in, as I still had symptoms following the treatment.  The follow-up supplements and herbal remedies to the treatment weren't positive for me, either, as I reacted to most of them.  Although, it takes some people a month or two to see results, we didn't see that being true for me.
5. At the beginning of August, after being in Québec, we came to a group decision that I would need to start on some steroids.  Although, the natural approach was at the forefront of all of our minds and philosophy, I had lost 20 pounds and we were at the point where I was at a high deficiency of nutrients and more in the 'red zone' of increasing other issues.  Consequently, we began with the steroid in order to build my strength and well-being, increase my nutritional status, and getting more pounds on me.  The first week, for the first time in my life I actually went to the other side of the pendulum and had constipation! After that week, though, my UC symptoms improved, along with the bloating and stomach discomfort.  We then began some hormonal therapies and took more tests (including SIBO and stool tests) to check what progress we had made in either in the last couple of months.
6. In the beginning of September, my menstrual cycle returned! We also came up with a master plan for me to start tapering-off of the steroid while wanting to get weight on.  Thus, my ND and OT created a plan that would last 3 weeks if everything went well (while trialing new food/supplements.  Unfortunantly, about half-way through, my body reacted to one of the supplements and so we had to put a hold to everything (including the tapering) and go back to SCD basics (epsom salt baths, extra rest, good bone broth, simple foods, activated charcoal, lots of water, etc).  
7. By the beginning of October, I was able to cut my steroids almost to half and we elimitated coconut butter due to added bloating/stomach discomfort.  By the end of October, though, most of my symptoms had disappeared and I was able to expand on a lot of my well-cooked vegetables.  As we tapered, I began IV's every two weeks for added vitamins and nutrients (to keep my body strong).  Also, about every two weeks I was gaining a pound or two!
8. In November we were able to get down to the very last part of the steroid, where we are holding for a while as we let my body adjust and even out.  My stool and blood tests came out very positive, not even showing IBD tendencies in the stool test!
9. Now, we are in December and my weight is back and my symptoms are gone.  We are putting a hold on the next IV until late January to see how I do.  We are tapering off of the hormone therapy, holding at the steroid dosage, and continuing to expand my food choices.  I'm only at 1 fruit (blueberry) but my vegetable options have increased even more than prior to this flare!

Along with that overview, of course, came many office visits, even more emails, constant online updates, numerous foods/supplements tested/made and then not used, and tests being drawn, dropped-off, etc.  My next couple of visits will be evaluation time and seeing what we have learned about my body through all of this and where to progress from here on out.  Since we couldn't pin-point a specific bacterial infection/disease, we obviously have less answers to the equation.

Thank you to all of you who have inquired, prayed and wondered.  If my story can be of help to anyone you know, please pass the information on and feel free to have them contact me.  Living with an IBD isn't a walk in the park and we all need as much support as possible!  When it all boils down to it, life here on earth requires suffering..."suffering brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint " (Romans 5:3-5).

  ~Andréa