More Invaluable Information From Crohnee Terri…

I got some more information from Terri, more specially about the diet and exercise. Terri follows The Makers Diet so I thought it would be very beneficial to publish here:

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I will go into some specifics about the diet and medication that has allowed me to gain thirty pounds in the past 3 months, which is mostly muscle.

Medicine and Excerise:

Note: We are not doctors, the following is only what this patient is taking - NOT what you should take. Take no medication and make NO changes in your diet and exercise without consulting your physician first.

Currently, I am taking Azasan (75 mg). 1 1/2 tabs a day.
Also I am on some Potassium (10 meq cr tab) daily.
I am also taking Cymbalta ( 60 mg) daily.

The strong over-the-counter vitamins upset my stomach and make me sick so I take the flintstones children’s vitamins everyday.

Intitial treatment of Remicade was November - I am now taking a treatment every 8 wks.

On an added note, during my 4 months in the hospital, my doctor prescribed many different nutrients and I was also taking liquid nutrition. I know that one of the antibotics CIPRO 500 MG TABS was my main antibiotic and the one I took for a short time at home, but I am now no longer on it, or any antibiotic.

Exercise:

Sofa arobics - I have a physical therapy background, I work in that department for 3 years so I knew the importance of the range of motion exercise.

In order to develope muscle, to put it simply I had NO muscle upon leaving the hospital. At the lowest point when my Crohn’s was raging, I was at 61 lbs. I was mal-nurished, and very weak. I was able to eat solid food, my doctors had me on a very bland diet.

I really believe at that point a combination of the remicade and the antibiotic and the sheer stubborn will to live with a lot of prayer is the only reason things turned around and I am here to tell my story.

Upon going home I could not walk without aid of a walker. I was so weak, and I had no muscles left from the last raging bout of Crohn’s.

I was at 70 pounds, and I decided to start exercising slowly by sitting on the couch and moving my feet up and down by repetitions of 5, and increased in number as I got stronger. I am still using this to this day.

Marching in place while in a sitting position was another exercise that I used. And as I got stronger I included walking and sitting on the couch doing leg lifts. I still use all these exercise today. I also used a weighted bag (purse) to work my arm and back muscles by lifting the bag in repetitions. This is the main safe exercises I use and would consider to use at this stage. Always ask your doctor before doing any exercise.

Nutrition

Foods that agree with me and that promoted weight gain in my case;

Beef - steaks cooked done is my favorite pretty much any kind of beef, keep fried beef to a minimum.

Whole grain breads - sliced, english muffins, bagels, french bread

Dairy - Yogurt ( I love the activia yogurt which is pro-biotic and mentioned in the makers diet- more on that later) Sour cream

Cream cheese ( plain only) in small amounts, regular cheese (real only) in small amounts (6 ounces per serving) daily
REAL BUTTER - NO MARGERINE!!!!!!

Cottage cheese
Chicken(baked)
Turkey (baked)
Good Vegatables - Broccolli( small amounts, never raw) Green beans, Baked potatoes, Mashed Potatos with real butter, White beans or navy beans

I mainly drink sprite if I drink carbonated, of all the juices apple juice was good and easy on my stomach.

Snack foods

Granola bars ( Terri’s snack = crumble one granola bar over yogurt with 2 teaspoons of honey on top = really agrees with stomach )

Baked Chips (bugles, once a week or so)

Italian Gelato ( Intalian Ice dairy free)

Omelets w/ cheese is a good snack

Fresh salads are also good

Although it is not recommended, I drink around 3 cups of coffee a day (sweeted with sugar and non-dairy creamer)

Foods that I avoid at all costs:

Pork
Shell fish ( I have eaten it once in the past three months)
Fish without scales ( catfish etc.)

No Milk of any kind
Ice Cream
Soy of any kind
White bread
Hot or spicy foods or flakes that adds “heat” to foods
black pepper
I only eat tomatoes and tomato sauces in small quantities
Cranberry juice
Orange juice (indigestion city)

This is the main list of my daily “do and don’ts”. I will send more info as I find out through experiment.

Every morning I wake up and tell myself “I am not sick” also “I am going to get better and gain weight today.”
I would also suggest sitting outside or at least by the window and take in some sun for at least thirty minutes.

The sun has healing powers, and it makes me feel better. I listen to uplifting music. I try to find things that are humorous, on tv, talking to friends, anything to keep a positive and feel good “vibe”.

Surround yourself with positive people. You want everyone around to tell you are doing better, even if you aren’t. This disease can go into remission, there is a older lady close to where I live who has lived with a disease a long time.

Your life and mine is not over, it is just a little different. I know I am going to beat this disease, I will conquer it. In one of my favorite movies, one man is talking to another and says “All I want is a normal life”. The other man’s response is “there is no normal life, only life. Go and live it to the hilt.”

Terri

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Thank you so much Terri - you have no idea how much that helped!

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2 April 2006 | Personal, Crohn's Diet, Crohn's Treatments | Comments