Hi,
I really need some help. I have Crohns disease and have a vaginal fistula. I am currently on salofalk (mesasalazine) and Imuran (Docs want to put me on flagyl and infliximab). The medication is no longer holding me and I can feel my body is deteriorating greatly. I have been breast feeding my daughter for 2yrs now and i think this has taken a lot out of me, i am currently in the processing of weaning her.
I really want to start the elemental diet, but I cannot afford to get the absorb plus shakes as I live in Australia and the cost is about ten times (no exaggertion) more than making up my own. I have already sourced the ingredients I need. The problem is, I cannot stand the taste. I have tried flavouring the shakes with powdered flavours and i think they taste worse.
I know for the sake of getting better i should be alble to put this aside, but i cannot get through a whole shake without starting to vomit.
I want to give myself the best chance of sticking to the diet 100%. I am only at the start and I am already forcing myself to keep them down. I have set myself to stay on the diet for at least 2 months if possible 3 months (my doctor told me fistulas can be very hard to heal). I don't know what else to do, if i can't tolerate them now how am I going to last 2-3 months. I feel this is my only chance for getting better, but i know i won't last more than a week like this.
Are there any other options?
Is it possible that i could add banana or berries to the shakes and still achieve good results?
Do you have any suggestions on what i could do?
Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks
Amanda

Hi,
I am using the exact recipe jini gives in the IBD diet book for making your own.
So I am using..
Whey protein isolate
maltodextrin
multivitamin and minerals
L-Glutamine
Flax seed oil
and other supplements she recommends. I am mixing it with filtered water.
Apparently the maltodextrin is not completely elemental anyway. So if I am doing the WOO protocol (I haven't started yet) won't that take care of it?
I read somewhere on jini's blog that black bananas are predigested, would these be ok?
And what about using the organic unpasturized milk in the shakes?
If I use these would I still be giving my bowel a rest?
I've been holding off starting the WOO because it says not to use while breatfeeding. Do you know the reasons for this? Would it be ok to start now with my current meds?
Thank you for your help, it's much appreciated!
Amanda

Hi, Amanda.

Yes, I am aware of two other people who've used raw milk in Absorb Plus shakes (rather than water) with good results. I don't see why you couldn't try that with the shakes you're using....perhaps it would improve the taste.

You could also try a banana that you'd allowed to ripen to fully black, rather than the maltodextrin. It won't be as elemental (pre-digested) as Absorb Plus, but if it allows you to keep the nourishment down, I think that definitely has to be factored into account. It would certainly be allowing your gut a level of rest that it won't be able to get from regular, solid food - so I'm in favor of at least trying it to see how your body reacts.

Also, be sure to include the bone-based broths that are recommended in Listen to Your Gut. They'll give you another taste to look forward to and the gelatin in the broth is very healing and soothing.

Here are a couple of other possible resources. Someone had posted a question saying that there was no way they could afford Absorb Plus and was there anything else Jini could recommend? You can read Jini's reply at:

post1325.html#p1325

Jini also developed a new protocol using raw milk as the basis for an elemental diet. You can read about the history of it and how to do that, if you're interested, in Issue #4 of Jini's infoletter, Good Health is Real Wealth. You can find that at:

http://www.holistichealthshoppe.com/ast ... ?id=51#203

Jini has also published an article that includes a protocol that may be of interest to you (for healing fistuals) in the latest edition of Good Health is Real Wealth, available at:

http://www.holistichealthshoppe.com/ast ... ?id=51#225

Finally, she also has a blog post about healing perianal abscesses and fistuals. That may possibly be of some help, as well, although you'd have to adapt the protocol for the location of your fistula:

http://www.listen2yourgut.com/blog/gut/ ... treatment/

Also do a search on the forum for hydrogen peroxide therapy for infection.

Jini's Wild Oregano Protocol will be beneficial, but I recommend starting cautiously. The fact that you have Crohn's Disease and a fistula in the first place indicate an imbalance in the gut flora....the fistual indicates outright infection. So that does need to be dealt with. On the other hand, with your health being so delicate right now, you don't want to throw yourself into a major Herxheimer (die-off) reaction. You can adjust the protocol to be taking much smaller dosages of both the oregano oil and the probiotics, keeping to the same or similar ratios, and build up at the rate that feels right to you to the full Phase One dosages. I'd start off that way, see how you do, and work on building up your strength with an elemental food source right now.

You don't mention if you already have Listen to Your Gut, but if you don't, I recommend getting that as a resource, as well. (There is a section on fistulas, as well as inflammation, ulceration and bleeding.)

Hope that helps!
Nicole

Thank you so much, that info has helped me alot! I will give those suggestions a try. I don't have LTYG yet, but I will get a copy as soon as I can!
Thanks Heaps
Amanda

I haven't started on the remission diet yet. I'm also in Australia and am still waiting for the book to ship.

So, you should check if you're allowed it, but I would try adding strawberry oil. I used to use this stuff to flavour hand-made chocolates and cakes. It's delicious and very very potent. A few drops would make your shake taste like strawberries. It's a natural product. It's literally oil from strawberries. It is clear- no added colours. You can find it at spotlight of all places in the cake decorating section.

I hope that helps.
Leanne

Hi Leanne,
Thanks so much for that info! I'm going to go get some today!
Amanda