Limited Diet Blues
My Crohn’s is mild, which means I can get away with a lot when it comes to my diet. But only for so long. The nausea and stomach pain get hard to deal with, and then I have to start avoiding wheat, cane sugar and dairy. When I go back on the anti-inflammatory diet, my tummy and the brain fog get better, but my mental health and fatigue get worse. It’s hard to stick to the diet long term. The cravings make my skin crawl, and I think about food all the time. If I allow myself a slice of birthday cake or pizza on a special occasion I end up binging on unhealthy food for days, sometimes weeks. And the cycle begins again. I’m tired of being on this rollercoaster. But what alternative do I have? I feel so alone. I don’t know how to deal. Is anyone else in this boat?
My heart goes out to you,
. What a challenging thing, to find the food that you need to avoid for IBD positively impacts your mental health and fatigue. I hope some of our community members here can connect with you. Dietary changes can really be tough, you're not alone! Do you also work with a dietician as part of your medical team? I'm wondering if they would be able to help you figure out a diet that worked for both the inflammation and your mental health. Also, I wanted to share an article with you about the impact of IBD on one's mental health, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/mental-health. Often when living with a chronic health condition, mental and emotional health gets looked over because of the focus on the physical symptoms. Please know that our community is here for you! Are you currently on a treatment in addition to dietary changes? Sending you gentle hugs. -- Warmly, Christine (Tema Member) Thank you so much for the reply Christine 🩷 I don’t have a medical team, I’ve got a new gastroenterologist who requested a colonoscopy because he’s not sure I was diagnosed properly but it will cost too much money… I’m not on medication because I’m afraid of the side effects… as well as the cost… but eating clean got me out of my first flare and keeps my inflammatory markers normal… when I don’t stick to the diet though I still deal with pain and extra gastrointestinal symptoms… thank you for sharing the article, it’s very helpful… I will definitely look into therapy, I think it’s the one thing my insurance will cover… maybe they can help with a dietician as well? Thank you so so much 🩷 you have been such an encouragement Christine 🩷
Hi
. I just want to chime in and let you know that you are not alone in struggling with the dietary restrictions and cravings. Jenna wrote about dealing with it here: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/nutrition/cravings (you may also want to check out the comments section at the bottom). Please know that this community is here for you. Best, Richard (Team Member) you're very welcome! We hear you on the cost (and complications) of medical procedure/treatment/insurance. The cost can be ridiculous and such a barrier for some people. You're definitely not alone. We do have this medical resource page, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/resources-cost, although I'm not sure if there's anything that would work for you or not.
It's good to hear you found a way to get out of your flare with the clean eating. Dietary changes can definitely make a difference for some people. Hopefully the article Richard shared can be helpful in knowing that you aren't alone!
Personally, I think therapy can be helpful (assuming one finds a therapist they are comfortable with). And, as you mention, they also might be able to help connect you with a dietician too. I know it's not the same, but when my oldest child was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition they strongly recommended therapy to help manage some of the mental and emotional toll of the change in health and lifestyle. Obviously it's not for everyone, but if you think it might be helpful (especially if insurance will cover it), it might be worth looking into.
Please don't hesitate to reach out here, anytime. Wishing you a gentle day! -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)
