The Diagnosis

I meant what I'd said, if only for the second it took for the words to tumble out of my mouth. My life was no longer my own. I was simply surviving. My days and nights were made up of going to and from the bathroom, battled abdominal pain, and fighting with my waning appetite and weight. But my lack of energy meant I'd barely left my house in months and more than once I had wondered what the purpose of my life had become. But after verbalizing this thought - to have my life end - I felt scared and knew that I had to get control over my health rather than letting it control me.

On the IBD Sucks! web site I had read about something called an elimination diet. I did some research and found the book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall which not only outlined how you embark on this diet but also gave recipes to help you learn how to cook without wheat, gluten, and dairy. The diet was very strict and took a lot of devotion and determination on my part. But after following the diet for four months I had identified the foods and beverages that caused me problems. Keeping a meticulous food diary had also helped me to realize which foods triggered which symptoms. Preservatives, caffeine, red meat, citrus fruits, melons, raw veggies, alcohol, lettuce, and cow's milk are among the many foods I have forever eliminated from my diet. I knew that most of the authorities on IBD didn't believe that diet affected the symptoms, either positively or negatively, but as I eliminated these trigger foods from my diet I was able to eat more and to begin to feel better. I even gained a few pounds as well as a little more energy. I knew that my work toward a healthier me had only just begun but at least I was spending less time off the couch and out of the bathroom.

[You can read about my whole experience with the elimination diet in my book, Living with IBD & IBS: A Personal Journey of Success. www.ibdandibs.com]