I have discussed in the past, in pieces, my journey from denial to remission. I have learned a lot along the way and I am happy to share. Disclaimer: This is my personal experience with yeast, gluten, sugar and more, but everyone with UC responds to foods differently, so what works for me may be not help to you.

I was diagnosed with UC a few years ago (3,4,? - can't remember). Mild symptoms on and off for years, then a full blown flare. For a long time I blamed lactose, but eventually it was obvious my problems were way beyond lactose intolerance. After trying mesalamine - oral, suppositories and enemas- with no improvement, my doc put me on prednisone.

prednisone is a horrible drug, but works very fast, and with dramatic results in most cases. life while taking prednisone is challenging to say the least. I had the usual side effects: insomnia, irritability, difficulty concentrating, major mood swings, puffiness, etc etc etc. Fortunately, I was able to wean off it fairly quickly, but the side effects took about 6 months to fully reverse.

I also took Imuran for a few months. I became increasingly nauseated to the point where I would leave work to lay down in the car to try to let it pass. eventually it escalated where I was vomiting, violently, every 2 hours for days. Hospital, 26 nights over a period of 6 weeks, very very sick. adverse reactions to the anti-nausea & anti-emetic drugs. Clearly I am not someone who tolerates pharmaceuticals well. I lost 30 lb in 6 weeks. lost about 1/3 of my hair. all in all, not a fun time.

I became very scared of food. After being discharged, i was afraid to eat anything but fruits and veggies. As I tried adding foods I discovered that gluten was most likely part of my problem. By this point, my GI was starting to suggest Remicade and that was not something I wanted. A strict diet was my last option before stronger drugs.

I felt fantastic eating just fruit, veggies, eggs, nuts, fish and chicken (basically Paleo). I added a few non-gluten grains, and eventually some dairy. I can now eat anything that is gluten free, but corn and legumes are not good choices for me. My doc and I agree that going back on gluten for 2 weeks just so I can take the test for Celiac is not worth the pain, since it is very obvious gluten is not ok for me. We have agreed that I most likely have Celiac Disease as well as UC. Having both is not uncommon, but the Celiac disease is often not diagnosed for years after the UC diagnosis. This is why I am always suggesting people with IBD try going gluten free just to see if it helps.

I have been in remission for 2 years now. I have had some episodes of almost a flare but not a full flare, but by going back to a strict diet, and doubling up on probiotics, i have been able to ward flares off.

I was diagnosed with an allergy to Candida about 15 years ago. Being allergic to candida, I have increased inflammation when I have an overgrowth of yeast in my body. Keeping that under control with probiotics, low sugar and starch diet, and avoiding alcohol helps me feel better. symptoms of candida overgrowth overlap with UC and Celiac symptoms, so it was a challenge to identify that there was more than one problem happening.

the thing I am learning is that autoimmune diseases rarely travel alone. I have 3, my mom has 3 and my daughter had 2. Pretty much the same story in my husbands family. If you are new to the world of autoimmune diseases, consider the possibility of more than one disease causing problems, before assuming that the treatments you are trying are failing. In my case, the meds were likely helping the UC but the gluten I was still eating was causing me misery with Celiac symptoms that I was blaming on uncontrolled UC.

To recap, I was sick with UC for years before diagnosis. I was in denial that I had UC. I denial that wheat was hurting me. accepted the diagnosis. fought back with diet when meds failed. dietary restrictions are not as life altering as I anticipated. Feeling good! Remission for 2 years.

i hope this is helpful to someone. I know I can be a little preachy about gluten sometimes, but with Celiac Disease being so prevalent and under-diagnosed, I am always hoping people will try a gluten free diet before resorting to strong, expensive drugs with serious side effects. Gluten free diet is not the end of the world. There is life after bread. rice pasta is delicious.

Good luck and good health to you all! Stay hydrated, get your rest, make your doctor listen or get a new doc, and give yourself time to attend to your health!