I thought it would be interesting to share my struggles living with Ulcerative Colitis (an incurable disease) as an entrepreneur and the different ways I cope with it. Hopefully, it will give some inspiration to someone out there who is also fighting. Or provide some encouragement for those who think a disease might be holding them back.
“You can’t tell an entrepreneur he can no longer be one…”
A little about me
I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m a workaholic and was born an entrepreneur. And that has probably contributed to my health over the years. I’m a little OCD and very much a perfectionist. I’ve always believed if you’re going to do something, do it right. There’s never a time when I’m not thinking about my work; it’s just in my blood, and I can’t turn it off. Trust me; I wish I could.
Growing up, I never ate healthily and was the guy popping energy drinks all through college. I was always at my computer working on a website or the next big hustle to make more money online. I always said, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Little did I know how unhealthy that was and how I later might get really close to that.
One day everything changed
It all started back in May of 2014. I woke up one morning with slight stomach pain. I nodded it off and ignored it thinking I probably ate something wrong the night before. Little did I know at that time what was about to come. Over the next couple of months, I started having stomach pain that lasted 24/7.
June of 2014, I flew out to be the best man at my brother’s wedding. And while it was one of my proudest moments as a big brother, I also didn’t feel that good. I had a looming feeling that something was wrong.
By the middle of June, my stomach pain was constant, and it got to the point where I could no longer fall asleep because it was so bad. I’ll spare you from the messy details and will just say: my bowels were messed up.
By the end of June, I finally went in to see a doctor. He ran a blood test and diagnosed me with Celiac Disease (little did I know at the time this was the wrong diagnosis). I was shocked, to say the least. If you have Celiac Disease, it means your body can no longer tolerate any amount of gluten.
My doctor said to go gluten-free immediately, and I should be fine. I was not happy about this news, but I was in so much pain; I was still relieved that I might find some comfort at last. After lots of reading online, I got in my car and headed for Whole Foods. I figured out of any place this was going to be the place with the most gluten-free food.
Thankfully I only live less than a mile from one. To my surprise, there were many options, even though it might be slightly more expensive, there is almost an alternative for everything.
Over the next three weeks, I ate 100% gluten-free and still wasn’t feeling any better. If anything, I was in more pain than ever. So I headed back to my primary care doctor. He said the next step was to see a Gastroenterologist (GI).
I went to a GI, and he said I needed to have an endoscopy and colonoscopy immediately. A what now? I had never even heard of these before. Afterward, he explained that the endoscopy would be looking down my throat, and the colonoscopy would be; ya, you guessed it, looking up from the other end at my colon.
The endoscopy would confirm the Celiac Disease diagnosis, and the colonoscopy would see if there was anything wrong with my colon. He told me he could do both at once, so I would only have to be put under one time. Wow, suddenly this was getting scary! Put me under? Things just got real.
Thankfully a coworker of mine agreed to drive me to the appointment and wait there while I was put under. They don’t let you drive afterward.
Diagnosis
All the scoping went great, and after looking at my colon, he immediately diagnosed me with moderate Ulcerative Colitis and not Celiac Disease. Ulcerative Colitis is an autoimmune disease where the colon is no longer breaking down the nutrients it should, and it gets inflamed.
Basically, my colon is working against me. And then he said it; “there’s no cure.” Wait, what now? No cure? My thoughts were racing rapidly, and I didn’t even hear what he said after that. What was I supposed to do now? Just a few months ago, I was perfectly fine. Now I suddenly have an incurable disease and am waking up in the hospital.
I asked him how I got the disease, and unfortunately, since it is an autoimmune disease, there’s nothing that causes it. My dad has Psoriatic Arthritis, an autoimmune disease, and the chances of me getting something were always higher. I happened to be the lucky winner with Ulcerative Colitis.
Treatment
Over the next couple of months, I spent countless hours in doctor’s offices trying to find the right medicine to help my Ulcerative Colitis and juggling insurance issues. I got blood tests, vitamin deficiency tests; you name it. I feel like I have a permanent scar on my arm just from how many times I’ve given blood.
The doctors first put me on Lialda, and even with my BCBS insurance, I had to pay $750 per month out of pocket for a 30 day supply. I thought that was ridiculous! So much for the American healthcare system.
I’ve learned going through all of this that, unfortunately, you can’t trust doctors. You aren’t their family, and at the end of the day, you’re simply another appointment to them. When they go home at night, they aren’t thinking about your problems. Do your research!
A GI even told me to my face that “there’s so much we don’t yet know.” That’s scary for those of us dealing with health issues like these.
I decided there had to be something better out there. After searching on the web, there was a medication called Colazal, which was very similar to Lialda. The good news is that it only cost $10 a month after insurance. After telling my GI, I wanted to switch to this medicine; he agreed.
By November 2014, I finally got my stomach to a somewhat manageable condition, and I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Little did I know something else was coming.
2nd whammy
In late November, I started developing weird side effects such as excessive sweating, urination issues, etc. I tried going off my UC medicine to see if they were the cause, but no luck. It got so bad that I had to start working from home.
I tried many different things over the next couple of months: I went to see two different dermatologists and even visited the all-mighty Mayo Clinic. I tried the following medications: Dermidry, Oxybutynin, Propranolol, Robinul.
Speed forward to February 2015. I was still having to work from home and was experiencing the same symptoms, with no doctor having any idea of what was going on.
I decided to see a urologist, one of the only doctors I hadn’t seen yet. Upon examination, I turned out I had prostatitis. Basically, my prostate was inflamed. Finally, I had found what I hoped was an answer to the end of this! So he immediately put me on antibiotics for the next 12 weeks.
October 2015
By October 2015, I was finally able to get off all medication and antibiotics. This was all thanks to changes in my diet! After doing more research, I told my GI I would not be coming back.
June 2016
In June 2016, I hit the one year mark for being off all of my medications.
I’m now 100% gluten-free and exercise more than ever. With my newfound faith in God and my healthier lifestyle, I will conquer these illnesses. Eating gluten-free has significantly impacted my quality of life and allowed me to get off all my nasty Ulcerative Colitis medications.
April 2018
By 2018, I was still off of all of my medications. I even forced myself to take a trip overseas. Taking more fiber has helped a lot. I recommend Metamucil.
A big key to my success was sticking with a gluten-free diet for more than three months straight, without cheating. When I first tried, I only stuck with it for a couple of weeks, which wasn’t long enough. Remember, you have to give your colon time to heal. You can’t just wipe out 20+ years of bad eating habits overnight.
Read about all the tricks I have learned living with Ulcerative Colitis.
March 2020
As of March 2020, I’ve been off all of my medications for 4+ years thanks to my 100% gluten-free diet. I don’t ever cheat, and the temptation is no longer there.
I’m still trying to cut back on my caffeine intake, ☕ but that is a more challenging goal for me to conquer. I will get there!
Why me?
As an entrepreneur, my mind never turns off. Dealing with so many health problems does put a damper on your spirit. Even today, I still have good days and bad days. When I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, I was only 27 and asked God every day, “why is this happening to me?”
I have so many goals I still want to accomplish in life. I look around me and see other entrepreneurs hitting their goals. When I was going through the worst of it, it took everything I had to pull myself out of bed. Digestive issues completely drain your energy. Merely going to the grocery store was a big deal.
Faith
I would not have made it through all of this without my faith in Jesus Christ. Seriously there were some days I wish I could have just ended it all. Anyone that has suffered from chronic illnesses knows exactly what I’m talking about. There would be days where sometimes the only thing that got me through was hearing that one song on Air1 that I needed to hear.
I had to keep reminding myself that God is in control and that he still had a plan for me. Watch the movie “Miracles From Heaven,” trust me; it will help.
“Pain is a holy angel which shows treasure to man which otherwise remains forever hidden.” Adalbert Stifter
Support
I’m very fortunate and blessed to have a loving support group of friends, coworkers, and family. I wouldn’t have made it without my parents. Even though they live in a different state, they were with me every step of the way (in spirit and on the phone).
My Mom emailed me the following video from Casting Crowns one morning, and it was just what I needed. I’ll never forget everything my parents have done for me.
I also recommend anyone who is struggling with health issues to take advantage of online support groups. Here are two great ones for people struggling with Ulcerative Colitis:
I’ve learned more in the above support groups than anywhere else. Chatting with other people who know exactly how you feel and have experienced what you are going through is sometimes what you need to get you through the day.
Tip: If you can get to a place of remission, I’ve found that it’s sometimes healthier to stop visiting these groups. Sometimes dwelling on all the negativity can make things worse. It depends on the type of personality you have and how you cope with things.
Once I got to a good place, it was better to focus my energy on other things in life. For some, it can be rewarding to help others regularly in Facebook groups. I choose to do that by sharing my experiences on this website.
Accomplishments despite my chronic illness
I’ve been working from home since 2015, and that definitely has helped me keep my condition under control. Despite everything I went through, I’ve accomplished so many things.
- I worked as the CMO at Kinsta for 3+ years.
- I started a company, forgemedia LLC, with my brother. We now work on this full-time together.
- Even with all the medical bills, I managed to pay off all my student loan debt and am happy to be living life completely debt-free.
- My marketing blog has generated more growth than I ever thought possible.
You can read more about my bio and accomplishments on my website: brianleejackson.com.
Summary
I’m not done yet in life. I will conquer these illnesses, and I will still check off the goals I want to accomplish. I will not let anything deter me from that, not even living with Ulcerative Colitis. In fact, I think being an entrepreneur is some days the thing that kept me going through all of this.
One of my new goals is to help support and give back to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation (http://www.ccfa.org/). This is an incredible non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for the 3.1 million who have Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis, and IBD.
Don’t let anything hold you back from accomplishing what you want to achieve in life! Are you currently living with a chronic illness? I would love to hear your story below.
I too am medicine-free after being gluten free for over 3 years. The doctors all said that diet has no effect on symptoms, but after doing research on wheat’s link with systemic inflammation, I decided to give it a try. The difference is like night and day. Whenever I cheat and eat something with gluten, I know I’m going to have problems with controlling my symptoms. I also lost nearly 35 pounds which has helped with my energy and fatigue. I’m training for my third half marathon in March. Very happy to hear about your improvement in symptoms and faith in God :)
That’s awesome! Congrats. Ya I don’t trust gastro docs anymore, I tend to go by what my body is telling me.
Haha, I used to cheat but haven’t now in months. Just isn’t worth it lol. As you always wake up regretting it. I have found gluten-free treats to get me through the days I want to cheat.
That is awesome to hear about your marathon! And yes, without my faith in God and family support (even though it was remote) I don’t know if I would have made it through.
Make sure to check out my other post about gastro docs, that you might enjoy! :) https://nogluten.com/food-matters/
I was diagnosed 25 years ago with Crohn’s Disease a mere 3 weeks before my colon ruptured. I won’t go into all the details but to say I literally almost died. After my resection, I came down with an intra-abdominal abscess that again almost killed me! I remember telling my husband that this disease will not defeat me. However, now 25 years later, there have certainly been days that I didn’t want to see another one. Like you, only my faith in Yeshua has pulled me through the dark days. This disease has certainly caused me to long for my eternal home where Yahweh Himself will “wipe away my tears. There will be no more pain, nor sorrow, nor dying.” Rev 21:4 That being said, watching what I eat has helped my GI symptoms, but I have actually had much more trouble with extra-manifestations of CD such as fistulas, cellulits, lymphedema, pneumonia from the biologics, chronic kidney disease, etc. Right now my legs are hot, red and swollen from lymphedema. I start therapy on Tuesday which is quite daunting to say the least. (Google it, life-long effects) Weird how some things really help one person and not the other. I’m glad that gluten-free has helped you . . . not me so much as I said before. Praying that one day here on this Earth, IBD will be no more! Blessings, Lori
Thanks for your comment! Sorry to hear about your struggles. Life definitely hasn’t given either of us the easy route. Ya, I wish dieting and my tricks worked for everyone, but unfortunately with these diseases everybody’s bodies are different and respond differently.
Stay strong and never give up. God Bless!
Hi Brian, your story was very interesting. I have been diagnosed with Celiac, microscopical colitis and inflammatory bile disease. After 25 years of being told I had IBS, I’m glad to know what it truly is but it is overwhelming. The doctor gave me lialda and told me that I would have to take it threat of my life because of the colitis. How were you able to quit all medications? I am on a gluten free diet but still learning about it. Thanks
Thanks for sharing your story.
No problem, I hope your son can connect with something in my story.
I have been gluten free for almost two months now and it is a new lease on life! Who knew that my daily struggles and suffering with gas, heartburn so bad I would often vomit, gas pains, belching (my goodness, how attractive) regurgitation, and even some gallbladder pain would completely disappear when I quit the wheat. Unbelievable! I feel amazing and quite frankly I haven’t cheated because it’s not worth it! Glad to hear you are doing great on no gluten too!
That is awesome to hear Kelly! Likewise, going gluten-free literally saved my life. And like you said, it can cause so many different problems that just suddenly clear up once you get it out of your system. I wish you the best of luck on your new journey!
These were exactly my symptoms before going gluten-free. Changed my life forever. I have now been gluten-free for right at a year. Best decision ever.
Glad to hear it Amanda! Going gluten-free was definitely life-changing for me.
People should take proper sleep and avoid overnight works on computer to avoid this kind of problems. Taking food at bad times results to this disease.
Hey Jason I agree that these can help contribute or trigger the diseases, especially stress. However, Ulcerative Colitis is an auto-immune disease which means it is unfortunately passed down through genes, the same goes with Celiac Disease. I definitely urge everyone though to take your advice and not eat late at night and get proper sleep.
What a great read and I’m glad to see someone kicking it! This hits home for me since my brother died from UC and celiac (39yearsold) and wrong diagnosis being on meds and remiciad for 15 years. I’m glad to see someone put up a good fight for your health. I too am a warrior 7 open heart surgeries, multiple auto immune disorders and refusal of a transplant I’m still here thank you Jesus! You’re right miracles are REAL and happen everyday as we are living proof! I’d love to feature you on our show…
Hey Dana!
So sorry to hear about your brother and wrong diagnosis. Sounds like you are a fighter :)
Yes, I strongly believe that diet and health are a big part of being able to kick UC. Over three years later and I’m still off of all my meds and going strong.
Hey Brian,
I know this is an old article but I really want to share my current miracle in hopes that it helps you as well as it helped me.
My onset was quite similar to years though many years earlier. I started to get very sick at 14. I was an A student with a bright future ahead of me, but all of a sudden it progressed from simple bowel pain to fatigue and vitamins defiencies.
The doctors couldn’t figure out what’s wrong with me, and like you said, they aren’t your family. Fortunately, my aunt suggested going gluten free and in 2 days my life turned around. I still had some symptoms but I could actually be healthy enough to go off to college which I did (BS in Chemistry May 2017!!)
In 2016, I ended up having to go to the ER twice and I was told it’s likely I kept having “food pockets” in my colon. Realistically, I’m sure I have to go see a gastroenterologist this year and will probably get an additional diagnosis on top of celiac disease.
Combined with that, I was dealing with out of control anxiety and depression as well as body pains that I now think were fibromyalgia symptoms.
I decided to try out hemp oil and get my medicinal marijuana card where it’s legal in Florida.
I had taken a few drops of the oil sublingually before my 3 hour grad class, and when I was walking out I realized almost immediately something was different. The constant body pain was gone. I felt “good” for the first time in months, and I felt 100% functional, more than when I take 250mg of Tylenol.
When I ate that day, it was painless for the first time in years. I feel like I keep getting better everyday and I would urge you to spend the $50 or so on some hemp oil and see if it changes your life.
Btw, make sure you do it sublingually to bypass our problematic GI tract. Good luck!!
Wow, thanks for sharing your story Caleb! It’s crazy the journeys some of us have been on.
I’m actually doing good right now. For me, Metamucil helped a lot! https://nogluten.com/metamucil-review/ I think for some of us, our fiber ratios get totally messed up.
I’ll definitely keep Hemp oil in mind for the future.
I have suffered so bad for so long I don’t even know what is normal anymore. I have seen every kind of doctor I could think of and been through the most horrific and painful tests for 15 yrs. Every doctor has his own idea as to what’s wrong with my stomach and colon. I had to have most of my colon removed due to severe diverticulitis and while in the hospital I got a bad staff infection and had nothing left within to fight it anymore. I’m tired all the time, hurt so bad I can’t stand to be touched and live in my bathtub soaking in water as hot as I can stand to deal with the pain. I have to work and sitting in a rickety computer chair for 8 hours 5 days a week means I am in bed the other two days dealing with the pain and so exhausted its all I can do. Now I am gluten intolerant… that’s the 8th confirmed medical diagnosis. And it all started with e-coli and eating contaminated beef at a Taco Bell.
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease about a year ago now and it definitely is no fun. I was also on Cimzia injections most of the year, taking 2 injections once a month. I will tell you I have NEVER been so depressed in my life. I gained 30 lbs and thought about dying almost everyday. And you are so right the doctors couldn’t care less they just want to diagnose and pump you full of drugs. I couldn’t take it anymore and stopped taking Cimzia and now I am taking a aronia berry juice concentrate twice a day instead and I feel better then ever. For sure talk to your doctor before getting off any medicine, but I would look into the juice just adding to whatever you are already doing. It is an anti inflammatory and is by a company called Life brook. I am not being paid to post this. I was just reading all of your struggles and had to share my experience. Seriously life changing. Thanks for listening and good luck!
Sorry to hear that Courtney. Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis are definitely nasty diseases. Glad you are doing better with juicing.
Hello everyone,
About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease after asking my doctor to test me for it. I asked, because every time I ate something, I would have explosive, painful bouts of diarrhea (which later in life, turned to chronic constipation). After the confirmed diagnosis, I adapted to the gluten free diet, which helped a lot. The horrible joint pains, that I was feeling in my knees and other places, went away (thank God). Even the muscle pain stopped. I was able to eat without having stomach upset; however, the constipation did not go away.
I tried Metamucil and other fiber supplements with no effective results. The only thing that, temporarily, relieves my constipation is Fleet Enema. I have been using enemas for the past 10 years, on a somewhat daily basis. I know that this is not good but I have no choice, at the moment.
As of now, my health consist of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and hyperthyroidism. I am 50 years old and I have been taking medicine for my thyroid issue for over 10 years. The blood pressure and cholesterol issue is within the last 2-3 years. The numbers are slowly getting higher and higher each year. My primary doctor wants to prescribe medication for the cholesterol but I said, “no, I want to try a diet change such as increasing my vegetable intake and lowering my meat intake.” I don’t want to live on meds.
So, I tried a Vegan Diet, along with eating gluten free. On this diet, I noticed that I ate a lot of carbs (beans and rice, all kinds of tube vegetables, and everything that wasn’t meat, dairy or gluten). I noticed, that I felt more fatigue and my blood pressure went up more (oh my God, I prayed, what do I need to do?)
I continued to do research and ran into the Ketogenic Diet. I read that sometimes the body could be in an insulin resistant mode which could cause all kinds of autoimmune diseases, high blood pressure and cholesterol. Therefore, I decided to give this diet a try, along with staying on my gluten free diet (gluten free diet is not an option for me because my body just can’t tolerate it anymore).
For me, the Ketogenic Diet is harder than the Vegan Diet because, my body craves carbs so strongly. Sometimes, I feel like I rather die than to fight the cravings (so, I cheat instead ;). I hate myself when I cheat but I tell myself to keep trying until I’m able to stop cheating.
Currently, this is my practice for better health. I check my blood pressure daily and I noticed that when I stick to the Keto Diet, I have more energy and my blood pressure is normal and when I cheat with carbs, my blood pressure shoots up and I feel lethargic and brain fogged.
Sorry for the very long comment but I just wanted to share because I feel specially connected to you guys, like my brothers and sisters.
Wow, thanks for sharing your experience Juliane. Really sorry to hear about all the things you’ve had to go through. Glad that a Keto Diet is working for you. For me, going gluten-free got me 90% of the way there, and then I had to figure out the rest with tricks over time.
Everyone’s bodies are different, and it seems with autoimmune diseases that there is no easy answer. Wish you the best!
I feel your pain and I’m so sorry for your suffering! Beware of the constant enemas. Although I believe totally and cleansing of all types, anything not done in moderation can be a problem. I had a friend that got regular colonics and I totally believe it impacted her heart (with subsequent issues) and we lost her a few months ago and I can’t stop feeling that those regular (weekly) colonics factored into her demise. I do hope you are drinking what is considered (clean) adequate water everyday for your body weight, but not overdoing that either. Best to you!
I want to encourage those struggling with an autoimmune disease to give serious consideration to going gluten free. I have an autoimmune disease called Interstitial Cystitis (aka painful bladder syndrome). I was also suffering from reoccurring bacterial overgrowth and other gastrointestinal issues. I could have continued to treat my symptoms but instead I was ready to try something unconventional. I decided to go to a nutritionist, and she helped me with an elimination diet to heal my gut and calm my IC. The idea is to remove all possible irritants from your diet and see how the body reacts. Within a month I noticed a significant difference. Eureka! I was on the right track. It took many months to determine what I could tolerate and what I could not. I’m currently lactose free, gluten free, and avoid eating foods high in fodmaps. My autoimmune disease and gastrointestinal issues are controlled under the diet. I do not need to take medication to treat my incurable disease; I only need to stay faithful to my diet. I am so happy to be living a healthy symptom free life, I would never go back.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment Judy! I feel your pain and am so glad that like me, diet has helped change your life around.
Thank you so much for this article. My 4yr old son was diagnosed with UC a couple of months ago.. and I was told by his GI to give him Mesalamine everyday. It helped until his insurance maxed out the limit for the time period and he was out of pills for a couple of weeks. His stomach started hurting and stool now has blood again. He was able to start his meds again but he’s still complaining about the pain. My RN friend told me about gluten free diet for him and I will try this out. It will be difficult because I know he wants to have desserts and all that with his sister on special occasions. ahh!!! Thank you and God bless! God never said our lives would be easy and I am glad you have hope in Him through Jesus Christ.
Hey Crystal,
Sorry to hear about our son. A UC diagnosis is never an easy thing. I definitely recommend giving a gluten-free diet a try for at least a couple of months. Everyone’s bodies are different, but I’ve seen that it helps a lot of people. For me, it saved my life.
Even as an adult, it’s tough to give up all the everyday things we’re used to eating. I grew up on Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, etc. And suddenly, not being able to eat what I liked was hard and even depressing at times. However, I had to listen to what my body was telling me.
I’ve been gluten-free now for over six years and no longer have any temptations to eat gluten. Also, many stores like Sprouts, Fry’s, and even Wal-mart these days have gluten-free options. The same with fast food and restaurants. I find new tasty gluten-free products all the time.
I wish you and your son the best. The best thing to do is stay positive. It will get better. God Bless!
I’m crying typing this because of you don’t experience it you can’t understand.
Reading your words are identical to mine. Like I feel like life is over at 28. I’ve been off and on from work, funds are drying up and to be going through this during the pandemic is horrible. I’m a PT entrepreneur and I can barely work standing up without my chest feeling hot.
I can go a whole 24 hours with no food or drink and have the worst heartburn. I feel my stomach cramping and at times I feel as if something is moving in my intestines.
My PCP gave me referrals to GI but I was discouraged because I’m like they are going to run the same test on me and get NOTHING.
They can tell me anything. I’ve gotta a endoscopy back in 2018 ans he told me my esophagus gets inflamed for no reason. And told me I have acid reflux and put me on meds. It was 2-3 months on meds I did a big career change and got pregnant. So I never gave the meds time to see if long term it can help.
I need help I feel so depressed and lost. Im a 28 year female and I weight 98 pounds now. I eat healthy and I consume things considered no healthy in moderations like meat. I’ve lost 18 pounds in two months dealing with this again.
I’m going to do some more research and follow up because I need comfort and I want to retain weight and be healthy.
I just want to say thank you. So much!
Hey Briana,
So sorry to hear everything you’re going through. I’ve been there! Things do get better.
Life sometimes throws us what seems to be insurmountable challenges. I like to think that long-term they make us stronger.
I hope you are doing better.
Brian,
It’s awesome to hear your story…
There are many things that can wreak havoc on this body that our Lord gave us…on this journey called…Life!
I’ve been dealing with auto-immune issues for 3 years & counting. Diet, exercise, rest and stress elimination are key factors to renewed health & healing.
I ate a meal at a restaurant that caused my condition. Although there were some issues with my diet that were not problematic…this meal I ate set off a near life ending dietary consequence that I still deal with to this day.
That time frame was July of 2020. I have found information that leads me to believe my condition is possibly due to a bio film on my colon brought about from that meal.
If I eliminate all dairy products, bread, spicy foods, tomatoes, peanuts, chocolate and sugar…then I can see improvements in weight gain, energy levels and stress.
I drink the proper amount of clean water and sit in a dry sauna to eliminate the chemicals in my body.
My need is to ask you with all of my heart…from one man of Almighty God to another…for you & I both believe in the God of our fathers…the God of Abraham, of Isaac & of Jacob ( Israel ) who came as Jesus Christ… Yeshua Ha Mashiach of Bethlehem & Galilee…the Son of Joseph & Mary the chosen Ones by Elohim…Jehovah God of all of creation…our Father in heaven…
My dear brother…how can I gain weight? If I keep to that strict diet…it is possible to gain but…it’s a huge challenge for me. I live alone at the age of almost 60. I am blessed with an abundance of faith, hope & love…but I’m flying solo…
Any thoughts to share with me would be taken respectfully & appreciably…this Day!
Be at peace for the Day of our Redemption draws very near…so Keep Watch & watch TV-7 Israel News on UTUBE.
*Please do not share my email address with anyone…
Grace to you & yours,
In Jesus Name
Boy oh boy …. Reading all of your comments reminds me that I am not alone in my fight against these diseases. I’ve been diagnosed for the third time with coeliacs disease as well as microscopic colitis. I am now in a mourning period as I am a true foodie that loves to eat. I also have multiple sclerosis. In between diagnostics, I’ve been told that I’m sensitive but not allergic to gluten and now with another gastroscopy and colonoscopy it was confirmed that I DO have coeliacs disease. I will be taking Entocort for my MC for the third time but now for a 6 month period. Another bout of swelling and weight gain awaits me …..
I am now cornered so I have no choice to change my food habits drastically and I intend to heal my body from all the harm done by not taking this disease seriously enough. Sorry to be crude, but when you are at the point of having fecal incontinence that makes every day hell, then it’s really time to take this very seriously and make life-changing habits to try to get back to a near-normal life. Sorry for the long story but I had to tell you mine in case others are unfortunately afflicted with the same diseases.