Bowel and Gastro problems healing with SCD diet!

Finally, after Hysterectomy, Pelvic Prolapse Surgery (including rectocele), 3 Gastros, 2 Primaries, one ER trip, many PT appointments, Energy Healer etc. I have stumbled across some help for my Gastro issues.

Long suffering gastro issues:
* Bowels feel backed-up. It feels like once there is pressure built up behind it then it pushes it through and causes me to have explosive BM's.
* Abdomen distension, so much trapped gas in stomach, I had to lie on my stomach to get the gas to release.
* Excessive hunger pains, usually 2 hrs after a meal. Lots of gurgling, sometimes disruptive to others!
* Fiber and Probiotics seemed to increase symptoms and added nausea
* Loose stowels, sevreal thru the morning and randomly through the day. Mostly looks like cow plops, or very thin stools, soft, mushy. Unable to feel full evacaution. Feels like stool is filling my rectum, pressing on my rectocele repair and vagina.
* Xrays showed stool throuout my whole gut

Docs prescribed antibiotics, and probiotics. No mention of diet.

So, I stumbled upon MedicineNet article about SIBO - Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Makes sense, I think that is what I have. I am not even going to bother being tested for it, though, because I then found the Specific Carb Diet- which limits carbs AND grains. The theory is that complex carb starches feed the bacteria. Cutting those out of the diet actually starves the bad bacteria.

So, I thought, what do I have to lose? I have been on this diet for 3 days. I had no BMs the 2nd day. How odd, I thought. The gurgling quieted to a really quiet, gentle gurgle. The 3rd day (today), I had multiple BMs this morning, towards a more normal looking stool and feeling better evacuation. And I feel the bloating is gone. Gurgling has stopped, intense hunger is gone. My scale may be lying, but it shows me 3lbs down. Maybe the urine is clearing out too?

If you do the research, the SCD diet is the one doing miracles on autistic kids!

I am so excited about this, I just had to share. Maybe someone else can benefit from it, too.

Day 8- I continue to be amazed. My bloating is down significantly. I am having good BMs- every other day. The pressure on my rectocele repair is lessening. I am trying to keep my excitement in check.

I was becoming convinced that I would never feel any better. I think all the medical bowel preps, antibiotics, and surgeries threw my intestinal bacteria count off track and this diet is helping it heal. I haven't started the homemade yogurt yet- hope to get that going soon.

I once went on a "no white" diet. I stopped all sources of white, even croûtons on the salad. I also stopped sugar. In 4-5 months I had lost 40# and had no bloating, no swelling in legs and abdomen and no gas. I was going to bathroom on regular schedule and I felt wonderful. when i resumed my regular die, within a year I had gained it all back.
the diet is hard to stay one b/c so many things have white in them. i learned about this from a book called " Going against the Grain".

Tansey- Thanks for the reply. Interesting change in health by you using a white diet. Have you tried a gluten-free only diet to see if it has same benefits? Did you go off the diet gradually and notice any particular foods you need to avoid?

I believe I had an overgrowth of intestinal bacteria and am using this 'diet' plan to regain my health and to eliminate the pressure on my rectocele repair. I will have to stay on it for a long time to heal my gut, but, eventually, I will introduce some illegal foods to see how I react to them. I had to do something because all the Docs weren't helping at all. And, to find a simple (and difficult) change in my diet is definitely worth a try. I have yet to try the homemade yogurt which will help my bacterial balance.

There are a lot of support groups and recipes on the web now. I have just started researching them. I found a lot of them on Pinterest. Anyway, I am allowed honey and flour made from almonds or coconut, so I can have sweets. There are recipes for baked goods, which I haven't tried yet. And there are all kinds of things I can make from the homemade yogurt. I can have bacon, eggs, some cheeses, and most fruit & veggies. Actually, for some reason- everything tastes delicious- like maybe my taste buds were impaired before. Really weird- I can't stop exclaiming how delicious a fresh egg or organic apple is!!

And words can't describe how a more typical bathroom routine can ease your stress level!

I sort of gradually went off it, you know a piece of pie/cake, a sandwich etc. It seemed it really did not take long before the weight was coming back. I did not gain it all back right away but it took me 4-5 months to lose and in less than that it was back.
I never tried gluten free, but it might we worth a shot. I also stopped dairy b/c I a very lactose intolerant. that was a blessing in itself. i know use almond , coconut and soy milk. It has made a big difference just in itself. I am a firm believer that our diet is mostly what is wrong with us. Remember the guy who only at McDonald 's for a month? he was in terrible shape just after one month.
change your diet, change your life.

I was diagnosed with Candida a few years after my tah/bso. I was having horrible bowel and digestive issues. Also did some allergy testing and many things I suspected were causing me problems, turned up on the list. Sugar, yeast, white flour, dairy, eggs, celery. Too many to really list them all. I went on a very restrictive diet and things really did clear up for me. For awhile anyways. Unfortunately, I just could not be that restrictive forever. There are certain foods that I NEVER eat, like eggs and anything with yeast in it, but there are others that I will occassionally indulge in, like .

Going out to eat can be a chore as I have to specifically ask about ingredients, but I make do and usually do find something.

All this to say, that yes, food can and does have a real effect on the body.

I too suffer from the bloating and IBS symptoms. I had IBS before the surgery but now it is so much worse and I also have bladder problems that my urologist says are being complicated by my constipation. So I am willing to try anything to help.