Need Crash Course on IBD Supplements
 

Not for me; mine has been fine/under control for years now, but I just got an emergency email from someone whose in the midst of a bad flair - UC. She went off the SCD and got into something she shouldn't have. Cramping & diarrhea has her dehydrated, and despite fasting for 3 days, she can't hydrate despite near constant intake of water.

Any suggestions on supplements to bring down the inflammation, dry up the diarrhea, & otherwise calm down the angry gut? Thanks.

Doc

One can help diarrhea, if it is toxin based, (bad organisms in the bowel) by using Metamucil either powder or capsules (with lots of water).

This swells up and absorbs any irritants that may be causing this.
(this treatment was given to me decades ago by a gastroenterologist).

Another good intervention is Kefir.
http://www.lifeway.net/

This has 12 probiotic organisms in it and can help replenish normal bowel function.

If she binged on sugar... and now is sick, consider fructose intolerance and/or Candida.

From what I'm reading, the sugars may be contraindicated by the SCD. I'll check further.

Doc

Ok, straight from the source's mouth (pun intended):
Other SCD sites advise waiting until the gut has stabilized before introducing kefir (and alcohol is not recommended with bloody diarrhea) and that care must be taken, as not all kefir has had all the lactose changed; any residual lactose can be bad at this (flair) stage.

So, I'm going to pass along the kefir suggestion, but from my own experiences with IBD, I'm inclined to agree that it best wait until the diarrhea is dried up.

Are there any vitamins/supplements that need to be replenished with this brutal kind of dehydration?

Thanks,

Doc

Lifeway Kefir is 99% lactose free. And also Gluten free, and
uses non hormone, bovine growth hormone, milk.

The unflavored one contains only the natural content of milk for carbohydrates. The flavored ones have some sugars from the fruit used to flavor them.

Chronic diarrhea, depletes magnesium and potassium and sodium. Magnesium supplements orally may make diarrhea worse, so topical instead is a good idea.

Doing electrolyte replacement at home is spotty at best and difficult. Get the diarrhea under control and the electrolytes usually come around.
Imodium or RX Lomotil may help. But the Metamucil is very effective for this.

Some people use slippery elm to calm inflammation.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11860402

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20954962

If you Google slippery elm Crohn's you will find more than appears on PubMed.