Transitioning from SCD

[WyattsMom2008]

My toddler and I have been on the SCD diet for a year now. The reason we went on it is that he was showing some red flags for autism. The diet has never resolved his constipation the whole time he has been on it, and it is terribly difficult every day to get enough carbohydrates into him. He is constantly hungry and wants to nurse every 3-4 hours. He is growing well - in the 75th percentile for height and weight.

I've never been entirely sure that I've seen improvement in his behavioral symptoms from the diet. I've seen improvement from removing gluten, dairy and eggs from his diet. I've seen very dramatic improvement from supplementing him with carnitine for his low tone. I've also seen very dramatic improvement from giving him Enhansa. I've seen some improvement also from methyl B12 spray. The one thing I know for sure I can credit to SCD is that it has gotten him to eat a variety of vegetables and fruits. Previously he was a protein and starch boy.

I'm considering transitioning him from SCD by including things like potatoes and buckwheat in his diet. It seems hard to get information about transitioning away from the diet. I am aware that Elaine recommended introducing new foods cautiously one at a time after being symptom free for at least a year. I just think it would be helpful to know other peoples' experiences transitioning off SCD.

[Llyra]

I transitioned off SCD starting last December-- I'm still in the process. I wanted to go really slowly. I was on it to deal with my ulcerative colitis, and it was actually effective for me, but it's expensive to eat that way, and I wanted to find out if I could maintain remission off the diet.

I started with starchy veggies, like turnips and potatoes. Then I added back brown rice, soaked overnight. Then I added back the "forbidden" legumes. I then added back liquid milk and soft cheeses. Next came soaked oats. The last thing I brought back was small amounts of whole wheat, also soaked.

I don't plan to reintroduce white flour or sugar or anything like that. But I'm doing fine with the starchy vegetables and the soaked whole grains.

[WyattsMom2008]

How long were you on SCD? Were you symptom free for a whole year before transitioning away from it?

[Llyra]

Hmmm.... I gotta reconstruct this.

I went on the SCD in March 08. At that time I was steroid-dependent, and weaning to immunomodulator drugs (6mp). I was also on mesalamine (anti-inflammatory drug). In June 09 I stopped the 6mp. I'd been off steroids completely for 13 months. It was in December 09 that I started to think about reintroducing starches. So no, it wasn't a whole year off the 6mp. It was 6 1/2 months.

I can't reliably say, though, because I am still on the mesalamine and don't plan to stop it. I've been symptom-free since late February 09, but I have never tried stopping the drugs entirely. My last experiment with stopping the mesalamine, in 07, was a disaster, and I am not ready to try that again.

So I can't say it was the SCD alone that has kept me symptom-free. I think it was an aid to me in managing the disease, not a cure for it, in my case.

[californiajenn]

I would highly, highly recommend you try the GAPS intro diet. I and many friends saw great healing once we did the into portion. A friend on the diet for two years finally did the into and she too saw results. Just my opinion. :-)