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Hi again Paula,
I just saw your latest post and thought I'd respond to one more thing. During the time I was healing, I didn't concern myself with the "type" of BM as much as I did with the "frequency". It took a lot longer to see my BM's firm up than to see the frequency go down (from about 5-15 times a day to where I now go mostly once a day). Again, good luck to you.
Love,
Kari
P.S. MC is an extremely frustrating disease, so never feel bad about coming on here and venting - we all do :).
Cause of LC? Can it be just stress?
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draperygoddess
- Rockhopper Penguin
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- Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:49 am
- Location: Tennessee
Paula,
I know this is very overwhelming at first. I assumed for years that my bouts of D were part of the "family curse" of digestive problems. I've dealt with it since my teens, but it wasn't more than an occasional inconvenience then. Some of us can trace the beginning of our problems back to a specific time or event, like a stressful time or an intestinal illness, but that doesn't necessarily mean we didn't have MC before then--we may just have been asymptomatic, or like me, not having severe enough symptoms for it to catch our attention. The reason we ask about supplements, medications, etc. is that many of them can cause and/or exacerbate our symptoms. I was on Zoloft for a number of years, and my episodes of D became gradually more frequent while I was on it, until it became a constant thing. Now I am off it, but the MC and food intolerances, unfortunately, are here to stay.
If you truly have no other symptoms other than the D, you're fortunate for the diagnosis! Many of us, lacking any other symptoms, would be told we had "IBS." But as Tex mentioned, untreated MC can lead to other symptoms, so it's great that you're tackling it now!
Many of us have noticed that fresh fruits and veggies are a little too much "roughage" while we're having D. Sara describes it as sandpaper on your irritated colon. It might help to cook things more than you're used to for awhile and see if it calms you down. And who knows--you may discover a hidden talent for cooking through all this! My chef hubby has gotten good at substituting GF/DF ingredients when he cooks. As a matter of fact, he now has an excuse to buy some of his preferred, but pricier, ingredients (his favorite chicken stock, for instance) because the cheap stuff has gluten!
Believe me, we all understand the frustration and depression that goes along with this disease! We've been there, too, and we can tell you there's a light at the end of the tunnel. It WILL get better, you CAN get your life back, and you WON'T feel like this forever. Hang in there!
I know this is very overwhelming at first. I assumed for years that my bouts of D were part of the "family curse" of digestive problems. I've dealt with it since my teens, but it wasn't more than an occasional inconvenience then. Some of us can trace the beginning of our problems back to a specific time or event, like a stressful time or an intestinal illness, but that doesn't necessarily mean we didn't have MC before then--we may just have been asymptomatic, or like me, not having severe enough symptoms for it to catch our attention. The reason we ask about supplements, medications, etc. is that many of them can cause and/or exacerbate our symptoms. I was on Zoloft for a number of years, and my episodes of D became gradually more frequent while I was on it, until it became a constant thing. Now I am off it, but the MC and food intolerances, unfortunately, are here to stay.
If you truly have no other symptoms other than the D, you're fortunate for the diagnosis! Many of us, lacking any other symptoms, would be told we had "IBS." But as Tex mentioned, untreated MC can lead to other symptoms, so it's great that you're tackling it now!
Many of us have noticed that fresh fruits and veggies are a little too much "roughage" while we're having D. Sara describes it as sandpaper on your irritated colon. It might help to cook things more than you're used to for awhile and see if it calms you down. And who knows--you may discover a hidden talent for cooking through all this! My chef hubby has gotten good at substituting GF/DF ingredients when he cooks. As a matter of fact, he now has an excuse to buy some of his preferred, but pricier, ingredients (his favorite chicken stock, for instance) because the cheap stuff has gluten!
Believe me, we all understand the frustration and depression that goes along with this disease! We've been there, too, and we can tell you there's a light at the end of the tunnel. It WILL get better, you CAN get your life back, and you WON'T feel like this forever. Hang in there!
Cynthia
"Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!" -Bob the Builder
"Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!" -Bob the Builder
Sure - that's what the original medical description of the disease reflects. That's why so many GI docs think that pain and all the other symptoms that most of us have are not associated with MC.Paula wrote:So, if I am understanding correctly, it is possible to have "pure" MC?
When I said "Lucky you", I didn't mean to infer that the D is not debilitating - it certainly is. Not having the leaky gut syndrome, however, may spare you from having an elevated risk of developing additional autoimmune diseases, since most organs outside the GI tract shouldn't be affected, if your gut is not leaking partially digested peptides and toxins into your bloodstream , to be distributed all over your body.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Paula,
That fatigue you're describing might be the first sign of "other" MC symptoms - and that, for me, was one of the first things (other than D) that responded to diet change. I bet you'll turn this around fast...
As others have said, even trace amounts of gluten can prevent healing. Some of us are more sensitive than others - but for many of us, it doesn't take much to cause or perpetuate a reaction. Same with dairy, if you are sensitive to it. (And because almost all of us are, it would be worth taking a vacation from it, to accelerate improvement in frequency of sprints to the bathroom).
Coconut oil makes a nice change of pace from olive oil, and in some dishes behaves more like butter...
That fatigue you're describing might be the first sign of "other" MC symptoms - and that, for me, was one of the first things (other than D) that responded to diet change. I bet you'll turn this around fast...
As others have said, even trace amounts of gluten can prevent healing. Some of us are more sensitive than others - but for many of us, it doesn't take much to cause or perpetuate a reaction. Same with dairy, if you are sensitive to it. (And because almost all of us are, it would be worth taking a vacation from it, to accelerate improvement in frequency of sprints to the bathroom).
Coconut oil makes a nice change of pace from olive oil, and in some dishes behaves more like butter...
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draperygoddess
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 558
- Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:49 am
- Location: Tennessee
Cynthia,
I believe Martha uses the one available at Kroger. I've used a couple of them - the EV ones smell more strongly of coconut, I think. I have a feeling that, in the end, I'll wind up using more than one type (but I bought a huge container, and haven't needed to experiment... running out soon, though!)
Because I'm not a real baker, I don't really use recipes, so I don't have a rule of thumb for substituting for butter. I believe Elana's Pantry has some good GF recipes that also use coconut. Today we used it to fry up a sort of breakfast hash (ground beef, potatoes, and some greens). And I had a burger from that same ground beef for lunch, and melted a little coconut oil on top, because the meat was extremely lean, and I don't do well with super-low fat. (I also put it in my hair sometimes!)
We sometimes chop sweet potatoes into smallish dice, and cook it on medium-low with a little coconut oil and maybe a splash of water. Quick and easy...
I've been meaning to make a 'pie crust' with ground nuts, coconut oil, and some cinnamon - I'll let you know how that goes! It will be more crumbly than flaky, but I think good with apples or pears.
I believe Martha uses the one available at Kroger. I've used a couple of them - the EV ones smell more strongly of coconut, I think. I have a feeling that, in the end, I'll wind up using more than one type (but I bought a huge container, and haven't needed to experiment... running out soon, though!)
Because I'm not a real baker, I don't really use recipes, so I don't have a rule of thumb for substituting for butter. I believe Elana's Pantry has some good GF recipes that also use coconut. Today we used it to fry up a sort of breakfast hash (ground beef, potatoes, and some greens). And I had a burger from that same ground beef for lunch, and melted a little coconut oil on top, because the meat was extremely lean, and I don't do well with super-low fat. (I also put it in my hair sometimes!)
We sometimes chop sweet potatoes into smallish dice, and cook it on medium-low with a little coconut oil and maybe a splash of water. Quick and easy...
I've been meaning to make a 'pie crust' with ground nuts, coconut oil, and some cinnamon - I'll let you know how that goes! It will be more crumbly than flaky, but I think good with apples or pears.
Hi Paula and welcome to this place.
You ask about what other "symptoms" you may have had previously could be related to MC that you might have missed. Quite a few of us here have had a history of skin issues, i.e. eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, blistering on hands and feet, scalp issues, nail fungus, etc. It's helpful to look into family history as well, to see if there are others you share genetics with that have had any issues that fit into these categories and the ones Tex mentioned. I was also afraid of taking steroids and looked for other options.
I wasn't familiar with all of the supplements you are taking, and agree that starting slow with anything you take is a good idea. I looked up the UltrainflamX, Endefin and Herbulk here: http://www.metagenics.com/products/a-z- ... traInflamX and agree with Sara that while, at least the UltrainflamX, has some ingredients that sound as though they might help, it also has others that some of us have trouble with. I don't like what I see in the Endefin, Herbulk or Digestin either. There is a boatload of stuff in there that you may or may not need. L-Glutamine is an ingredient in the UltrainflamX, but the amount per serving is only 750 mg.
I'm also working with a Naturopath and working together we chose L-Glutamine from Vital Nutrients and Pro-Boulardi (a pro-biotic), as my first line of defense and recovery 2 years ago. I began with 2 rounded teaspoons twice a day (as I recall), which is 9,600 mg. twice a day. I had been GF for 4 months already. My D stopped almost entirely after 2 weeks, around the time I got my results back from Enterolab. I only take the L-Glutamine as needed, which is rarely, for quite awhile now.
As many others confirmed, stress has been a component, the tipping point, to their developing symptoms that could no longer be ignored, it certainly was with me.
Connie
You ask about what other "symptoms" you may have had previously could be related to MC that you might have missed. Quite a few of us here have had a history of skin issues, i.e. eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, blistering on hands and feet, scalp issues, nail fungus, etc. It's helpful to look into family history as well, to see if there are others you share genetics with that have had any issues that fit into these categories and the ones Tex mentioned. I was also afraid of taking steroids and looked for other options.
I wasn't familiar with all of the supplements you are taking, and agree that starting slow with anything you take is a good idea. I looked up the UltrainflamX, Endefin and Herbulk here: http://www.metagenics.com/products/a-z- ... traInflamX and agree with Sara that while, at least the UltrainflamX, has some ingredients that sound as though they might help, it also has others that some of us have trouble with. I don't like what I see in the Endefin, Herbulk or Digestin either. There is a boatload of stuff in there that you may or may not need. L-Glutamine is an ingredient in the UltrainflamX, but the amount per serving is only 750 mg.
I'm also working with a Naturopath and working together we chose L-Glutamine from Vital Nutrients and Pro-Boulardi (a pro-biotic), as my first line of defense and recovery 2 years ago. I began with 2 rounded teaspoons twice a day (as I recall), which is 9,600 mg. twice a day. I had been GF for 4 months already. My D stopped almost entirely after 2 weeks, around the time I got my results back from Enterolab. I only take the L-Glutamine as needed, which is rarely, for quite awhile now.
As many others confirmed, stress has been a component, the tipping point, to their developing symptoms that could no longer be ignored, it certainly was with me.
Connie
Resolved MC symptoms successfully w/L-Glutamine, Probiotics and Vitamins, GF since 8/'09. DX w/MC 10/'09.
I seem to be in a goofy mood today, because for some reason or other, that remark reminded me of how this disease tends to make us feel so much younger. In fact, it sometimes takes us all the way back to our infancy, by giving us a good opportunity to wear diapers again, and to wear our food in our hair.Sara wrote:(I also put it in my hair sometimes!)
I know - I'm out of my mind, but that's just the way I am, sometimes.
Love,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
God I wish I had hair that was more like Sara's and needed to be tamed by coconut oil, I inherited fine, straight hair and lots of it fell out when I was at my sickest. Now I've got a ton of 3" long hairs sticking up and I'm just hoping that when they finally grow out, they are the hairs I'd lost and not just new breakage.
So happy to hear about your writing, Tex. Cannot wait to see the finished product.
Love,
Connie
So happy to hear about your writing, Tex. Cannot wait to see the finished product.
Love,
Connie
Resolved MC symptoms successfully w/L-Glutamine, Probiotics and Vitamins, GF since 8/'09. DX w/MC 10/'09.
Speaking of "natural" hair products, I have a good friend who swears by apple cider vinegar for a rinse. She has hair very similar to you, Sara, and claims it makes her hair "squeaky clean" and light and airy and easy to style. You may want to give it a whirl :).
Love,
Kari
Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
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humbird753
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1014
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:44 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
I very much appreciate the feedback I am getting from all of you. I will, however, need to re-read all of them a number of times before a full understanding sets in.
I haven't read much about this, but I am already assuming there are many of you who would say this is genetic, and I am already believing that myself.
I have a sister who lives across the country from me, and we don't have a lot of contact. Recently she has become aware that I have had D for well over 2 years. She has bouts of C and then D, has been diagnosed with IBS, fibromyalgia (sp?), has muscle and joint pain, has had carpal tunnel surgery, surgery for the jaw, and from what I can tell she has had a lot of lengthy illness periods so is possibly suffering with more than she has told me. Although our symptom/s are different, I am believing she falls into this category. She has had health issues for at least 30 years. She is 2 years younger than me. I will have to recommend she come here to read and search.
As I initially said, I will re-read all of your comments. I know there is good advice in there. I just need to understand it better.
Thank you very much.
Paula
I haven't read much about this, but I am already assuming there are many of you who would say this is genetic, and I am already believing that myself.
I have a sister who lives across the country from me, and we don't have a lot of contact. Recently she has become aware that I have had D for well over 2 years. She has bouts of C and then D, has been diagnosed with IBS, fibromyalgia (sp?), has muscle and joint pain, has had carpal tunnel surgery, surgery for the jaw, and from what I can tell she has had a lot of lengthy illness periods so is possibly suffering with more than she has told me. Although our symptom/s are different, I am believing she falls into this category. She has had health issues for at least 30 years. She is 2 years younger than me. I will have to recommend she come here to read and search.
As I initially said, I will re-read all of your comments. I know there is good advice in there. I just need to understand it better.
Thank you very much.
Paula
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humbird753
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1014
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:44 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
Hi again everyone,
Tex - I love your sense of humor! LOL
And then I want to say I emailed my sister believing she would jump at the opportunity to search for answers for herself in this site. Although she is a couple of years younger than me, she is the college graduate (several times over). Rather than thoroughly searching this website, this is the response I got from her:
It's great to hear from you. Thank you for thinking of me and my health. When I told you I had IBS, that is only one symptom, and it is also the most minor. I told you I started to use Reliv products recently. It has been six weeks and I haven't had IBS symptoms except when I had the flu a couple weeks ago. Reliv products provide nutrition that will help my body heal itself. I have already had a reduction in pain. Now it is helping my sinus/ear/throat problems. I am hoping they will continue to improve but it is a program that takes months/years. It is up to my body to do the work so I do not know what will improve, in what order, or how long it will take.
I looked at peskyfarms.com. It has a lot of categories. I have been tested and, according to the doctor, do not have a problem with gluten.
Have you checked the Relive website I told you about; www.relive.com? The products are nutitional supplements, so I have reduced the intake of other foods, especially junk food. The stories I have heard from others who take Reliv about their recoveries from a variety of problems are great. They are probably the same type of caring people as on your website.
I wanted to respond to her on her comment of testing negative to gluten as I believe it was a test for celiac disease, but I don't know how to explain something I saw in this site that someone wrote explaining why "we" can test negative to celiac disease yet still are gluten intolerant.
I guess I'll just have to take care of myself....
Hope everyone is having a good day.
Paula
Tex - I love your sense of humor! LOL
And then I want to say I emailed my sister believing she would jump at the opportunity to search for answers for herself in this site. Although she is a couple of years younger than me, she is the college graduate (several times over). Rather than thoroughly searching this website, this is the response I got from her:
It's great to hear from you. Thank you for thinking of me and my health. When I told you I had IBS, that is only one symptom, and it is also the most minor. I told you I started to use Reliv products recently. It has been six weeks and I haven't had IBS symptoms except when I had the flu a couple weeks ago. Reliv products provide nutrition that will help my body heal itself. I have already had a reduction in pain. Now it is helping my sinus/ear/throat problems. I am hoping they will continue to improve but it is a program that takes months/years. It is up to my body to do the work so I do not know what will improve, in what order, or how long it will take.
I looked at peskyfarms.com. It has a lot of categories. I have been tested and, according to the doctor, do not have a problem with gluten.
Have you checked the Relive website I told you about; www.relive.com? The products are nutitional supplements, so I have reduced the intake of other foods, especially junk food. The stories I have heard from others who take Reliv about their recoveries from a variety of problems are great. They are probably the same type of caring people as on your website.
I wanted to respond to her on her comment of testing negative to gluten as I believe it was a test for celiac disease, but I don't know how to explain something I saw in this site that someone wrote explaining why "we" can test negative to celiac disease yet still are gluten intolerant.
I guess I'll just have to take care of myself....
Hope everyone is having a good day.
Paula
Paula,
I think taking care of yourself is a fine answer - who knows, maybe your sister will be more receptive at another time, but there's no point proceeding when she's indicating "no thanks..."
Several of my relatives think someone *else* in the family should be interested in my story, but no one (so far) thinks they themselves might have something to learn from it. Heh.
Kari - my grandmother used to rinse her hair with apple cider vinegar in warm water, and so did I, for years. And Lesley, I've been meaning to use flax seed to make my own gel, but haven't gotten around to it...
Ah, playing with food...
I think taking care of yourself is a fine answer - who knows, maybe your sister will be more receptive at another time, but there's no point proceeding when she's indicating "no thanks..."
Several of my relatives think someone *else* in the family should be interested in my story, but no one (so far) thinks they themselves might have something to learn from it. Heh.
Kari - my grandmother used to rinse her hair with apple cider vinegar in warm water, and so did I, for years. And Lesley, I've been meaning to use flax seed to make my own gel, but haven't gotten around to it...
Ah, playing with food...