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Celiac and Microscopic Colitis treatment
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Celiac and Microscopic Colitis treatment
Hi -- I am new to the board and hoping to get some advice or to see if anyone has had a similar story to mine and what they did to improve it. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in Nov 2007. I have been vigilantly gluten free since then and although many of my symptoms went away (rash, extreme tiredness, abdominal pain, and constant D), I still continued to have loose/watery bowels. During this time I had two healthy baby boys (both were born close to 9lbs each and full term and I had no pregnancy related issues). However, the loose bowels have continued. Followed up with my doc and after a million tests, he discovered I had microscopic colitis. He put me Lialda and immodium, but haven't seen a huge improvement. It's been about 6 weeks since I started the treatment. Coincidentally I had a sinus infection in this time and my ENT put me on Levaquin. Once on the levaquin my symptoms improved -- solid bowels in fact!! I finished that antibiotic and told my GI about it. However, once the antibiotic was through the loose bowels returned. He has now put me on Flagyl and waiting to see what happens. I started the Flagyl today. Anyone else have a similar experience. Also, I have tried probiotics in the past and none of that helped. Last winter I also had strep throat and was put in Clindamycin and I also saw my symptoms improve, which was why initially my GI had me try probiotics. Thanks for your time and input!
Hi,
Welcome to the board. Yes, certain antibiotics can bring remission from MC symptoms, but using antibiotics to treat MC, is playing with fire, because you are flirting with a greatly-increased risk of developing C. diff, and various other digestive system issues. Since antibiotics can't safely be used on a long-term basis, to treat MC, there is little point in considering such a treatment. In addition, antibiotics are notorious for causing MC in the first place - many members here have MC because of using antibiotics. Also, using the fluoroquinolones, exposes you to a greatly increased risk of tendinitis and/or tendon rupture. We have a few members who have experienced that, as a result of taking antibiotics in that group.
The key to controlling MC is to eliminate the other foods in your diet to which you are sensitive. That's the safe, and practical way to treat the disease, even your GI doc is obviously unaware of it. Try eliminating all dairy products, (and all products that contain dairy-derived ingredients), and all products that contain soy, from your diet for a couple of weeks, to see if that helps. Also, please be aware that a lot of celiacs think that they are avoiding gluten, but there is still enough in their diet to cause symptoms.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to the board. Yes, certain antibiotics can bring remission from MC symptoms, but using antibiotics to treat MC, is playing with fire, because you are flirting with a greatly-increased risk of developing C. diff, and various other digestive system issues. Since antibiotics can't safely be used on a long-term basis, to treat MC, there is little point in considering such a treatment. In addition, antibiotics are notorious for causing MC in the first place - many members here have MC because of using antibiotics. Also, using the fluoroquinolones, exposes you to a greatly increased risk of tendinitis and/or tendon rupture. We have a few members who have experienced that, as a result of taking antibiotics in that group.
The key to controlling MC is to eliminate the other foods in your diet to which you are sensitive. That's the safe, and practical way to treat the disease, even your GI doc is obviously unaware of it. Try eliminating all dairy products, (and all products that contain dairy-derived ingredients), and all products that contain soy, from your diet for a couple of weeks, to see if that helps. Also, please be aware that a lot of celiacs think that they are avoiding gluten, but there is still enough in their diet to cause symptoms.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
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.
Hi I'm new also
Hi and Welcome.
As Tex said, the safest thing to do is take dairy out and see what happens. Then if symptoms are still bad, omit the soy. It takes a while to see results.
However, if you get a bad flare and can't seem to get better with food, I am taking a drug called Entocort ( steroid) for a while to help calm things down so I can heal. I will step down gradually off of it, but has been a God send for me. I have had no side effects and feel absolutely "normal" right now. I am GF and DF and waiting for lab results to determine what else might be the culprit.
Good luck and let us know how it goes
Leah
As Tex said, the safest thing to do is take dairy out and see what happens. Then if symptoms are still bad, omit the soy. It takes a while to see results.
However, if you get a bad flare and can't seem to get better with food, I am taking a drug called Entocort ( steroid) for a while to help calm things down so I can heal. I will step down gradually off of it, but has been a God send for me. I have had no side effects and feel absolutely "normal" right now. I am GF and DF and waiting for lab results to determine what else might be the culprit.
Good luck and let us know how it goes
Leah
