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Whether this has been a time of celebration or not for folks here, I hope all had a nice weekend. I know I did..with a lot of family present.
then I went to see my GI. it turned into a typical Monday. LOL.
I started to explain why I stopped taking the Asacol, and found this great support group for microscopic colitis....when he jumped in and told me I didn't have microscopic colitis..I have collagenous colitis. Geeze...isn't microscopic colitis just a category that includes CC and LC? (That's what the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic...and everywhere else says). Over one weekend I stopped taking the Asacol. My D dropped from all day to a few trips to the bathroom in the morning and in the evening the very first day. I also stuck to chicken, potatoes, cooked fruits and veggies, bananas and eggs and applesauce. I tried to avoid as much gluten and dairy as possible (which wasn't easy since I was at a convention). I should add that I had been trying to cut down on smoking and that weekend I just gave up, so I am sure there was an influx of nicotine into my system as well. By the third day, and ever since then, I have had just one trip to the bathroom in the morning. It might be soft serve...but I am thrilled to have this for a week and a half now. It's the first time since last August that my day didn't include D. I didn't even try to argue with him about avoiding gluten and dairy... (he says I shouldn't avoid gluten since it didn't show up in my blood work - but I know that isn't correct, thanks to all of you.) I'll concede that this may be a spontaneous reaction, or that gluten may not be a problem for me. But surely...something is working for me...and I think it worth pursuing. I am pretty certain I am not going for the upper GI barium xray thingy he prescribed either.
Hope you all have a wonderful day.
Mary
Happy Weekend
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Congrats!
Hi Marihabs,
Good to hear how well you did over the weekend and at a convention to boot. The foods you stuck with are ones that are mainstays on my own food list. I did my first weekend camping and did not fare as well. My friends fed my gluten-free bread to the deers, and I forgot to bring 'decaf' coffee. They put celery in the chicken salad. I got gluten-ed Sunday and have had a terrible headache for two days. Excedrin does not help.
Your comment on the soft serve stool cracked me up.
Good to hear how well you did over the weekend and at a convention to boot. The foods you stuck with are ones that are mainstays on my own food list. I did my first weekend camping and did not fare as well. My friends fed my gluten-free bread to the deers, and I forgot to bring 'decaf' coffee. They put celery in the chicken salad. I got gluten-ed Sunday and have had a terrible headache for two days. Excedrin does not help.
Your comment on the soft serve stool cracked me up.
CoryGut
Age 71
Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis Sept. 2010
On and off Entocort(Currently Off)
Age 71
Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis Sept. 2010
On and off Entocort(Currently Off)
Hi Mary,
It's good to hear that you're doing better. Yep, doctors, (especially overpaid specialists), just hate it when they encounter a patient who obviously knows more about treating her own issues than they do.
It just ruins their day, so they do whatever they can to try to ruin that patient's day, by pointing out that whatever the patient is doing couldn't be working, (even though it obviously IS working). 
You are correct, your doctor is wrong - CC is definitely a type of MC. There are roughly a dozen types, in all - I'll bet your ignorant doctor doesn't know that, either.
I have a question, "Did your recent flare of symptoms start right after you began trying to stop smoking?" Stopping a long-term smoking habit is a known trigger for MC. (Your doctor apparently doesn't know that either, or he would have mentioned the connection to you.) Believe it or not, nicotine is protective of ulcerative colitis, and while it has never been proven to be protective of MC, it is well known that stopping smoking can trigger the disease, for many people.
Tex
It's good to hear that you're doing better. Yep, doctors, (especially overpaid specialists), just hate it when they encounter a patient who obviously knows more about treating her own issues than they do.
It just ruins their day, so they do whatever they can to try to ruin that patient's day, by pointing out that whatever the patient is doing couldn't be working, (even though it obviously IS working). You are correct, your doctor is wrong - CC is definitely a type of MC. There are roughly a dozen types, in all - I'll bet your ignorant doctor doesn't know that, either.
I have a question, "Did your recent flare of symptoms start right after you began trying to stop smoking?" Stopping a long-term smoking habit is a known trigger for MC. (Your doctor apparently doesn't know that either, or he would have mentioned the connection to you.) Believe it or not, nicotine is protective of ulcerative colitis, and while it has never been proven to be protective of MC, it is well known that stopping smoking can trigger the disease, for many people.
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 Mary,
I think I might be a good example of the smoking/MC connection. I started smoking in 1971 while in college, like so many others of my generation. In 2008, I decided to quit using Chantix, which my brother, a much heavier smoker than I, used, had success with, and recommended--to this day in 2012 he has not relapsed. During the 3 month sequence of treatment, I started with unrelenting D by the second month, which caused me to abandon the med at my doctor's recommendation. Luckily for me, even the abbreviated meds enabled me to quit, and, apparently, totally shut down the nicotine receptors in my brain; I am truthful when I tell you I have not craved a cigarette for one minute since. BUT, since then, have had GI issues, leading to the LC diagnosis in March 2011. So, it seems like a trade-off.
I think I might be a good example of the smoking/MC connection. I started smoking in 1971 while in college, like so many others of my generation. In 2008, I decided to quit using Chantix, which my brother, a much heavier smoker than I, used, had success with, and recommended--to this day in 2012 he has not relapsed. During the 3 month sequence of treatment, I started with unrelenting D by the second month, which caused me to abandon the med at my doctor's recommendation. Luckily for me, even the abbreviated meds enabled me to quit, and, apparently, totally shut down the nicotine receptors in my brain; I am truthful when I tell you I have not craved a cigarette for one minute since. BUT, since then, have had GI issues, leading to the LC diagnosis in March 2011. So, it seems like a trade-off.
Suze
Thanks all for all the encouragement. Sometimes, we just know something is right in our gut, but it helps to have other voices agreeing.
Cory - I'm sorry your weekend didn't work out so well. I hope the effects ease up quickly for you.
Tex - I thought you might ask about the smoking. Unfortunately, all my CC symptoms started this past summer while I was still heavily smoking. I cut down significantly for lent...this February. I've read about the nicotine protection and just wondered idly if the increased nicotine in my system might have helped a bit. Once my body adjusted ...to both the increased nicotine and the lack of Asacol..about the 3rd day...I had a little bit of cramping feeling, but that went away. It's amazing how tuned to my body I've become. :) The Dr. of course just wants me to quit...no mention of the effects doing so might have on my CC. I was disappointed he wasn't more willing to listen...but that's his loss as far as I am concerned.
Suze...I've been avoiding Chantix...just because of the possible side effects that others I know have gone through. I'm glad it worked so well for your brother and you, but boy...what a trade off...isn't it? I just wonder if a more gradual reduction combined with dietary changes would keep things under control.
I think that is what is so nice about this group...I feel energized with information that gives me options to try. Thank you!
Mary
Cory - I'm sorry your weekend didn't work out so well. I hope the effects ease up quickly for you.
Tex - I thought you might ask about the smoking. Unfortunately, all my CC symptoms started this past summer while I was still heavily smoking. I cut down significantly for lent...this February. I've read about the nicotine protection and just wondered idly if the increased nicotine in my system might have helped a bit. Once my body adjusted ...to both the increased nicotine and the lack of Asacol..about the 3rd day...I had a little bit of cramping feeling, but that went away. It's amazing how tuned to my body I've become. :) The Dr. of course just wants me to quit...no mention of the effects doing so might have on my CC. I was disappointed he wasn't more willing to listen...but that's his loss as far as I am concerned.
Suze...I've been avoiding Chantix...just because of the possible side effects that others I know have gone through. I'm glad it worked so well for your brother and you, but boy...what a trade off...isn't it? I just wonder if a more gradual reduction combined with dietary changes would keep things under control.
I think that is what is so nice about this group...I feel energized with information that gives me options to try. Thank you!
Mary
, Mary. I'm glad you're here, but sorry you need to be.