Old Newbie :)

[arizwldcat]

Hi, all,

I have not posted in here in many years, but (no surprise to anyone, I'm sure), after many years in remission, I'm experiencing the "mother" of flares.

Actually, this all started for me back in 2010. D for months (with a remission in the middle of a couple of months). I finally figured out what I had and then had to get confirmation from a GI doctor. I was diagnosed with Collagenous Microscopic Colitis late in 2010. The good news for me at the time was that since I figured it was caused by NSAIDS, all I had to do was quit taking them and BOOM! Remission.

Fast forward a few years. Had a nice long 5 year remission, during which time I went back to work as an elementary school teacher. Even though I prefer teaching the upper elementary grades, the way the teaching certificates are issued in Utah differ from AZ, and since I had 'K' on my license, even though I had never taught Kindergarten, that's where I was hired. I guess K teachers are hard to come by. That was stressful enough (but a great learning experience!). I actually enjoyed my 2 years teaching K. Then. I got the job from hell (had to transfer because there wasn't enough money to keep me), with the principal no one should have to work for. I got to the point that I dreaded going to work, would run the other way if I saw my principal coming, and was just miserable. Then, my MC came back. I told my husband this wasn't worth it, so I quit. And BOOM again...remission. As soon as I quit, I felt 1000X better. But of course, the next year, I had another remission, that I knocked down with about 2 months of gluten free eating. In the meantime, I've got a relatively stress free job that I actually like.

But then THIS year, another flare. I've been in remission so long that I think I was in denial that I had to be serious about my diet. So I've been gluten free since May, but the symptoms are still raging. So, I returned to my GI doc at my husband's urging. I was still pretty sure that diet was the key, but I wasn't getting better. The doc put me on delzicol (which I didn't really realize was asacol, which I was on in 2010 with no results). This time the mesalamine made me WORSE. I took it for 2 weeks, and then stopped because I wasn't even feeling the same...D episodes had increased from 1-2 a day to 10-12 a day. So I started coming back to this page (I'd forgotten about it over the years) and seeking advice. Thanks for the sticky on diet! I've started what I call MC DEFCON 4 (after the 4 no-nos) about a week ago. No results yet, of course, but I am optimistic. I told my GI doc that I'd like to try the diet alone first and that if I saw no improvement after 2 months, I'd try budesonide...I don't even know if I'll do it then, as I'd rather not go on a drug if I can do this without. We'll have to see if I am feeling any better in December.

That's where I am. By the way, congratulations on the book, Wayne! I bought it a couple days ago, and I'm almost finished. Lots of valuable info in there. I wish I could get my GI doc to read it. But at least, he was okay with me trying the diet first, and he wants me to share it with him if I'm successful.

[Gabes-Apg]

Kris
aside from the bland low inflammation diet - have you started Vit D3 and magnesium?? these are key for helping the body control inflammation and heal.

depending on your age, the other factor contributing to your flare may be hormones?

[arizwldcat]

Hi Gabes,

Hadn't thought about that, but have been sort of "finished" with menopause for a few years. I still have the occasional hot flash, but I don't think the hormones are raging any more. Yes, I am on D3 and Magnesium :)

[Gabes-Apg]

how much D3?
how much magnesium?

even though you through menopause there are still hormone fluctuations
and the process of menopause would have had impact on levels of magnesium and B6.

[arizwldcat]

The D3 is 800 IU per day. I have been on it for years, as well as magnesium. The magnesium I was taking, however, had soy in it, so I went to the health food store and found a supplement that is supposedly easy on the stomach (there are way too many choices). I was even hesitant to start it because of the advice in the book of going off all the supplements while on the first stage of the MC severe diet. I am considering epsom salts as well. Don't want to make too many changes all at once, though. I also take B complex. I discontinued the probiotic and my fiber supplement as they didn't seem to either help or hurt, but who knows? I certainly don't need the fiber right now.

[Gabes-Apg]

D3 wise - most here when they are inflammed need at least 3000iu per day up to 6000iu per day.
it would be worth getting a test done to check your Vit D3 levels to fine tune supplementation to suit the result.

magnesium wise - using topical magnesium (either via spray and/or epsom salts) is very safe. no risk to gut
we need to aim to get at least 350-400mg elemental magnesium per day - this is very achieveable via topical.

if you read through the guidelines to recovery section - we do say that Vit D3 and magnesium are the essentials in the beginning

[arizwldcat]

I forgot to answer the magnesium question. I went to the health food store and picked out a magnesium supplement that seemed fairly safe. However, the label is weird. Says (1000mg S cerevisiae), 50 mg, DV% =13. Seems like the bottom line is this stuff only has 50 mg of magnesium, which seems very low. Don't know what S cerevisiae is but it seems related to yeast.So I am not going to start taking it right now, until I ascertain whether this is okay. Instead, I'm going to try and eat things that have magnesium that aren't too exciting, like brown rice (I hate white rice), and avocado. Again, research will happen first before I start on the magnesium supplement. I am thinking of trying the topical use, perhaps epsom salts, but again, still thinking.

[tex]

Hi Kris,

Welcome back. Yep, stress is probably the primary cause of MC. Since the book was written, there is now published research to prove that vitamin D significantly lessens IBD symptoms. The research was done on Crohn's and UC patients, but it surely applies to MC also. As Gabes says, 3,000–6,000 IU per day is a practical (therapeutic) dose that will help you to recover.

Every known disease is associated with a magnesium deficiency. For an oral magnesium source, most members here have good luck with Doctor's Best brand of Magnesium glycinate. Magnesium glycinate is one of the forms that is the least likely to cause diarrhea. Be sure to check the dose though. It says 200 mg on the front label, but that's for two tablets. It actually has 100 mg of magnesium per tablet. Whether you use oral or topical magnesium, be sure to space out the dose during the day so that you do not get too much at any one time. If you use oral magnesium, take it with or after meals, because the body is accustomed to absorbing magnesium from food. Spacing it out is much safer than taking one or two large doses during the day. Epsom salts foot soaks or Epsom salts in the bathwater are a good source of magnesium.

Tex

[arizwldcat]

Thanks, my friends! I am now soaking my feet in Epsom salts, and began my D3 regimen tonight 2000 iu tonight— more tomorrow