More Duh! Type Research Is Completed

[tex]

Hi All,

From the current issue of the Digestive Health SmartBrief newsletter:

Studies help pinpoint what IBS patients experience

Physicians often have a difficult time diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome and judging its severity in patients. The FDA has ruled that new IBS treatments must be evaluated by determining whether they help patients feel better, so studies created to identify what people experience with IBS found the majority face pain, bowel difficulties, nausea, bloating, lack of personal control and social stigma.

(The red emphasis is mine, of course). Can you imagine that? I wonder how much money they wasted trying to figure out that IBS patients are actually telling the truth when they describe their symptoms. Well Duh! You can read more about this "discovery", here:

http://www.webmd.com/ibs/news/20090820/ ... t-its-like

Another gem of a newsletter article:

Celiac diagnosis can be difficult, as can gluten-free living

Physicians say the many symptoms that can be caused by celiac disease make diagnosing the condition difficult. Patients diagnosed with celiac must become savvy label readers to ensure they follow a gluten-free diet, as gluten is found in many products, including mayonnaise, mustard and even some meats. One patient says a normal life with celiac disease is possible with a support group and information.

Gee, it must really be tough being a doctor, if they have to actually consider "many" symptoms, in order to diagnose a disease such as celiac disease. I hope it doesn't make their heads hurt, to do all that "thinking". And how in the world do the newsletter editors come up with such "earth-shattering" news? I guess it must have been a slow week for medical news in the celiac arena.

Tex

[Gas Bag]

IBS has no known physical cause. And it presents in different ways: with unpredictable diarrhea, with extreme constipation, or both.

*in my best Mr. Roger's voice*
Can you say Microscopic Colitis..I knew you could!

I'd sure bet the farm that the majority of folks with IBS have MC or celiacs or both or any number of other intolerances.

It is pretty damn pathetic when we have to arm ourselves with knowledge to wage a war with the medical profession.

I think alot of Doctors skipped class on the day they talked about colon problems and celiacs.

"That's ok Doc I'll try to figure out what is wrong with me and get back to you. I can then recommend a course of treatment and any meds I might need you to prescribe for me."

Deb

[tex]

I'd sure bet the farm that the majority of folks with IBS have MC or celiacs or both or any number of other intolerances.

We've often said that, "the difference between IBS and MC, is usually a colonoscopy with biopsies.

A lot of them could also be in the early stages of celiac disease, (or even celiacs, who have never been tested). There are probably a few exceptions, of course, (there are always exceptions), but I suspect that in general, you are probably correct.

Tex

[Gas Bag]

Seriously though. I would think anybody (Doctors) that can put two and two together should be able to figure out that if we have chronic D along with any number of other unpleasant, not normal, symptoms, there is something physically wrong with us.

How often do we get it pounded into our heads if we have any sudden changes in our bowel movements, something that is not normal for us, to seek medical attention. And then when we do, jeez they act like it's all in our heads. I went to my regular Doc for 3 months requesting they check for a parasite, food poisoning, e-coli, anything else I could think of. Finally I, on my own, made an appointment with a GI., all my regular Doc said was, "yeah that's a good idea" Oh no sh!t Sherlock!

I was just fortunate enough to go to a GI who really knew his stuff. He did an endoscopy to check for celiacs and colonscopy and checked for MC right off the bat.

Deb

[barbaranoela]

DEB----U had me cracking up--with a good laugh--as I read your post~~~~


As U---I too was very very fortunate to get away from a screwball-- and have someone guide me to Dr. Chapman--a GI--in the city--who knew just how to treat my ailments--

Actually Dr. Chapman said *what the *F__K*(ya can fill in the blanks ) when he read How I wasnt diagnosed --the stuff Kramm had me on and etc-- WITHOUT TESTING ME~~~~~~nor even a COLONOSCOPY!!!!!!!!!! hmmmmmmmm-maybe Kramm didnt know how to add 2+2 and come up with the right answer???

I wanted to throw my arms around Chapman and hug him to death--

We did have a gal--in our room, who was pretty ill--lived in New York City--couldnt get proper help--I suggested Chapman but she didnt go----I think it was the $$$$ for the first visit???? Cant be sure of that though-


Barbara----

[Gas Bag]

Hey Barb, sounds like our regular Quack Docs went to the same medical school!
I was just so damn glad to atleast know there was indeed something medically wrong with me and I wasn't dying of somthing, even though I was pretty sure I was going to crap myself to death alot of days!!!

Deb

[mbeezie]

I went to a new GI today and at first he thought I might be celiac. When I told him my gene pattern he he told me I probably didn't have a disease because there is no blood or mucous is my stool . . . probably just have "functional diarrhea". So I said, "What about MC or MEC?" (He seemed so surprised that I knew about these) I told him I was concerned about mast cells and eosinophils because of some of my symptoms and he said "we don't think too much of mast cells in adults". He said those things are only issues in children. I told him about all of my symptoms and food intolerances and he asked if I could tolerate water (at this point I am pretty sure he thought I was a hypochondriac). He then said he may want me to try Lotronex - yikes!



Mary Beth

[tex]

Tex

[ant]

Dear Mary Beth

That is soooo annoying. It is difficult to find an enlightened GI.

I am grateful to have a moderately enlightened one. After all he did diagnose my MC. Also, thank goodness he has just put me on another 3 months of Entocort after I told him my symptoms were gradually improving. Of course I did not tell him that, in addition to Entocort, I was using a diet treatment. He was dismissive of that last time. Also, I did not mention my EnteroLab test and results since I am pretty sure he would be dismissive of them too.

When I told him I was going to the UK he said that "most doctors there would not have heard of MC".

One day this will change and the dots will be connected between the causes of variously named IBDs (and IBSs) and what we suffer from will be known and understood. Lets hope that day comes soon.....

All best, Ant

[ant]

Dear Tex

Just read the Digestive Health Smart link.

I agree the research on the physical symptoms was silly. But the rest of the report on the social and psychological aspects seemed OK to me. Anything that alerts those who do not have IBS (let alone IBD) to these problems is worthwhile. I was struck be one shocking statement in the study:

To get a measure of the extent of this suffering, the Drossman team's survey asked IBS patients what they'd give to be free of their symptoms. On average, they said they'd give up a fourth of their remaining years of life.

I for one would NOT want to think like that. But if it is even half true this finding shows what a disgrace it is for anyone, especially anyone in the medical profession, to too easily dismiss D and other symptoms as not a serious illness.

Best, ant

[Gas Bag]

Oh Mary Beth, that is just outrageous! and sadly so true for many of us, probably more like 99% of us.

That Doc sounds like a right arse-hole! Can you tolerate water? E-gads!

Now please join me in cursing all nimcompoop Drs. who think this is all in our heads or "functional diarrhea". I've always said I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, but I take it back. If you think it's just my bowels that are irritable, you ain't seen nothin' yet!

"Functional diarrhea", you try functioning with this for a month or two!
What kills me is any idiot should be able to know there is something wrong. Human beings are not suppose to be liquid manure spreaders!

It's bad enough when people think you are just some nervous person who has "bowel issues". I know I have ranted about this before, but at work I don't know how many people told me it was my nerves. I was going through an extremely stressful time in my life, but that was so not me, 4 months of non-stop D. Atleast the people I care about knew there was something wrong with me and it wasn't a bad case of nerves.The very idea!

I was very relieved to learn I had LC, I certainly knew there was a definite cause for "my problem".

When I told him I was going to the UK he said that "most doctors there would not have heard of MC

Oh you mean just like here, jerk face!

This is from a UK website. Elderly females...Good Gravy Marie..pull your head out people!
For once I am glad I am considered an elderly female. (I however DO NOT think of myself as an elderly woman, that's my 81 year old mom, thank you very much.)

Collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis, collectively designated microscopic colitis, have until recently been considered as rare gastrointestinal disorders. New data suggest, however, that these disorders are relatively common, and to reach the correct diagnosis both the gastroenterologist and the pathologist must be aware of these diagnoses when evaluating patients with persistent watery non-bloody diarrhoea.

Starting point
In an epidemiological study of a well-defined Swedish population, Martin Olesen and colleagues show that microscopic colitis needs to be considered as a common gastrointestinal disorder (Gut 2004; 53: 346–50). In colonic biopsy specimens from 1018 patients who had a colonoscopy because of non-bloody diarrhoea in 1993–98, 97 patients (9·5%) were found to have microscopic colitis. In about a third of these cases, the diagnosis was missed in the primary histological evaluation. Median age at diagnosis was 64 years for collagenous colitis and 59 years for lymphocytic colitis. The annual incidence of the diseases was higher than previously considered and matched the incidence of Crohn's disease, and in combination they approached the incidence of ulcerative colitis.

Where next
The high regional incidence of microscopic colitis means that both clinicians and pathologists need to be more aware of the diagnosis, especially in the elderly female population with a clinical picture of watery non-bloody diarrhoea. Because of the potentially disabling symptoms, clinicians need to develop and evaluate new therapies.

Have a nice day!
Deb

[Gloria]

Deb,

You are hysterical. It's nice to be able to laugh about this condition. Thank you for lifting my spirits.

Gloria

[Gas Bag]

Ah, thank you Gloria. I refuse to let this get the better of me. Of course it is easy to say now that I am feeling better. But we all know what is lurking for us at anytime!

Deb

[barbaranoela]

Deb----U sure U arent a NOO YAWKER!!!!
U certainly give me a good laugh when I read ya post----they are right to the POINT--

Gloria-----isnt Deb the funniest verbalist---she does give us a laugh when needed-

and to tell U gals---the only thing LURKING for me is Mr. L!!!!!!!! SO FAR~~~~~~

Luve ya gals--

Barbara

[tex]

Deb,

You're a riot. Thanks for a great laugh.

Note that in your last quote, (from an article published in 2004), the researchers studied "archived" colonic biopsy specimens from patients who had been subjected to a colonoscopy exam back in the years from 1993 to 1998, and then they used the information that they discovered, to recommend considering the diagnosis of MC, "especially in the elderly female population". Well duh! Back in the 1990s, few people were considered as candidates for a colonoscopy exam, unless they were old enough to qualify for cancer screening by means of a colonoscopy, or they were suspected of actually having cancer. That heavily skews the data to an older age group of people, and it almost completely excludes younger people, (except for a few who were suspected of having cancer). Add the fact that MC does indeed seem to be more prevalent in women, and viola! - once again, they've successfully used half-truths, and warped logic, to perpetuate the myth that MC is a disease of "elderly females".

I suspect that they continue to follow such guidelines, even though most of us can spot the flaws in their logic, a mile away, mostly because it contributes to their own happiness and profitability, while virtually guaranteeing confusion and frustration among patients. The unnecessary confusion and frustration, of course, artificially increases the demand for anti-depressant medications, anti-anxiety medications, tranquilizers, etc., and so the doctors get to write even more prescriptions, which makes them happier and wealthier.

Tex