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Hi!
I am newly diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis. I was diagnosed with celiac disease 3 years ago and adhear to a VERY strick gluten free diet (including shampoo, lotions, etc..) I will still having problems with loose stool. Not quite watery diarrhea, but just very soft not 'normal' looking stool..I also could see food that i had eaten that was not digested. Gross i know, but i am sure you are all too familiar with 'poop talk'!
Anywho, I had my colonoscopy/endo the other day and was sent home with a paper that read; I have an irregular z-line and bile in my stomach. Mt dr called the following day to inform me of the LC and told me he was calling me in a RX for Budesonide. I have about a million questions! here are just a few ; )
Do i really have LC when i just have unformed stool/undigested stool? I rarely have stomach aches, but gas pains and foul smelling stool gas?
I have been getting rashes on my chest (not itchy, just annoying, pimple like) and a VERY itchy scalp. is this related to LC?
Do probiotics help anyone with LC? i have started them a few weeks ago?
I have a bunch more so i dont want to annoy anyone right off the bat, thanks in advance!
Jenny
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Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
, Jenny! So glad you found us, although I'm not glad you needed to find us! I am fairly new to MC, so I can't offer a lot of advice. There are others who know a lot more than I do who can answer your questions with more background knowledge.
But yes, if you have been diagnosed with LC, and are already following a strict gluten-free diet, you can still have LC even if you don't have the classic symptoms of watery diarrhea. You may have other food intolerances, the most common being dairy and soy, that are causing the unformed stools. I rarely had stomach aches either.
I don't know about rashes, so I'll let others weigh in on that. Some people on this forum take probiotics, but many find that it doesn't really help.
Again, welcome to the PP family!
Martha
Hi Jenny 
I am fairly new to the board here but have found that they are very good about helping people. I have learned so much already. I too tend to have a rash but mine has been on my chest and my side.
I have undigested food in my poop quite often and my GI said things were just going straight thru and have no time to break down.
Welcome again!!
Sharon
I am fairly new to the board here but have found that they are very good about helping people. I have learned so much already. I too tend to have a rash but mine has been on my chest and my side.
I have undigested food in my poop quite often and my GI said things were just going straight thru and have no time to break down.
Welcome again!!
Sharon
Hello,
undigested food is caused from your food passing so quickly that it does not digest. I definitley have had that problem. Also, foul smelling gas etc is also one of the symptoms. Entocort is the best drug for LC,CC, or MC.
You should try to stop eating dairy, as I know I cannot eat gluten, dairy, salad, or red meat.
Good luck,
karen
undigested food is caused from your food passing so quickly that it does not digest. I definitley have had that problem. Also, foul smelling gas etc is also one of the symptoms. Entocort is the best drug for LC,CC, or MC.
You should try to stop eating dairy, as I know I cannot eat gluten, dairy, salad, or red meat.
Good luck,
karen
Hi Jenny,
Welcome to our internet family. If you were diagnosed by a pathologist, who reviewed slides of biopsy samples taken from your colon during a colonoscopy, then yes, you really do have LC. Your symptoms are typical for many of us, though we are all different in some ways.
Bile in the stomach is not common, but it can happen occasionally, to just about anyone, and it has often happened to me, (especially during my MC reactions). If you have ever vomited up green, bitter "stuff" - that's bile, and it had to be in your stomach, in order for it to come up with the stomach contents. One time, when I was in the recovery stage, I took some digestive enzymes, thinking that they might help my digestion. Instead, they promptly make me nauseated, and several times, as the day wore on, I vomited up bile. I've never taken a digestive enzyme, since.
Yes, skin rashes/pimples of various types are somewhat common with MC, as are mouth sores, for some of us. They usually go away, as we get our GI symptoms under control.
Theoretically, probiotics should be beneficial for LC, but unfortunately, very, very few of us seem to be able to derive any significant benefits from them. In fact, some probiotics seem to cause some of us to have major reactions against them. We keep hoping that some day, some company will market a version that shows some clear cut advantages for at least a reasonable percentage of us.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex (Wayne)
Welcome to our internet family. If you were diagnosed by a pathologist, who reviewed slides of biopsy samples taken from your colon during a colonoscopy, then yes, you really do have LC. Your symptoms are typical for many of us, though we are all different in some ways.
Bile in the stomach is not common, but it can happen occasionally, to just about anyone, and it has often happened to me, (especially during my MC reactions). If you have ever vomited up green, bitter "stuff" - that's bile, and it had to be in your stomach, in order for it to come up with the stomach contents. One time, when I was in the recovery stage, I took some digestive enzymes, thinking that they might help my digestion. Instead, they promptly make me nauseated, and several times, as the day wore on, I vomited up bile. I've never taken a digestive enzyme, since.
Yes, skin rashes/pimples of various types are somewhat common with MC, as are mouth sores, for some of us. They usually go away, as we get our GI symptoms under control.
Theoretically, probiotics should be beneficial for LC, but unfortunately, very, very few of us seem to be able to derive any significant benefits from them. In fact, some probiotics seem to cause some of us to have major reactions against them. We keep hoping that some day, some company will market a version that shows some clear cut advantages for at least a reasonable percentage of us.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex (Wayne)
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.
Dear Jenny
Welcome. Keep reading and you will find answers to many, many questions.
There is a lot of debate here about MC and celiac. As you probably know a higher percentage of Dx celiacs also have MC than the general population. This is hardly surprising because they seem to be similar diseases in different parts of the GI tract (celiac - small intestines; MC - large intestines or colon).
There are no villi to flatten in the colon (at least I think not??), but if whatever is causing inflammation in the colon is also active in the small intestines, the result would likely be celiac. Some of us with MC have multiple food intolerances (it seems, interestingly, especially if we have more than one gene that predisposes to celiac).
Entocort is the best drug for MC, but combined even with a strict diet it takes longer than most doctors think to heal the gut long term. So beware of tapering to soon.
Wishing you all the best on your journey to remission, ant
Welcome.
Keep reading and you will find answers to many, many questions. There is a lot of debate here about MC and celiac. As you probably know a higher percentage of Dx celiacs also have MC than the general population. This is hardly surprising because they seem to be similar diseases in different parts of the GI tract (celiac - small intestines; MC - large intestines or colon).
There are no villi to flatten in the colon (at least I think not??), but if whatever is causing inflammation in the colon is also active in the small intestines, the result would likely be celiac. Some of us with MC have multiple food intolerances (it seems, interestingly, especially if we have more than one gene that predisposes to celiac).
Entocort is the best drug for MC, but combined even with a strict diet it takes longer than most doctors think to heal the gut long term. So beware of tapering to soon.
Wishing you all the best on your journey to remission, ant
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MaggieRedwings
- King Penguin
- Posts: 3865
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 3:16 am
- Location: SE Pennsylvania
Morning & WELCOME Jenny,
Glad to see if you have the right place to be for information on this disease. We are not easily overwhelmed so question away. Sit down, relax and research the site - a wealth of good and honest information is here.
Maggie
Glad to see if you have the right place to be for information on this disease. We are not easily overwhelmed so question away. Sit down, relax and research the site - a wealth of good and honest information is here.
Maggie
Maggie Scarpone
___________________
Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
___________________
Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
Welcome Jenny!!
How uncomfortable are your symptoms? How many times a day are you running to the bathroom? Some people here were/are 10-20/day, some are much fewer, 1-3, especially when they start to get the D under control. I ask because it seems many here with "mild" MC don't head straight for Entocort. I've managed for 8 months with dietary changes alone (GF/DF and mostly soy free). I went from 6-8/day with urgency, gas, bloating, etc, to 1-2/day with no uncomfortable symptoms, just a "soft pile" in the toilet, but no regular "normans" yet (normal firm stools). Many here have found that even with Entocort, the symptoms will quickly return after you taper off if you haven't addressed your other food intolerances. Many here get stool testing through Enterolab.com to determine those additional food sensitivities.
I have a tendency to get skin rashes, especially when I work out and sweat. I also have dermographia (skin writing). These point to overactive mast cells in my skin, which may also play a role in my MC (LC). I rarely have stomach aches or pain associated with MC, just a very loud rumbly belly after I eat something questionable.
Zizzle
How uncomfortable are your symptoms? How many times a day are you running to the bathroom? Some people here were/are 10-20/day, some are much fewer, 1-3, especially when they start to get the D under control. I ask because it seems many here with "mild" MC don't head straight for Entocort. I've managed for 8 months with dietary changes alone (GF/DF and mostly soy free). I went from 6-8/day with urgency, gas, bloating, etc, to 1-2/day with no uncomfortable symptoms, just a "soft pile" in the toilet, but no regular "normans" yet (normal firm stools). Many here have found that even with Entocort, the symptoms will quickly return after you taper off if you haven't addressed your other food intolerances. Many here get stool testing through Enterolab.com to determine those additional food sensitivities.
I have a tendency to get skin rashes, especially when I work out and sweat. I also have dermographia (skin writing). These point to overactive mast cells in my skin, which may also play a role in my MC (LC). I rarely have stomach aches or pain associated with MC, just a very loud rumbly belly after I eat something questionable.
Zizzle
Zizzle,
It seems like my LC symptoms are very mild to many on this site. I go just 1-3 times a day and it is usually a very soft pile and looks like it contains a lot of undigested food. I occasionally get stomach rumblings and loud noises but can never associate it with anything, since sometimes it happens with a certain foods and then does not. I usually never have stomach aches. I have Celiac and when I ingest gluten unknowingly, I have severe stomach cramps, diarrhea/throwing up.
My rash on my chest is pimple-like and have had it since christmas! I also have an unbelievably horrible itchy scalp that drives me absolutely CRAZY!!!! I have called my derm but they won't see me until March. AUGH.
I stared my Entocort this morning. I have read a few things on this site about the lab that tests for sensitivities. Are there other ways I can get checked having my ins pay?
Thanks
Jenny
It seems like my LC symptoms are very mild to many on this site. I go just 1-3 times a day and it is usually a very soft pile and looks like it contains a lot of undigested food. I occasionally get stomach rumblings and loud noises but can never associate it with anything, since sometimes it happens with a certain foods and then does not. I usually never have stomach aches. I have Celiac and when I ingest gluten unknowingly, I have severe stomach cramps, diarrhea/throwing up.
My rash on my chest is pimple-like and have had it since christmas! I also have an unbelievably horrible itchy scalp that drives me absolutely CRAZY!!!! I have called my derm but they won't see me until March. AUGH.
I stared my Entocort this morning. I have read a few things on this site about the lab that tests for sensitivities. Are there other ways I can get checked having my ins pay?
Thanks
Jenny
I have an itchy scalp that worsens with the dry heat in winter. For me it's caused by seborrheic dermatitis. I also get oily hair - have to wash it every day. Have you tried moisturizing scalp treatments? Don't know of any, but there are scalp itch products out there.
Some people are able to get insurance coverage for Enterolab tests, especially if their doctor orders it. I didn't try. I just used my flex spending account at work. An allergist tried food patch testing on my back to look for "delayed" food allergies. They were negative to inconclusive, so it was a waste of time.
Let us know how you do on the Entocort. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm tempted, because my life is getting crazy right now and stress seems to make the LC worse. But if it has negative side-effects, I'll stick with diet alone.
I'd have to agree with you that my tummy rumbling is after most dinners, even safe ones. I do ingest more fiber than I should from vegetables, salads, brown rice, etc. That's part of the reason I'm not reaching remission. Too much roughage that irritates the colon.
Some people are able to get insurance coverage for Enterolab tests, especially if their doctor orders it. I didn't try. I just used my flex spending account at work. An allergist tried food patch testing on my back to look for "delayed" food allergies. They were negative to inconclusive, so it was a waste of time.
Let us know how you do on the Entocort. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm tempted, because my life is getting crazy right now and stress seems to make the LC worse. But if it has negative side-effects, I'll stick with diet alone.
I'd have to agree with you that my tummy rumbling is after most dinners, even safe ones. I do ingest more fiber than I should from vegetables, salads, brown rice, etc. That's part of the reason I'm not reaching remission. Too much roughage that irritates the colon.
Eek, after seeing Tex's post about side-effects of Entocort, I think I'll stick with my dietary interventions alone. After all, I have my life back. I don't have to know where the nearest toilet is at all times, I'm not racing to the bathroom most of the time, and when I do, I usually know why (self-inflicted eating mistakes). I seem to be in control of this disease most of the time, even if I can't get norman to visit me!!
BTW, if you do get food sensitivity testing, I'm not sure you can do it while on Entocort, as it will affect your anti-food antibody production.
BTW, if you do get food sensitivity testing, I'm not sure you can do it while on Entocort, as it will affect your anti-food antibody production.