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natural supplements
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natural supplements
just wondering what types of natural supplements any of you are taking that seem to help? i have been on entocort for about 6 weeks i think now....things are better but still waiting and wanting some normal bm's...each day is different for some reason. i am also taking digestive advantage based on a suggestion by my dietician. not sure if that is helping or not, it's also a lactose version. just wondering if there is anything 'naturally' i could take that might help the body heal....
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MBombardier
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1523
- Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:44 am
- Location: Vancouver, WA
Hi~ I just noticed that no one had responded to your question. I take several supplements, but they are more for hypothyroidism and potential heart issues than for MC. There is some cross-over, though, like the Vitamin D. Also I use a lot of coconut oil for both the hypothyroidism and MC, though that doesn't really qualify as a supplement.
Marliss Bombardier
Dum spiro, spero -- While I breathe, I hope
Psoriasis - the dark ages
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Dec 2001
Collagenous Colitis - Sept 2010
Granuloma Annulare - June 2011
Dum spiro, spero -- While I breathe, I hope
Psoriasis - the dark ages
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Dec 2001
Collagenous Colitis - Sept 2010
Granuloma Annulare - June 2011
Hi Willabec,
I take a multiple vitamin, vitamin D, calcium and glucosamine, all from Freeda vitamins. I don't take any herbal supplements. I don't take the supplements to help with MC; I take them to round out my vitamins. I also take DF Culturelle (probiotic) daily to help with MC. I can't vouch for the effectiveness of the probiotic, but I suspect part of my problem has been insufficient good bacteria due to antibiotics.
Most of us manage our MC by determining our intolerances and eliminating them. Some of us also use medication to alleviate our symptoms, but medications are only suppressing the inflammation. In order to achieve complete remission, we need to remove the cause of the inflammation, which is likely to be certain foods.
If you are having problems while being on Entocort, you likely need to eliminate other foods besides gluten. The most common additional intolerances we've found are dairy and soy. If you are taking a supplement containing dairy and are intolerant to dairy or casein, it could cause you problems.
It's helpful to maintain a food/elimination diary. If each day is different, that's very helpful. It means that some days are better than others, and what you are eating is probably the reason for the difference.
Gloria
I take a multiple vitamin, vitamin D, calcium and glucosamine, all from Freeda vitamins. I don't take any herbal supplements. I don't take the supplements to help with MC; I take them to round out my vitamins. I also take DF Culturelle (probiotic) daily to help with MC. I can't vouch for the effectiveness of the probiotic, but I suspect part of my problem has been insufficient good bacteria due to antibiotics.
Most of us manage our MC by determining our intolerances and eliminating them. Some of us also use medication to alleviate our symptoms, but medications are only suppressing the inflammation. In order to achieve complete remission, we need to remove the cause of the inflammation, which is likely to be certain foods.
If you are having problems while being on Entocort, you likely need to eliminate other foods besides gluten. The most common additional intolerances we've found are dairy and soy. If you are taking a supplement containing dairy and are intolerant to dairy or casein, it could cause you problems.
It's helpful to maintain a food/elimination diary. If each day is different, that's very helpful. It means that some days are better than others, and what you are eating is probably the reason for the difference.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Willabec,
I take a number of supplements, but not specifically for my MC, and not always daily. I'm a terrible pill taker, so none of these are religious, every day pills, except for the Vitamin D and B-complex or multi.
1) Women's multivitamin from Trader Joe's (every other day)
2) Super B complex (on days I don't take the multi)
3) Cal-Mag Citrate with Vit D capsules (one pill daily-not the recommended 3)
4) Calcium Citrate 500 mg with Vit D Tablets (a few times a week) Taken to avoid too much magnesium in #3
5) Fish oil softgel (1/day)
6) Vitamin D softgel - 2,000 IU/day
7) Ester-C 500 mg -not often enough, but extra if I feel I'm getting sick
8) Culturelle or Jarro-Dophilus probiotics (when I remember - not daily)
No herbs. I do cook with a good amount of olive oil (low heat) or coconut oil (sauteing and frying).
Strangely, the only supplement that seems to cause a noticeable difference when I don't take it is the fish oil. It might be all in my head, but I feel like the D gets worse when I forget to take it for a couple of days.
Oh, and I often sneak a gummy vitamin from my kids. They are so yummy and GF/DF! Trader Joe's sells an adult gummy vitamin. I'm seriously considering it since it might improve my adherence and absorption. I read once that some vitamins, especially calcium tablets, can often go through you undissolved and therefore unabsorbed (although I've never found one in the toilet!
). That's why I prefer to buy calcium capsules.
I'm seriously considering buying magnesium oil now too, since all my symptoms point to a deficiency.
I take a number of supplements, but not specifically for my MC, and not always daily. I'm a terrible pill taker, so none of these are religious, every day pills, except for the Vitamin D and B-complex or multi.
1) Women's multivitamin from Trader Joe's (every other day)
2) Super B complex (on days I don't take the multi)
3) Cal-Mag Citrate with Vit D capsules (one pill daily-not the recommended 3)
4) Calcium Citrate 500 mg with Vit D Tablets (a few times a week) Taken to avoid too much magnesium in #3
5) Fish oil softgel (1/day)
6) Vitamin D softgel - 2,000 IU/day
7) Ester-C 500 mg -not often enough, but extra if I feel I'm getting sick
8) Culturelle or Jarro-Dophilus probiotics (when I remember - not daily)
No herbs. I do cook with a good amount of olive oil (low heat) or coconut oil (sauteing and frying).
Strangely, the only supplement that seems to cause a noticeable difference when I don't take it is the fish oil. It might be all in my head, but I feel like the D gets worse when I forget to take it for a couple of days.
Oh, and I often sneak a gummy vitamin from my kids. They are so yummy and GF/DF! Trader Joe's sells an adult gummy vitamin. I'm seriously considering it since it might improve my adherence and absorption. I read once that some vitamins, especially calcium tablets, can often go through you undissolved and therefore unabsorbed (although I've never found one in the toilet!
). That's why I prefer to buy calcium capsules.I'm seriously considering buying magnesium oil now too, since all my symptoms point to a deficiency.
Hi Willabec
I currently take:
St Johns Wort (1)
Caltrate +D (1)
Vitamin D 1000 IU (4-5)
Omega Daily Fish oil concentrate (4 tablets = 1600mg EPA and 800 mg DHA)
Vitamin B complex (2 - the recommended dose for this brand)
Vitamin A 5000IU (1)
Bio Zinc - 25mg zinc + extras (1).
All Blackmores except the Caltrate,St John's and vitamin B (forget their brand). I take the zinc in the morning and the calcium at night so they don't interfere.
The B, D and A are partly due to MC causing these to be badly absorbed. The Calcium is because I don't eat dairy due to the MC. The zinc is for my immune system, the St Johns for menopausal hot flushes and the fish oil is good for everything!
Lyn
I currently take:
St Johns Wort (1)
Caltrate +D (1)
Vitamin D 1000 IU (4-5)
Omega Daily Fish oil concentrate (4 tablets = 1600mg EPA and 800 mg DHA)
Vitamin B complex (2 - the recommended dose for this brand)
Vitamin A 5000IU (1)
Bio Zinc - 25mg zinc + extras (1).
All Blackmores except the Caltrate,St John's and vitamin B (forget their brand). I take the zinc in the morning and the calcium at night so they don't interfere.
The B, D and A are partly due to MC causing these to be badly absorbed. The Calcium is because I don't eat dairy due to the MC. The zinc is for my immune system, the St Johns for menopausal hot flushes and the fish oil is good for everything!
Lyn
Hello! I am new to the site, having just been diagnosed with LC/diverticulosis last week. My GI prescribed a month of Entocort ($$$$!!!) and after only a week things seem to be starting to settle down. I tested negative on biopsy for celiac.
My question has to do with supplements. I have bone density issues, and have been taking Fosamax, or its generic, alendronate sodium, for several years, along with calcium, D3, glucosamine, fish oil, multivitamin. When I had a recent flare, starting in Jan., I stopped most of my supplements, thinking one of them might be contributing. Am now trying to phase things back in.
Has anyone had problems with Fosamax or had to discontinue it?
Also, how do you deal with making sure that things are absorbed the way they are supposed to be when you have LC/D?
My question has to do with supplements. I have bone density issues, and have been taking Fosamax, or its generic, alendronate sodium, for several years, along with calcium, D3, glucosamine, fish oil, multivitamin. When I had a recent flare, starting in Jan., I stopped most of my supplements, thinking one of them might be contributing. Am now trying to phase things back in.
Has anyone had problems with Fosamax or had to discontinue it?
Also, how do you deal with making sure that things are absorbed the way they are supposed to be when you have LC/D?
Hi,maestraz wrote:Has anyone had problems with Fosamax or had to discontinue it?
Also, how do you deal with making sure that things are absorbed the way they are supposed to be when you have LC/D?
Welcome to the group. Regarding your questions, while the risk may not be high, the bisphosphonates, (including Fosamax), have been documented to cause MC for some people. Personally, I consider them to be a dangerous drug, with dubious benefits. They increase bone density, by preventing the body from destroying old bone tissue, which naturally limits the ability of the body to replace it with new tissue. Besides being unnatural, that's a very unhealthy process. That's just my opinion, though, and I'm not a doctor.
Many/most of us have a malabsorption problem while we are reacting, so we have to take vitamin supplements to prevent deficiencies. It helps if you can find sublingual forms of some of the vitamins, (such as B-12, in combination with folic acid). Sublingual lozenges are designed to dissolve under the tongue, where they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream.
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.
I also take vitamins.
Bone-Up Calcium (recommended dose)
Fish Oil
Multi-vitamin
Vitamin D
Ubiquinal
Probiotics
I also decided to see a holistic chiropractor who worked on my colon area and found the ileocecal valve to be closed. I was always having a lot of pressure and bloating way up high in the abdominal area. It now makes sense to me that if the valve is closed and everything is building up, it eventually has to push through. He could hear no motitity in the colon. (I'm not sure if I'm explaining this right) I also got an enzyme from him (Theramedix). I do feel a lot better since my visit and have two more appointments.
I went on my ten day cruise to the Panama Canal and only had two slight incidences. I ate almost everything in sight too, except milk, ice cream and junk food.
Nancy
Bone-Up Calcium (recommended dose)
Fish Oil
Multi-vitamin
Vitamin D
Ubiquinal
Probiotics
I also decided to see a holistic chiropractor who worked on my colon area and found the ileocecal valve to be closed. I was always having a lot of pressure and bloating way up high in the abdominal area. It now makes sense to me that if the valve is closed and everything is building up, it eventually has to push through. He could hear no motitity in the colon. (I'm not sure if I'm explaining this right) I also got an enzyme from him (Theramedix). I do feel a lot better since my visit and have two more appointments.
I went on my ten day cruise to the Panama Canal and only had two slight incidences. I ate almost everything in sight too, except milk, ice cream and junk food.
Nancy