A Ray of Hope

Post by **tex** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:00 pm

Ant wrote:I have always wondered if Entocort, apart from reducing symptoms, hurts or hinders gut healing?

I had never given that any thought, (since I previously assumed that it should be beneficial), but I noticed the following quote, that comes from a discussion of the leaky gut syndrome, that was posted by someone else, yesterday or today.

The Causes

The leaky gut syndrome is basically caused by the inflammation of the gut lining. This inflammation is usually brought about by the following:

Antibiotics because they lead to the overgrowth of abnormal flora in the gastrointestinal tract (bacteria, parasites, candida, fungi; alcohol and caffeine (strong gut irritants):

foods and beverages contaminated by parasites like giardia lamblia, cryptosporidium, blastocystis hominis and other food and beverage contaminated by bacteria like helicobacter pylori, klebsiella, citrobacter, pseadomoas and other chemicals in fermented and processed food (dyes, preservatives, peroxidized fats);

enzyme deficiencies (e.g. celiac disease, lactase deficiency causing lactose intolerance) NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ASA, ibuprofen, indomethancin, etc);

prescription corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone);

high refined carbohydrate diet - (e.g. candy bars, cookies, cake, soft drinks, white bread);

prescription hormones like birth control pills;

mold and fungal mycotoxins in stored grains, fruit and refined carbohydrates. more common is the fact that many people are suffering from mycotoxicosis (toxic mold poisoning).

http://www.mold-survivor.com/leaky_gut_syndrome.html

The red emphasis is mine, of course, but I wondered where the author got that information, since I don't recall ever seeing it before, so I looked it up.

Note that as Mary Beth pointed out in the thread where I found the link to that site, there is other information in the article that is suspect, (such as recommending FOS, for example). Incidentally, he forgot to list a major cause of the leaky gut syndrome - excess alcohol consumption.

Apparently it is quite true, though, and if you think about it, the reason is rather logical. Corticosteroids suppress inflammation, and inflammation is a necessary part of the healing process. It's that simple.

http://archsurg.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprin ... 1/1265.pdf

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/423228

So, clearly, corticosteroids adversely affect the healing process. How about that - all these years, and that never occurred to us.

Thanks Ant, for being so curious.

Tex

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:26 pm

Interesting and a great find Tex. It makes sense from an anecdotal standpoint as I know when I was on Entocort cuts and scrapes took noticeably longer to heal.

I know this is an issue discussed on the Crohns boards as well as steroids (prednisone & Entocort) are some of the main meds used for a flare. The members commonly complain how long it takes a cut to heal. Some have even had to go to see a wound care specialists to aid the healing process.

Thanks for sharing that.

--Joe

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:42 pm

I am pretty sure that Gelatin and Zinc were a big part for my gut healing. the Zinc was recommended by naturopath and acupuncturist (it is a cell rebuilder) and my research for the gelatin...

and as i ponder that. in medieval times they used natural metals and pottery for cooking and eating metal wise it was ie silver / zinc /copper composites so they would have been absorbing small amounts of metails whilst they ate.... mmmm

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 4:35 pm

Gloria,

I am so happy for you! This gives me hope too! I have sent in my MRT and now playing the waiting gaime. Hopefully only another week or so. Are you feeling better from the pneumonia?

Pat

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:01 pm

Hi Pat,

I'm cautiously optimistic. I'm a little afraid to test it again because I don't want it to fail. Maybe in a few days. Heck, even if I can only eat it every few days, that's better than never.

I'm on a second antibiotic and progressing slowly. This pneumonia's been different from last year's. I don't have my energy or lung power back yet, but the fever is almost gone and so are the headaches.

I will keep you posted about my fruit progress. Wouldn't it be great if we could eat it again?

Gloria

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:21 am

CONGRATULATIONS Gloria!

Super news and yes, only we would understand a picture perfect Norman. Isn't it great?! I am still relishing in it.

Love, Maggie

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 2:25 pm

Well, I ate a whole banana yesterday, four days after I ate the 1/4 banana.

I felt pressure all day, and by bedtime, I had to make a trip to the bathroom, ending up with D. I seem to be OK today - no BM so far.

I'm not going to let this discourage me; I'll try again sometime eating only 1/2 banana. DH can only eat 1/2 banana at a time because of his diabetes, so maybe we can share one. Keeping my

that it's a dosage problem and with a smaller amount, I can eat it.

Gloria

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 3:19 pm

Your 1/2 banana approach may be the best way for a while as your system is not used to that food yet. I have found that if I eat bananas that are not fully ripe they do not settle well and cause that type of pressure.

I hope you can tolerate bananas eventually as they are a great easily portable safe food

--Joe

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 3:41 pm

Tex wrote:So, clearly, corticosteroids adversely affect the healing process. How about that - all these years, and that never occurred to us.

This is an interesting conclusion with pretty important ramifications. The choice to take a steroid isn't as simple as we thought.

It's also made me wonder about the effectiveness of using an inhaler, which uses corticosteroids, to reduce asthmatic inflammation. My PCP prescribed one for me this week, but given your research, I wonder if the inhaler reduces or prolongs the inflammation?

Gloria

Post by **tex** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:39 pm

Gloria,

Well, it will probably prolong the inflammation, but sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do, in order to get better. Actually, when you think about it, it's a little tough to visualize exactly what goes on with the healing process in the intestines, anyway, because they're inflamed to begin with, (that's the problem), but they're obviously not healing, as long as the inflammation continues to be regenerated. If inflammation were the primary prerequisite for healing, then they should heal in a hurry, but clearly that never happens, (with or without a corticosteroid). So the problem isn't as simple as meets the eye. Theory doesn't always work in the real world, and it almost never works as well as it does on paper.

Tex

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:30 pm

Gloria,

Thinking about you and hoping you pull out of this real soon.

Love,

Joanna

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:30 am

Gloria,
I hate to be a wet blanket here, but couldn't all the improvements in the MC be CAUSED by the various antibiotics you are on? I for one get significant improvement after I clear out my GI bacteria, whether through antibiotics or colonoscopy prep. Before the MC diagnosis, a 10-day course of Keflex even stopped my lactose intolerance and D for several weeks. This is why I believe they are seeing results with an antibiotic for treating IBS. It clears out the unfriendly mix of bacteria causing all the symptoms (either by how they react to and process the food you eat, or how your body reacts to their presence). This may explain your sudden ability to eat new foods without symptoms.

I'm not suggesting this as a treatment for MC, because I believe antibiotics ultimately make MC worse, and can expose us to other infections (c.diff, etc) but they can provide a mini-vacation.

I hope you stay symptom-free months after this pneumonia is finally over.

Take care,

Zizzle

JoAnn · Post by **JoAnn** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:24 pm

Gloria, I'm sorry you've been having some challenges and hope they will soon be resolved. Love JoAnn

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:33 pm

Zizzle wrote:couldn't all the improvements in the MC be CAUSED by the various antibiotics you are on?

We've long known on the board that Cipro, and the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics (which includes Levaquin) for some reason creates a temporary improvement in MC. The improvements I've seen in my MC took place several months before I went on the antibiotics. For sure Levaquin is causing me to strain, an improvement I don't welcome.

Zizzle wrote:This may explain your sudden ability to eat new foods without symptoms.

I only wish that I would see an increase in my ability to eat new foods. The second banana gave me D and was the first new food I've tried since December.

I appreciate that you are cautioning me to not get too excited about being able to eat a new food. I've been managing my MC long enough to know that I shouldn't get my hopes too high. I won't do that until I've been off Entocort for eight weeks.

Gloria

ant · Post by **ant** » Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:16 am

Dear Tex

So the problem isn't as simple as meets the eye.

Perhaps it is more a matter of balance......?

Does this theory work.....too much inflammation causes tissue damage and MC symptoms, too little inflammation might not promote gut healing (that is caused in the first place by too much inflammation).

Best ant