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I'm 41, female and new to this site. I was diagnosed with CC three years ago. Was hospitalised for a week because I was so weak and it took me 6 months to get over. It all seemed to go away until now!!!
I started the Atkins diet on 1st January 2010 and have lost nearly a stone in weight (13lb to be exact) so happy about that but the downside is the CC has come back with a vengence. It's been bad for about a week now (and that includes waking in the night) and I'm feeling really fatigued which is a shame because I was feeling really good with good energy levels!!
I also suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis and take 4mg of Prednisolone daily together with Arava (Lefluonomide) and 400mg of Ibuprofen.
Jo, we're very glad you found us. Diet advice is to go gluten free. Casein (the protein in dairy) may need to be eliminated, too. Half of us are intolerant of soy.
Read as much as you can on this site starting with the advice for newbies. I know it is all overwhelming but as our guru, Tex, says, you can get your life back.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV.
Thank you Joan. I'm having a good read through. Problem with me is I am in denial about it all and then when it fires up I get depressed!! Now reading through some problems on this forum I feel very humbled ....... I have no problems!
Welcome to our internet family. Joan is correct - the Ibuprofen may very well be the cause of your current CC flare. NSAIDs are a very, very common trigger for microscopic colitis. I'm surprised that none of your doctors have pointed that out.
I can't guarantee that if you stop taking the Ibuprofen, the CC symptoms will go away, but there is a very good chance that it will do so. In many cases, once the reaction is triggered, extended treatment is necessary to control the inflammation, but for some of us, just stopping the drug that triggered the disease, will promptly stop the symptoms. It's certainly worth a try, and you should never take any NSAIDS, with CC, anyway.
Also, I hope that you are aware that the drug leflunomide has been associated with a rather high number of severe liver problems, (some of them fatal), since it was originally introduced about 12 years ago. Also, even though that is a very low dose of Prednisone, at your relatively young age, it is surely doing some degree of damage to your adrenals, cortisol production, etc. The long-term use of prednisone almost always carries serious health risks. As long as the dose is that low, it is probably not an immediate threat, but in the long run, it should be phased out of your treatment, for your overall health considerations.
Mainstream medicine has not yet done the research to verify this, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that food sensitivities, particularly gluten sensitivity, is implicated as a primary cause of virtually all autoimmune diseases.
For example, many of us have found that our arthritis symptoms either improved or disappeared completely, within a year or two after we adopted the gluten-free diet. The time lag is due to the fact that it takes quite a while for the damage to the gut, (caused by gluten), to heal. I had severe arthritis symptoms, and still have the crooked fingers to prove it, but my arthritis disappeared completely, after I adopted the diet. I've been gluten-free for almost 8 years now, and my RF, (rheumatoid factor), is negative, and I have absolutely no symptoms of active arthritis.
Joan is correct that most of us are sensitive to not only gluten, but also casein, and some of us have to avoid soy.
I hope these suggestions help, and again, welcome aboard.
Tex (Wayne)
P. S. Joan - I can't give medical advice. I'm not a medical professional. All I can do is share experiences, research, and insight.
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.
there are common dietary intolerances (such as gluten, soy etc) and then there are the unique type ones, some can tolerate tomatos others can not, and this occurs for quite a few vegetables and fruits etc.
it takes time to find out what works and what doesnt....
I was only diagnosed in Dec '09 so I am still on the path of transition, this website and the wonderful people have been invaluable as embark on this journey, you can ask any question!
good luck and take care
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Visit the Microscopic Colitis Foundation Website
Jo, we're very glad you found us. Diet advice is to go gluten free. Casein (the protein in dairy) may need to be eliminated, too. Half of us are intolerant of soy.
