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I went in armed to discuss Mast cells and histamines and within the first few minutes I realized this doc does not know what else to do for me except prescribe meds. His answers to all my questions were to take more Entocort; my weight loss – up the dosage; probably have Mast cells- Entocort will help with that etc. I reminded him that I am at the same weight I was a yr ago and have been on a steroid for nine of those months DUH, I don’t think that is the answer. When I mention diet, he listens but does not comment. Tex, I mentioned about B-9 (folic acid) and his response was that there is a deficiency in the US for Vit D and B-12 but generally not folic acid. Not to be cold here, but I wish his concern was more about me than the US in general!
The night before while discussing my latest flare with my DH and Mast cells, we had an epiphany. I have trouble getting food caught in my esophagus a lot and usually have to make myself throw up to move it. I’ve always had major allergies, as discussed in my last thread, and now it is making sense with the histamines. (Oh the doc did take biopsies of the esophagus and everything was okay) I’m using the article that Gloria posted on what foods contain histamines to avoid and am seriously considering taking an antihistamine on a regular basis to see if this would help plus folic acid. I now believe that my inflammation is just not in the gut but my whole body.
Tex and this whole community is a better caregiver than any doc I have to PAY for to get results!
Peace, Ginny
GI Visit-histamines-mast cells………. Grrrrrrrrrrrr
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Wow, I did a quick internet search to understand the issue of histamines. I'd seen Histame at the store and wondered whether it would be worth trying. This site from the UK was very enlightening.
http://www.histrelief.com/
I hadn't heard if histaminosis or histamine intolerance. The information on this page suggests those of us with mutiple food intolerances are barking up the wrong tree with all our elimination diets, including gluten and dairy!?!
QUOTE: " if you ever have been diagnosed with "Candida" or "you have a wheat and dairy intolerance"... just forget this nonsense and start thinking about a serious approach to your health issues."
According to them:
"There is increasing evidence that Enteral Histaminosis or Histamine Intolerance (HIT) is a major cause of food hypersensitivity/food intolerance, rashes/flushing/other skin irritation and especially Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)/IBS related symptoms.
Cellular Histaminosis is also a possible cause of adverse reactions and/or dysfunction of the immune system, but is not well researched. Patients very often feel:
severe fatigued
flu-like symptoms
fibromyalgia
unidentified joint and muscle pain
Approximately 2 % of the population suffer from a severe form of histaminosis or reaction to other Biogenic Amines. 10% or more have some reaction to Biogenic Amines. These figures show that HIT and Biogenic Amine reaction is now a vastly more serious health problem than all food allergies put together!"
"Digestive problems (prolonged diarrhoea or constipation), bloating, stomach pain, heartburn, belching, acid reflux but also tension/cluster headaches, migraines, palpitation, low blood pressure, urticaria, eczema, hay fever and asthma can be signs of a histamine intolerance (HIT) or a problem with other Biogenic Amines (BA) like Tyramines (very much connected with Migraines and Cluster Headaches)."
It seems red wine intolerance is a tell-tale sign...
AND:
"Studies have shown that histamine-intolerant individuals may have a deficiency of the enzyme, diamineoxidase (extracellular) and/or N-methyltransferase (intracellular), in the small intestinal mucosa, resulting in decreased breakdown, and increased absorption of histamine in the gastrointestinal tract.
Diamineoxidase levels are known to be about 500-fold elevated in pregnancy (safety net to protect the unborn."
Could this be why IBS, diarrhea and other symptoms tend to subside in pregnancy?
What do you make of all of this?
http://www.histrelief.com/
I hadn't heard if histaminosis or histamine intolerance. The information on this page suggests those of us with mutiple food intolerances are barking up the wrong tree with all our elimination diets, including gluten and dairy!?!
QUOTE: " if you ever have been diagnosed with "Candida" or "you have a wheat and dairy intolerance"... just forget this nonsense and start thinking about a serious approach to your health issues."
According to them:
"There is increasing evidence that Enteral Histaminosis or Histamine Intolerance (HIT) is a major cause of food hypersensitivity/food intolerance, rashes/flushing/other skin irritation and especially Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)/IBS related symptoms.
Cellular Histaminosis is also a possible cause of adverse reactions and/or dysfunction of the immune system, but is not well researched. Patients very often feel:
severe fatigued
flu-like symptoms
fibromyalgia
unidentified joint and muscle pain
Approximately 2 % of the population suffer from a severe form of histaminosis or reaction to other Biogenic Amines. 10% or more have some reaction to Biogenic Amines. These figures show that HIT and Biogenic Amine reaction is now a vastly more serious health problem than all food allergies put together!"
"Digestive problems (prolonged diarrhoea or constipation), bloating, stomach pain, heartburn, belching, acid reflux but also tension/cluster headaches, migraines, palpitation, low blood pressure, urticaria, eczema, hay fever and asthma can be signs of a histamine intolerance (HIT) or a problem with other Biogenic Amines (BA) like Tyramines (very much connected with Migraines and Cluster Headaches)."
It seems red wine intolerance is a tell-tale sign...
AND:
"Studies have shown that histamine-intolerant individuals may have a deficiency of the enzyme, diamineoxidase (extracellular) and/or N-methyltransferase (intracellular), in the small intestinal mucosa, resulting in decreased breakdown, and increased absorption of histamine in the gastrointestinal tract.
Diamineoxidase levels are known to be about 500-fold elevated in pregnancy (safety net to protect the unborn."
Could this be why IBS, diarrhea and other symptoms tend to subside in pregnancy?
What do you make of all of this?
A clearer explanation of histamine intolerance can be found here. Seems to me this coud be a factor for many of us (but not necessarily a causal factor), and it can be triggered by an infection and change in gut flora, much like our MC probably is.
http://www.allergynutrition.com/faq.php
http://www.allergynutrition.com/faq.php
1987 Mononucleosis (EBV)
2004 Hypomyopathic Dermatomyositis
2009 Lymphocytic Colitis
2010 GF/DF/SF Diet
2014 Low Dose Naltrexone
2004 Hypomyopathic Dermatomyositis
2009 Lymphocytic Colitis
2010 GF/DF/SF Diet
2014 Low Dose Naltrexone
Hi Ginny,
Well, that's a heck of a note.
I've always wondered why it seems to be too much trouble for so many GI docs to learn something new. Instead, they just throw up their hands, or blame the patient. The rest of us keep learning for the rest of our lives - why do GI docs seem to be so opposed to learning new information? It's almost as if that certificate hanging on their office wall, proclaiming them to be an "expert" in their field, automatically cancels any future need for additional knowledge. 
You're right, of course - common deficiencies in the general population are pretty much irrelevant for anyone with MC, because we are definitely not "normal", and we are much more prone to certain deficiencies. One of the reasons why the general population is deficient of vitamin B-12, is because many people are short of folic acid. The body cannot utilize B-12 without an adequate supply of folate, no matter how much B-12 is available.
I think that you may be on the right track. Your swallowing difficulty certainly suggests an anaphylactic response to food. You might be able to get some help from an allergy specialist. Unfortunately, however, most of them are acquainted with skin and upper respiratory issues, but they're totally unfamiliar with digestive system mast cell issues. Maybe Mary Beth can shed some light on this situation.
Tex
Well, that's a heck of a note.
I've always wondered why it seems to be too much trouble for so many GI docs to learn something new. Instead, they just throw up their hands, or blame the patient. The rest of us keep learning for the rest of our lives - why do GI docs seem to be so opposed to learning new information? It's almost as if that certificate hanging on their office wall, proclaiming them to be an "expert" in their field, automatically cancels any future need for additional knowledge. You're right, of course - common deficiencies in the general population are pretty much irrelevant for anyone with MC, because we are definitely not "normal", and we are much more prone to certain deficiencies. One of the reasons why the general population is deficient of vitamin B-12, is because many people are short of folic acid. The body cannot utilize B-12 without an adequate supply of folate, no matter how much B-12 is available.
I think that you may be on the right track. Your swallowing difficulty certainly suggests an anaphylactic response to food. You might be able to get some help from an allergy specialist. Unfortunately, however, most of them are acquainted with skin and upper respiratory issues, but they're totally unfamiliar with digestive system mast cell issues. Maybe Mary Beth can shed some light on this situation.
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.
Hello Ginny, I am a person with MC and other allergies too. MC is recently, little longer than a year, the other allergies, over 20 years. I have a skin allergy, a react to a couple of compounds, mostly perfumed stuff, for that I have a hormone crème (also corticoid steroid), although when I choose the right products, this allergy does not bother me. But it does go far, I even have to use non fragranced soap powder to wash my clothes (Neutral). My other allergy is a bit more of a mystery, it is my nose. I am always sneezing. It is like hay fever, only it is not hay fever, I had several allergy testing, result nothing. I call it an non specific allergy, I react to things that smell strong, to cold air, warm air, dust. If I take nothing I call myself a cat with the sneezing disease. For this I take Zyrtec (what is an H1 blocker, I read that in one of the articles posted here in one of the last days).
I also wonder if mast cells play a role in my MC or in the non specific nose allergy. And if histamine low or free food made a difference. I am not convinced. I have tried an histamine low/free diet for about four weeks last year (before I was diagnosed with MC, than I thought histamine releasers was causing my D). I couldn't notice a difference, not in my bowel and not in my nose.
I also keep on wondering if my skin allergy, nose allergy and MC are related and if they are, how. Till now I haven't found a connection. Although I am on a GF,SF,YF,EG,CF diet my skin/nose allergy are still the same. Although a lot of other things (brain fog, bloating etc) get much better.
If I forget to take my Zyrtec, I get itchy eyes and start sneezing as I normally do.
I do believe in the theory of histamine releasers and the trouble it can cause. But in my case I am not convinced about a relationship. And if there was, I think in this case I would take medication (zyrtec) to solve. I have been taking this for years without any problem. Normally I would choose for diet. But my food choice is already so limited, I couldn't deal with another diet. That would left me with almost nothing to eat I guess.
You could try it out for a while, a histamine low/free diet and see what it does. But you are already like me, a very long list of things you react to. If there are too many things you can't eat any more and you have more than one diet regime you have to deal with, can be very difficult to deal with.
good luck with it.
I also wonder if mast cells play a role in my MC or in the non specific nose allergy. And if histamine low or free food made a difference. I am not convinced. I have tried an histamine low/free diet for about four weeks last year (before I was diagnosed with MC, than I thought histamine releasers was causing my D). I couldn't notice a difference, not in my bowel and not in my nose.
I also keep on wondering if my skin allergy, nose allergy and MC are related and if they are, how. Till now I haven't found a connection. Although I am on a GF,SF,YF,EG,CF diet my skin/nose allergy are still the same. Although a lot of other things (brain fog, bloating etc) get much better.
If I forget to take my Zyrtec, I get itchy eyes and start sneezing as I normally do.
I do believe in the theory of histamine releasers and the trouble it can cause. But in my case I am not convinced about a relationship. And if there was, I think in this case I would take medication (zyrtec) to solve. I have been taking this for years without any problem. Normally I would choose for diet. But my food choice is already so limited, I couldn't deal with another diet. That would left me with almost nothing to eat I guess.
You could try it out for a while, a histamine low/free diet and see what it does. But you are already like me, a very long list of things you react to. If there are too many things you can't eat any more and you have more than one diet regime you have to deal with, can be very difficult to deal with.
good luck with it.
Zizzle,
If you will do a search of the archives here, you will see that these issues have been discussed many times before. I had never heard of the references you cited, previously, so I checked on them. Here's what I think, (and remember that this is just my opinion).
On the first one, for example, as is usually the case with sites such as that, there is a certain amount of truth in what they say. That's how they get the reader to trust them. Unfortunately, they give the impression of a snake oil sales outlet, with many of their claims. One of the things that bothers me is their claim to be "specialists" in at least 11 different issues. "Specialists", by definition, do not "specialize" in a multitude of areas.
There are other tip-offs. Look at their long list of websites and "clinics". Why do they need so many websites to sell the same basic products? Also note that they mention that all of their facilities are "new", (or maybe they're temporary). This gives them an excuse to be hard to pin down, when push comes to shove.
Maybe my suspicions are totally unfounded, and if so, I apologize in advance, but reading their sites, I can't help but develop a somewhat skeptical attitude. Their tests are not cheap, so I'm pretty sure that they are "legitimate". However, I have a hunch that they're trying to convince potential customers that they can practically perform miracles, when in fact, they're just selling expensive tests, that may or may not be beneficial to the patient. (Of course, mainstream medicine does the same thing, in a sense - the only difference is that mainstream medicine usually doesn't promote the tests so highly. They sell medical expertise, and the tests are only tools to be used by the doctors, as needed).
In general, all those sites, (including the second link that you listed), were established to sell products and services. They were not established to provide beneficial information, (free of charge). We always have to be careful about trusting what we read on sites that are designed to sell products and/or services. They are the internet version of infomercials.
That said, the differences between histamine intolerance and histamonosis were described at least 20 years ago, but mainstream medicine, (as usual), seems to be slow to figure out what to do with the information. Maybe these guys are pioneers.
Tex
If you will do a search of the archives here, you will see that these issues have been discussed many times before. I had never heard of the references you cited, previously, so I checked on them. Here's what I think, (and remember that this is just my opinion).
On the first one, for example, as is usually the case with sites such as that, there is a certain amount of truth in what they say. That's how they get the reader to trust them. Unfortunately, they give the impression of a snake oil sales outlet, with many of their claims. One of the things that bothers me is their claim to be "specialists" in at least 11 different issues. "Specialists", by definition, do not "specialize" in a multitude of areas.
There are other tip-offs. Look at their long list of websites and "clinics". Why do they need so many websites to sell the same basic products? Also note that they mention that all of their facilities are "new", (or maybe they're temporary). This gives them an excuse to be hard to pin down, when push comes to shove.
Maybe my suspicions are totally unfounded, and if so, I apologize in advance, but reading their sites, I can't help but develop a somewhat skeptical attitude. Their tests are not cheap, so I'm pretty sure that they are "legitimate". However, I have a hunch that they're trying to convince potential customers that they can practically perform miracles, when in fact, they're just selling expensive tests, that may or may not be beneficial to the patient. (Of course, mainstream medicine does the same thing, in a sense - the only difference is that mainstream medicine usually doesn't promote the tests so highly. They sell medical expertise, and the tests are only tools to be used by the doctors, as needed).
In general, all those sites, (including the second link that you listed), were established to sell products and services. They were not established to provide beneficial information, (free of charge). We always have to be careful about trusting what we read on sites that are designed to sell products and/or services. They are the internet version of infomercials.
That said, the differences between histamine intolerance and histamonosis were described at least 20 years ago, but mainstream medicine, (as usual), seems to be slow to figure out what to do with the information. Maybe these guys are pioneers.
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.
Harma, we are alike and you are right about any more diet changes. I've now limited all fiber and am eating pretty much meat and rice. I am off to buy Zyrtec at lunch. I had already did my research and did you know that one of the side affects could be CONSTIPATION.........only to dream of! I also have been drinking a glass of wine thinking it would help my digestion......oops 
, don't think so anymore.
Zizzle, good information and I intend to do more research, but I would love to hear from Mary Beth; I know she has done some extensive research.
Tex, the more I probe into my allergic reactions I realize that this could be the very issue that might be preventing me from moving on. Fifty percent of the nights I wake up rubbing the roof of my mouth raw from itching and my eyes constantly need eye drops and I can only imagine FALL time
. Some foods will give me the same reaction; roof of the mouth itching, but the swallowing difficulty is a major issue, not to mention my reaction to cat bites & bee stings! At your very thoughtful suggestion, I will start researching for an allergist. The one I used for years has moved to Austin.
The fact that I see a little hope is good for the mind. Peace, Ginny
, don't think so anymore.Zizzle, good information and I intend to do more research, but I would love to hear from Mary Beth; I know she has done some extensive research.
Tex, the more I probe into my allergic reactions I realize that this could be the very issue that might be preventing me from moving on. Fifty percent of the nights I wake up rubbing the roof of my mouth raw from itching and my eyes constantly need eye drops and I can only imagine FALL time
. Some foods will give me the same reaction; roof of the mouth itching, but the swallowing difficulty is a major issue, not to mention my reaction to cat bites & bee stings! At your very thoughtful suggestion, I will start researching for an allergist. The one I used for years has moved to Austin.The fact that I see a little hope is good for the mind. Peace, Ginny
Ginny,
The gagging/vomiting and food getting stuck is a classic sign of eosinophilic esophagitis. Many people with mast cell disorders also have this. Did your doc check for eosinophils when he did the biopsy?
I find this thread interesting. As I have been saying I think we are all experiencing (to varying degrees) some mast cell response that stems from our lectin intolerance. This is my theory of course. The symptoms of aggravated mast cells are so varied because mast cells are in many parts of our body . . . Gi tract, eyes, lungs, heart, thyroid, kidney, uterus etc. I believe the vast majority of people are "leakers". I discovered my mast cell issue becasue I get full blown anaphylaxisis. By avoiding my reactive lectins I can keep my mast cells under better control. This is a big incentive to follow my diet.
I have felt much anger and animosity towards my doctors - it has been frustrating chasing after a diagnosis. My final diagnosis is idiopathic anaphylaxis, which means "we don't know what's wrong with you". I am no longer as angry as I was. I now channel all of that energy into educating others, and that includes doctors. I just wrote an article for The Mastocytosis Society, telling my story and talking about how diet helped me (also gave enterolab a plug). This forum has helped me more than anything else. It helped to empower me to manage my own illness rather than depending on doctors to know it all.
FYI, I looked in Histame a while back. For me it's not an option. I think it is far better to avoid the offending foods. But that's just my opinion. I have the same feeling about LectinLock. To me there is no way that product can block the action of lectrins. But again that's my opinion. If you think you have a mast cell issue try an H1 blocker like zyrtec or claritin (I think Gloria said they contained lactose, so beware of this - could always go to a compounding pharmacy to get without lactose). I've not used H2 blockers as a method to treat my mast cells - think it's a bad idea to change the pH of the GI tract.
Here is a helpful article on histamine intolerance http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/85/5/1185
Mary Beth
The gagging/vomiting and food getting stuck is a classic sign of eosinophilic esophagitis. Many people with mast cell disorders also have this. Did your doc check for eosinophils when he did the biopsy?
I find this thread interesting. As I have been saying I think we are all experiencing (to varying degrees) some mast cell response that stems from our lectin intolerance. This is my theory of course. The symptoms of aggravated mast cells are so varied because mast cells are in many parts of our body . . . Gi tract, eyes, lungs, heart, thyroid, kidney, uterus etc. I believe the vast majority of people are "leakers". I discovered my mast cell issue becasue I get full blown anaphylaxisis. By avoiding my reactive lectins I can keep my mast cells under better control. This is a big incentive to follow my diet.
I have felt much anger and animosity towards my doctors - it has been frustrating chasing after a diagnosis. My final diagnosis is idiopathic anaphylaxis, which means "we don't know what's wrong with you". I am no longer as angry as I was. I now channel all of that energy into educating others, and that includes doctors. I just wrote an article for The Mastocytosis Society, telling my story and talking about how diet helped me (also gave enterolab a plug). This forum has helped me more than anything else. It helped to empower me to manage my own illness rather than depending on doctors to know it all.
FYI, I looked in Histame a while back. For me it's not an option. I think it is far better to avoid the offending foods. But that's just my opinion. I have the same feeling about LectinLock. To me there is no way that product can block the action of lectrins. But again that's my opinion. If you think you have a mast cell issue try an H1 blocker like zyrtec or claritin (I think Gloria said they contained lactose, so beware of this - could always go to a compounding pharmacy to get without lactose). I've not used H2 blockers as a method to treat my mast cells - think it's a bad idea to change the pH of the GI tract.
Here is a helpful article on histamine intolerance http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/85/5/1185
Mary Beth
"If you believe it will work out, you'll see opportunities. If you believe it won't you will see obstacles." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
Yes, this is an interesting discussion. I believe that MC and mast cells and histamines are all closely related. I'm not sure if one causes the other, but I believe that they affect each other.
I'm focusing a lot of my attention on my mouth sores, because I think they are histamine-related and also a clue that my colon is reacting similarly. I'm getting very close to eliminating them, but it's requiring me to eliminate even more foods. I've eliminated all high-histamine foods, but each time I think I've finally gotten rid of them, I'll get another one or two. It gets pretty frustrating. When I got the itchy head bumps a couple of weeks ago, I really got concerned. I haven't taken any anti-histamines because of the lactose in the OTC brands. I also worry about other ingredients they may contain.
I've mentioned before that the article Ginny refers to was written by GIs at Rush Presbyterian in Chicago, which is about an hour away. They're not in my PPO, but even if they were, I can see the scenario: colonoscopy with biopsy. They find excessive mast cells. Then comes the prescription, an H2 blocker which may contain an ingredient I can't handle. Try to explain that I have to be very careful about what I ingest. They would probably say that diet has nothing to do with it. I don't understand how doctors cannot see that there's a cause and effect relationship between what you eat and what inflames the gut. I've lost faith that any of them can help me.
Gloria
I'm focusing a lot of my attention on my mouth sores, because I think they are histamine-related and also a clue that my colon is reacting similarly. I'm getting very close to eliminating them, but it's requiring me to eliminate even more foods. I've eliminated all high-histamine foods, but each time I think I've finally gotten rid of them, I'll get another one or two. It gets pretty frustrating. When I got the itchy head bumps a couple of weeks ago, I really got concerned. I haven't taken any anti-histamines because of the lactose in the OTC brands. I also worry about other ingredients they may contain.
I've mentioned before that the article Ginny refers to was written by GIs at Rush Presbyterian in Chicago, which is about an hour away. They're not in my PPO, but even if they were, I can see the scenario: colonoscopy with biopsy. They find excessive mast cells. Then comes the prescription, an H2 blocker which may contain an ingredient I can't handle. Try to explain that I have to be very careful about what I ingest. They would probably say that diet has nothing to do with it. I don't understand how doctors cannot see that there's a cause and effect relationship between what you eat and what inflames the gut. I've lost faith that any of them can help me.
That's where I'm at right now, but I don't know what else to do. This week I've decided to eliminate rice and see if it makes a difference. In a way, I hope it doesn't, because it would be my last starchy food. But my course has been very similar to Pat's, and eliminating rice was the answer to her problem.Harma wrote:But my food choice is already so limited, I couldn't deal with another diet. That would left me with almost nothing to eat I guess.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Mary beth I agree with you, that it better to avoid the cause than take medication, only in this case with my non specific nose allergy (more or less the same as your idiopathic anaphylaxis, in the way a real cause is never found) I have no clue what causes it. I never have found a relation with food.
Also I haven't been eating any lectins in 9 months. So that is also not the cause.
But maybe it is also in one or the other way gluten related and is it one of those things that can take up to two year to resolve.
Also I haven't been eating any lectins in 9 months. So that is also not the cause.
But maybe it is also in one or the other way gluten related and is it one of those things that can take up to two year to resolve.
I have read that histamine is dose-response, meaning we have a threshold and when that threshold is exceeded we get symptomatic. Food can contribute to iverall histamine, but so can other things, like pollen. That's why we sometimes get a seasonal variation with symptomsm ot why we can't sometimes track it back to food.
Mary Beth
Mary Beth
"If you believe it will work out, you'll see opportunities. If you believe it won't you will see obstacles." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
Ladies, I totally agree with your thinking and feel confident that all is related; just matter of what degree it affects each one of us. I tried 1/2 Zyrtec last night and will continue to take the same dosage to see if it makes any difference. I did not see lactose but it did have corn
Mary Beth you made the statement:
I will be pursuing a knowledgable allergist that understands the affects of mast cells on the whole body; my GI has done all he can do for me so he thinks. He found my initial problem after the first idiot I went to never thought to take biopsies. Two colonoscopies is enough for me in one year!
I hope we continue to have these discussions, they are very educational and to be honest it might help someone else realize what the underlying problem could be to their MC. Mary Beth I see you are from Texas and I am going to email you for any advice on an allergist.
Here is to our good health..........Ginny
Mary Beth you made the statement:
He took a lot of biopsies and I will ask that question. I am just at the beginning of understanding mast cells and the effects it has on our bodies. I do believe histamines have played a major part of my health issues. I am now down to meat & rice, brocoli, parsnips, carrots and jello occasionally, and I am going to make some muffins without tapioca. Like all of us, I would like to be able to manage this disease by diet.Many people with mast cell disorders also have this. Did your doc check for eosinophils when he did the biopsy?
I will be pursuing a knowledgable allergist that understands the affects of mast cells on the whole body; my GI has done all he can do for me so he thinks. He found my initial problem after the first idiot I went to never thought to take biopsies. Two colonoscopies is enough for me in one year!
I hope we continue to have these discussions, they are very educational and to be honest it might help someone else realize what the underlying problem could be to their MC. Mary Beth I see you are from Texas and I am going to email you for any advice on an allergist.
Here is to our good health..........Ginny
I don't understand it either. How could someone with that much education not be able to see the obvious? Since the problem seems to apply to most of them, I get the impression that either they must be trained that way in medical school, or someone is regularly polluting their thinking, by "brainwashing" them. I can see how they have the scientific basis to dispute that claim, since there is no "qualified" research to verify it. However, on the other hand, while there have been some limited trials with diet changes, (which proved nothing), there is absolutely no scientific research that proves that there is no possibility that diet changes might exist, which could be beneficial for IBDs. It's impossible for such research to exist, since it would require an almost infinite number of various permutations of diet changes, in order to be objective and thorough. That will never happen. Since scientific proof is absent on both sides of this issue, why then, do the GI docs arbitrarily choose to assume that diet is irrelevant?Gloria wrote:I don't understand how doctors cannot see that there's a cause and effect relationship between what you eat and what inflames the gut. I've lost faith that any of them can help me.
Obviously, someone is influencing their thinking. As the Churchlady from Saturday Night Live used to say, "Could it be . . . Satan?" In this case, of course, Big Pharma plays the part of Satan.
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.
Harma,Harma wrote:Also I haven't been eating any lectins in 9 months.
Believe it or not, everything contains lectins - even the human body produces lectins. Various foods contain different types of lectins, and some are obviously much worse than others, but virtually every living organism produces it's own unique lectins. The worst ones are found in certain plants, of course, but meat also contains lectins. It's impossible to completely avoid lectins. The best we can hope to do is to avoid the worst ones.
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.