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I had no problems with D ever since going on Entocort July 30 or while visiting in Wisconsin. However, on Friday afternoon while camping outside of Flagstaff my daughter who is big on supplements told me she was going to have a magnesium drink and asked me if I would like one also. Without thinking or questioning her I said OK. Hot or cold she asked? I said what ever you are having. She made 2 hot drinks and gave me one. (A magnesium powder she mixed with water) It didn’t take long before the D started. I made many trips over to the camp restroom Friday afternoon and evening. Because of the cheap paper they supplied and no way of cleaning myself properly my bottom became terribly sore. I took my last 3 Pepto Bismol, and then switched to Imodium. I also took an extra Entocort on Sunday morning as we were going on an outing to the AZ Snow Bowl with 29 others.
By Sunday morning I had the D under control, I also found an ointment in their medicine cabinet for my butt, so I could enjoy the day. We rode a ski lift to the top of the mountain, a 30 minute ride up to the top, 13,000 feet above sea level, hiked around on the top, listened to a Forest Ranger give a talk on volcanos, rode the lift down again and then ate our picnic lunch. I learned from the Forest Ranger that there are four different types of volcanos. From the top of this mountain you can see each of the four types of volcanos. This is the only place in the world where this is possible.
When the D started on Friday I told my daughter and she felt very bad. I asked if magnesium was the same thing that is in Milk of Magnesia and she said yes. I don't know if she is right or not but I began thinking. Milk of Magnesia is for constipation. I don't need that. She said she probably should not have give me the magnesium to drink. It does help to keep her regular. Her husband is gluten intolerant also and my daughter knows all about what he can and cannot have. I am sure this is what caused the D because it started about 2 hours after drinking it. She is an excellent cook and knows what her husband can and cannot eat so I know it wasn’t from gluten.
I just checked my vitamins & calcium tablets to see how much magnesium I am getting in them and it’s about 185mg a day. From my experience with the magnesium powder in water, I would suggest checking to see how much magnesium you are getting if you continue with D.
My D was controlled from March through mid May using GF diet and the RX Balsalazide. Then in May I started having D again and by the end of July I was up to 30 times a day even with taking 8 Pepto Bismol a day at first and then 8 Imodium a day. July 30 I began taking 3 Entocort a day. August 10 I was down to 2 a day because my BM’s became too hard. August 25 I began taking two one day and one the next. Now I want to try one Entocort for two days and then two Entocort on the third day. That would be 4 Entocort every three days. I will do this for two weeks and then go to one a day. Because I met my “doughnut hole” with Medicare, I ordered a four month supply of Budesonide from Canadapharmacy.com. It was shipped Sept 2 and they said I should have it by 9/21. After I placed the order, I began to think that with the progress I have made since beginning Entocort less than two months ago, maybe I could have switched back to the Balsalazide RX I was taking prior to taking Entocort. But then if Balsalazide didn’t work for me then I wouldn’t have any Entocort on reserve to fall back on. By taking 1 a day I will have a years supply. Even if I don’t use them all, it is a good insurance policy to have them on hand.
I am eating a variety of foods that I had avoided for 8 months without any noticeable reaction. I do notice if I have a lot of fruit my BM's are looser. I do have grated cheese occasionally but that is the only dairy I eat. I have one pretty much normal BM every day about an hour after I get up. It's rare that I have more than one a day.
There certainly are a lot of new people here. I can hardly keep everyone straight. I have not welcomed all of them individually so let me do it now.
This group has saved my life. I am so thankful to have found them.
Thanks for the welcome even if it is late (It doesn't matter that it is anyway but thank you for that.)
