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Hello All!
Just wanted to let you all know that it seems I have successfully cut back to two Entorcort per day!! Have been on 3 (9 mcg. per day since May) It has been almost one week and I feel good. I have been working on a gluten free diet for about a month now and feel good. I am still eating dairy and pray I don't have to give that up too. This has been a very difficult venture but am very encouraged by the ability to cut back on the Entocort. Quick question.......it seems to take a really long time to get gluten out of your system but what about dairy?? How will I know if this is a sensitive food for me.....quickly or is it over time like gluten? Am soo excited about this tiny little step forward in the journey, feel like I have made some progress.......
Thanks to all of you who spend soo much time helping those in this process! You are all awesome:)
Kim:)
Finally cut back to two Entorcort per day:)
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
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Kimberly M
- Little Blue Penguin
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:13 pm
Hi Kim,
Congratulations on your progress.
Dairy-sensitivity is usually much easier to figure out than gluten-sensitivity, because the half-life of casein antibodies is relatively short, compared with the half-life of gliadin, (gluten), antibodies. IOW, once gluten is no longer a significant influence, eliminating casein from the diet will usually show results relatively quickly, (unless some other food is causing a reaction), because our immune systems stop producing antibodies to casein very quickly, compared with gluten. You should be able to tell a difference within just a few days, after eliminating dairy from your diet..
Often it takes a while for a second food sensitivity to cause an autoimmune reaction, after gluten is excluded from the diet, because gluten tends to dominate the attention of the immune system as long as gliadin antibodies are still being produced in sufficient quantities. Our immune systems generally continue to produce antibodies to gluten for approximately two years after gluten is removed from the diet, but the antibody production level will typically diminish to a minor level, after a couple of months on the diet, and it is at that point when other food intolerances may become evident. This time can vary, of course, by as much as several weeks or more, because our immune systems all have different sensitivity thresholds to the various allergens.
We appreciate your updates, because we all learn from each other, here. I hope you can continue to make good progress.
Tex
Congratulations on your progress.
Dairy-sensitivity is usually much easier to figure out than gluten-sensitivity, because the half-life of casein antibodies is relatively short, compared with the half-life of gliadin, (gluten), antibodies. IOW, once gluten is no longer a significant influence, eliminating casein from the diet will usually show results relatively quickly, (unless some other food is causing a reaction), because our immune systems stop producing antibodies to casein very quickly, compared with gluten. You should be able to tell a difference within just a few days, after eliminating dairy from your diet..
Often it takes a while for a second food sensitivity to cause an autoimmune reaction, after gluten is excluded from the diet, because gluten tends to dominate the attention of the immune system as long as gliadin antibodies are still being produced in sufficient quantities. Our immune systems generally continue to produce antibodies to gluten for approximately two years after gluten is removed from the diet, but the antibody production level will typically diminish to a minor level, after a couple of months on the diet, and it is at that point when other food intolerances may become evident. This time can vary, of course, by as much as several weeks or more, because our immune systems all have different sensitivity thresholds to the various allergens.
We appreciate your updates, because we all learn from each other, here. I hope you can continue to make good progress.
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.
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Kimberly M
- Little Blue Penguin
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:13 pm
Thanks soo much Tex............I really appreciate your input! In your opinion would I be wise to stay on the two Entocort per day for a while?? Does the Entorcort actually heal the gut or just mask the symptoms? I have read on this forum that it is good to stay on Entorcort for a year or so. Just trying to figure out the best way to wean myself off of the drug.
By the way, my husband and I spent a week on a gorgeous ranch in Texas back in June. Love your beautiful state:)
Kim
By the way, my husband and I spent a week on a gorgeous ranch in Texas back in June. Love your beautiful state:)
Kim
Kim,
In view of the experiences of most members who use Entocort in their treatment, it's probably a good plan to stay on the 6mg per day dose for a while. 6mg is considered by the manufacturer to be more of a maintenance dose, (rather than a therapeutic dose), so the side effect risks should be reduced, also. No one knows exactly how budesonide, (the active ingredient in Entocort), works, but it does actually reduce inflammation. Of course, removing the source of the inflammation, (which is the purpose of the diet, for most of us), should eliminate the need for Entocort, in the long run, but it does take quite a while for the gut to heal, (a year or two, in most cases), so it's usually very helpful to continue the Entocort treatment for a long enough period to allow time for sufficient healing, in case other food sensitivities should show up as the Entocort is withdrawn. (IOW, the more the gut heals, the faster you will be able to recover from minor setbacks, along the way, if/when they occur). Those who have actually used Entocort effectively in their treatment programs, can probably give you a much better idea of how long to remain at each dosage level, before going down to the next level, but you also have to listen to your own body, and follow your intuition, because we all have different responses, and different "adventures", during treatment transitions.
Thank you for the kind words about our state. We were luck enough to receive somewhat better rainfall than normal, in many areas, so our summer was a little greener than normal, in many parts of the state. I have no idea which part of the state you visited, but the ranches in the Hill Country, West Texas, South Texas, North Texas, and the Panhandle, all have their unique differences, (and even different climates, and ecosystems), but I love them all. Compared with the hustle and bustle of daily life in most parts of the world these days, they are like a journey into the past, when life proceeded at a much less hectic pace.
I hope the transitions in your treatment go smoothly at each step along the way.
Tex
In view of the experiences of most members who use Entocort in their treatment, it's probably a good plan to stay on the 6mg per day dose for a while. 6mg is considered by the manufacturer to be more of a maintenance dose, (rather than a therapeutic dose), so the side effect risks should be reduced, also. No one knows exactly how budesonide, (the active ingredient in Entocort), works, but it does actually reduce inflammation. Of course, removing the source of the inflammation, (which is the purpose of the diet, for most of us), should eliminate the need for Entocort, in the long run, but it does take quite a while for the gut to heal, (a year or two, in most cases), so it's usually very helpful to continue the Entocort treatment for a long enough period to allow time for sufficient healing, in case other food sensitivities should show up as the Entocort is withdrawn. (IOW, the more the gut heals, the faster you will be able to recover from minor setbacks, along the way, if/when they occur). Those who have actually used Entocort effectively in their treatment programs, can probably give you a much better idea of how long to remain at each dosage level, before going down to the next level, but you also have to listen to your own body, and follow your intuition, because we all have different responses, and different "adventures", during treatment transitions.
Thank you for the kind words about our state. We were luck enough to receive somewhat better rainfall than normal, in many areas, so our summer was a little greener than normal, in many parts of the state. I have no idea which part of the state you visited, but the ranches in the Hill Country, West Texas, South Texas, North Texas, and the Panhandle, all have their unique differences, (and even different climates, and ecosystems), but I love them all. Compared with the hustle and bustle of daily life in most parts of the world these days, they are like a journey into the past, when life proceeded at a much less hectic pace.
I hope the transitions in your treatment go smoothly at each step along the way.
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.
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swytthang35
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2010 9:31 pm
microscopic colitis
I've had lymphocytic/ microscopic are they the same? colitis since march of this year and have also been on Entocort 3 times a day up until last week...it seems to be ok but I am rarely hungry but if food is put in front of me I will eat it all,...have you gotten that same feeling? and now have to take hyoscyamine twice a day...did you ever take that? sorry new member...
Hi,
Welcome to the board. Microscopic colitis is an umbrella term used to describe a family of diseases, including lymphocytic colitis, collagenous colitis, etc. While the laboratory diagnostic markers are somewhat different, the clinical symptoms are the same, and the treatment is the same, for all types. I have always controlled my symptoms by diet alone, so I haven't taken any meds to treat the disease.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything that comes to mind.
Tex
Welcome to the board. Microscopic colitis is an umbrella term used to describe a family of diseases, including lymphocytic colitis, collagenous colitis, etc. While the laboratory diagnostic markers are somewhat different, the clinical symptoms are the same, and the treatment is the same, for all types. I have always controlled my symptoms by diet alone, so I haven't taken any meds to treat the disease.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything that comes to mind.
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.
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Kimberly M
- Little Blue Penguin
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:13 pm
Welcome to the group!
I think Tex answered your first question about the different types of colitis......thankfully because I have no idea! I am pretty new to the group and dealing with MC as well. I was just diagnosed in April of this year. I still get hungry on Entocort, haven't noticed a decrease in appetite. I have never heard of the other drug you are on either. Sorry. I am curious how much Entocort you cut back to and how it's going for you??
You have found a wonderful group and please feel free to post any questions on the main board and you will get lots of great responses! The main thing I have learned from this group is the best way to get MC under control is through diet and for me Entocort. I was not able to cut back on my Entocort until I started a gluten free diet. I may have to play with my diet some more when I try to go to one Entocort per day. Time will tell.
Good luck to you and look around this site, there's a ton of great information to get you on the road to recovery!
Kim
I think Tex answered your first question about the different types of colitis......thankfully because I have no idea! I am pretty new to the group and dealing with MC as well. I was just diagnosed in April of this year. I still get hungry on Entocort, haven't noticed a decrease in appetite. I have never heard of the other drug you are on either. Sorry. I am curious how much Entocort you cut back to and how it's going for you??
You have found a wonderful group and please feel free to post any questions on the main board and you will get lots of great responses! The main thing I have learned from this group is the best way to get MC under control is through diet and for me Entocort. I was not able to cut back on my Entocort until I started a gluten free diet. I may have to play with my diet some more when I try to go to one Entocort per day. Time will tell.
Good luck to you and look around this site, there's a ton of great information to get you on the road to recovery!
Kim