new GI

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jmayk8
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new GI

Post by jmayk8 »

I just came back from my appt from my new GI. He was very very nice and seemed very knowledgeable. He listened to me for 20 minutes while I listed off all of my ailments, meds i have been on etc. He wants me to have a very bland diet (staying away from my sensitivities and NO fiber) and for me to start Lialda. He wants me to take 2 tabs a day for a week and then call him to see how I am doing. He also have me a rx for something called cortisol (sp?) powder? It is supposed to help bind you up. He said it won't heal the problem but just help with the D. I have my fingers crossed but don't want to get my hopes up bc I always seem to be let down..
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi Jenny,

I'm glad that the appointment went so well. I don't recall ever hearing of a treatment using cortisol powder. Are you sure it wasn't cholestyramine powder, or Questran? Cholestyramine is a bile acid sequestrant, with a side effect of constipation.

Good luck with your treatment. It may take longer than a week to begin working, though, so please don't give up hope if it doesn't seem to be helping immediately.

Tex
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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.
jmayk8
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Post by jmayk8 »

whoops yes, it's the powder constipates you. I haven't picked it up yet...Do you know anything about it? I will def give it more than a week and won't give up hope quite yet!
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sarkin
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Post by sarkin »

Jenny,

My mom took that for a while, when she was hospitalized for diarrhea/dehydration - it definitely helped her. She took it pretty briefly, as I recall. I hope you get relief soon! It sounds very hopeful, that you're on the right track. Once you finally get the brakes slammed on the horrible cycle of symptoms, you can start to feel better pretty soon - it takes some time to get to 100% (and that depends how long you've been sick, and many other factors - probably including luck, so I'll go ahead and wish you luck as well as health and healing).

So glad you like your doctor, and that he seems nice, knowledgeable, caring and helpful.

Sara
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tex
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Post by tex »

Jenny,

Cholestyramine is used to lower cholesterol. It works by preventing unused bile fatty acids from being reabsorbed in the terminal ileum, (the body makes cholesterol from recycled bile salts). As I mentioned, cholestyramione has the side effect of causing constipation, so if it gets to where it's having too much effect, you may have to reduce the dose, or stop taking it.

The Lialda is to treat the MC, and the cholestyramine is to slow down the D, until the Lialda can begin to work.

Tex
:cowboy:

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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