I'm baaaack.....

[Babsey]

Hello everyone. It has been almost three years and I am sorry that I have not kept in touch. I did not have internet for quite some time. I was symptom free for that length of time after suffering for almost one full year with the microscopic colitis.....and then a couple weeks ago.....right back to where I started when it all began. After a week of denial....I remembered how helpful this support group was and thankfully, I remembered my username. Is it possible for stress and anxiety to cause a flare-up? I changed jobs in May to a way more stressful doctor's office (I'm a medical secretary) and my husband lost his job in June. I went back to college this summer and started two new classes this past week. My mother just finished cancer treatment and is now going thru biopsies to check if it is back. My oldest daughter is getting married in Sept of 2012 and my youngest is a junior in high school. I feel very overwhelmed and this "D" issue is the last thing I need. It's the last thing that anyone needs. I have barely made it thru this past week with 12 hours of overtime in addition to the normal 40 hours. Tonight I just wanna go to bed and forget the world. Im exhausted and I cant believe I have this again.
I guess I just wanted to share my story. I'm sure everyone is aware of what a lonely feeling it is, having this problem. Has anyone else had flare-ups from stress or does it just come back when it wants to? Sorry for my emotional post.....I feel so exhausted and worn-out. Physically and emotionally. But, the good news is, this support is still here and I have alot of reading of posts to catch up on.

[tex]

Hi Barb,

I'm sorry that you needed to come back here, but even so, it's good to see a post from you again.

Is it possible for stress and anxiety to cause a flare-up?

Yes, IMO, (based on the evidence I've seen among the experiences of some of the members of this board), it is indeed possible for stress to trigger a relapse of this disease, and I have a hunch that it may possibly play a part in the original etiology of the disease, for that matter. For example, in May or June of 2010, Polly had a routine colonoscopy, and the pathology report showed that her biopsy samples were completely free of the markers of MC. A few months later, she had to deal with a couple of very stressful issues, and her symptoms promptly returned, and it took many months to finally get them under control again. Others have had episodes that appeared to be caused by unusually high stress levels, so I definitely believe that it's possible. Of course, this hasn't been proven by any random, double blind research project, but how in the world would such a study ever be completed?

I'm sorry that your world has become such a stressful place, and I hope that we can help you to get your life back. Are you currently following any treatment plan?

Love,
Tex

[Babsey]

Honestly, I haven't had a moment to think about a treatment plan. I was hoping that I had a stomach bug. But, two weeks later, I guess it's not that. Last time, I took Colaza and I felt that it made it worse. I cannot take steroids due to osteopenia, and I'm trying to remember what I did last time and I think I just modified my diet and slowly the symptoms got better after awhile. So, I'm back to square one with the food modification, which was eliminating processed anything and trying to stay as gluten free as possible. I do have a GI appt in October for my three year follow-up for the endoscopy and colonoscopy.
Ironic that it's time for those tests again and my disease reappeared! I suppose I should go thru with the tests just to see what's going on, but I already know that my doc will NOT have a magnificant treatment plan, just like last time...sigh...