CC AND STRESS
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
CC AND STRESS
From all the info that I gathered after I was diagnosed with CC (and correct me if I am wrong) stress did not cause this, but can it make the symptoms worst. I am under alot of stress as of late (as I am sure most people are). My son (he is 8) was very recently diagnosed with ADHD and ODD and we are getting him the help he needs but his issues are affecting everone in the house (I have an 11 year old daughter as well) and I feel that it all falls on my shoulders. Lately I have been feeling more tired, getting headaches, and feeling naseous(sp?) when ever I encounter a situation that is stressful, and some days my D is worse. Can this all be stress related or is it all in my head or is it more physical and worth a trip to the doctor. I guess I am asking if anyone else has noticed stress making symptoms worse or read anything to that effect on a reputable website or magazine. Thanks!
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Joefnh
- Rockhopper Penguin
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- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:25 pm
- Location: Southern New Hampshire
Hi Leslie, stress most certainly can and does cause CC to flare up. I recently went through a very stressful time from mid septmeber through mid October and had the worst flare ever and was miserable, even though before and after I was fine.
Overall I view stress as the great multiplier for any health condition. It takes what you are dealing with and makes it that much worse.
Good luck with your challenges, I wish you and your family the very best.
Joe
Overall I view stress as the great multiplier for any health condition. It takes what you are dealing with and makes it that much worse.
Good luck with your challenges, I wish you and your family the very best.
Joe
Joe
Leslie,
Not only can stress make MC worse, but it can certainly cause a relapse of symptoms. Don't expect your doctor to know that, but our experience here has shown that stress is a much bigger factor in this disease than almost everyone realizes. Almost everyone here initially developed MC following or during a period of chronic, severe stress, and whenever our stress level gets high, we're often subject to a relapse.
There's a good chance that your son might benefit from a GF diet, also. Be sure to take a substantial vitamin D supplement if you are not already doing so. Low vitamin D predisposes to IBDs, and IBDs, (including MC), deplete vitamin D levels in the body, lowering our resistance to other diseases. IOW, most of us are low on vitamin D, unless we take 3,000 to 5,000 IU daily, (at least during the months of the year when we are not likely to be able to obtain adequare vitamin D from sun exposure on our skin).
Tex
Not only can stress make MC worse, but it can certainly cause a relapse of symptoms. Don't expect your doctor to know that, but our experience here has shown that stress is a much bigger factor in this disease than almost everyone realizes. Almost everyone here initially developed MC following or during a period of chronic, severe stress, and whenever our stress level gets high, we're often subject to a relapse.
There's a good chance that your son might benefit from a GF diet, also. Be sure to take a substantial vitamin D supplement if you are not already doing so. Low vitamin D predisposes to IBDs, and IBDs, (including MC), deplete vitamin D levels in the body, lowering our resistance to other diseases. IOW, most of us are low on vitamin D, unless we take 3,000 to 5,000 IU daily, (at least during the months of the year when we are not likely to be able to obtain adequare vitamin D from sun exposure on our skin).
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.
Leslie,
For me, stress is definitely a factor - even relatively "medium-sized" stressors.
And... I agree with Tex about GF diet possibly being helpful for your son. A friend whose ADD daughter (also with episodes that sure looked like ODD) did the Enterolab testing for her, and one of her sons - and YUP, gluten sensitive, plus soy and dairy. She also did the genetic testing, and it was very persuasive to the whole family. Diet change has made a very big difference in her mood and behavior, and general happiness. (We're all hoping this means the transition to middle school next year will be easier, but of course... that can be a stressful time, and here we are talking about the challenges of stress!)
Wishing you the best. That's a tough age for diet change (my friend's twin sons are 8yo, and it's been working primarily because the whole house eats this way... but that might be a hard sell for the rest of your family).
And - of course you're right that all of us have stresses from time to time. But you go ahead and when you need to. Stress makes MC worse, and MC is stressful, and it can be hard to break that cycle - but I think you will, and I hope we can help you make it happen as fast as possible.
Hang in there,
Sara
For me, stress is definitely a factor - even relatively "medium-sized" stressors.
And... I agree with Tex about GF diet possibly being helpful for your son. A friend whose ADD daughter (also with episodes that sure looked like ODD) did the Enterolab testing for her, and one of her sons - and YUP, gluten sensitive, plus soy and dairy. She also did the genetic testing, and it was very persuasive to the whole family. Diet change has made a very big difference in her mood and behavior, and general happiness. (We're all hoping this means the transition to middle school next year will be easier, but of course... that can be a stressful time, and here we are talking about the challenges of stress!)
Wishing you the best. That's a tough age for diet change (my friend's twin sons are 8yo, and it's been working primarily because the whole house eats this way... but that might be a hard sell for the rest of your family).
And - of course you're right that all of us have stresses from time to time. But you go ahead and
when you need to. Stress makes MC worse, and MC is stressful, and it can be hard to break that cycle - but I think you will, and I hope we can help you make it happen as fast as possible.Hang in there,
Sara
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Sheila
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 5:10 am
- Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Fl
stress & MC
I'm taking 3 mg of entocort a day and have done so almost from the time I was diagnosed. I also stopped eating gluten immediately. Since then I am also SF, DF and partially egg free. I am going through extreme stress right now with my DH undergoing chemotherapy for mesothelioma and I haven't had any digestive problems. It is pretty amazing that my gut is stable regardless of the level of stress on a day-to-day basis. I expect that I am being protected by the entocort and I am extremely grateful for that right now. I don't know how I could deal with what is happening in my life if I also had to deal with D and all the awful things that go along with it.
At some point in the future I would like to be able to stop taking entocort. I don't know how I can tell when the inflammation is gone and it is safe to stop taking this drug. My mother took entocort with good results, decided to stop it, went back to having D. When she started the entocort again, it didn't work nearly as well. I am fortunate that I don't have any side effects from entocort and am feeling so much better since on the GF, SF, DF diet. Before I was diagnosed with MC, if I had a lot of stress I could count on stomach pain, D and a generalized "nervousness". Since stopping the gluten I am a calmer person and have so much more energy. I guess I am not as brave as the group who is dealing with MC through diet alone. I give you all so much credit for doing it.
Sheila
At some point in the future I would like to be able to stop taking entocort. I don't know how I can tell when the inflammation is gone and it is safe to stop taking this drug. My mother took entocort with good results, decided to stop it, went back to having D. When she started the entocort again, it didn't work nearly as well. I am fortunate that I don't have any side effects from entocort and am feeling so much better since on the GF, SF, DF diet. Before I was diagnosed with MC, if I had a lot of stress I could count on stomach pain, D and a generalized "nervousness". Since stopping the gluten I am a calmer person and have so much more energy. I guess I am not as brave as the group who is dealing with MC through diet alone. I give you all so much credit for doing it.
Sheila
To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.
A person who never made a mistake never tried something new. Einstein
A person who never made a mistake never tried something new. Einstein
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draperygoddess
- Rockhopper Penguin
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- Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:49 am
- Location: Tennessee
My symptoms took a real nosedive when I lost my job while my husband was in school. We nearly lost our house, and in the midst of all that, one of our children developed severe depression and was on suicide watch before going on an antidepressant. Although the D was recurrent, the stomach pain was much worse when I was stressed out.
Relative to Sara's post, I think I have found an interesting connection to gluten and depression/anxiety. I read a study recently that indicated in passing that several MC/celiac patients who were on antidepressants noticed an improvement in their psychological symptoms after going GF. I believe my GI issues were greatly exacerbated by Zoloft, so I weaned off of it, but I was worried because previous attempts to come off it had been disastrous. Interestingly, after going GF, I had no trouble at all. I have been off Zoloft for nearly two months and have had no panic attacks or extreme anxiety. Hmmm.....
Relative to Sara's post, I think I have found an interesting connection to gluten and depression/anxiety. I read a study recently that indicated in passing that several MC/celiac patients who were on antidepressants noticed an improvement in their psychological symptoms after going GF. I believe my GI issues were greatly exacerbated by Zoloft, so I weaned off of it, but I was worried because previous attempts to come off it had been disastrous. Interestingly, after going GF, I had no trouble at all. I have been off Zoloft for nearly two months and have had no panic attacks or extreme anxiety. Hmmm.....
Cynthia
"Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!" -Bob the Builder
"Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!" -Bob the Builder
Cynthia,
That's a pretty strong testimonial about the connection between gluten-sensitivity and stress response. It appears that untreated gluten-sensitivity helps to make stress more difficult to deal with, (as you've just described the opposite effect - how GF treatment makes stress more easily manageable).
Thinking about that, we know that stress can alter gut bacteria populations, and we know that gut bacteria can alter genes, so clearly, stress can alter genes, (by the mechanism of gut bacteria alteration). This explains a pathway by which stress can trigger a relapse of MC, and theoretically, even an initial onset of the disease, since MC occurs when certain genes are triggered.
Anyway, the main point is that stress alters gut bacteria populations, and gut bacteria populations have a huge effect on IBDs, and the symptoms that they produce, so it's no wonder that stress makes the symptoms of MC worse.
Tex
That's a pretty strong testimonial about the connection between gluten-sensitivity and stress response. It appears that untreated gluten-sensitivity helps to make stress more difficult to deal with, (as you've just described the opposite effect - how GF treatment makes stress more easily manageable).
Thinking about that, we know that stress can alter gut bacteria populations, and we know that gut bacteria can alter genes, so clearly, stress can alter genes, (by the mechanism of gut bacteria alteration). This explains a pathway by which stress can trigger a relapse of MC, and theoretically, even an initial onset of the disease, since MC occurs when certain genes are triggered.
Anyway, the main point is that stress alters gut bacteria populations, and gut bacteria populations have a huge effect on IBDs, and the symptoms that they produce, so it's no wonder that stress makes the symptoms of MC worse.
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.
Cynthia,
I'm so delighted for you - moving away from an Rx like Zoloft is a big decision, with unknown consequences, and I can imagine the trepidation with which you must have approached that choice.
Congratulations on navigating that transition. Clearly your thoughtfulness and GF vigilance have paid off. YAY!
Sara
I'm so delighted for you - moving away from an Rx like Zoloft is a big decision, with unknown consequences, and I can imagine the trepidation with which you must have approached that choice.
Congratulations on navigating that transition. Clearly your thoughtfulness and GF vigilance have paid off. YAY!
Sara
Thank you all so much for your advise and I am glad to know that I am not alone. I am going to give the gluten free a try, I have been more label conscience lately due to the fact that my son's doctor wants to cut all high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweetners, colors, and flavors as well as preservatives such as TBHQ, BHT, and BHA. so for myself at least I will look for gluten free foods, which seems tough because there is wheat flour in alot of places one would not expect. Also I have been dairy free for about 2.5 months now (since starting endocort) and no alcohol and have been trying to cut down on caffeine. Thank you all again you are a wonderful group of people!! 
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
Leslie
firstly 'g'day' from australia
I had been following a low wheat, gluten, yeast, lactose eating plan for about 8 years or more prior to diagnosis, i say low wheat, gluten as it wasnt until i read every single label of every product did i realise how much 'sneaky' gluten i was actually having.
Soy was one of the hardest ones to completely eliminate, it has 20 different names and is used in the strangest way. I have seen it used in fruit sorbets (i am guessing as a cheap filler) and even in some juices as a vegetable gum to give the juice appearance of pulp
good luck withe adjustment of a new improved eating plan, all the changes and sacrifice of favourite foods is worth it! you find new favourite foods that are GF/DF safe
take care
firstly 'g'day' from australia
I had been following a low wheat, gluten, yeast, lactose eating plan for about 8 years or more prior to diagnosis, i say low wheat, gluten as it wasnt until i read every single label of every product did i realise how much 'sneaky' gluten i was actually having.
Soy was one of the hardest ones to completely eliminate, it has 20 different names and is used in the strangest way. I have seen it used in fruit sorbets (i am guessing as a cheap filler) and even in some juices as a vegetable gum to give the juice appearance of pulp
good luck withe adjustment of a new improved eating plan, all the changes and sacrifice of favourite foods is worth it! you find new favourite foods that are GF/DF safe
take care
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Leslie,
When I look back over the last few years, I realize that almost all LC "pre-episodes" (ie: episodes of digestive upset and flu-like symptoms) co-incided with stressful events in my mother's 12-year journey through dementia. I'm not saying I think my LC goes back that far, though maybe the onset of it did, and I just didn't know it. But surely, in the last year, almost all my flares matched up with her "crashes" and
eventual death at the end of August. No doubt for me that stress has been an aggravating factor. Maybe now it will lessen, who knows? I know I've been feeling more stable with the LC since about mid-October, but other factors such as diet and medication changes could have had an effect as well.
When I look back over the last few years, I realize that almost all LC "pre-episodes" (ie: episodes of digestive upset and flu-like symptoms) co-incided with stressful events in my mother's 12-year journey through dementia. I'm not saying I think my LC goes back that far, though maybe the onset of it did, and I just didn't know it. But surely, in the last year, almost all my flares matched up with her "crashes" and
eventual death at the end of August. No doubt for me that stress has been an aggravating factor. Maybe now it will lessen, who knows? I know I've been feeling more stable with the LC since about mid-October, but other factors such as diet and medication changes could have had an effect as well.
Suze
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
i know that Physical, mental and/or emotional stress each on their own or a combo can cause MC symptoms or exacerbate a flare.
Since the MC diagnosis I am aware that I have a limited bank of each of the physical, mental and emotional energies.
i cant push through when things are busy and put fatigue on hold, when any or all of these are depleting, i have to rest and recouperate, if I dont my body sends me stronger messages (like headaches or vomitting) to make me stop
this time 12 months ago i was moving house/towns. I had a project plan for 6 weeks for all the packing moving and related tasks, this included scheduling 'rest periods' during the plan. at the time i had quite bad GERD so i had to plan physical tasks away from eating.
Part of MC Management 101, is once you know your body, know its limits, understand the messages it sends you, be aware when you are reacting to stress, you can use a proactive preventative approach as much as possible.
Since the MC diagnosis I am aware that I have a limited bank of each of the physical, mental and emotional energies.
i cant push through when things are busy and put fatigue on hold, when any or all of these are depleting, i have to rest and recouperate, if I dont my body sends me stronger messages (like headaches or vomitting) to make me stop
this time 12 months ago i was moving house/towns. I had a project plan for 6 weeks for all the packing moving and related tasks, this included scheduling 'rest periods' during the plan. at the time i had quite bad GERD so i had to plan physical tasks away from eating.
Part of MC Management 101, is once you know your body, know its limits, understand the messages it sends you, be aware when you are reacting to stress, you can use a proactive preventative approach as much as possible.
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
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Barbara Maresca
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:58 pm
Hi, I am new to this site but have received some helpful information. In June of 2008 I was diagnosed with LC. I have been on 2400 mg of Asacol since then and doing just ok. In May 2011 I had a very serious problem and was completely housebound due to severe D. I was put on Entecort 9mg a day. After a colonoscopy and endoscopy in August I was put on 50 mg of pregnisone, decreasing the dosage by 5mg a week. I stopped pregnisone after 2 months. The blood work done showed I did not have celiac disease but the endo biospy said I did. Therefore the doctor recommended that I have a genetic test for celiac disease. That was negative. Very confusing. I have been on a GF diet since 1/11 and have continued on this diet. My LC and arthritis were much better when I first started the diet but in May when the serious flare up occurred it did not help. I have tried eliminating milk and milk products and have seen no improvement. I am trying to wean off Entecort. This month I am down to 2 a day. I did have endometriosis and had surgery when I was 24 and a complete hysterectomy at 37. My GP said this could all be "scar tissue" The Gastro doc says "no" but also says diet does not matter however he does want me to remain on a GF diet. Any suggestions?
lymphocytic colitis, gluten free
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Barbara Maresca
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:58 pm
Hi, I am new to this site but have received some helpful information. In June of 2008 I was diagnosed with LC. I have been on 2400 mg of Asacol since then and doing just ok. In May 2011 I had a very serious problem and was completely housebound due to severe D. I was put on Entecort 9mg a day. After a colonoscopy and endoscopy in August I was put on 50 mg of pregnisone, decreasing the dosage by 5mg a week. I stopped pregnisone after 2 months. The blood work done showed I did not have celiac disease but the endo biospy said I did. Therefore the doctor recommended that I have a genetic test for celiac disease. That was negative. Very confusing. I have been on a GF diet since 1/11 and have continued on this diet. My LC and arthritis were much better when I first started the diet but in May when the serious flare up occurred it did not help. I have tried eliminating milk and milk products and have seen no improvement. I am trying to wean off Entecort. This month I am down to 2 a day. I did have endometriosis and had surgery when I was 24 and a complete hysterectomy at 37. My GP said this could all be "scar tissue" The Gastro doc says "no" but also says diet does not matter however he does want me to remain on a GF diet. Any suggestions?
lymphocytic colitis, gluten free
Hi Barbara,
Welcome to the board. Most of us here have had the same experience with the celiac blood tests. Those tests will only detect fully-developed celiac disease, so they are worthless for the type of gluten-sensitivity that comes with LC. Probably at least 98% of us here, are sensitive to gluten, even though we test negative to the celiac blood tests. Regardless of what the blood tests show, if you have small intestinal villus damage, (according to your biopsy results), then you are sensitive to gluten, (and you also have a form of celiac disease, even though your doctors may not understand it, and therefore don't recognize it).
The problem with the genetic test that you had, is that it was designed to only detect the two most common celiac genes. Unfortunately, there are many other genes that predispose to gluten-sensitivity, (even though they are not connected with celiac disease). All of us here, who don't have celiac genes, have either one or two of those genes, and that almost certainly includes you, as well.
If eliminating all dairy products, (in addition to gluten), does not bring remission of symptoms, then the next thing to try is to eliminate from your diet, all products that contain any derivative of soy, (and, of course, continue to avoid all gluten and dairy). At least half of us here are sensitive to soy.
The fact that your arthritis and your LC symptoms improved on the diet, shows that you are on the right track. In order to achieve lasting remission from this disease, we have to track down all of the foods to which we are sensitive, and eliminate them from our diet. By doing so, we can get our life back.
Most of us who have had either surgery, or endometriosis, have a lot of scar tissue, and intestinal adhesions, but while that can cause other problems, it does not cause MC symptoms. And most of all, your GI doc is wrong when he says that diet has nothing to do with MC. That's as ridiculous as trying to claim that breathing polluted air has nothing to do with breathing problems.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to the board. Most of us here have had the same experience with the celiac blood tests. Those tests will only detect fully-developed celiac disease, so they are worthless for the type of gluten-sensitivity that comes with LC. Probably at least 98% of us here, are sensitive to gluten, even though we test negative to the celiac blood tests. Regardless of what the blood tests show, if you have small intestinal villus damage, (according to your biopsy results), then you are sensitive to gluten, (and you also have a form of celiac disease, even though your doctors may not understand it, and therefore don't recognize it).
The problem with the genetic test that you had, is that it was designed to only detect the two most common celiac genes. Unfortunately, there are many other genes that predispose to gluten-sensitivity, (even though they are not connected with celiac disease). All of us here, who don't have celiac genes, have either one or two of those genes, and that almost certainly includes you, as well.
If eliminating all dairy products, (in addition to gluten), does not bring remission of symptoms, then the next thing to try is to eliminate from your diet, all products that contain any derivative of soy, (and, of course, continue to avoid all gluten and dairy). At least half of us here are sensitive to soy.
The fact that your arthritis and your LC symptoms improved on the diet, shows that you are on the right track. In order to achieve lasting remission from this disease, we have to track down all of the foods to which we are sensitive, and eliminate them from our diet. By doing so, we can get our life back.
Most of us who have had either surgery, or endometriosis, have a lot of scar tissue, and intestinal adhesions, but while that can cause other problems, it does not cause MC symptoms. And most of all, your GI doc is wrong when he says that diet has nothing to do with MC. That's as ridiculous as trying to claim that breathing polluted air has nothing to do with breathing problems.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
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.