Hi everyone, I hope everyone is doing well. I'm still in the middle of a horrible flare up. I read the post by Tex regarding treatment and diet and even though I am one of them :) I totally agree. I am cutting all Gluten out. I'm learning that it's really not that bad. I'm subsituting the crunchy things I love so much with rice cakes and Chex.
I had a doctors appointment today with my Gastro and they have scheduled an upper Endoscopy for the 16th. They also prescribed Prednisone, not on a taper, and want me to start that. I really don't want to because of all of the side effects I've read and heard about. If I plan on cutting Gluten out, does anyone have any advice on whether I should even start the Prednisone? I'd rather not. If not, should I tell my doctor? The one and only time I've been in remmission, back in October that lasted for about two weeks, I didn't make any changes at all. It just happened overnight. It also came back overnight and has been horrible ever since. It's multiple times per day, watery with undigested bits and furry or hairy chunks. I can't hold a train of thought and can't even make simple decisions now. I'm extremely tired all of the time and I feel really down, maybe depressed. I'm at my wits end with this. Any advice would really really be appreciated! I have a prescription for Celexa, but don't really want to start that either. If my mood improves, I kind of want it to be natural. Any ideas on coffee? I'm sure it's bad too. That will be harder for me to stop than Gluten I fear. I'm also not sure if I should cut out Lactose as well. It doesn't seem to bother me when I eat yogurt, cheese, milk or my whey protein supplement. Thank you all again for the advice that you've already given me, even though at times, I haven't followed it. Typical me :)
Should I take my Prednisone
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It's your body, so you certainly have the right to dictate what goes into it, and any doctor who is the least bit aware of patient rights, should respect that right. If I were in your shoes, I would ask for a prescription for Entocort, instead, since it will do virtually anything that prednisone will do, with a much lower risk of side effects. If your doctor disagrees, then personally, I would decline the prednisone, but it's always your decision, not mine, nor your doctor's, nor anyone else's.Rhyes wrote:I'd rather not. If not, should I tell my doctor?
Coffee causes D for many people, whether they have MC or not. If it caused D before you developed MC, then it will continue to do so. If you didn't have any digestive system problems with it before you developed MC, then it should be OK now. Most of us here are able to continue drinking coffee without any adverse effects.
Everyone with enteritis, (intestinal inflammation), due to any cause, (even a case of the flu, for example), will automatically be lactose intolerant, until the enteritis passes. Most of us here are also sensitive to casein, (the primary protein in milk), so we also have to avoid all dairy products. However, in many cases, we will not show any clinical reaction to casein until we have been avoiding gluten for a couple of months or longer. Our anti-gliadin, (gluten), antibody levels have to decline to a much less significant level before our immune system will begin to even notice the casein in our diet, because as long as it is overwhelmed by anti-gliadin antibodies, it concentrates on that allergen. Once we have avoided gluten long enough, then we will usually begin to react to casein, (provided that we are sensitive to it, and most of us are). IOW, if you begin to improve, but then you have a relapse, suspect casein, because it is most likely the next culprit in the lineup.
You're most welcome,
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.
Rhyes,
Nice to "meet" you.
Frankly I wouldn't start prednisone. Apart from the side effects, which are awful, coming off it is horrible.
If you need steroids use entocort. It's MUCH easier on the body, and coming off it is a cinch.
As a recent convert to the diet option I can tell you it DOES help. I am far from out of the woods, but the horrible D is gone. I have more C than D, but I am definitely better for the diet.
I didn't think hard cheeses were upsetting me, because I was relating to the fact that they are virtually lactose free, but when I challenged it after stopping for a while 1/2 an hour after I ate some I was in the toilet, and feeling miserable for several days. It's the casein (protein) that upsets me and most of us, not lactose.
Is it worth it to you? It isn't to me. Do I miss it nevertheless? Very much!
Most people seem to be able to do some coffee. I do it once a day with coconut milk and some agave syrup.
I also didn't follow everything I was advised to, and continued to suffer, so I bit the bullet and went pretty extreme. I have a very hard core case of MC, and can eat very few foods.
I think I am going to have to cut out grains other than occasional oatmeal, to which, on my tests, I have no reaction.
Something is upsetting me now, and I have to figure out what it is, so it's back to the drawing boards.
I hope you feel better soon. I think you will if you do this for a little while.
Nice to "meet" you.
Frankly I wouldn't start prednisone. Apart from the side effects, which are awful, coming off it is horrible.
If you need steroids use entocort. It's MUCH easier on the body, and coming off it is a cinch.
As a recent convert to the diet option I can tell you it DOES help. I am far from out of the woods, but the horrible D is gone. I have more C than D, but I am definitely better for the diet.
Since you have bad D how can you tell whether it bothers you or not? The only way you can tell is by cutting out all the problematic foods, see what happens after a couple of weeks, and then challenge yourself.It doesn't seem to bother me when I eat yogurt, cheese, milk or my whey protein supplement.
I didn't think hard cheeses were upsetting me, because I was relating to the fact that they are virtually lactose free, but when I challenged it after stopping for a while 1/2 an hour after I ate some I was in the toilet, and feeling miserable for several days. It's the casein (protein) that upsets me and most of us, not lactose.
Is it worth it to you? It isn't to me. Do I miss it nevertheless? Very much!
Most people seem to be able to do some coffee. I do it once a day with coconut milk and some agave syrup.
I also didn't follow everything I was advised to, and continued to suffer, so I bit the bullet and went pretty extreme. I have a very hard core case of MC, and can eat very few foods.
I think I am going to have to cut out grains other than occasional oatmeal, to which, on my tests, I have no reaction.
Something is upsetting me now, and I have to figure out what it is, so it's back to the drawing boards.
I hope you feel better soon. I think you will if you do this for a little while.
Thank you so much. Oatmeal? Can I still eat oatmeal. I've heard oats may not contain Gluten, but I wasn't sure. I don't think I'm going to start the Prednisone. I'm going to try and do this as naturally as I can. I am still taking Lialda and have for about 5 months. A family member gave me a supplement he wants me to try, it's called Immutol, and supposedly really helps your immune system. I'm hoping that may make me feel better mentally as well as physically. I've also decided not to start my Celexa. I don't want to be on any mind altering drugs. I will just deal with my roller coaster emotions ;) So, I'm going to go Gluten free and hopefully get this thing under control naturally. I'm curious to see if my upper endoscopy shows anything a week from Monday. Again, thank you for all of the encouragement, advice and when needed, kick in the butt :)
Only GLUTEN FREE oatmeal! And ONLY if you know you won't react to it. I can't eat rice, which most can. I can't have corn, soy, eggs, poultry, dairy and so much more.
But I don't react to gluten free oats so I eat them occasionally.
As Tex says, the next culprit wold be casein, so don't eat dairy. You can challenge yourself with it later on when you get better.
But I don't react to gluten free oats so I eat them occasionally.
As Tex says, the next culprit wold be casein, so don't eat dairy. You can challenge yourself with it later on when you get better.
Hello and Welcome, Rhyes,
I cannot eat oats, not even GF oats. You'll have to see how you do, but like Lesley said, be darn sure they are GF Oats. The problem with oats is that they are typically processed in the same facility as wheat, rye and barley, thus becoming contaminated with gluten. GF oats, in contrast, are processed in a dedicated GF facility.
I hope that you are able to do Entocort instead of Prednisone, if you do any of those drugs. I see you've decided to decline and follow your intuition. That is good. You can always change you mind later.
Good luck!
Sharaine
I cannot eat oats, not even GF oats. You'll have to see how you do, but like Lesley said, be darn sure they are GF Oats. The problem with oats is that they are typically processed in the same facility as wheat, rye and barley, thus becoming contaminated with gluten. GF oats, in contrast, are processed in a dedicated GF facility.
I hope that you are able to do Entocort instead of Prednisone, if you do any of those drugs. I see you've decided to decline and follow your intuition. That is good. You can always change you mind later.
Good luck!
Sharaine