My dr said I have mc, but I was reading online that there is two different types: collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis . How do i know which one i have? My gi dr just said i have mc. Like I said I'm very new to this and I'm not understanding everything at once, but nothing seems to make sence!!! Im still taking Cholestyramine, but it does seem to help at all! My dr said i well be constipated, but nothing its still like water about every 30 mins. The last few days I have felt really really bad! My stomach was killing me, it was hurting so bad that I was throwing up! I have went so far a month with out dairy and a week or so without gluten, but it doesn't seem to be helping! help plz!!!
Thanks,
Kel
Ps. Thanks for all the responses I have received in my last few posts!
More questions?
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I know there are 2 diff kinds of Cholestyramine powders. The regular one and the light. The light i think has artificial sweeteners that don't usually sit well with us MC'ers. I have LC, not quiet sure what the difference is, I think where the inflammation is found? But, wait until someone else chimes in on it bc im not sure
Jenny
Jenny
Dear Kel,
I'm surprised your doctor didn't specify which type you had. But for all practical purposes, the treatment is the same.
Most of us with MC are intolerant of gluten, and most of dairy and soy as well. Controlling MC with diet takes time, though, as the body has to heal. It's good that you are making dietary changes, but hang in there; the amount of time you've been off gluten isn't enough time to see any significant change. Don't give up if you don't see improvement right away. (I went off gluten twice for a few weeks each time and decided that it wasn't helping before I discovered that not only was I not giving it enough time, but I had no idea where all the gluten was, so I actually was eating gluten the whole time.
Once I learned more, I was able to do it right.)
Martha
I'm surprised your doctor didn't specify which type you had. But for all practical purposes, the treatment is the same.
Most of us with MC are intolerant of gluten, and most of dairy and soy as well. Controlling MC with diet takes time, though, as the body has to heal. It's good that you are making dietary changes, but hang in there; the amount of time you've been off gluten isn't enough time to see any significant change. Don't give up if you don't see improvement right away. (I went off gluten twice for a few weeks each time and decided that it wasn't helping before I discovered that not only was I not giving it enough time, but I had no idea where all the gluten was, so I actually was eating gluten the whole time.
Once I learned more, I was able to do it right.)Martha
Martha
I have LC, which means I have increased immune cells in the intestinal wall. CC is the same as LC, except it also means you have an increased thickness in the collagen band inside your intestinal wall. Many believe they are the same condition, just at different ends of a continuum, with CC being the result of longer-term LC. As Martha said, the treatment is the same. You should ask your doc for a copy of the pathology report, which will explain which one it is.
There is a protocol for treating MC which involves taking Pepto Bismol tablets several times a day. I found it very helpful in the beginning, but others don't.
There is a protocol for treating MC which involves taking Pepto Bismol tablets several times a day. I found it very helpful in the beginning, but others don't.
Kelly,
It doesn't matter which type of MC you have. The symptoms are the same, and the treatment is the same, for any type. Actually, there are at least a dozen different types, and the two main types, LC and CC, can sometimes segue back and fourth from one form to the other. CC involves thickened collagen layers in the lamina propria layer of the mucosa in the colon, while LC is diagnosed, based on increased numbers of T-cell lymphocytes in the mucosa. CC almost always involves an increased T-cell count, also, (though usually not as high as with LC), but LC does not involve any thickening of collagen layers. Some doctors simply refer to either type as "MC", for simplicity. On this board, we usually refer to either form as simply, "MC".
If I were in your shoes, I would stop taking the cholestyramine. It can cause abdominal pain, and cramps for some people, and obviously, you are one of those individuals who react adversely to it. It's not a miracle drug - all that it is designed to do is to "deactivate" bile salts in the lumen, which has a side effect of causing constipation, for some people. It was developed to lower cholesterol levels, not to treat MC. It does nothing to suppress the inflammation that causes MC.
Tex
It doesn't matter which type of MC you have. The symptoms are the same, and the treatment is the same, for any type. Actually, there are at least a dozen different types, and the two main types, LC and CC, can sometimes segue back and fourth from one form to the other. CC involves thickened collagen layers in the lamina propria layer of the mucosa in the colon, while LC is diagnosed, based on increased numbers of T-cell lymphocytes in the mucosa. CC almost always involves an increased T-cell count, also, (though usually not as high as with LC), but LC does not involve any thickening of collagen layers. Some doctors simply refer to either type as "MC", for simplicity. On this board, we usually refer to either form as simply, "MC".
If I were in your shoes, I would stop taking the cholestyramine. It can cause abdominal pain, and cramps for some people, and obviously, you are one of those individuals who react adversely to it. It's not a miracle drug - all that it is designed to do is to "deactivate" bile salts in the lumen, which has a side effect of causing constipation, for some people. It was developed to lower cholesterol levels, not to treat MC. It does nothing to suppress the inflammation that causes MC.
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.
kel
Hi Kel. Sorry to hear that you are doing so poorly. Please try to stay on the gluten/dairy free diet. I didn't see much improvement at first, but i can honestly say that I feel so much better eating this way.
There are a lot of other foods that can be irritating your inflamed itestines right now. I know for me, I had to give up fresh fruits, salad ( uncooked veggies), and beans also. It just made the D so much worse.
If you can, ask your doctor about taking Entocort for a while. It works for a lot of us. I was better is a few days after starting it!
Good luck
Leah
There are a lot of other foods that can be irritating your inflamed itestines right now. I know for me, I had to give up fresh fruits, salad ( uncooked veggies), and beans also. It just made the D so much worse.
If you can, ask your doctor about taking Entocort for a while. It works for a lot of us. I was better is a few days after starting it!
Good luck
Leah