update & "FODMAPS"

[suzieq]

Hi all,

It’s been awhile since I last posted, I am off of Entocort and it’s time for an update.

I tapered off of Entocort in mid to late November 2011 and was having daily Normans, eating anything I wanted and was having no problems. The Entocort gave me a false sense of security, I was in denial, I had no will power, and I did not have the support of my GI or my family so I continued eating anything I wanted. From January to mid-March I experienced C, taking Citrucel nightly on the advice of my GI. In mid-March my GI wanted me to add Colace (I only took 1 dose) for the C which I did but it coincided with my Rheumatologist prescribing meloxicam for the arthritis pain in my hands. A few days on the meloxicam I started having episodes of D, I stopped the meloxicam immediately. (I swear that NSAIDS are a big part of my problem, I haven’t used Advil in over a year). When the D started again I took Imodium, which of course, clogged me up for days. And this started the recurrence of D to my life. Mind you, I was still eating anything I wanted. One Saturday morning I had to go to work and had very bad D, I could barely stand up, was very weak and I was as white as a ghost. I barely made it through the day and vowed I would never knowingly ingest gluten again. To refresh your memories, Enterolab results showed I have gluten, egg, casein and soy sensitivities. Upon going gluten free Normans returned. On the return visit to my GI recently I told him about the Colace/meloxicam incident, that I was feeling better and that I was following a gluten free diet. Low and behold, my GI told me to stay on the gluten free diet (he originally poo-pooed Enterolab’s results when I gave them to him), even though I don’t have Celiac’s, do not take Imodium for the D and never take a laxative for the C. He told me that my case was odd. He told me that I’m what the GI’s refer to as an “alternator”, going from D to C and back.

I had another follow-up visit with my GI this week. I told him everything has been going well, my diet is gluten free but I notice in the evenings that my stomach/intestines are very active to the point of painfully uncomfortable. He hands me a list of foods to avoid “FODMAPS” is the abbreviation. Fructose, Lactose, some veggies, some fruits, sugar alternatives, etc. are to be avoided. Oh yeah, more foods to be eliminated from my diet. Has anyone else been told to avoid “FODMAPS”?

I have started with the elimination of “FODMAPS” and I will keep you updated on my progress.

Have a Happy 4th of July!!!
Susanne

[tex]

Hi Susanne,

It's good to see that you're making progress. I hope it continues.

Actually, alternating D and C is rather common with MC, IMO. GI specialists are just not very aware of it. My symptoms always alternated, and many other members here have had the same experience.

Good luck with the FODMAPS diet.

Tex

[amberlink09]

Hey Susanne,

I hope you have luck with the FODMAPS diet! I have alternating D and C too, I tried FODMAPS recently to get rid of D and extreme bloating and it really helped with that, but after only a few days I went back to C so of course all the bloating came back again. I just wanted to warn you, but hopefully you get better results!