Hi....newbie here....only posted once last month. I'm doing better after going GF/DF but still have a little WD. I take pepto once or twice a week.
Today (don't know why I haven't checked before) I noticed that my birth control pills that I've been taking for years have lactose and Magnesium Stearate in it. Magnesium Stearate is also in my B-complex vitamins along with Polyethylene Glycol. My question is should I be taking supplements with the Stearate and poly in it? Could this make my D worse? I know I shouldn't have lactose so it looks like I may need to get off the birth control. Could the little amount in these pills affect me? Do they even have supplements without Mag. Stearate or Polyethylene? This is really frustrating me. Something is still aggravating me a little but can't figure out what. I've been eating chicken and rice and Rice Chex for breakfast. Am doing better though. Added squash to my diet yesterday and had WD this morning. Hopefully will only be once today.
Also someone at my health food store recommended Omega 7's. Never heard of it......from sea buckthorn. However, Dr. Oz recommends it for constipation, so terrified it'll only aggravate my D. The lady at the health store has a son with colitis who takes it and she saids it's good stuff.
Can someone recommend me a good SAFE Vitamin Supplement? Had blood work recently and every thing came back great. NO vitamin/mineral deficiencies. Was shocked as I've had chronic D for some time. But now only 1 or 2 a day or none at all when taking Pepto. Starting to get frustrated with this disease!
Still need to buy Tex's book!
Terri
(Diagnosed w/Lymphocytic Colitis in July, 2012)
Question re inactive ingredients in my oral contraceptives
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi terri,
I only recetly learned of the downsides of magnesium stearate, which is in most supplements, so I haven't looked for one without. I suppose powdered and liquid supplements probably don't have them. The lactose in your OCPs may be causing you trouble, especially if your symptoms get worse within an hour or 2 of taking them. So might the BHT preservative in the Rice Chex....sorry. I eat it from time to time, but it's definitely not a staple food. Try plain baking soda instead of alka seltzer for your heartburn.
I only recetly learned of the downsides of magnesium stearate, which is in most supplements, so I haven't looked for one without. I suppose powdered and liquid supplements probably don't have them. The lactose in your OCPs may be causing you trouble, especially if your symptoms get worse within an hour or 2 of taking them. So might the BHT preservative in the Rice Chex....sorry. I eat it from time to time, but it's definitely not a staple food. Try plain baking soda instead of alka seltzer for your heartburn.
Thanks Zizzle! I know I should give up the Chex w/Almond milk and see what happens but don't know what else to eat for breakfast. I'm afraid to do eggs right now. I guess I could eat some kind of meat with canned peaches....heck if I know. Interesting about the baking soda. How much should I use? Assuming to put it in a glass of water? My OCPs I take right after breakfast....never have a problem the rest of the day....only when I first get up in the morning before even eating or drinking anything.
Hi Terri,
I'll take a stab at commenting on your concerns, but remember that I'm not a doctor, and what I post here is based strictly on personal experience and the accumulated experience of most of the members here.
I've never considered magnesium stearate or polyethylene glycol to be a significant problem, although as you are aware, we all seem to have a different assortment of sensitivities, so virtually anything is possible, for any one of us. Frankly, I believe we would be better off without the polyethylene glycol, and as Zizzle points out, the magnesium stearate might cause problems for some of us, but these are mostly uncharted waters.
While the fiber in the squash might possibly have contributed to your D this morning, my guess would be that it might have been caused by the sugar alcohol (mannitol) in the Alka Seltzer Gold. Most of us (including myself) seem to be sensitive to the sugar alcohols, since they're indigestible (which suggests that the immune system might possibly view them as a foreign invader when it's at a heightened sensitivity level). Most of us find that squash is a very safe vegetable, as long as it is well-cooked (over-cooked), and not eaten in excess amounts (which could contribute to a problem with excess fiber in the diet).
Theoretically, the pharmaceutical grade lactose used in pharmaceutical products is casein-free, and the small amount of lactose in them shouldn't pose a problem for anyone who is lactose-intolerant. Unlike casein sensitivity, lactose intolerance does not cause an autoimmune response; instead it simply involves the inability to properly split the complex sugar lactose (resulting in incomplete digestion). If relatively large amounts of lactose are ingested, then this could result in fermentation in the colon, along with gas, bloating, cramps, D, etc., but small amounts of lactose shouldn't cause a noticeable problem. (By contrast, even trace amounts of casein can trigger an autoimmune response that results in the symptoms that are typical for MC).
Unfortunately, based on the experience of the membership here, either pharmaceutical grade lactose does indeed contain trace amounts of casein, or many manufacturers use industrial grade lactose, because many of us seem to react to pharmaceutical products that contain lactose as an ingredient. Because of that, many members buy supplements from Freeda Vitamins, because of their superior purity.
http://www.freedavitamins.com/
Other brands that are free of our sensitivities are also available, but we have to read the labels carefully. One caveat about pharmaceutical products is the fact that even prescription medications are exempt from the food labeling laws, so the manufacturers are not required by current law to list inactive ingredients, though most of them do so voluntarily. One has to wonder how meticulous they are in listing those ingredients, though, since the FDA does not require the listing of inactive ingredients. They only require that the total percentage of inactive ingredients must be noted on the label.
MC is often affected by hormone levels. Many members have found that their contraceptives and/or HRT are the reason why they have been unable to achieve remission. A few members have even discovered that hormonal supplements administered by means of a transdermal patch can prevent them from achieving remission. MC is a very complex disease — far more complex than the medical community generally believes.
I take 1,200 mcg of flax seed oil and 1,200 mcg of fish oil daily (for the omega-3s), but I'm not familiar with omega-7s.
Tex
I'll take a stab at commenting on your concerns, but remember that I'm not a doctor, and what I post here is based strictly on personal experience and the accumulated experience of most of the members here.
I've never considered magnesium stearate or polyethylene glycol to be a significant problem, although as you are aware, we all seem to have a different assortment of sensitivities, so virtually anything is possible, for any one of us. Frankly, I believe we would be better off without the polyethylene glycol, and as Zizzle points out, the magnesium stearate might cause problems for some of us, but these are mostly uncharted waters.
While the fiber in the squash might possibly have contributed to your D this morning, my guess would be that it might have been caused by the sugar alcohol (mannitol) in the Alka Seltzer Gold. Most of us (including myself) seem to be sensitive to the sugar alcohols, since they're indigestible (which suggests that the immune system might possibly view them as a foreign invader when it's at a heightened sensitivity level). Most of us find that squash is a very safe vegetable, as long as it is well-cooked (over-cooked), and not eaten in excess amounts (which could contribute to a problem with excess fiber in the diet).Theoretically, the pharmaceutical grade lactose used in pharmaceutical products is casein-free, and the small amount of lactose in them shouldn't pose a problem for anyone who is lactose-intolerant. Unlike casein sensitivity, lactose intolerance does not cause an autoimmune response; instead it simply involves the inability to properly split the complex sugar lactose (resulting in incomplete digestion). If relatively large amounts of lactose are ingested, then this could result in fermentation in the colon, along with gas, bloating, cramps, D, etc., but small amounts of lactose shouldn't cause a noticeable problem. (By contrast, even trace amounts of casein can trigger an autoimmune response that results in the symptoms that are typical for MC).
Unfortunately, based on the experience of the membership here, either pharmaceutical grade lactose does indeed contain trace amounts of casein, or many manufacturers use industrial grade lactose, because many of us seem to react to pharmaceutical products that contain lactose as an ingredient. Because of that, many members buy supplements from Freeda Vitamins, because of their superior purity.
http://www.freedavitamins.com/
Other brands that are free of our sensitivities are also available, but we have to read the labels carefully. One caveat about pharmaceutical products is the fact that even prescription medications are exempt from the food labeling laws, so the manufacturers are not required by current law to list inactive ingredients, though most of them do so voluntarily. One has to wonder how meticulous they are in listing those ingredients, though, since the FDA does not require the listing of inactive ingredients. They only require that the total percentage of inactive ingredients must be noted on the label.
MC is often affected by hormone levels. Many members have found that their contraceptives and/or HRT are the reason why they have been unable to achieve remission. A few members have even discovered that hormonal supplements administered by means of a transdermal patch can prevent them from achieving remission. MC is a very complex disease — far more complex than the medical community generally believes.
I take 1,200 mcg of flax seed oil and 1,200 mcg of fish oil daily (for the omega-3s), but I'm not familiar with omega-7s.
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.
Thanks so much Tex! You are always so good about answering everyone's questions and I value your knowledge and opinions.
I went light on the squash and peeled and overcooked it so hopefully it was the Mannitol that is giving me the problem.
I really want to try some fish oil but afraid it will make the D worse. Should I try it now or wait awhile? Thanks for letting me know what you take and the link to the vitamins.
Terri
I went light on the squash and peeled and overcooked it so hopefully it was the Mannitol that is giving me the problem.
I really want to try some fish oil but afraid it will make the D worse. Should I try it now or wait awhile? Thanks for letting me know what you take and the link to the vitamins.
Terri
Terri,
Here's a recent article linking oral contraceptive use and HRT to IBDs.
Here's a recent article linking oral contraceptive use and HRT to IBDs.
IBD Risk Linked With Oral Contraceptives and Hormone Replacement
By Rob Goodier
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) May 29 - Oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be associated with a heightened risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease, new studies suggest.
In two large cohorts, researchers found an association between oral contraceptives and Crohn's disease, but not ulcerative colitis. And a related study of postmenopausal women found an association between HRT and ulcerative colitis, but not Crohn's disease.
Researchers presented their results May 21st at the Digestive Disease Week conference in San Diego, California.
Dr. Hamed Khalili, who led the studies at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, told Reuters Health by email that doctors "should carefully consider contraceptive options among women with a strong family history of Crohn's disease."
As for HRT, Dr. Khalili added, "As there are other cogent reasons for women to minimize use of hormone therapy, we believe our data have more mechanistic than clinical implications. Specifically, our results provide novel insights into unique biological pathways related to estrogen that may mediate the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis."
Dr. Khalili's team drew its conclusions from data on 117,935 participants in the Nurses Health Study I from 1976 to 2008, and another cohort of 114,794 women in the Nurses Health Study II from 1989 to 2005.
The combined studies yielded 5,323,303 person years of follow-up, during which there were 309 new cases of Crohn's disease and 362 new cases of ulcerative colitis.
After multivariate adjustment, current users of contraceptives appeared to have the highest risk for Crohn's disease (hazard ratio: 2.66). But past users also had elevated risk (HR: 1.40).
The researchers found no significant association with ulcerative colitis, however.
To look at the effect of HRT on IBD risk, Dr. Khalili's team studied 108,589 postmenopausal U.S. women who enrolled in 1976 in the Nurses Health Study at a median age of 54, with no history of IBD. Through 2008, the researchers had a total of 1,891,153 person years of follow up, during which the women developed 138 incident cases of Crohn's disease and 138 cases of ulcerative colitis.
Multivariate analysis showed a heightened risk of ulcerative colitis among current hormone users (HR: 1.74), and a lower but still elevated risk among past users (HR: 1.68).
There was no association with Crohn's disease, however. Also, the type of hormone therapy used did not appear to affect the IBD risk.
Dr. Jerrold Turner at the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the research, told Reuters Health that "given that in the general population (there seems to be) a slight increase in risk, if you're already a person with a higher risk because of family history, it's not a bad idea. It's not that unreasonable."
On the other hand, he said, it's important to note there's no data in the study to support the idea that women with a family history of Crohn's disease should reconsider using oral contraceptives.
These are investigational studies and the relative risks are pretty small, Dr. Turner points out. "The most important thing is that there's a potential relevance of estrogen receptor signaling - signaling via estrogen - to the development of inflammatory bowel disease. This is an area of further study and this gives us a toehold as a starting point," Dr. Turner said.
Hi Terri. I was reading your questions and the first thing I thought of was your contraceptives. Tough one to live without ... for some. The only way to know is to come off of them for a while.
I have heard of Omega 7, but don't take it myself. I do take fish oil and have no problem with it once I switched to Pure Alaska Omega's Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil from Costco.
I eat chex cereal with almond milk probably three times a week. The other days I either have two slices of bacon ( nitrite free) with one egg or two pieces of GF toast with nut butter and apple butter. We are all different with what we can tolerate though.
I know this whole thing is very frustrating, but it sounds like you are slowly getting better and that is a really good thing. If you still think you are reacting to something, you may want to look at soy ( peanuts and legumes too). It's in so many things. I didn't realize I was reacting until I was three months into healing.
Anyway, good luck!
Leah
I have heard of Omega 7, but don't take it myself. I do take fish oil and have no problem with it once I switched to Pure Alaska Omega's Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil from Costco.
I eat chex cereal with almond milk probably three times a week. The other days I either have two slices of bacon ( nitrite free) with one egg or two pieces of GF toast with nut butter and apple butter. We are all different with what we can tolerate though.
I know this whole thing is very frustrating, but it sounds like you are slowly getting better and that is a really good thing. If you still think you are reacting to something, you may want to look at soy ( peanuts and legumes too). It's in so many things. I didn't realize I was reacting until I was three months into healing.
Anyway, good luck!
Leah
Terri,
You're correct that sometimes oil-based supplements can contribute to the risk of D, especially while we're still healing. For that reason (and the fact that many of us react to some of the inert ingredients in many supplements), it's always safest to postpone taking any supplements that aren't absolutely essential until after we are in remission.
Tex
You're correct that sometimes oil-based supplements can contribute to the risk of D, especially while we're still healing. For that reason (and the fact that many of us react to some of the inert ingredients in many supplements), it's always safest to postpone taking any supplements that aren't absolutely essential until after we are in remission.
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.
Thanks Tex! Will hold off for now!
@Leah....First of all I have to say I'm so happy that you no longer need the Entocort and that the antihistamine is working well for you. Maybe I'll try that some time. You are my inspiration as you weren't able to do Enterolab (I haven't yet due to the cost) but managed to keep at it and tweak your diet and I find it truly amazing. And thanks so much for the food tips. I have read your other posts and find them very helpful. Everyone in this group is very helpful and without you guys I would not have known to go dairy, soy and legume free. Only knew to go GF.
Thanks so much. BTW....I had to get off the Asacol last month.....just made my D worse. So it's been Pepto once or twice a week but small dosage. We shall see.
@Zizzle...thanks for the information. I'm 45 and shouldn't be on those suckers anymore anyhow.
Terri
@Leah....First of all I have to say I'm so happy that you no longer need the Entocort and that the antihistamine is working well for you. Maybe I'll try that some time. You are my inspiration as you weren't able to do Enterolab (I haven't yet due to the cost) but managed to keep at it and tweak your diet and I find it truly amazing. And thanks so much for the food tips. I have read your other posts and find them very helpful. Everyone in this group is very helpful and without you guys I would not have known to go dairy, soy and legume free. Only knew to go GF.
Thanks so much. BTW....I had to get off the Asacol last month.....just made my D worse. So it's been Pepto once or twice a week but small dosage. We shall see.
@Zizzle...thanks for the information. I'm 45 and shouldn't be on those suckers anymore anyhow.
Terri