For all of you who have taken Entocort, Pepto, Immodium, etc.....how do you know when you are intolerant to a specific food?
I just started the Pepto regimen about a week ago now. I don't feel like I need it every day but wanted to try doing it for 8 weeks to see what happens. I was still having some WD but not near as bad...maybe 1 or 2 every other day. Well just like Immodium, this drug works wonders for me. One reason I started this treatment was because I got scared after getting on the scale last week. I just can't lose any more weight. I want to be able to eat more and not fear having to run to the bathroom. And that's what I've been doing.....eating, eating, eating. I'm eating GF and DF and SF right now. But I can eat in large quantities and have no problems at all! I even ate a salad (probably a no no) but when I'm on meds like this, I can eat whatever I want and it won't affect me at all. I've been eating more meat and veggies but I'm still doing way too many carbs because nothing is affecting me right now.
So my question is, how will I ever know what foods I am intolerant to right now when I'm on meds that make me completely symptom free all the time. I only have 7 more weeks of Pepto then I'm off! Then I'm sure the D will return. Then I will lose weight again. I guess my only solution is to fork out the money for Enterolab testing. These meds give me a false sense of well being but I'm feeling so good right now....feel like I have my life back....will enjoy it while I can.
I'm planning on eating an egg tomorrow and of course it will not affect me and I will think all is good....that I can do eggs. Then I'll get off the Pepto....eat an egg....then get WD for 2 days (keeping my fingers crossed that won't happen). How in the world can you tweak a diet on meds that work so good? AT least I have Immodium since I know I can't take Pepto for more than 8 weeks.
I'm hungry so going to go eat something....lol!
Terri
Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis in July, 2012.
Pepto treatment going well but....
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Dear Terry,
My own experience is that I did/do not get 100% remission with any of these treatments. I probably would now if I went to 9mg entocort a day (currently 3mg every other day). So, because I sometimes still flare I can look back and think what it was. It seems you doing better than I did on Pepto, which is good news.
IMHO if you really want to test the situation, you might try and reduce the dose a bit more and see what happens. However, enterolab would be the best solution to guide you on your intolerances.
Best wishes, ant
My own experience is that I did/do not get 100% remission with any of these treatments. I probably would now if I went to 9mg entocort a day (currently 3mg every other day). So, because I sometimes still flare I can look back and think what it was. It seems you doing better than I did on Pepto, which is good news.
IMHO if you really want to test the situation, you might try and reduce the dose a bit more and see what happens. However, enterolab would be the best solution to guide you on your intolerances.
Best wishes, ant
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"Softly, softly catchee monkey".....
"Softly, softly catchee monkey".....
Terri,
Wow that's great that pepto works that well for you. I had to do the pepto treatment 1st for 8 weeks and it did nothing for me. Was also pushing the Immodium and no luck at all until I went GF. At that point I slowed to 3 or 4 times a day but still loud tummy and WD. After my Pepto treatment I went to Entocort and wala I had immediate results but continue to eat a STRICT GF diet. However since entocort started.............NORMAN has been here every day.!!! Stick with the pepto if it works for you.........it is way cheaper unless you have great insurance.
Good Luck
Wow that's great that pepto works that well for you. I had to do the pepto treatment 1st for 8 weeks and it did nothing for me. Was also pushing the Immodium and no luck at all until I went GF. At that point I slowed to 3 or 4 times a day but still loud tummy and WD. After my Pepto treatment I went to Entocort and wala I had immediate results but continue to eat a STRICT GF diet. However since entocort started.............NORMAN has been here every day.!!! Stick with the pepto if it works for you.........it is way cheaper unless you have great insurance.
Good Luck
Cathy
Hi Terri. It's great that the pepto works so well for you! Since you are GF,DF,SF.... then maybe you got all your intolerances! Maybe that is why you are doing so well! When I was on Entocort, all I wanted to do was heal. So besides going free of the big three, I also avoided raw fruits and veggies,certain vegetable oils,beans, and nightshades. As I stepped down the Entocort to one pill a day ( things were a bit loose, but only once a day), I tried one thing at a time and started testing things. If you keep your diet pretty "clean" while you are on Pepto, then when you get off, you will be in a good place to test one thing at a time.
PS As you get a bit constipated, that is a good time to lower your Pepto dose
good luck
Leah
PS As you get a bit constipated, that is a good time to lower your Pepto dose
good luck
Leah
How fortunate that Pepto Bismol works for you! One of our members found long-term relief after using Pepto Bismol for a short time, but after 10 years, her MC came raging back. For others, it returns once they stop.
IMO, you have to have some good days interspersed with some bad days to determine intolerances without lab work. You need to reduce whatever meds you're taking to the level that gives you some good days and bad days. That level is different for everyone, of course.
A food/stool diary helps you see a pattern between when you react and what you ate. Also, rotating foods over 3-4 days helps because it spaces them and makes reactions more obvious. Many of us notice bloating, gas or gurgling when we react. This will happen within a few hours of eating the offending food and thus is quicker than waiting until the next day or two's BMs.
It helps to be aware of your body's reactions. It took me a long time to pay attention to what my body was telling me and it still doesn't come naturally to me. I expected my body to serve my needs, not demand attention from me. I've had to train myself over these past five years to listen to it.
Gloria
IMO, you have to have some good days interspersed with some bad days to determine intolerances without lab work. You need to reduce whatever meds you're taking to the level that gives you some good days and bad days. That level is different for everyone, of course.
A food/stool diary helps you see a pattern between when you react and what you ate. Also, rotating foods over 3-4 days helps because it spaces them and makes reactions more obvious. Many of us notice bloating, gas or gurgling when we react. This will happen within a few hours of eating the offending food and thus is quicker than waiting until the next day or two's BMs.
It helps to be aware of your body's reactions. It took me a long time to pay attention to what my body was telling me and it still doesn't come naturally to me. I expected my body to serve my needs, not demand attention from me. I've had to train myself over these past five years to listen to it.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Thank you so much ladies!!
@Leah....I have read many of your posts and because of that have gone legume free as well. I have also cut down on potatoes but not 100%. And I guess I'll pass on the salads. That's all I know to do for now besides my GF, DF, SF diet. So happy to hear you are off Entocort!
You all amaze me with how well you tweak your diets and stay away from the bad foods. It's been tough for me to do that.
Will let you all know how I do after the Pepto treatment. Don't want to have to get on Entocort cause of the price and all.
Terri
@Leah....I have read many of your posts and because of that have gone legume free as well. I have also cut down on potatoes but not 100%. And I guess I'll pass on the salads. That's all I know to do for now besides my GF, DF, SF diet. So happy to hear you are off Entocort!
You all amaze me with how well you tweak your diets and stay away from the bad foods. It's been tough for me to do that.
Will let you all know how I do after the Pepto treatment. Don't want to have to get on Entocort cause of the price and all.
Terri
Hi Terri,
Welcome!
It sounds like you are doing really well with the diet changes! It takes a lot of "positivity" to work thru this disease. My thoughts are when you get off of pepto you may do very well going forward!
In regards to your question about how to tell if reacting to a food.....well.....despite all the conversation about it when I initially logged on to the forum I had a really tough time telling much of anything--so much so that I kind of ignored the discussion and ended up kind of blindly going GF, DF and SF.
Typical reaction clues can be the following--D, vomiting, stomach ache, gurgling, dizziness several hours after eating something, fatigue several hours after eating something, should ache, back ache and headache.
Over a 7 month period I could only tell that 4 things were problematic so I was able to elimate those 4 things. Listen to your body and you should get some clues and if you don't you can always do what I did which was blindly go GF, DF SF and now I'm heading into remission.
Best wishes, Brandy
Welcome!
It sounds like you are doing really well with the diet changes! It takes a lot of "positivity" to work thru this disease. My thoughts are when you get off of pepto you may do very well going forward!
In regards to your question about how to tell if reacting to a food.....well.....despite all the conversation about it when I initially logged on to the forum I had a really tough time telling much of anything--so much so that I kind of ignored the discussion and ended up kind of blindly going GF, DF and SF.
Typical reaction clues can be the following--D, vomiting, stomach ache, gurgling, dizziness several hours after eating something, fatigue several hours after eating something, should ache, back ache and headache.
Over a 7 month period I could only tell that 4 things were problematic so I was able to elimate those 4 things. Listen to your body and you should get some clues and if you don't you can always do what I did which was blindly go GF, DF SF and now I'm heading into remission.
Best wishes, Brandy
Brandy,
So good to hear you are heading into remission! And thanks so much for your comments. The only symptom I seem to have when I've eaten something I probably shouldn't have is I get a little bloated and sometimes get the gurgling. That usually means a little D the next day. So I will pay close, close attention to every time I get bloated and write down what food I ate and go from there.
I see that you are intolerant to corn as well. I haven't given up the corn products just yet. May have to eventually. I love my corn products! Thanks for the advice......I will listen to my body!
So good to hear you are heading into remission! And thanks so much for your comments. The only symptom I seem to have when I've eaten something I probably shouldn't have is I get a little bloated and sometimes get the gurgling. That usually means a little D the next day. So I will pay close, close attention to every time I get bloated and write down what food I ate and go from there.
I see that you are intolerant to corn as well. I haven't given up the corn products just yet. May have to eventually. I love my corn products! Thanks for the advice......I will listen to my body!