Feel free to discuss any topic of general interest, so long as nothing you post here is likely to be interpreted as insulting, and/or inflammatory, nor clearly designed to provoke any individual or group. Please be considerate of others feelings, and they will be considerate of yours.
Hi All,
A few months ago I had posted about this odd cycle I was having where every 7 to 9 days I would have what I called an "aggressive bowel" day-- I would have one normal BM then within 30 minutes I would have cramps followed by several more BMs within a short amount of time-like 6 or 7 BMs within 1 1/2- 2hours. Then I'd feel worn out the rest of the day. I asked if anyone else here had that and found it was not typical of LC.
My GI had been hinting that she thought I may have some IBS going on. I'm sure I cringed when she said it so she didn't push it and we were still dealing with LC symptoms.
At my last appt with her on Sept. 20th, I showed her where an 'aggressive bowel day" always occurred after a night where I slept poorly and didn't get enough sleep. She just came out and said it: "I think you have an irritable bowel component you are still dealing with. You've done a remarkable job managing your LC. I think this is what you are left with". Then she prescribed 10 mg of Amitriptyline (aka Elavil) because it works to relax the smooth muscles of our intestines. She seemed excited and said the research and her experience showed the small dosage was getting good results. I took my first dose on Sept. 21st.
The result? No more 'aggressive bowel' episodes. Not one. Even when I'm tired or stressed I've had no trouble. I'm regular and I'm not even taking the stool softeners any more. I promised myself that I wasn't going to post my results until it worked consistently for at least 3 weeks-- then I'd let myself believe it. The best part: because I am not dealing with frequent cramping, I have more energy. I really am getting my life and my typically upbeat personality back. I can schedule morning meetings and no longer worry that I won't be able to keep them. So nice... I am so thankful.
So I had to share. The addition of the Amitriptyline has greatly impacted the last of the big symptoms that were keeping me from moving forward in my recovery.
Now, to get some strength back.
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
thanks Jenny. It has taken me from "I have a chronic condition that is difficult to manage and I'm reminded of it daily" to "I think I'm going to be okay". I no longer am thinking about myself and my LC all the time. I'm thinking about what I'm doing that day..... and my days at work are flying by again, instead of dragging on. It's been a great shift for my mental health.
take care,
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
Leah, at such a small dose I'm not having any side effects and I think they are unlikely. The only side effect I've had at all is I felt "hung over" the first 2-3 days, but she warned me about that and made me promise to work through it, which is why I started it on a Friday. What I did was take 1/2 tablet for a couple of days then went to a whole when I acclimated. It didn't take long to get through that part.
I take it once a day about 8:00pm. It will also help me get to sleep which is also key to keeping my motility more steady.
At this point I have no complaints. The best part is that I've had some times when I KNOW I would had the aggressive bowel reaction to some things I was dealing with. Yet my gut hung in there. That's the best I can ask for.
Thanks to all of you for your kind comments and support. When my Dr said "you've done a remarkable job managing your LC," everyone here flashed through my head and I thought "thanks to the support group". I know I would not be nearly this far along without the PP site. The wisdom and research is here. All I did was use the information.
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
I'm glad that it's working for you. I hate to pick nits, but despite what your doctor says, you are treating MC, not IBS, and so is the amitriptyline. If you read my book, you should understand why antidepressants help some people who have MC, while triggering the symptoms of MC for others. I wrote some more on that topic about a week ago, in a blog on a website portal that I hope to open online before the weekend is over.
My take on this subject is that some of us (myself included) have internal stress issues that we may not even be aware of (other than the clinical symptoms that result from them). Treatments such as the one you are using are reasonable options for those situations.
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.
Hi Tex,
I'm okay with picking nits. It often makes for good discussion. I have read your book but I confess I did jump around. At the time of my appt I was studying mast cell reactions and concentrating on a low histamine diet because I thought that might be the cause of my remaining problems. I jumped ahead to the section on the immune system and I did not read the section on anti-depressants in your book. I never thought I'd be on one and I knew the SSRIs and SNRIs were problematic. I didn't know the old tricyclic antidepressants were being used for anything else but lucky for me they are.
I agree that some of us have internal stress issues and I think I am a likely candidate. Before LC I would never have described myself as anxious-- it just wasn't a problem for me. After LC I would wake up feeling anxious on days that would become 'aggressive bowel days'. I could not decide if I was anxious because my gut was acting up or if my gut acted up because I felt anxiety. But I was waking up feeling that way from time to time.
And if I am waking up feeling anxious where was that coming from? I felt it had to be from something internal. Often I wasn't worried or stressed about anything, so why the anxiety? I more than likely didn't sleep well but again, was I restless because my gut was cranky or was my gut cranky because I didn't sleep well? Everything about this pattern felt it was driven internally and not something I had control over-- even though I tried hard to influence it with diet and relaxing breaths, yoga, etc.
I don't know if this is what you are referring to Tex, but this was my experience.
thanks
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
I believe you're right on target. I have a hunch that even if we don't have a twinge of anxiety in our body initially, after dealing with this disease for a while, it comes with the turf.
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.
I am glad you are feeling better. It doesn't make much sense to me to attribute some of your symptoms to MC and others to IBS, but it is good that your doctor is working with you to find ways to manage things regardless of what diagnoses she chooses to use. Actually it doesn't make much sense to me to call anyone's symptoms IBS but I will spare you my discussion on this matter. I am just glad that you are getting your life back.
I can schedule morning meetings and no longer worry that I won't be able to keep them. So nice... I am so thankful. 
.jpg){kind=avatar}