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OK so I know some of you have wondered at the course of action I have chosen in getting my Doctor's on side with the GF thing but patience has paid off and I was instructed by my GP this morning to go GF on Thursday - i.e. the day after my endoscopy!! He has also advised me that I need to be sedated as my blood pressure is too high (178/102 this morning!) due to the steroids and nerves!! He seems to be thinking that I probably am coeliac although I think I'm not. I am much more certain that it will prove to be intolerance. We are agreed that I do seem to be showing evidence of reacting to food and hopefully once I go GF I will feel so much better overall - although I have definitely improved since coming off Asacol! I still feel I am only about 80% but my energy has improved and I am generally feeling a lot better compared to a few months ago. I am basically having Normans most days, although still 2 or 3 times a day - I so want to just go once!
Anyway wish me luck for Wednesday! I can't say I am looking forward to it! Bring on the drugs!!!
Anne
Good luck to you Anne. I can almost guarantee you will feel better after taking Gluten out of your diet. I know the pain in my joints has decreased significantly since my diet changes. I too had to be knocked out (propofol) for my endoscopy and my colonoscopy...LOVE the drugs! I didn't want them to wake me up, I was having such a good dream, LOL!! I hope you find some answers.
Congrats on your decision to go GF! And good luck!
I see you play the flute. One of the most memorable concerts I ever heard featured a young lady who played Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for the organ ON THE FLUTE. She was incredible - played 3 different sizes of flutes during the performance.
Hugs,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
That's really good news that everything is finally falling into place for your treatment. The sad part is that it took your doctors so long to get around to offering a treatment that actually works (it's been almost 6 months since you joined this board). I hope that everything will go smoothly from here on, and you'll soon be as good as new.
Good luck with the exam on Wednesday.
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.
Hey Anne. Going GF is really not that hard. You may not see results right away though. Some people do, but it takes weeks and sometimes months to really see and feel the difference. As time goes on, the whole thing becomes second nature. Mostly normans? Many here would give anything to have that!
Good Luck and keep us posted
Leah
tex wrote:
The sad part is that it took your doctors so long to get around to offering a treatment that actually works (it's been almost 6 months since you joined this board).
Tex
I know what you are saying Tex, but by bringing them round to my way of thinking - and when the diet proves itself - think of how many others will benefit!
Softly, softly...!
Anne
You've got the right idea, and I realize that you took this route hoping to educate "the system". It's a noble goal, and if you're successful, it can really make a difference for patients with similar symptoms in the future. Let's hope that your doctors don't consider you to be an atypical case.
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.
Anne - You will see so many changes when you go GF. Leah and the others are right in that it will take weeks or months before noticing the changes. Initially it was confusing for me, but it got get easier and became a "normal way of eating."
Keep us posted.
Paula
Paula
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
Hi Tex,
Remember I gave a copy of your book to my consultant and I am about to order another copy for my GP - a Christmas present! I honestly feel that they are both quite open minded - they are both early 40s - and I have found while it has been a slow process they are prepared to see my arguments (well yours actually!) Time will tell but as you guys all know when I eliminate gluten and start to heal and feel so much better and my doctors see for themselves the improvement they may review other patients with this "new" information! I can but hope!
Anne
CathyMe. wrote: I too had to be knocked out (propofol) for my endoscopy and my colonoscopy...LOVE the drugs! I didn't want them to wake me up, I was having such a good dream, LOL!!
Thank you so much Cathy - here is hoping I have a great dream or two!! I am nervous and just want it over and done with!
Anne
humbird753 wrote: Initially it was confusing for me, but it got get easier and became a "normal way of eating."
Paula
Hi Paula,
Thanks so much - I am actually quite excited not least that I am going to learn to cook all over again! I have got lazy and had an awful lot of ready meals - although I have cooked some myself! But my desire to be well is now so strong and I know I can do this. I have the big advantage of being single and therefore my kitchen cupboards etc are mine!!! I have just bought a second toaster for when I do have visitors - they can use my current one and the other one will be my gluten free one! That said - they may just get GF bread to toast!! But I do need to ensure if someone is staying and buys food they know which toaster to use. This weekend I am doing the big clear out and am going to sterilize all my food containers. Then I will do some batch cooking i.e. soup, beef stew, and chicken something or other to have in the freezer! I need to think about lunches at work - that will probably be the biggest challenge initially! I have got better recently in bringing my own food in rather than buying a sandwich or going across the road to the canteen. Now I am going to have to DIY my lunches and therefore get organised. And of course Christmas looms and I need to educate my Mum about gravy!!! And stuffing!!! etc!
Anne
I see you play the flute. One of the most memorable concerts I ever heard featured a young lady who played Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for the organ ON THE FLUTE. She was incredible - played 3 different sizes of flutes during the performance.
Hugs,
Polly
Oh I wish, Polly! I am not in that league I can assure you!! Although the band I play in just came 4th in the World Championships which is kind of cool!!
Anne
Hello Anne and welcome to the GF club. Initially I could not believe that gluten (and soy) could be so bad for us....all of the commercials kept telling me how good whole grain wheat was for me. Of course I was sick as a dog as I had those thoughts. Being a part of academia I 'required' the data as to why gluten was an issue and amazingly there was plenty of data to support this decision...hmmm the dancing grain of wheat on the commercial never mentioned any of that data LOL
It took the knowledge and caring of this group to show how a 'simple' dietary change could affect my life in such a dramatic way. Now keep in mind at that time I could not cook unless it involved a grill :-) After some recipes from a caring member here, I was off on my GF SF cooking career LOL. Although now I eat like an Australian LOL
Overall it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. It did take a good couple of months but I really noticed the difference.
I think the trick is to stick with this decision faithfully for a full 3 months....no slip ups and you will notice the difference in your energy, how well you sleep and how sharp your mind can become. It's well worth the effort.
Joefnh wrote:Being a part of academia I 'required' the data as to why gluten was an issue and amazingly there was plenty of data to support this decision...hmmm the dancing grain of wheat on the commercial never mentioned any of that data LOL
I think the trick is to stick with this decision faithfully for a full 3 months....no slip ups and you will notice the difference in your energy, how well you sleep and how sharp your mind can become. It's well worth the effort.
Hi Joe and thank you! I am so glad things are not as grim as you thought, although I suspect the treatment isn't great!
So which part of academia are you??
My consultant is insisting on a strict 3 month "trial" with the dietitian - I am preempting with my GP's approval to go GF before meeting dietitian! He [as in my consultant] wants effectively a trial which is monitored, which is fine by me! I hope that my improvement will be:
1. Enough to get me off steroids;
2. Therefore I won't need hypertension meds;
3. Make him realise that this is the right action for me;
4. If Wednesday's endoscopy proves that I am not Coeliac - which I suspect - I get to prove that I am Gluten sensitive/intolerant; [Question Tex or anyone! Is there a difference between sensitivity and intolerance? I would like to know the difference! It is a bit like Strategy vs Policy????)
5. And if anyone knows how to stay calm - PLEASE help!!!!
Wimp signing off!!!
Anne
He has also advised me that I need to be sedated as my blood pressure is too high (178/102 this morning!) due to the steroids and nerves!! 
He seems to be thinking that I probably am coeliac although I think I'm not. I am much more certain that it will prove to be intolerance. We are agreed that I do seem to be showing evidence of reacting to food and hopefully once I go GF I will feel so much better overall - although I have definitely improved since coming off Asacol! I still feel I am only about 80% but my energy has improved and I am generally feeling a lot better compared to a few months ago. I am basically having Normans most days, although still 2 or 3 times a day - I so want to just go once!
Time will tell but as you guys all know when I eliminate gluten and start to heal 
and just want it over and done with!