I really don't want to talk about this, but need some feedback. Today is the 5th day of taking 8 caplets of Pepto per day and when I have BM, it kinda feels like something normal is exiting, but when I finish, it's just black grainy stuff in the toilet. Tonight, blood on the TP and I'm thinking the "grainy" feeling is actually like sandpaper on my rear.
I admit the Pepto makes the urges lessen, but so far no normal stools (or anything close to normal). I am either raw from the roughage or it is hemorrhoids that are bleeding....even now my rear feels raw.
Any input...should I lessen the dose or continue the course of 8 per day for 8 weeks.
Thank you,
Terre
PS: Monday will be one week since I sent my sample to Enterolab.....hope I hear back sooner than later.
Warning - TMI
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Hi Terre,
That's not good news. It typically takes roughly 2 weeks for the Pepto treatment to bring remission. In view of your hemorrhoid issues, by then the situation may be much worse.
I think that if I were in that situation, I would either discontinue taking it or at least cut the dose in half, to see if that would work better. The inflamed 'roids might improve as the inflammation in your colon is reduced, but the problem is that "toughing it out" to get to that point could be very unpleasant. These are uncharted waters, so we really don't know what to expect in that situation.
Tex
That's not good news. It typically takes roughly 2 weeks for the Pepto treatment to bring remission. In view of your hemorrhoid issues, by then the situation may be much worse.
I think that if I were in that situation, I would either discontinue taking it or at least cut the dose in half, to see if that would work better. The inflamed 'roids might improve as the inflammation in your colon is reduced, but the problem is that "toughing it out" to get to that point could be very unpleasant. These are uncharted waters, so we really don't know what to expect in that situation.
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.
Tex, I'm not 100% sure it's hemorrhoids, when they did my colonoscopy they mentioned mild internal hemmorrhoids.....so if they are internal, how would I know?
I just feel raw....do you think I could put something like Desitin ointment on and hope it will calm everything down? I don't get why the BM's are so grainy.
If I don't get some sort of relief, I will definitely cut the dosage and see what happens.....I know I could never make it 8 weeks feeling this way.
Thanks for your input,
Terre
I just feel raw....do you think I could put something like Desitin ointment on and hope it will calm everything down? I don't get why the BM's are so grainy.
If I don't get some sort of relief, I will definitely cut the dosage and see what happens.....I know I could never make it 8 weeks feeling this way.
Thanks for your input,
Terre
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Pebbledash
- Gentoo Penguin
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I have had a terrible flare-up for the last two months and more. At the height of the flare-up Pepto had little to no effect (nor, for that matter, did up to 7 imodium per day on top of the Pepto, up to 15 BM per day!!!). However, I feel I might have turned a corner, and the Pepto is taking effect. Hope this is the start of remission for me.
Just to let you know, it took me a lot longer than two weeks to get an effect this time--more like a month . . . combined with a very restrictive diet.
Just to let you know, it took me a lot longer than two weeks to get an effect this time--more like a month . . . combined with a very restrictive diet.
By blood on the toilet paper and the sensation of swelling, tenderness, restriction, or semi-obstruction during BMs.Terre wrote:so if they are internal, how would I know?
The thread at the link below isn't specifically about treating 'roids, but it discusses treating a common malady associated with MC, namely "baboon butt". I would think that any good zinc-based salve or cream should be soothing for any type of inflammation "where the sun don't shine".
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10052
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.
Pebble, I hope you're turning a corner.....sorry for what you're dealing with!
Tex, last night I used Anucort-HC Hydrocortisone Acetate Supporitory, which calmed everything down. This morning (after BM) I applied Desitin (Zinc Oxide 13%) and I am using Cottonelle flushable wipes after using toilet paper as final clean up.
I'll see how this goes for the "baboon butt"......name fits perfectly! Have a good day!!!!!
Terre
Tex, last night I used Anucort-HC Hydrocortisone Acetate Supporitory, which calmed everything down. This morning (after BM) I applied Desitin (Zinc Oxide 13%) and I am using Cottonelle flushable wipes after using toilet paper as final clean up.
I'll see how this goes for the "baboon butt"......name fits perfectly! Have a good day!!!!!
Terre
One more note, why does it feel like I am having a "normal" BM....but when I look in the toilet it is just black grainy substance? I even feel like I have to strain a little to pass the BM???? Does it just fall apart upon contact with the water....or am I imagining the feeling????
I need to develop a toilet with a camera, so I can see what's going on!!!!! HA!
I need to develop a toilet with a camera, so I can see what's going on!!!!! HA!
Terre,
It's possible that the somewhat "chalky" texture of bismuth subsalicylate may cause the semi-formed stool to fall apart when it hits the water. We can only guess, because I doubt that any reliable research has been done on this topic.
You have discovered one more uncatalogued side effect of MC. MCers automatically tend to become dedicated toilet bowl-watchers.
As Jeff Foxworthy would say (if he told jokes about MC):
If you can't keep from staring into the toilet bowl before flushing,
You might have MC.
Tex
It's possible that the somewhat "chalky" texture of bismuth subsalicylate may cause the semi-formed stool to fall apart when it hits the water. We can only guess, because I doubt that any reliable research has been done on this topic.
You have discovered one more uncatalogued side effect of MC. MCers automatically tend to become dedicated toilet bowl-watchers.
As Jeff Foxworthy would say (if he told jokes about MC):
If you can't keep from staring into the toilet bowl before flushing,
You might have MC.
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.
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mzh
- Rockhopper Penguin
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- Contact:
Terre, whenever I'm normal or close to normal, my hemorrhoids flare up. I have good luck with plain old Preparation H suppositories. I use the cream as a second choice. The shark oil is said to be a great pain and itch calmer. My GI doc gave me a scrip for cortisone cream but said to try not to use it too much. It slows the healing process.
I did the Pepto regimen before using Entocort. It sort of worked but the BMs looked just awful. It gave me tinnitus too. Ugh.
Marcia
I did the Pepto regimen before using Entocort. It sort of worked but the BMs looked just awful. It gave me tinnitus too. Ugh.
Marcia
Also have sleep apnea
Marcia, thanks for the tip on Preparation H and sharing your experience with Pepto....did you use it for the entire 8 weeks?
I don't know if tinnitus could be a problem for me because I am deaf in one ear, so it might have to get pretty bad for it to be a problem. Will tinnitus cause problems or is it mostly a nuisance?
How long have you been on Entocort? What has your experience been? I'm holding out for that to be my last option.....but will take it if I have to.
Thanks,
Terre
I don't know if tinnitus could be a problem for me because I am deaf in one ear, so it might have to get pretty bad for it to be a problem. Will tinnitus cause problems or is it mostly a nuisance?
How long have you been on Entocort? What has your experience been? I'm holding out for that to be my last option.....but will take it if I have to.
Thanks,
Terre
Hi Terre, just want to chime in as someone who's currently on the Pepto protocol (almost end of week seven). I too had the grainy BMs that would always disintegrate into a black cloud upon flushing the toilet, and it definitely took me longer than two weeks to get closer to normal. For most of the time I've been taking the Pepto, I've felt bloated and fatigued--which could just as well be due to the MC rather than the Pepto itself--but didn't have any major problems with it. I did experience some nausea a few weeks in, but changing the timing of my daily doses resolved that problem. I'd been taking it two at a time with every meal and just before bed, but I found that taking it an hour before eating or two hours after eating prevented any nausea.
Now, to the (somewhat) scary part. Up to Monday of this week, I had no constipation, no tinnitus and no other serious side effects that I could attribute directly to the Pepto other than the few instances of nausea. I was thinking I was going to be home free until the end of eight full weeks on eight tablets a day. Late this past Sunday night, however, my ears started ringing and didn't stop until I fell asleep. I woke up several times throughout the night with a buzzing head and sweaty body. The next morning, I decided to cut the dose in half. I didn't want to stop completely because I'm so close to the end. Interestingly, this past week has been the best I've felt since the beginning of the whole MC odyssey. My ears haven't rung again, my energy levels are up, my bloating is down and my BMs could now be described as normal. Just for background, I eliminated gluten immediately before starting the Pepto and casein soon after. It took a little longer to accept that the raw fruits and vegetables needed to go, too. I didn't eliminate any supplements or vitamins, because I don't take that many to begin with and none of the ones I do take contain any ingredients I react to.
One other thing. My colonoscopy showed that I, like you, had "small internal hemorrhoids." Not long before all of the above started happening, I also got an itch that I assumed must be hemorrhoid related, but I've never had blood in the toilet or on toilet paper, nor did I feel any swollen tissue. I treated it with plain old OTC hydrocortisone cream--no point, in my case, of using Preparation H if I wasn't actually experiencing a hemorrhoid. So now I'm wondering if, because all of these things started happening right around the same time, the raging itch was another way my body was telling me, "Enough with the Pepto." Similarly to the other side effects that I described, the itch went away a few days after I cut the dose in half.
I don't know if "remission" means "absence of all potential symptoms" or "not dealing with diarrhea all day." If it means the former, then I don't think it's possible to know for sure if you're truly in remission until the Pepto protocol is over, because several of the side effects of Pepto could also be symptoms of MC. If it means the latter, then yes, I'm in remission and have been since probably week four. It wasn't linear progress; my healing thus far has very much been a two steps forward, one step back process, but I decided I was going to stick with the Pepto long enough to give it a real chance to work.
This is just my experience. My intention is not to scare you about what the Pepto might feel like further into the process; everybody's different, and I have no way of knowing how YOU will react to it. For me, it was a sudden and dramatic change from "This Pepto thing isn't so bad" to "Holy cow, I need to cut back on this stuff, pronto." If I'd continued to experience tinnitus or feeling sweaty/dizzy at night, I would have discontinued the Pepto entirely. So far so good.
Fiona
Now, to the (somewhat) scary part. Up to Monday of this week, I had no constipation, no tinnitus and no other serious side effects that I could attribute directly to the Pepto other than the few instances of nausea. I was thinking I was going to be home free until the end of eight full weeks on eight tablets a day. Late this past Sunday night, however, my ears started ringing and didn't stop until I fell asleep. I woke up several times throughout the night with a buzzing head and sweaty body. The next morning, I decided to cut the dose in half. I didn't want to stop completely because I'm so close to the end. Interestingly, this past week has been the best I've felt since the beginning of the whole MC odyssey. My ears haven't rung again, my energy levels are up, my bloating is down and my BMs could now be described as normal. Just for background, I eliminated gluten immediately before starting the Pepto and casein soon after. It took a little longer to accept that the raw fruits and vegetables needed to go, too. I didn't eliminate any supplements or vitamins, because I don't take that many to begin with and none of the ones I do take contain any ingredients I react to.
One other thing. My colonoscopy showed that I, like you, had "small internal hemorrhoids." Not long before all of the above started happening, I also got an itch that I assumed must be hemorrhoid related, but I've never had blood in the toilet or on toilet paper, nor did I feel any swollen tissue. I treated it with plain old OTC hydrocortisone cream--no point, in my case, of using Preparation H if I wasn't actually experiencing a hemorrhoid. So now I'm wondering if, because all of these things started happening right around the same time, the raging itch was another way my body was telling me, "Enough with the Pepto." Similarly to the other side effects that I described, the itch went away a few days after I cut the dose in half.
I don't know if "remission" means "absence of all potential symptoms" or "not dealing with diarrhea all day." If it means the former, then I don't think it's possible to know for sure if you're truly in remission until the Pepto protocol is over, because several of the side effects of Pepto could also be symptoms of MC. If it means the latter, then yes, I'm in remission and have been since probably week four. It wasn't linear progress; my healing thus far has very much been a two steps forward, one step back process, but I decided I was going to stick with the Pepto long enough to give it a real chance to work.
This is just my experience. My intention is not to scare you about what the Pepto might feel like further into the process; everybody's different, and I have no way of knowing how YOU will react to it. For me, it was a sudden and dramatic change from "This Pepto thing isn't so bad" to "Holy cow, I need to cut back on this stuff, pronto." If I'd continued to experience tinnitus or feeling sweaty/dizzy at night, I would have discontinued the Pepto entirely. So far so good.
Fiona
Fiona, I can't thank you enough for sharing your story and making me aware of possible side effects of the Pepto.
I can't imagine how scary that was to just happen out-of-the-blue. I am going to continue with the Pepto at this time, but will keep in mind the need to cut the dose in half or eliminate the Pepto altogether. I would like to get through the treatment, so I can at least know if it would help or not. I'm still working on my diet and sometimes just feel like saying "the heck with it" and eating anything I want - it's just so tiring trying to figure out what will work for ME (and I've just been dealing with it a short time).
It's just so weird that my life changed so dramatically on March 10th....like someone flipped a switch (and I want to flip it off)!
Thank you again,
Terre
I can't imagine how scary that was to just happen out-of-the-blue. I am going to continue with the Pepto at this time, but will keep in mind the need to cut the dose in half or eliminate the Pepto altogether. I would like to get through the treatment, so I can at least know if it would help or not. I'm still working on my diet and sometimes just feel like saying "the heck with it" and eating anything I want - it's just so tiring trying to figure out what will work for ME (and I've just been dealing with it a short time).
It's just so weird that my life changed so dramatically on March 10th....like someone flipped a switch (and I want to flip it off)!
Thank you again,
Terre
You're welcome, Terre. It was a little scary, but since I knew that neurological side effects were a distinct possibility, it wasn't as terrifying as it could've been had I not been aware of this. I was more surprised, frankly, that those things didn't happen sooner because from what I've read on this forum, most people seem either to get bad side effects right away and give up on the Pepto, or they get through the whole eight weeks with no issues at all. Not so for me.
Good luck,
Fiona
Good luck,
Fiona
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Joefnh
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Terre are the grainy bits like coffee grounds and dark in color?? Certainly the pepto tends to make the stools look blackish. The reason I ask this, is one of the things doctors look out for are coffee ground or similar sized bits in our stools. When these are seen it is often a sign of a slow internal bit of bleeding somewhere in the bowels, basically they are little droplets of 'dried' oxidized blood. I would make sure to let your GI doctor know about this as I'm sure it would be of interest.
Take care, I hope you feel better soon.
:-)
Take care, I hope you feel better soon.
:-)
Joe