Update and question on Enterolab

[sseven]

Hello! First, I want to say thanks to those who post and answer and for what I continue to learn about this disease because of all of you. Just a brief history--diagnosed with LC on 8.13.14 after almost four weeks of diarrhea. Got no help from the GI's office except for a very expensive steroid, Budesonide, so got on Amazon to see if there was a book on the disease and found Tex's book. (If anyone is a newbie and reading this, please get Tex's book. It will change your life.) The side effects of the Budesonide were horrible and when I had six days of constipation, lowered the dose and then, after five days of the same, I cut it down to one tablet a day and finally just quit on 9.22.14. All of a sudden, I could sleep through the night and didn't have the unexplained pains all over my body, the chills, the fogginess, sleeplessness, etc. After reading your posts and Tex's book (again), I learned about the elimination diet and to start with bland diet. I ate chicken tenders fried in Coconut Oil, sweet potatoes (baked, fried or grilled) applesauce, bananas every day. I even fried the bananas for breakfast just to have something different.

Now, I can eat Rice Chex and Cream of Rice cereal with Almond Milk and blueberries. The commercial applesauce was really getting to me, so got some Honey Crisp apples and started baking them, which tasted so good. I also made applesauce from the apples and continue to do that. About a month ago, I was peeling more apples (Tom, hubby, can't believe how many apples we use in a week!) and just took some bites of the raw apple, knowing that I shouldn't eat raw fruits or veges BUT nothing happened. I'm still eating peeled apples, added strawberries and grapes so how am I able to do that after just a couple months of LC? In addition to chicken, I now eat salmon, tried some beef but that didn't work, cod, cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, avocado, spinach-kale-chard leaves with no dressing, just started adding small amounts of Chia seeds to the cereal for extra nutrients--there's more but don't want this to be too long. If something doesn't work, I add it to the Avoid for Now list.

I had one minor issue with swelling in my lower legs/ankles and Tex answered my post on that. Called my PCP to report that and I did go in for a quick check. They had never checked my thyroid and the blood tests came out fine. My salt intake had been very low from eating Cream of Rice which has no sodium.

Oh, a couple weeks ago I had the followup with the gastro doc who did my colonoscopy. He had a lot of questions--why did I quit taking the medicine, how do I know what food causes a reaction, how do you know not to eat gluten, soy or dairy (my office checked you for gluten intolerance and you don't have that) pretty much one question after another. I showed him Tex's book and told him about the online discussion board--he was taking notes as I talked. After the exam, I offered to leave the book but he said he might get his own copy. Hmmm...I have to see him again in six months.

One more thing before wrapping this up--I am doing 7500 iu of Vit D-3, magnesium through Epsom Lotion and foot soaks and take one dropper of Vit B-12. Overall, I am feeling good and back exercising at the gym a few times a week. I still work 20+ hours at the office and Tom and I babysit about 20 hours a week for our 20-month old granddaughter.

Question is on the Enterolab testing--I took my last steroid on 9.22.14 and I believe I read that we should wait two months to make sure the steroid is gone from my system. Is that correct?

Thanks again for the good information from everyone. It is so very helpful to those of us who are new in the struggle.

I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Sharon

[tex]

(my office checked you for gluten intolerance and you don't have that)

He just assumed that he checked you for gluten sensitivity. Actually, he checked you for celiac disease. There is no officially-approved way for doctors to check for gluten sensitivity — they don't have a test available for that, since they choose to not recognize the EnteroLab test results as valid.

Question is on the Enterolab testing--I took my last steroid on 9.22.14 and I believe I read that we should wait two months to make sure the steroid is gone from my system. Is that correct?

That's an (approximate) estimate of course, but to the best of our knowledge, that guideline should work in most cases.

You seem to be doing quite well, and I hope that your progress continues.

You're very welcome, and thank you for the update. I hope that your Thanksgiving is most enjoyable, also.

Tex