Hi Gang - nice to see all the old faces as well as a growing population of new ones - wish none of us needed to be here but it's the place to be if you have CC!
I've been doing really, really well on just 2 Lialda once a day, but lately things have been acting up again. Not a full-blown flare up but definitely some pain, some rumbling, and probably 6-7 trips to the bathroom, always the big D and always urgent. I hoped it was just a bug but it's going on 3 weeks now, some days better than others, but still not right.
So of course I'm trying to analyze everything and anything that might be different and yes, I've changed some of my eating habits. Every day at lunch I have some turkey meat and a sweet potato (skin and all) instead of a sandwich and at night I pig out on grapes (instead of chocolate). It's now coming back to me that I have been having pains after lunch, not urgent, just stabbing, in the same spot, which lasts for an hour or two so wonder if the sweet potato and/or the skin is causing me problems. Or, is it the grapes? if I eat too many (which I always do) I get bad gas pains but I've been so hooked on them it's been worth it to me. I pass a little gas before bed (privately) and then fall asleep - problem solved.
But now I wonder.... has my tolerating the gas each night caused me to be where I am now? Is gas more than a passing thing (pun intended) and was I causing damage to my intestines with my nightly gas-inducing grape feasts?
Darn, I miss them so much, but I've laid off them for the past several days. Today I ate the baked potato at lunch, but left the skin. :(
Sue
If it causes gas, am I causing damage?
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
If it causes gas, am I causing damage?
Sue
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Hi Sue,
Sorry that you're having persistent symptoms again. My guess would be that that the skin on the sweet potato might be causing problems, since that's a fairly concentrated chunk of fiber. The production of gas (methane) is normal if fiber and/or carbs are in the diet. And if passing gas relieves the symptoms (gas pains), then the gas itself shouldn't be causing any digestive issues, because this is the way that the digestive system normally operates.
The problem that is associated with gas for MC patients is that for many/most of us in an active flare, we can't get rid of the gas because it is trapped somewhere so that it can't be easily expelled by traditional methods. If that's not happening, then I doubt that the gas itself is causing any damage to your digestive system.
If you're still reacting without the grapes and potato skin after another day or so, then something else might be going on (such as a sensitivity to the sweet potato itself.
Fiber is definitely contraindicated when we are in a flare, and the less of it in our diet, the faster we tend to recover. IOW, it should be easier to track down the problem and achieve remission if you continue to minimize fiber until you are back in remission.
Here's another thing to consider. Are you sensitive to NSAIDs? If you are, then there is a possibility that you may have developed a sensitivity to the mesalamine in Lialda. Quite a few members here cannot tolerate mesalamine, and the sensitivity can develop immediately or after long-term use. Dr. Fine discovered this association over 15 years ago, but most GI specialists tend to overlook it.
Tex
Sorry that you're having persistent symptoms again. My guess would be that that the skin on the sweet potato might be causing problems, since that's a fairly concentrated chunk of fiber. The production of gas (methane) is normal if fiber and/or carbs are in the diet. And if passing gas relieves the symptoms (gas pains), then the gas itself shouldn't be causing any digestive issues, because this is the way that the digestive system normally operates.
The problem that is associated with gas for MC patients is that for many/most of us in an active flare, we can't get rid of the gas because it is trapped somewhere so that it can't be easily expelled by traditional methods. If that's not happening, then I doubt that the gas itself is causing any damage to your digestive system.
So does that seem to be helping? I can't tolerate grapes, even on my best day. I'm not sure if it's the sorbitol or sulfites, or just the fiber, but they clean me out in a hurry. However, they don't cause me to continue to react. After about half a day of D (IOW, after they are out of my system), they become a non-issue (as long as I continue to avoid them).Sue wrote:Darn, I miss them so much, but I've laid off them for the past several days. Today I ate the baked potato at lunch, but left the skin. :(
If you're still reacting without the grapes and potato skin after another day or so, then something else might be going on (such as a sensitivity to the sweet potato itself.
Fiber is definitely contraindicated when we are in a flare, and the less of it in our diet, the faster we tend to recover. IOW, it should be easier to track down the problem and achieve remission if you continue to minimize fiber until you are back in remission.Here's another thing to consider. Are you sensitive to NSAIDs? If you are, then there is a possibility that you may have developed a sensitivity to the mesalamine in Lialda. Quite a few members here cannot tolerate mesalamine, and the sensitivity can develop immediately or after long-term use. Dr. Fine discovered this association over 15 years ago, but most GI specialists tend to overlook it.
Diarrhea Associated with Mesalamine in a Patient with Chronic Nongranulomatous EnterocolitisAlthough mesalamine inhibits both lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase in vitro (and should decrease the production of both leukotrienes and prostaglandins), clinical manifestations and results of fecal eicosanoid analysis in our patient suggest that this drug may stimulate leukotriene synthesis as do analgesic NSAIDs and, in turn, lead to diarrhea or intestinal inflammation (or both) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
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.
Thanks, Tex. I'm not feeling any relief yet but today's the first day I've skipped the skin on the potato. Tomorrow, I will skip the potato all together and have half a sandwich.
I'm relieved to hear that I didn't cause this flare by eating grapes but probably shouldn't go back to them until things settle down a bit, huh? I'll try to keep things bland and low-fiber for a few more days and see if there's at least improvement.
No good deed goes unpunished. Try to eat healthier and lose a few pounds and colitis kicks in. NOT the way I wanted to lose weight. :(
Sue
I'm relieved to hear that I didn't cause this flare by eating grapes but probably shouldn't go back to them until things settle down a bit, huh? I'll try to keep things bland and low-fiber for a few more days and see if there's at least improvement.
No good deed goes unpunished. Try to eat healthier and lose a few pounds and colitis kicks in. NOT the way I wanted to lose weight. :(
Sue
Sue
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
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Gabes-Apg
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Not sure if Gas is 'causing damage' per say. Albeit ongoing inflammation will impact absorption of nutrients, and will deplete key nutrients at a faster rate.
the other thing with the higher fibre type foods is maybe to have them every second day _ i have quite a few foods that are sometimes foods, I can only have them 3 times a week...
I have struggled with excess weight most of my adult life. looking at people on this forum for many of the women it is either battling to put weight on or to lose weight....
for me, with other issues such as thyroid, metabolism, kidney, pcos and chronic inflammation it got worse in the past years I gained 25kg/55 pounds over 4 years. (as if MC is not depressing enough ..... )
In the last 10 months i have confirmed quite a few of the root cause issues for my multiple health issues, managed to reduce inflammation quite a bit, started taking the right supplements, my digestion improved immensely, and with increased energy and doing gentle exercise I lost 9 kg in 6 months, and now I have looked at methylation/thyroid issues and have tweaked my supplements and eating plan based on this information and I am losing more weight, another 2kg in 6 weeks, the weight loss is good, albeit the ability to have have muscles, strength, stamina for the first time in over 8 years or more is fantastic.
in my opinion, healthy weight loss will only happen if your cells/body has the right balance of nutrients and your digestion is optimised. (ie leaky gut is healed)
hope this helps
the other thing with the higher fibre type foods is maybe to have them every second day _ i have quite a few foods that are sometimes foods, I can only have them 3 times a week...
I have struggled with excess weight most of my adult life. looking at people on this forum for many of the women it is either battling to put weight on or to lose weight....
for me, with other issues such as thyroid, metabolism, kidney, pcos and chronic inflammation it got worse in the past years I gained 25kg/55 pounds over 4 years. (as if MC is not depressing enough ..... )
In the last 10 months i have confirmed quite a few of the root cause issues for my multiple health issues, managed to reduce inflammation quite a bit, started taking the right supplements, my digestion improved immensely, and with increased energy and doing gentle exercise I lost 9 kg in 6 months, and now I have looked at methylation/thyroid issues and have tweaked my supplements and eating plan based on this information and I am losing more weight, another 2kg in 6 weeks, the weight loss is good, albeit the ability to have have muscles, strength, stamina for the first time in over 8 years or more is fantastic.
in my opinion, healthy weight loss will only happen if your cells/body has the right balance of nutrients and your digestion is optimised. (ie leaky gut is healed)
hope this helps
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Re: If it causes gas, am I causing damage?
Sorry to hear of your recent troubles. I LOVE sweet potatoes and used to eat them daily as well but I was reacting to them so took them out. I agree with Tex, try taking them and the grapes out and see how you do. I so miss my sweet potatoes with cinnamon sprinkled on and baked ):Sue777 wrote:Hi Gang - nice to see all the old faces as well as a growing population of new ones - wish none of us needed to be here but it's the place to be if you have CC!
I've been doing really, really well on just 2 Lialda once a day, but lately things have been acting up again. Not a full-blown flare up but definitely some pain, some rumbling, and probably 6-7 trips to the bathroom, always the big D and always urgent. I hoped it was just a bug but it's going on 3 weeks now, some days better than others, but still not right.
So of course I'm trying to analyze everything and anything that might be different and yes, I've changed some of my eating habits. Every day at lunch I have some turkey meat and a sweet potato (skin and all) instead of a sandwich and at night I pig out on grapes (instead of chocolate). It's now coming back to me that I have been having pains after lunch, not urgent, just stabbing, in the same spot, which lasts for an hour or two so wonder if the sweet potato and/or the skin is causing me problems. Or, is it the grapes? if I eat too many (which I always do) I get bad gas pains but I've been so hooked on them it's been worth it to me. I pass a little gas before bed (privately) and then fall asleep - problem solved.
But now I wonder.... has my tolerating the gas each night caused me to be where I am now? Is gas more than a passing thing (pun intended) and was I causing damage to my intestines with my nightly gas-inducing grape feasts?
Darn, I miss them so much, but I've laid off them for the past several days. Today I ate the baked potato at lunch, but left the skin. :(
Sue
Thanks for the support and shared experiences. I, too, have thyroid issues (Graves Disease) and had my thyroid removed 18 months ago. Therefore, we've been riding the rollercoaster to find the sweet spot of thyroid replacement hormone and I think we're almost there. Guess I should get blood drawn to make sure that's not what's causing this flare but I really don't think it is.
I also have been eating daily hard-boiled eggs. Wonder if somehow that innocent little protein-packed bullet is causing some of this distress. Sheesh, too many variables, but it's just so discouraging that I'm trying to eat right (healthy, weight-smart, non-processed foods, etc.) and this is my payback. I know it could be worse, but jeez, can't we ever catch a break!?!
I'm thinking about upping my Lialda dosage to see if that helps but finding the cause should really be my first priority and if I take more meds and things clear up I'll never know what I can't eat, ya know?
Sue
I also have been eating daily hard-boiled eggs. Wonder if somehow that innocent little protein-packed bullet is causing some of this distress. Sheesh, too many variables, but it's just so discouraging that I'm trying to eat right (healthy, weight-smart, non-processed foods, etc.) and this is my payback. I know it could be worse, but jeez, can't we ever catch a break!?!
I'm thinking about upping my Lialda dosage to see if that helps but finding the cause should really be my first priority and if I take more meds and things clear up I'll never know what I can't eat, ya know?
Sue
Sue
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!