MC and 3 children

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 8:46 pm

I was diagnosed with LC in Dec of 2014, but have been dealing with the symptoms since July of 2008. In July 08, I took clindamycin for a sinus infection (allergic to most antibiotics) and have been sick ever since. Prior to that no GI issues whatsoever! I use to control it with diet somewhat, but for the last 2 weeks, it doesn't matter what i eat. Eating nothing some days, but saltine crackers and still abdominal cramping and nausea. The only medicine that I have tried is Apriso (side effects while taking it are worse than that of MC) and only to have about 3 weeks of remission afterwards. I have taken 2 months worth at one month intervals. I am now taking Imodium every 2 days, but notice nausea with it. I just bought your book tonight and can't wait to read it. I have gotten another dr app 2 hours away in hopes this dr can help. My current dr's only help is to prescribe a low dose of apriso life long. I am not a good medicine taker. I fear side effects. I am really worried about my nutrition. I am going to ask if they can check my vitamins and nutrition on this visit. Is there anything specifically I could ask that would help me? Any time I have "bad bouts", I notice rosacea shows up on my face. I believe this is due to my gut issues. I have 3 young children and so want to have my life back. Thank you so much for this website and look forward to reading your book!

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:08 am

Welcome to the group
and sympathies that you had to find us...

Living with MC can be a tough gig at times.

to try and see if can confirm the reason for your latest flare;
Q - have you started any other new medications (prescription or OTC)
Q- have you had any changes with your menstral cycle/hormones

you mention having saltine crackers - if these are Gluten based then Gluten may be your main issue.
it is very likely your body has 'reached its limit' per say of gluten and is major inflammation, and what happens at this stage for most MC'ers is that they have to remove Gluten totally from their diet to get any management of the symptoms...

Re the blood tests, checking your Vit D3 and B12 is great starting point. if the body is inflammed, it can deplete the Vit D3 rapidly.

For now, dont think about the nutrition side too much, as while you are inflammed you are not absorbing and processing nutrients. The first step is to reduce the inflammation and this is done by removing main triggers (ie Gluten) and taking things like Vit D3.

if you have the time, read the posts aimed at new people - and the subsequent discussions. this with Tex's books will answer quite a few questions...

hope this helps

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 8:07 am

thank you, I always thought gluten was the only thing I could eat. I've said goodbye to vegetables and fruits for awhile. Crazy I use to eat any and everything. I will read his book and try gluten free for awhile. thanks again!

Post by **tex** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:12 am

Hi Martha,

Welcome to our Internet family. Gabes is right on target. Back when my symptoms began, and I tried avoiding various foods to try to track down any problems, I seemed to react to anything and everything except gluten. But after I cut gluten out of my diet, and my gut began to heal, then I could begin to tell the difference between foods that were OK and foods that were not. Gluten antibodies have a very long half-life (120 days) and so they tend to dominate everything else until we manage to get them out of our system.

And I agree with Gabes about postponing worrying about a balance diet, because as long as our gut is inflamed, our malabsorption problems will severely restrict the absorption of many nutrients anyway. The fastest path to recovery is to do whatever is necessary to get to remission, and then we can worry about balancing our diet after we are able to absorb nutrients better. Your rosacea symptoms are almost surely due to mast cell issues associated with active MC. You might find the short articles at the following links to be helpful:

What are mast cells?

How are mast cells associated with microscopic colitis?

How do I know if mast cells are causing problems for me?

How are mast cell issues treated?

Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.

Tex

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:25 am

thank you so Tex, will definitely avoid gluten! After reading a lot on this site, I am starting to believe stress is a big factor for my MC too. I am type A personality and stress is hereditary in my family. At the very same time I took the antibiotic, my husband was diagnosed with cancer (he is cancer free 7 years now). I believe both contributed to this now after reading. Now my step father in Jan was diagnosed with lung cancer (my father died of cancer when I was 3), so that is definitely not helping. thank you guys again, this site is really helping me as I have felt so alone with this (even though my husband is very supporting)!

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 1:41 pm

Welcome Martha,

You've come to a great place to learn and heal with your MC. I was Dx in 2012 and had symptoms since 2007, not fun. Luckily my kids were almost grown by then so I feel for you if you have 3 youngsters at home. I also only have LC and no other syndromes so thankfully I only have to focus on my gut. I had to go GF, DF, SF and EggF plus take an Allegra 180mg along with a daily 6000mg VitD3, and Magnesium elemental 500-700mg (different ways - spray oil, Epsom salt soaks and just recently the ability to ingest Mag L-Threonate).

Read, read and read some more on this site, a pattern starts to emerge about how most have gone about getting themselves to a balanced point in the healing of MC. My personal advice is to go GF, DF, SoyF and EggFree and eat what happens to be a fairly safe food list of LOTS of Turkey (made different ways is great), white rice, Bone Broth soups (I've been able to add carrot, celery and gluten free noodles to mine), Coconut oil, Sea Salt, Coconut milk and water. If you can wrap your mind around this eating plan while you are searching and learning at this site you will find a way to feel better and make something work that is unique to you.

MC was the loneliest feeling in the world to me too (until I found this site), hang in there it does get better. Most my family still doesn't know how to approach me yet

Cheers
Erica

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 3:51 pm

thank you Erica, it is very lonely. luckily my husband's family knows about stomach issues, so he and they are really supportive. i am going to try gluten free, plus i recently started taking flinstone's chewable vitamins (the only ones i can tolerate). they have made me have more energy. i really think stress is causing my current issues, so i am going to exercise more too. i so hope we all can get a handle on this and more posts of healing show up on here. question, what is DF? thanks again

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 4:50 pm

Hi Martha,
DF is "Dairy free". A side note about the vitamins, I would shy away from any supplements at this time, too many variables in them that you will never know you might be reacting to.

To help give you more energy, eat lots of safe protein, many times thru out the day. If you can tolerate steamed rice add a cup of that to your day too. Bone broth is a great gut healer in itself. This is just a base line to help get the gut to calm down. If you notice improvement right away you know you are onto something. Keep the D3 and Magnesium going strong during this time too. Add salt for taste and it will help encourage you to drink water and that will help flush toxins out of the body better.

If you give this simple food regimen a chance you will be able to add things back in at a better rate and each food if brought in slowly (eat something and give it 3 days to react) will increase your safe food list and it wont seem like you cant eat anything, lol.

Once you have given yourself an adequate healing period (something only you will know by your bowel movements) only then you can introduce a supplement. Read that flintstone ingredient list very carefully, any gluten, dairy, soy and sometimes almond will give a reaction, but at least you will know

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 7:29 pm

I thought of that too Erica about the vitamins, sadly i have cut most of dairy for a long time now. I just bought some epsom salts, crazy had no idea about the soaking. going to see where i can get the bone broth. Do you think those herbal teas are okay to drink? I use to drink a lot of fennel from Germany, but now I drink the stomach ease one from whole foods. Safe protein being white meat? thank you for helping Erica!

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 7:42 pm

When we refer to bone broth - we mean HOME MADE bone broth.
Commercially available bone broth/stock does not have the healing/nutrient goodness that a MC'er needs... (and tends to have ingredients that do not agree with MC'ers like onion powder, garlic powder, etc)

safe proteins can be anything....

Turkey settles really well for most, lamb settles better than beef.
less common, game meats are good as they tend to be less GMO affected. (venison, duck, etc)
wildcaught fish is good for most. (be cautious of tinned tuna as it tends to have soy)

Go with what you can obtain easily, within budget, that settles well (ie minimal symptoms after having it)

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:15 pm

thank you Gabes, i have been grilling salmon once a week. i will make some bone broth and definitely try it!

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 9:09 pm

I read all about mast cells that Tex linked. So I was up all night with gut churning, cramping, and went to bed hungry. This morning I thought I would try zantac and low and behold 30 min to an hour later I could tell my gut was calming down. I ate mostly rice, turkey, baked potatoes, and eggs today. Tonight i still wasn't 100 percent but could tell a difference. I also drank some tea (Mike's tea from Pain free foods) and am feeling better. I just don't know how much zantac to take. Dr's have never suggested that to me, so I am so excited about this. Now I am just trying to figure out what food causes my body to react this way. I go to the dr in couple of weeks and have a lot to ask him. Thank you guys so much for all of your suggestions. I have been helped on here more in one day than my many trips to the Dr, and with 3 kids its hard to get to a dr!

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 11:18 pm

Martha
great news!!

keep a food /symptom journal this will help to indicate what is heightening histamine inflammation/reactions

also keep in mind it is just not foods that affect histamine/mast cell reactions in the body, it can one or many of the following;
- environmental/pollen/perfumes etc,
- weather changes
- mold
- chemicals, (hair dye, household cleaners, commercial chemicals/pollution)
- activity based, like running /working out

one or any some of these at the same time as a high histamine type food may cause issues...

Also - fixing Magnesium deficiencies will also reduce histamine issues..

I hope things continue to improve! take care

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Fri Jul 17, 2015 9:06 am

Good information Gabes! I have recently noticed when I am stressed or overly tired, I start itching really bad. (My son also itches a lot when he starts sweating after high exercise.) I hope I can find out my magnesium level, I also suffer from headaches/migraines too. Increasing mag would help that too.

Post by **tex** » Fri Jul 17, 2015 12:28 pm

Martha,

FYI, the blood tests used to measure magnesium level are worthless except in emergency room settings where magnesium levels are so low that the patient is at a significantly elevated risk of heart attack or stroke. Magnesium is such an important electrolyte that the body will do everything it can to make sure that the blood level is within the so-called normal range. Therefore the blood test results will only show a deficiency when all of the cells of the body are almost completely depleted of magnesium. That's a dangerous level, to say the least.

I have a serious problem absorbing enough magnesium (because part of my terminal ileum and my colon are missing, and that's where most magnesium absorption normally takes place). The only time I've seen a flagged magnesium test result was when I was in the ER because of an antibiotic reaction that depleted my magnesium to critically-low levels. I probably already had a deficiency before I used the antibiotic. But the third time within a matter of weeks that I started taking the antibiotic, it pushed my magnesium reserves to such a low level that I actually received a flagged magnesium level result on a blood test. My body was unable to properly regulate my heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. Taking additional magnesium resolved the problem. But the point is, I am probably always somewhat magnesium deficient (no matter how much I take) but a blood test will always show a normal level (with the exception noted).

There is a tissue test that will accurately reflect cellular magnesium levels in the body, but unfortunately doctors never order it.

At least that's been my experience.

Tex