Hi Ed,
There is some risk involved with all anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medications, but Wellbutrin seems to be one of the least risky of all the available options for MC patients, based on the accumulated experiences of the members of this discussion board.
Good luck, and please keep us posted, if you decide to try it.
Tex
Medications And Supplements That May Be Used By MC Patients
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh, mbeezie
medications
Hi TEX,
I have microscopic Collagenous Colitis. Diagnosed in 2012.. First GI doc put me on Entocort, which worked for a while, but going off it is difficult. That doc is on family leave. I had to have surgery for carotid artery in July. Had to see new G.I doc who prescribed Balzalazide Disodium 750 mg x3 all at once in the morning after food. It made my joints painful and my bones hurt. I have kept on taking it and that seems to be better. It helped a lot, but every year around 9/16, diarrhea starts again! It is uncontrollable! Now I am on both meds and the diarrhea started last week with a load in the pants away from home. I am getting very frustrated! I can deal with the pain, but I am paying so much for these meds, but now again diarrhea even with these meds! Antidepressants makes me cry or make me hyper. The ones that make me hyper keep me awake without sleep for days. The ones that make me cry make it impossible to do more than basic self care. I take Xanax with good results, but still diarrhea. I will see what the doc says tomorrow. Office closed today! I have lichen planus of the mouth and skin, fuchs dystrophy of the cornea, map-dot dystrophy of the cornea, possible systemic lupus, reactive inflammatory arthritis, polycystic ovary disease, migraines with auras, and parathyroid problems. I am a happy, productive person, but these accidents keep me from being able to go out with friends. I have tried gluten free, but the new G.I. doc said my blood tests were okay for gluten sensitivity, meaning it should not be an issue, yet I still think it is. I eat very little gluten, but it does sneak in the diet here and there with negative results. I work full time and love my work. I do have allergies, with more allergies in spring and fall. My old G.I. doc says that there is a huge correlationship between allergies and flare-ups. I am here to tell you my problems are far worse in spring and fall. UGH! Do you have any insights? I also have a lot of sensitivities to medications. Flu shots and pneumonia shots make me so sick and give me a flare-up of my mc. I am beginning to think it might be a good idea to find a doc who will run the DNA Comprehensive Pharmacogenetic Test. My friend had his done by Interlay DNA in St. Peter's, MO. It has made a huge difference in the prescriptions he gets in that now he knows what will help him. What do you think! Sorry for the long question!
Marianne Hamtil
maham69
I have microscopic Collagenous Colitis. Diagnosed in 2012.. First GI doc put me on Entocort, which worked for a while, but going off it is difficult. That doc is on family leave. I had to have surgery for carotid artery in July. Had to see new G.I doc who prescribed Balzalazide Disodium 750 mg x3 all at once in the morning after food. It made my joints painful and my bones hurt. I have kept on taking it and that seems to be better. It helped a lot, but every year around 9/16, diarrhea starts again! It is uncontrollable! Now I am on both meds and the diarrhea started last week with a load in the pants away from home. I am getting very frustrated! I can deal with the pain, but I am paying so much for these meds, but now again diarrhea even with these meds! Antidepressants makes me cry or make me hyper. The ones that make me hyper keep me awake without sleep for days. The ones that make me cry make it impossible to do more than basic self care. I take Xanax with good results, but still diarrhea. I will see what the doc says tomorrow. Office closed today! I have lichen planus of the mouth and skin, fuchs dystrophy of the cornea, map-dot dystrophy of the cornea, possible systemic lupus, reactive inflammatory arthritis, polycystic ovary disease, migraines with auras, and parathyroid problems. I am a happy, productive person, but these accidents keep me from being able to go out with friends. I have tried gluten free, but the new G.I. doc said my blood tests were okay for gluten sensitivity, meaning it should not be an issue, yet I still think it is. I eat very little gluten, but it does sneak in the diet here and there with negative results. I work full time and love my work. I do have allergies, with more allergies in spring and fall. My old G.I. doc says that there is a huge correlationship between allergies and flare-ups. I am here to tell you my problems are far worse in spring and fall. UGH! Do you have any insights? I also have a lot of sensitivities to medications. Flu shots and pneumonia shots make me so sick and give me a flare-up of my mc. I am beginning to think it might be a good idea to find a doc who will run the DNA Comprehensive Pharmacogenetic Test. My friend had his done by Interlay DNA in St. Peter's, MO. It has made a huge difference in the prescriptions he gets in that now he knows what will help him. What do you think! Sorry for the long question!
Marianne Hamtil
maham69
Hi Marianne,
Welcome to our Internet family. We consider ourselves a family because no one truly understands this disease unless they have it. Virtually every one of us is at least as sensitive to gluten as the average celiac. The problem is that the blood tests that the doctors use have such poor sensitivity that they will only detect fully-developed celiac disease. They have no way to detect the type of non-celiac gluten sensitivity that we have.
Eating a mostly gluten-free will not work. It will not allow the gut to heal. We have to avoid even trace amounts of gluten, 100 % of the time, in order to control our symptoms. But most of us are also sensitive to the casein protein in all dairy products, so we have to avoid dairy products also. And many of us are also sensitive to soy, and some are sensitive to eggs.
If we avoid all of our food sensitivities, our gut will slowly heal, and our symptoms will fade away. The drugs prescribed to treat the disease will sometimes mask the symptoms for a while, but the only way to stop the inflammation that causes the disease is to stop eating the foods that cause the inflammation in the first place. The doctors don't understand that, and that's why they are unable to successfully treat the disease.
Also, some of us have mast cell activation disorder (MCAD), and this causes the increased symptoms that you notice every spring and fall. Here are some links to some short articles that discuss this problem:
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?
The main problem is that most GI specialists still don't understand MC, so it's no wonder that they don't know how to treat it.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to our Internet family. We consider ourselves a family because no one truly understands this disease unless they have it. Virtually every one of us is at least as sensitive to gluten as the average celiac. The problem is that the blood tests that the doctors use have such poor sensitivity that they will only detect fully-developed celiac disease. They have no way to detect the type of non-celiac gluten sensitivity that we have.
Eating a mostly gluten-free will not work. It will not allow the gut to heal. We have to avoid even trace amounts of gluten, 100 % of the time, in order to control our symptoms. But most of us are also sensitive to the casein protein in all dairy products, so we have to avoid dairy products also. And many of us are also sensitive to soy, and some are sensitive to eggs.
If we avoid all of our food sensitivities, our gut will slowly heal, and our symptoms will fade away. The drugs prescribed to treat the disease will sometimes mask the symptoms for a while, but the only way to stop the inflammation that causes the disease is to stop eating the foods that cause the inflammation in the first place. The doctors don't understand that, and that's why they are unable to successfully treat the disease.
Also, some of us have mast cell activation disorder (MCAD), and this causes the increased symptoms that you notice every spring and fall. Here are some links to some short articles that discuss this problem:
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?
The main problem is that most GI specialists still don't understand MC, so it's no wonder that they don't know how to treat it.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
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.
Wow - I am so very impressed by all the information I am reading here. Thank you so much. I was just recently diagnosed with Collagenous Microscopic Colitis. My family has been using Colloidal Silver as an antibiotic for several years with great results, and always followup with probiotics. As a natural antibiotic, would you put colloidal silver in the not safe category for MC?
Thanks again,
Sharon
Thanks again,
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
Welcome to our Internet family. To be honest, we don't have enough information on actual experiences with colloidal silver to be able to rate it. It rarely comes up in discussions here.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to our Internet family. To be honest, we don't have enough information on actual experiences with colloidal silver to be able to rate it. It rarely comes up in discussions here.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
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.
Yes, there are reported cases of elevated liver enzymes due to mesalamine (the active ingredient in Lialda). The incidence reported on test trials is usually between 2 and 3 % of subjects.
Tex
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.
I was looking at all my medicines available or not depending on my Genetics and this one caught my eye because I was 100% Good with it....it turns out to be "Budesonide", and I didn't realize it is apparently OTC and used for seasonal allergies???
What do you make of this information Tex?
Thanks
Erica
https://hcp-prod.optumrx.com/vgnlive/HC ... 5-0326.pdf
Rhinocort
rs2240017(G;G)
Magnitude: 0
Frequency: 100.0%
Repute:Good
References:2
ambig
common
This SNP encodes a variation in the 33rd amino acid of the protein encoded by the TBX21 gene. Although 95% or so of all Caucasians carry two copies of the rs2240017(G) allele, as oriented in dbSNP orientation, and are thus rs2240017(G;G) homozygotes, a few individuals are rs2240017(C;G) heterozygotes. These heterozgotes are reported to improve better over time in response to corticosteroid treatment for asthma than the rs2240017(G;G) homozygotes. So far, studies have not linked, however, this SNP to any change in the overall risk of asthma itself. Although the effect observed was strong, in that treating rs2240017(C;G) heterozygotes ultimately (over 4 years) yields average airway responsiveness in the normal range (i.e. in the same range as for nonasthmatics), the authors point out that th...
What do you make of this information Tex?
Thanks
Erica
https://hcp-prod.optumrx.com/vgnlive/HC ... 5-0326.pdf
Rhinocort
rs2240017(G;G)
Magnitude: 0
Frequency: 100.0%
Repute:Good
References:2
ambig
common
This SNP encodes a variation in the 33rd amino acid of the protein encoded by the TBX21 gene. Although 95% or so of all Caucasians carry two copies of the rs2240017(G) allele, as oriented in dbSNP orientation, and are thus rs2240017(G;G) homozygotes, a few individuals are rs2240017(C;G) heterozygotes. These heterozgotes are reported to improve better over time in response to corticosteroid treatment for asthma than the rs2240017(G;G) homozygotes. So far, studies have not linked, however, this SNP to any change in the overall risk of asthma itself. Although the effect observed was strong, in that treating rs2240017(C;G) heterozygotes ultimately (over 4 years) yields average airway responsiveness in the normal range (i.e. in the same range as for nonasthmatics), the authors point out that th...
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Erica,
I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. Yes, some people are more responsive to certain medications than others. There are quite a few budesonide products offered for asthma treatment, but I didn't realize that any were available without prescription. And I certainly didn't realize that any actually "cured" asthma, but maybe that's not what they're saying. Maybe they're just saying that it is very effective at dilating the airways for people who are homozygotes for that particular gene SNP.
Tex
I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. Yes, some people are more responsive to certain medications than others. There are quite a few budesonide products offered for asthma treatment, but I didn't realize that any were available without prescription. And I certainly didn't realize that any actually "cured" asthma, but maybe that's not what they're saying. Maybe they're just saying that it is very effective at dilating the airways for people who are homozygotes for that particular gene SNP.
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.
There's just been so much talk about budesonide and using it as a med for our MC that I was shocked it was such a favorable med in my case but I'm not using it for MC but wondered it's use for the seasonal allergy part.
Would this be a double blessing or potential health risk by using this in a double manner. One for the gut, the other for allergy symptoms. I suspect this isn't your average daily histamine blocker huh.
I learned in this Genome research that I have a higher risk of cancer with constant use of Allegra. Zyrtec and Claritin have adverse stuff about them to....so weighing my options as to which antihistamine is a good choice now.
Would this be a double blessing or potential health risk by using this in a double manner. One for the gut, the other for allergy symptoms. I suspect this isn't your average daily histamine blocker huh.
I learned in this Genome research that I have a higher risk of cancer with constant use of Allegra. Zyrtec and Claritin have adverse stuff about them to....so weighing my options as to which antihistamine is a good choice now.
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Corticosteroids used in inhalers tend to carry the same risks as oral corticosteroids, depending on dosage. IOW, they can cause thinning skin, easy bruising, and if used often enough, osteoporosis and possible immune system suppression eventually. Most of the first generation antihistamines are still available, but as you may recall, many of them have been shown to be associated with age-related dementia (those that have anticholinergic effects).
Aren't the Claritin Redi-Tabs safe for most of us?
Tex
Aren't the Claritin Redi-Tabs safe for most of us?
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.
Ok...I must have just been having a fuzzy brain on all this....I will give the Claritin a try again....it's been a long time since I used it, but I'm not really using an antihistamine for the runny nose business anymore, mainly for the built up histamine in the gut for now.
So with that said I'll give this H2 another try, can only deal with the H1 kind on occasions when I need that extra sleep, so obviously I can't use it on a daily basis without the added concern about later on dementia.
Thanks Tex, sometimes it's the few helpful words said that do the trick
Erica
So with that said I'll give this H2 another try, can only deal with the H1 kind on occasions when I need that extra sleep, so obviously I can't use it on a daily basis without the added concern about later on dementia.
Thanks Tex, sometimes it's the few helpful words said that do the trick
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Well after having the worse pollen attack ever (cleaning the yard over the weekend) I learned that Claritin does NOT do a darn thing for me.
I resorted to Allegra for these last few days with Benadryl at night and I have beat the ugly runny nose and eye business!
Still doesn't mean I didn't end up with an MC flare because my BM's are worthless right now, at least I'm not running to the bathroom due to my guts not being healed enough that is a totally different kind of running to the bathroom.
I resorted to Allegra for these last few days with Benadryl at night and I have beat the ugly runny nose and eye business!
Still doesn't mean I didn't end up with an MC flare because my BM's are worthless right now, at least I'm not running to the bathroom due to my guts not being healed enough that is a totally different kind of running to the bathroom.
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007