Tex,
I read what you posted about pain under the rib cage and in the back. I was diagnosed back in February with MC and as of now only gluten bothers me. I was stupid and ate a donut Monday morning and am still in a great deal of pain. The pain this time is not in my lower stomach like normal but under my right rib cage and into my back. It is also very bad right in the middle of my chest. I had my gallbladder removed 3 years ago so am sure that's not the cause. Have you known of MC causing pain in this area? Thank you
Lori
Approximately How Often Do You Have MC Reactions?
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Lori,
MC can affect just about any organ in the body, so it's not impossible that it could cause pain in that area. Typically though, it affects the abdomen, from the belly button on down to the lower left and lower right quadrants. Pain above the belly button (due to MC) is much less common, but certainly still possible.
If you're referring to the breastbone area when you mention pain in the middle of the chest, that's highly suggestive of costochondroitis, and your doctor should be easily able to confirm a diagnosis if you want to treat it. Whatever the exact location might be though, if avoiding gluten eliminates the problem, then you know what causes the pain, and how to prevent it from recurring.
The tricky part of trying to guess a cause is associated with the fact that MC only affects the epithelia of the intestines (the inner surface layer of the walls of the intestines). This is in contrast with UC which can also affect the middle layers, and Crohn's, which can affect every layer, all the way through to the serosa (the outermost layer). The only layer of the intestines that contains any significant amount of pain sensors is the serosa. Because of that, any GI specialist can tell you that unlike Crohn's disease, pain is not a symptom of MC. Unfortunately that textbook approach doesn't work out in the real world, because the inflammation that causes MC tends to spread and affect many other organs, which causes all sorts of complications that GI docs don't tend to associate with MC.
So yes, I have heard of maybe a handful of members here who have experienced a similar pain when they ingested gluten, but that's not a common reaction. According to the classic medical description of MC, it is a painless disease.
In the real world, probably more than half of us experience significant pain along with our reactions, and the rest tend to feel only slight pain to no pain at all. Some have localized pain, while others may experience severe pain over most of their body. When my reactions were at their worst, even my hair hurt.
Tex
MC can affect just about any organ in the body, so it's not impossible that it could cause pain in that area. Typically though, it affects the abdomen, from the belly button on down to the lower left and lower right quadrants. Pain above the belly button (due to MC) is much less common, but certainly still possible.
If you're referring to the breastbone area when you mention pain in the middle of the chest, that's highly suggestive of costochondroitis, and your doctor should be easily able to confirm a diagnosis if you want to treat it. Whatever the exact location might be though, if avoiding gluten eliminates the problem, then you know what causes the pain, and how to prevent it from recurring.
The tricky part of trying to guess a cause is associated with the fact that MC only affects the epithelia of the intestines (the inner surface layer of the walls of the intestines). This is in contrast with UC which can also affect the middle layers, and Crohn's, which can affect every layer, all the way through to the serosa (the outermost layer). The only layer of the intestines that contains any significant amount of pain sensors is the serosa. Because of that, any GI specialist can tell you that unlike Crohn's disease, pain is not a symptom of MC. Unfortunately that textbook approach doesn't work out in the real world, because the inflammation that causes MC tends to spread and affect many other organs, which causes all sorts of complications that GI docs don't tend to associate with MC.
So yes, I have heard of maybe a handful of members here who have experienced a similar pain when they ingested gluten, but that's not a common reaction. According to the classic medical description of MC, it is a painless disease.
In the real world, probably more than half of us experience significant pain along with our reactions, and the rest tend to feel only slight pain to no pain at all. Some have localized pain, while others may experience severe pain over most of their body. When my reactions were at their worst, even my hair hurt. 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 thank you so much. I know when I was diagnosed back in February I had been having chronic stomach pain and extremely lose stool for 6 weeks probably 6 to 8 times a day. After I was diagnosed I completely came off of gluten and within 2 days my system was some what back to normal. I know now my warning signs if I eat gluten starts with horrific heartburn which I have never in my life experienced and I am almost 47 yrs old. After a few hours the lower abdominal pain will hit and in the potty we go. I also had mentioned having my gallbladder removed and pain will hit directly under the scar at the bottom of my right rib cage. Soon after that it moves to the right and left side of my lower abdomen. So that is my normal pain area however this time the pain just hasn't left that rib cage and is severe in my back as well. The last flare I had the pain was so severe the doctor treated me for a bladder infection which I thought for sure I had. After 3 days on antibiotics they called and said to stop taking them because my culture showed no sign of infection. That flare lasted 5 days with really no lose stool just pain. I am afraid of over looking something major and chalking it up to MC because it acts different in me every time. I don't take any prescriptions for MC because I can control it with diet for the most part. Also it's so hard to find a dr who knows anything about it. They all want to put you on the newest meds that who knows what they will cause you in the future. Thanks again for your helpful info. If you can recommend any good reads that will help me understand this better please let me know. Lori
Lori,
You're very welcome. The only comprehensive book ever written about this disease is the one that I wrote, but I don't normally promote it because that strikes me as rather self-serving. If you want to see what others say about it though, you can read their reviews at the following link:
http://www.amazon.com/Microscopic-Colit ... 0985977205
Yes, most GI specialists still have a long way to go to get up to speed with this disease. They are very good at prescribing medications recommended by their drug reps, but unfortunately many of them do their patients a grave injustice when they claim that diet has nothing to do with the disease.
You're on the right track, because as far as I can tell, treating the disease by diet changes is effective in most cases, and far safer than the drugs prescribed to treat it.
Tex
You're very welcome. The only comprehensive book ever written about this disease is the one that I wrote, but I don't normally promote it because that strikes me as rather self-serving. If you want to see what others say about it though, you can read their reviews at the following link:
http://www.amazon.com/Microscopic-Colit ... 0985977205
Yes, most GI specialists still have a long way to go to get up to speed with this disease. They are very good at prescribing medications recommended by their drug reps, but unfortunately many of them do their patients a grave injustice when they claim that diet has nothing to do with the disease.
You're on the right track, because as far as I can tell, treating the disease by diet changes is effective in most cases, and far safer than the drugs prescribed to treat it.
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, thanks again so much. I have been praying hard for this episode to pass so that I don't need to seek medical help. I am feeling a little better today so we will see. If you don't mind I will contact you when I have questions or concerns. You seem to know a lot about the illness itself for that I am thankful. Have a great weekend.
