Shouldn't things be improving by now?

Personal experiences with various medications used to control the symptoms of Microscopic Colitis and related issues, should be posted here.

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IDreamInColor
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Shouldn't things be improving by now?

Post by IDreamInColor »

I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with MC and was put on questran twice a day. I also removed all gluten from my diet and I'm eating very little. Although the questran has reduced my amount of time in the bathroom, I am still having d at least 4 times per day.
Is this normal? When can I expect to start feeling better?
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi,

As MC goes, 4 BMs per day, (without a 5-ASA drug, or a steroid), is pretty good. The average is probably 8 to 12, and many people with the disease have to make 20 or 30 trips to the bathroom each day, and a few, as many as 50. Of course, once our treatment is successful, and we reach remission, most of us have only 1 or 2 normal BMs per day.

The questran does nothing to treat the inflammation - all it does is sequester bile fatty acids, which helps to reduce diarrhea, in many cases, (and it also lowers cholesterol and certain fatty substances in the blood). It doesn't do much for your other symptoms. To treat your symptoms more aggressively with a medication, you would need to use something such as one of the 5-ASA drugs, (Asacol, Lialda, Pentasa, Colazal, etc.), or a corticosteroid, such as Entocort EC. There are also other, more potent drugs that can be used to suppress the immune system, but since they can cause severe side effects, they are best left for "last resort" treatment attempts.

It usually takes 6 months to a year for the diet to allow the gut to heal enough to bring remission, though many people see significant improvement in as little as 3 or 4 weeks. Typically, some improvement may be noticeable after 2 or 3 months on the diet. Please be aware that for most of us, gluten is not the only food sensitivity. Most of us are also very sensitive to casein, the main protein in all dairy products, and about half of us are sensitive to soy, and all it's derivatives, and related products, (all legumes are related to soy).

Unfortunately, there are no quick remedies for this disease. It requires patience and careful dedication to detail, in order to control all the symptoms.

You will get your life back, if you stay the course, it just takes perseverence and attention to detail in your diet.

I wish you the best of luck in your treatment program. Please feel free to ask anything.

Tex
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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.
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shouldn't things be improving by now???

Post by gac »

OK, it has now been 10 months of this ridiculous MC and I've been on the Entocort probably at least 50% of the time (anywhere from 1 to 3 a day, depending on how bad my symptoms are). Some weeks are better than others - better is judged by only having 6 to 10 BM's a day. Worse is 12 to 20 a day. Some weeks are so liquid it reminds me of baby poo. I disgust myself. I feel so bad I don't even try to leave the house. Right now I haven't left the house in several weeks again. I don't eat any gluten or dairy. I don't eat any fruits or vegetables. The only meats I can tolerate are beef (cheap fatty beef) and dark meat chicken (not ground chicken or turkey). I can tolerate white potatoes and carrots. I can eat corn chex with almond milk. I had to return to eating peanut butter and gluten free bread to clog up my intestines or I was in the bathroom constantly and never getting any sleep. The peanut butter and bread has slowed down everything in my intestines and because I'd like to be able to attend my daughter's 40th birthday party, it is the only thing I am eating for a while. It is difficult not to get depressed when it is this bad. When someone posts "shouldn't this be improving" and he's only had it two weeks and mine has been 10 months, my question is "will this ever improve?"

I am supposed to return to the gastro doc for annual visit, do not ask me why as my last visit at 8 weeks she told me to eat anything but gluten and dairy. I'd be in intensive care if I followed those instructions. I never went back. Why bother? Now I'm afraid she will want another upper/lower GI and those are so brutal doing the prep and I will be deathly sick from it as it will further irritate my already irritated colon. Can I refuse that test at this point? The only thing bleeding is slight bleeding of my external hemorroids and why not after all the times I go to the bathroom each day?

I wish I could heal myself. I was taking PeptoBismal when it was so bad but pure pink was coming back out of me. I switched to Lomotil pills. Can't tolerate Cholesteramine as it makes me sicker. Any suggestions before I go to see my doctor?
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T
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Post by T »

gac

I was misdiagnosed in 2005 and finally diagnosed with CC in Nov 2014 I still have my bad days so don't feel alone.
Everyone is different with their safe foods .
Fatty foods and grease was the first thing I realized that was sending me to the pot and then the long haul of sorting out my bad foods.
You may have to reevaluate your foods .
My 4 months of Entcort treatment did not do A thing for me I was still sicker than A dog.
Are you taking D3? Entcort dropped my D3 level way low.
I know where you are coming from hang in there .

Terry
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Post by Gabes-Apg »

Gac
sorry you are still having so many issues...

to be fair, from the other posts you have shared, there has been quite a few things in your life during this time that have impacted the wellness journey.

for some, medications and diet changes are not enough.
Some people need multiple medications - have you tried taking entocort and lomotil?? and many here in the early stages also had to take anti-histamines regularly along with medication and strict eating plan to get some control on symptoms
and diet wise, it can take weeks of the bland diet before you see improvement.

your last post was only 3-4 weeks ago and you had had surgery, things like the anesthetic and pain medication would have caused major inflammation and most likely set you back a bit.

I understand the mental and emotional strain of dealing with ongoing symptoms and issues, and being overwhelmed that there is no easy solution available.
it was only 2 years ago I was chronically ill with multiple health conditions, I didnt work for 9 months. It took ever ounce of my mental and emotional energy to stick with the necessary healing plan.
as someone who has had heamoroids and anal fissure, i do understand how demoralising and intense the situation is. coconut oil is a great resource for these issues (lubricant and healing for the skin)

So far as what next for your doctors appointment, I am not sure what to offer.
if the medications are not working for you - I am not sure the doctor can offer. the only thing I would suggest is getting your Vit D level checked.
Gabes Ryan

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tex
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Post by tex »

The additional stress caused by lack of improvement can be enough to prevent improvement simply because stress has such a strong effect on most of us. And in some cases, for some unknown reason, it can take a very long time (it can seem like an eternity) before we begin to improve, despite doing everything right. It has taken a few of us a year and a half (including me). Every one of us is different, and we all respond somewhat differently to treatment.

I do have one suggestion. Since you find that bread and peanut butter help to slow down the D, you might have better results from psyllium (psyllium husks). Have you ever tried it? It's not helpful for most of us, but I have a hunch that in your case it might help, based on your response to bread and peanut butter.

Psyllium is a soluble fiber that acts as a bulk-forming laxative. It's not nearly as irritating on the intestines as insoluble fiber. Of course it's usually used to treat constipation, but it works by absorbing liquid in the intestines. And then it sort of swells as it forms a gel-like, bulky stool. A few other members have posted that they found it to be helpful for that reason.

Your body is your own, and if you don't want to have to go through another colonoscopy or upper endoscopy exam then it's OK to politely decline. Your doctor should understand. I agree with you that there is little point in suffering through a cleanout to go through those intrusive exams again. We have quite a few members of this discussion forum who were talked into going through another colonoscopy by their GI doc after the treatments didn't work, but so far not a single one of them has ever found anything new.

I hope that you'll be able to enjoy your daughter's birthday party.

Tex
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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.
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Post by brandy »

Sorry you are suffering. Unless you are at risk for colon cancer I would skip colonoscopy/endoscopy. Consider switching from peanut butter to almond butter as peanut is a legume in the soy family.

It sounds like you respond somewhat to Entocort. Can you consistently hang out on 3 per day for awhile?

Also, do you even need to go to gastro visit? At one point my boyfriend told me to stop going to doctors for awhile. I kept coming home crying. It was futile. Can you reschedule your gastro appmt for 3-4 months out so that it is not hanging over you....

You can self test for vitamin D from the Vitamin D council.
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Post by brandy »

I just read your previous post and agree with Gabes your body has been through a lot with the surgery.

Can you make a lot of the oxtail/potatoes/carrots for awhile?

Can you tolerate eggs?

When struggling I do best with a lot of protein.
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Post by gac »

I can never thank all of you enough for answering me this past 10 months. My doctor, who I think is very knowledgable, is still clueless on handling this as I think most doctors are. Your website is massively helpful as is your book and I come here every time I hit a wall on what to do next. I try to keep my stress levels as low as possible and thank god I am retired!!!!!! If I still had to try to work I would not survive. That last year of work was ridiculous as I made so very many stops going to and from work and knew where every restroom was. That was before I was diagnosed with MC and just thought it was a gluten problem.

Taking 3 Entocorts plus lomotils is helping and diarrhea has stopped. For this week since I have to leave the house on Saturday I don't want to rock the boat on anything I eat. I have been able to eat eggs with no problem and will add those next week. Also walnuts added to my corn chex cereal seem OK. I wish I could switch to almond butter but I truly hate the taste of it. It is hard enough to tolerate this much peanut butter. I will add in the oxtail/potatoes/carrots again next week. Will also look for the psyllium you mentioned.

I am not at risk for colon cancer and they saw no sores or cysts or anything unusual when I had the tests in July. Without the biopsies, the MC would not have been caught and, in fact, initial diagnosis was all is fine and nothing is wrong. Well, yes, something was dreadfully wrong. I had been in intermediate ICU for 6 days with constant diarrhea for 4 weeks and the hospital was unknowingly feeding me gluten products and making me sicker, even though I demanded gluten free diet. It wasn't until I was already discharged from the hospital that biopsy results arrived and I was diagnosed with MC. Went home from hospital as sick as when I went. This past 10 months has been very difficult. I would say at least 50% of it has been mega diarrhea that has kept me at home. There have been times that I have been able to go to the store, go to concerts, lead a somewhat normal life (always wearing a diaper and having extra stuff along in case a huge accident should occur unexpectedly). But I had really hoped this would improve.

It does help to hear that some of you have been thru similar long term difficult times. I just have no idea what "normal" is. Or what my new "normal" will be. And since you can only read what I post and don't know me personally, you can only guess at what that will be also. But you are guessing much better than my doctor.

I feel better about avoiding a doctor's visit for a while. If I can avoid the appointment for about 3 months and even then, avoid an upper and lower GI just because it is so very brutal and I know how delicate my insides are, I think things may settle down. Doing that prep at home would be impossible - I don't know how I'd make it to the hospital the next morning for the test as the hospital is 30 minutes away. Sounds awful to me. No, sounds worse than awful.

Thanks again for your help. I will continue with what I am doing. I had not thought about using coconut oil to help heal what hurts so bad. Better use than trying to eat it right now. Paleo muffins with coconut oil did not agree!!!
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Post by Gabes-Apg »

I just have no idea what "normal" is. Or what my new "normal" will be.
dont try to define it.... there are two many variables at the moment to define things.

for now, I encourage you stick with the bland eating plan, optimise your bodies chance to heal, work on the mental and emotional aspects (acceptance etc) of life with MC.
be cautious of the walnuts, when we are inflammed many here struggle with various nut products.

In the previous discussion you never answered the question about if you are taking Vit D3? What we have found is that medications will struggle to help if people are deficient in Vit D3. Vit D3 levels and supplementation is just as important as avoiding major food triggers.
that is why various people keep mentioning it.
if you read some of the stories in the success stories area, you will see how important Vit D3 is.
Gabes Ryan

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Erica P-G
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Post by Erica P-G »

HI Gac,
You are on the same time structure as myself. With added stress it appears.

I have good and bad moments still.

I have worked really hard to eliminate foods that I know irritate me, am I perfect... by no means.

The season has changed and so has my sinus irritation to pollen and so my MC is deciding to flare again, very annoying.

Here are a few things to ponder:
Eat bland....pick 3-4 things you can rotate that agree with you etc...lots of safe protein, good helping of white rice or rice noodles, Almond or Cashew milk, over steamed carrot or sweet potato. (Start out here and figure which one of these works...if something doesn't after 3 days toss it out and insert something else, keep doing it until you find your base foods).

Get good VitD3 in you soy free 5000mg daily

Get good Elemental Magnesium external/internal, Epsom salt soaks....it is constantly preached on this forum for good reason.

Take an antihistamine....find one that works for you (Zytec, Claritin Redi tab 10mg, Allegra 180 mg.....and if needed for a while a benedryl at night until things start feeling more under control). Too much histamine is a kick in the butt when even the best healed get too much.

Relax - I know may sound easier said than done....but you really need to let the mind wander and let things go.

Don't see any Drs unless you absolutely need one....the wrong ones are not able to tell us what we need to hear so it just creates turmoil within ourselves and we certainly don't need anymore of it :shock:

Keep asking questions :wink:

Hugs
Erica
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Post by gac »

Must go for annual physical with my GP tomorrow to get my regular meds refilled. Also I have now developed a terrible rash in my groin area that needs attention. I am now concerned with shingles as my entire body is tingling all over and I have a new fever blister on my lip. I increased my Valtrex drastically today to fight whatever is going on until I see the doctor. With immune issues it is so hard to fight everything that has happened in recent months - urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, now fever blisters.

I have not been taking Vitamin D3 but have added it to my list of meds to pick up when I am at pharmacy tomorrow now that I know what amount to take. I take 50 mg benedryl every night. No other antihistimine has seemed to work for me in the past so I went back to what was the least expensive and what seemed to work the best for my overall seasonal allergies. I am taking 2 magnesium tablets and 1 B12 tablet daily to supplement diet. I probably need to add Potassium supplement whenever the diarrhea returns as muscle cramps get so bad and my prescription muscle relaxer I take daily does not help.

I cannot eat sweet potatoes or rice - must stick with white potatoes for now, which is a shame as it surely gets boring. I am able to use gluten free noodles to add to my diet for variety.

I am doing absolutely nothing.....nothing.....still recovering from shoulder surgery and staying at home, close to the bathroom. I know I probably sound like a basket case but I am not. I just don't really have anyone I can talk to about any of this who understands. How can anyone who does not have this understand??? They cannot. Again thank you. Not looking forward to an annual physical. She will tell me to lose weight, eat better, blah blah blah blah blah. Also not looking forward to a gynecological exam when my insides have been so messed up but I must have that. Gee, this sucks.
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Erica P-G
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Post by Erica P-G »

HI Gac,

As soon as you can get on a VitD3 and Magnesium regime I think you will see a lot of these yucky symptoms start to disappear.

Stick with a good antihistamine (I would keep benedryl as my night time one and pick something else IE: Allegra 180mg for day).

Hang in there :wink: Attend your appt. Also those cramps I believe are mainly from low magnesium levels and even though you may be taking 2 mag tablets a day since you aren't taking VitD3 you probably aren't getting the absorption necessary to stop the cramps. If you are taking the highly recommended Magnesium from this forum I believe you need to have at least 300mg morning and night and split up because the body will only absorb what it needs for a short period of time and then it will look for more later in the day.

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E
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Post by gac »

Thank you for your help. My vitamin D levels were low on my physical so I do need to add that and will split up the magnesium to see if that helps. Things are improving a bit and I am going to try some real food over the weekend (non peanut butter) to see how I tolerate meat/carrots/potatoes again as I loved eating that and I am so very hungry for meat.

Again my thanks for all of your help.
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Post by Gabes-Apg »

glad that things have improved a bit for you

once you fix the VIt D deficiency things will start to improve, it will take a few weeks so be patient, and take it a day at a time.
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