TMI - but I know you'll understand. I didn't eat corn.

[cdrisc]

Still working on my flare-up. I'm on pepto, which is helping a little. My diet is pretty bland, and I'm eating small portions at a time - rice, gluten free bread. Last night I had a little broccoli/(g-free) noodle/cheese casserole that was cooked so that broccoli was soft (I didn't have an immediate reaction to it). I may have to go more strict with the diet; it's a work in progress.

D fluctuates from a 5 to a 7 on the Bristol chart. Today, a few of those little yellow blobs appeared. So if that's fat, does that mean I'm having fat malabsorption? I have a prescription for cholestid (pills) - would these be helpful? Should I stay away from fat altogether?

It's a safe bet this flare was triggered by a round of antibiotics along with some ibuprofen for a root canal. I'm trying to work out in my head what's going on in there. There's inflammation, obviously. There could be SIBO. I'm pretty sure there's some leaky gut going on, too (I'm basing that off of eczema and acne showing up). And now, I'm wondering if there is fat malabsorption going on.

Any insight to offer?

Chris

ETA... also some pain going on. Sometimes it's a dull, punched it the stomach feeling. Sometimes I'd swear that I have menstrual cramps, but I had a hyterectomy/oophorectomy last year (maybe some endometriosis hanging around causing trouble). None of it is really bad, but geez, the D is enough!

Dear lord, I feel like such I hypochondriac as I type all of this out...

[tex]

Chris,

Fat malabsorption is a very common part of MC digestive issues. Almost all of us have some degree of fat malabsorption. It comes with the turf. It helps to reduce the fat content of meals in order to reduce the steatorrhea problem, because too much steatorrhea can cause D. Cholestid is a bile acid sequestrant. Bile is used to begin the fat digestion process, and too much unabsorbed bile past the terminal ileum can cause D, but while bile acid sequestrants can help to reduce bile acid malabsorption (BAM), they are not likely to reduce steatorrhea (because it's a different problem).

The problem is simple — an inflamed intestine is unable to properly absorb nutrients. It's that simple. Resolving the inflammation will resolve the malabsorption problem.

Abdominal pain is also very common with this disease. For some of us the pain can sometimes reach debilitating levels, while others may have no pain at all.

Tex

[Erica P-G]

(I'm basing that off of eczema and acne showing up).

I'm afraid going gluten and dairy free will be the only way to give these symptoms a rest. I learned 6 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast mixed with a bit of safe type milk (coconut, rice, almond, cashew) and added to noodles will make a very close cheesy noodle without the dairy.

cheers
Erica