How much better with diet?

[kmc2016]

Hello. I am 34 and was diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis in February. I have been taken up and down on budesonide (to attempt to remit) and now take 1 tablet daily. I also take 3 lomotil tabs per day. I have played with my diet, though reading your intro to this site, I think I need to be more stringent with my diet for a longer period of time. I have found though that there are some foods that are particularly problematic: high sugar, apples, lettuce, gluten, high fat, nuts, corn. With my medication and diet changes my cramping has stopped, my urgency is gone all most all the time, but I have 1-5 watery stools per day, doesn't get much better than watery, and fairly explosive as well, and my guts often make a lot of gurgling noises. I'm just wondering, if people out there think that if I follow a stringent diet (like described in the intro for new MC users) for like 5 months, if they think I will see improvement in not only frequency but consistency? Or is this as good as it gets with lymphocytic colitis?

[Gabes-Apg]

welcome!
most people with who avoid the major triggers stringently (ie Gluten, Dairy, high sugar, high fibre, etc ) do see major improvement ie urgency reduces or is gone, consistency firms up, and quantity of BMs per day reduces.

if you read some of the posts in the success stories area you will see what others did, how long it took etc

following the strict diet for the few months, taking Vit D and magnesium and optimising healing, down the track quite a few people can relax the eating plan a bit without major issues.

hope this helps

[Gabes-Apg]

these are some posts from the success stories area that will help

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22469
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22248
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20961

following the bland strict eating plan sounds a bit overwhelming at first, it is a bit lifechanging, but i can assure you it is worth the effort, as days with minimal symptoms is worth it

[kmc2016]

Thanks so much I will take a look through the information you sent me.

[armstrongpilot]

Hello. I was also 34 when i was diagnosed with lc. It started after a treatment of antibiotics. It has been a rough year. I have lost 35 lbs since it all began. Diet changed seemed to help...altho now i am back to having issues again. It is a very up and down disease. It changes when u think it is figured out. I am on entocort and eating rice and beef

[crervin]

After a year of diet, my BMs are mostly formed now. That is after 8 years of chronic WD. The problem after the diet change is making up for the lost vitamins. But if the D isn't stopped, not sure how much nutrients you were absorbing anyway...

Good luck with your journey. You are at the right place!!

[Gabes-Apg]

another good progress update was posted today - this member joined us under 3 months ago and started the bland low amount of ingredients eating plan.

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22588

[Beachbum]

I'm new here, too. I've learned a lot from this forum, but I have not applied all principles stringently. I am in my third week of budesonide. I resisted taking it for a couple months after diagnosis of collagenous MC. I decided to start the med when I saw improvement only when I consumed nothing but chicken broth for 3 days. Then, the 4th day I ate only the plain, unseasoned organic chicken I had used to make the broth, and I has a full flare, or blowout as I affectionately call it. I discovered at that point I was allergic to every food I ate.

The budesonide works best when I avoid main triggers --gluten, dairy in all forms, fiber, sugar, raw vegetables, soy, eggs and stress-- and take vitamin D and a good long soak in Epsom salts. On good days I have only one or two blowouts in the morning, then a seminormal bm or 2, or nothing the rest of the day. On a bad day I take 3 imodiums and a slug or 2 of kaopectate (pepto) which makes my ears ring, but then I can go about my day.

Today was a bad day. I was stressed because of a dermatologist appointment. Had time for a blowout in the Dr's office restroom (thankfully down the hall away from the waiting room), then a quick run back to the car for Imodium and kaopectate before signing in. Then no more problem. I had missed lunch, so on the way home I bought organic corn chips and ate 2/3 of the (large) bag. Got home and ate a couple uncured hot dogs and white rice cooked in organic bone broth. Had a slight blowout, and now 10:30 pm, no problem. Since I had problems today already, (aka, what the hell!) I'm having a Margarita made with Tres Agaves organic mix. Ingredients: agave nectar, lime juice, ascorbic acid; no food coloring or preservatives. And of course, a little tequilla. I usually tolerate one or two with no problem.

The main reason I will probably have a blowout tomorrow is that I took Imodium and kaopectate today, and I always have a rebound after taking them. I have found I do best when I take budesonide, vitamin D, (and Epsom salt soak) and stick to a strict diet, with moderation in portion size. I may have a problem tomorrow from just too many corn chips.

But with the med, my problems are predictable and manageable. In a perfect world, when I have more self-discipline than I did today, I will identify and resist all of my triggers long enough for the budesonide to help heal my gut.

I don't mean to sound preachy, but the main thing I have learned from the members here so far, and from my own experience is there are no shortcuts, quick fixes or magic bullet. There's just persistence while I figure out what works for me, faith, and a sense of humor. (This site even has a jokes board!)

Welcome to this great forum!

Bill

[Gabes-Apg]

I don't mean to sound preachy, but the main thing I have learned from the members here so far, and from my own experience is there are no shortcuts, quick fixes or magic bullet. There's just persistence while I figure out what works for me, faith, and a sense of humor. (This site even has a jokes board!)

Bill - well said, not preachy at all!

it takes time to get into the 'flow' of life with MC, figuring out what works and what doesnt, not just food wise, it also applies to routine, external triggers, and our mental and emotional attitude to the changes we are making

i heard a podcast the other day that it can take 21 days for 'new habits' to take hold, for the type/quantity of changes that most MC'ers make, I think it takes about 3 months to get into the flow...

[Beachbum]

Hi, Gabes!

So far the requirements of managing MC are keeping me focused on the need for new habits! The hardest part for me is I used to eat and drink everything I wanted, and that feels like a great loss. I AM hopeful that with enough self-discipline I can relax and eat more variety again. Thanks for the reply!

Bill

[tex]

Then, the 4th day I ate only the plain, unseasoned organic chicken I had used to make the broth, and I has a full flare, or blowout as I affectionately call it. I discovered at that point I was allergic to every food I ate.

Was that chicken stored in the refrigerator for longer than 2 days by any chance? Many of us (including me) experience a mast cell reaction (resulting in a flare) if we store chicken or chicken soup in the frig for longer than about 2 days. Histamine content increases with each passing day, and the histamine growth rate is exponential. We have to freeze our food that requires refrigeration if we are not going to eat it within about a day.

Yep, "blowout" is a very accurate description.

Tex

[Beachbum]

Hi, Tex!

Yes, the chicken was 4 days in the refrigerator. We keep it at 38 degrees F or below, and I'm sure it was bacteriologically safe. I had no idea that histamine levels increased!

I'll have to freeze leftovers!

Thanks,

Bill

[tex]

I once researched this issue and discovered that at temperatures above zero degrees Fahrenheit, histamine levels continue to increase. Histamine is apparently a byproduct of fungus/mold. We can't see it growing (until it has grown for quite a few days), but it's there, and normal refrigeration temperatures only slow it down somewhat. A banana that's just barely ripe is a relatively low-histamine food. One that has been ripe for 2 or 3 days is a high-histamine food.

Here's a link to a past discussion about this issue:

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21746

Those of us who are sensitive to histamine usually promptly freeze leftover foods in serving-size containers or ziploc bags and thaw them as needed.

Tex

[crervin]

bill, are you taking a daily antihistamine? Make sure the immodium doesn't have lactose in it.....I did worse on immodium and pepto. They gave me more D than when I didn't use them. Blowouts make me think high histamine foods. Freeze everything like Tex explains! Right when you get home from grocery store if you don't plan on eating it that day.....

[Beachbum]

Thanks Martha T and Tex!

I'm rethinking leftovers now! And I'm going to get antihistamine (otc) in the next day or so. I appreciate your insights.

Bill