I don't know what happened!!!

[suzieq]

Hi all,

I had been doing pretty good with the MC, I'm gf, df, sf and ef and follow a low fodmap diet. I noticed after my vacation in July my intestines started rumbling more than usual. I was taking 1 Loratadine a day, that did the trick the last time I had a flare, after a course of Pepto Bismol. When the rumbling started again I upped it to 2 Loratadines a day. The past 2 weeks the rumbling got very persistent and I had a lot of bowel noises and Monday night I started with watery explosive diarrhea. I started the Pepto Bismol again. I got to sleep through the night last night, which was nice. I read here that someone was going to try Allegra, thought it would be better. I looked into it and it said it wasn't recommended for "older people", I'll be 62 soon, so I thought I would stick with Loratadine. I'm not comfortable with taking 2 Loratadines a day, I've had a severe rare side effect in the past with Claritan because of dosing that gave me hepatitis like symptoms. What worries me too is that I take 4 arthritis Tylenol's a day for the pain in my hands. I don't know what caused this flare. Previously someone suggested I had bile acid diarrhea. I will see my GI dr. in November for a follow-up and will ask about that. This is not the usual "mud" of MC diarrhea.

My husband & I planned a trip for this weekend, with friends, to the NC coast. I will be packing the Pepto Bismol and Imodium. Eating out is going to be real hard. I'm staying close to the toilet the today and tomorrow. I hope the Pepto kicks in, if not, I'll add the Imodium tomorrow. It is a 3 1/2 hr ride, which will be pure torture! I'm just not looking forward to it at all!!!

BTW - I recently heard that 2 members on my mother's side of the family have been ill, both first cousins. One has Crohns disease and now has pancreatic cancer. The other one has diverticulitis and rheumatoid arthritis and recently had to have surgery and now had to have a colostomy. My brother has diverticulitis and I believe that my mother's sister had some type of intestinal trouble but no one know what diagnosis she had. So there's definite trouble on the maternal side of the family.

Thanks for listening and any advice,
Susanne

[tex]

Hi Susanne,

There are always plenty of killjoys around trying to convince "older people" that they shouldn't be doing this, or that, or using this medication, or that one. We go to our doctor complaining about an ache or pain, and her or his response is, "That's just a symptom of old age. You just have to learn to live with it". Really? I don't buy that BS. 15 years ago my arthritis was so bad that I had to use a cane to get around on many days. I've never taken any medications for arthritis (only diet changes) and I haven't needed that cane since I changed my diet.

Armour Thyroid for example is not even covered by Medicare. I use it anyway, and I'm a heck of a lot older than you. I also use Allegra most days (every day, this time of year).

Many of us seem to have more MC sensitivities during pollen season. It's possible that the right antihistamine might be able to help relieve your MC symptoms.

But if you have made any changes in your diet, medications, supplements, cosmetics, etc. in the past few months, look at them closely to see if they could be the problem. Check your diet very carefully for any possibility of cross-contamination with gluten, including food preparation areas (does anyone else in the house put gluten-containing foods on those countertops? or in those utensils?), and especially processed foods.

Good luck on your trip.

Tex

[suzieq]

Hi Tex,

Thanks for your reply. You have never steered me wrong and I listen to the advice given here more than dr's. I'm going to try Allegra, 1 dose a day.

As for my diet, I really haven't made any changes. Eating out always screws me up a little but the effects don't hang around long. As of yesterday I went back to square 1 with my diet and hopefully with that and Allegra I will start feeling better. I can't seem to get away from the arthritis in my hands so I'm missing something somewhere. I do have allergies to mold, dust mites, and some trees that I can't seem to recall which ones. Right now my throat is scratchy and I've been sneezing away and that's with taking 2 Loratadines.

I don't have regular wheat flour in the house and my husband puts what bread he has on a plate, not the counter, but maybe the bag it's in is contaminated on the outside? I just have to be more vigilant with pots, utensils, with just everything.

Thanks again,
Susanne

[tex]

I use the 24-hour version (180 mg) of Allegra. Most people find that the lower dose version doesn't do much good.

A couple of years ago my arthritis began sneaking back into my fingers and an EnteroLab test confirmed that my diet was cross-contaminated with gluten.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

You're very welcome,
Tex

[suzieq]

Hi all,

I started taking Allegra over a week ago and it hasn't made a difference yet. I plugged myself up Friday night and Saturday am with Imodium and Pepto Bismol and I was good for the 3 1/2 hour drive to the NC beach. In fact it plugged me up until Monday am when the watery D hit again. I took 4 doses of Imodium and 3 Pepto Bismols and I was good for the ride home from the beach. Tuesday evening the watery D came back with a vengeance, I could tell all day that it was coming, my intestines weren't very happy. I did the best I could with eating out at the beach, but you all know it's just not safe. I am taking 3 Pepto's 3 x's a day, that is what the GI dr had me do the last time. It hasn't kicked in yet. To top it off, my dog starting with diarrhea yesterday, I had to sleep in the living room with her last night, she had to go out 2 x's. Between me and her I haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately. I just picked up a refill of her meds from the vet. She has Cushing's disease and gets diarrhea every couple of weeks.

Saturday I'm flying to NJ to visit my family. So I will plug myself up again with Imodium and Pepto for the flight. It's an early flight so I will be getting up extra early to give myself enough bathroom time.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have been eating the same foods and I try to limit going out to eat. I've been under a lot of stress lately, I'm having trouble with my daughter. I'm starting to think that she is bipolar. She does suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. The night the diarrhea started, I had dealt with over 8 hours of constant text messages from her dealing with all her problems, which are many. She's my problem child.

Thanks for listening and for all the good advice given here.

Thanks,
Susanne

[tex]

Susanne,

It's very likely that the main trigger for your symptoms is stress.

There is a very good chance that your daughter may have magnesium deficiency contributing to her issues. There can also be other dietary problems that contribute to bipolar issues. Some of the articles at the following links may be helpful.

Integrative Treatment of Bipolar Disorder: A Review of the Evidence and Recommendations: Page 2 of 4

Mood, Food and Bipolar Disorder: A New Prescription

Magnesium in Neurological Diseases and Emotions

About bipolar disorder (manic depression)

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

in line with Tex's reply, i think stress is your main contributer to inflammation and issues (it was the same for me)

a suggestion for your daughter, would she be willing to see a functional doctor and get tested for Kryptopyrrole?
this is basically a zinc and B6 deficiency that allows high levels of copper to be in the body which causes the intense mental symtpoms

The three primary biochemical classifications of bipolar disorder are the following”

A. Undermethylation: This condition is innate & is characterized by low levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, high whole blood histamine and elevated absolute basophils. This population has a high incidence of seasonal allergies, OCD tendencies, perfectionism, high libido, sparse body hair, and several other characteristics. They usually respond well to methionine, SAMe, calcium, magnesium, omega-3 essential oils (DHA & EPA), B-6, inositol, and vitamins A, C, and E. They should avoid supplements containing folic acid. In severe cases involving psychosis, the dominant symptom is usually delusional thinking rather than hallucinations. They tend to speak very little & may sit motionless for extended periods. They may appear outwardly calm, but suffer from extreme internal anxiety.

B. Overmethylation: This condition is the biochemical opposite of undermethylation. It is characterized by elevated levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, low whole blood histamine, and low absolute basophils. This population is characterized by the following typical symptoms: Absence of seasonal, inhalent allergies, but a multitude of chemical or food sensitivities, high anxiety which is evident to all, low libido, obsessions but not compulsions, tendency for paranoia and auditory hallucinations, underachievement as a child, heavy body hair, hyperactivity, “nervous” legs, and grandiosity. They usually respond well to folic acid, B-12, niacinamide, DMAE, choline, manganese, zinc, omega-3 essential oils (DHA and EPA) and vitamins C and E, but should avoid supplements of methionine, SAMe, inositol, TMG and DMG.

C. Pyrrole Disorder: This condition, also called pyroluria, is a genetic stress disorder associated with severe mood swings, high anxiety, and depression. The biochemical signature of this disorder includes elevated urine kryptopyrroles, a double deficiency of zinc and B-6, and low levels of arachidonic acid. Pyrolurics are devastated by stresses including physical injury emotional trauma, illness, sleep deprivation, etc. Symptoms include sensitivity to light and loud noises, tendency to skip breakfast, dry skin, abnormal fat distribution, rage episodes, little or no dream recall, reading disorders, underachievement, histrionic behaviors, and severe anxiety. They usually respond quickly to supplements of zinc, B-6, Primrose Oil, and augmenting nutrients.

http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/ ... -disorder/

Pyroluria

A condition that can really put a person at great risk for copper toxicity is pyroluria. Pyroluria is characterized by excess krytopyrrole in the urine. Pyrroles attract aldehydes, and vitamin B6 is an aldehyde. Once the pyrroles bind to B6, that unit now becomes a real vacuum cleaner for any zinc you might have lying around. So if you have pyroluria, from a very young age you are developing a B6 and zinc deficiency constantly. It is hard to consume enough B6 to overcome the drain that is happening in pyroluria.

About 52 percent of schizophrenics, 42 percent of psychiatric patients and 40 percent of alcoholics are pyrolurics. If alcoholism is associated with nervous breakdowns, suicide or even migraines, pyroluria is likely involved.

A sign of low B6 is lack of dream memory, or very disturbing dreams. And if your B6 is very low, you will find it hard to take zinc. Zinc will make you feel nauseated, bloated or uncomfortable.

Family tendencies seen with pyroluria include cluster headaches and migraines, depression, fatigue including chronic fatigue, sensitivity to cold, anemia, morning nausea and appetite problems, lack of dream recall, suicides and suicidal depression, motion sickness, blood sugar problems, glucose intolerance, sore lower back and upper left pain in the ribs.

Drug and alcohol intolerance, constipation, crowded upper front teeth, a lot of joint problems, growing pains might even be part of B6 deficiency. Tingling sensation, cramping, tremors, ticks, convulsive seizures and epilepsy are very strongly affected by the pyroluria, low B6 and zinc along with copper toxicity. Both can give you epilepsy and clearing them up can definitely get rid of seizure disorders. Neuralgia and sciatica are very common in these cases. A common symptom is pale skin that will not tan. Often the most pyroluric member of the family will be the lightest one. Other signs are late onset of puberty, low stress tolerance and prematurely gray hair.

she may still have excess metals that are contributing to the anxiety/mood issues
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topi ... -the-mind/


I have pyrolle, years of zinc deficiency (along with other deficiencies) are the root cause to most of my health issues. I am quite certain that for me the MC is a symptom of these issues (not root cause of health issues) the multiple deficiencies, excess toxins and ongoing inflammation have created the issues.

good luck with the travels, I suggest investing in some pema chodron audio books and good set of headphones and use them while travelling to help reduce the stress levels you are experiencing...

namaste

[suzieq]

Hi Tex & Gabes,

Thanks so much for all the information, it is a lot to digest. I will look at it again when I get back from NJ, if I even go.

Last night into this morning I had severe watery D, like you would have if you've prepped for a colonoscopy. I did not ingest anything different then what I normally would have. I took 4 Imodiums this morning and it's stopped for now. I had been taking the Pepto Bismol but it just isn't working.

My flight is first thing tomorrow am. I'm going to see how I feel. If I had a night like I had last night, I'm staying home.

I can't thank you enough for your input and links.

Thanks,
Susanne

[crervin]

Susanne,

So hope you are feeling better! Been following your post, my 22 yr old niece is going through the same thing as your daughter. Please let us know how it goes! My mother is in Utah as we speak, trying to help my niece and my brother with this. Stress is so hard to control and not eating doesn't even help.

You take care!

[suzieq]

Hi all,

I took my trip to NJ. I had to load up on Imodium and Pepto Bismol to get out of the house and onto the plane. I did this for 3 days and then neither of them helped and I was back to explosive diarrhea. I called my GI dr on Tuesday and asked if there was something they could prescribe to clog me up for the plane ride home. The nurse was telling me that I really needed to be tested to see if I had C diff. I told her that all I wanted was something to clog me up that I would be home in 2 days. The Dr. sent a prescription to the NJ pharmacy near me for generic Entocort. So, I'm on that 9 mg a day. I have to call and follow up with the Dr. next week. Yesterday was the flight home, I woke up at 3:30 am with bad indigestion and explosive watery diarrhea. I immediately took the Entocort, the full dose allowed of Imodium and Pepto Bismol which clogged me up. I had a rice cake and water and nothing else until I got home. I made the flight with no problem. Since I've been flying a little more lately I book a seat close to 1st class and tell & ask the flight attendant that I have a medical condition and might need a bathroom quickly and which bathroom would be closest to my seat, they always point me to the 1st class bathroom and say I may use it.

Honestly, I would have cancelled the trip but didn't want to pay change fees, etc. I felt like shi* the whole time I was there. I'm glad to me home. The dog is better. The vet added Flagyl to the doggie Kaopcetate and her diarrhea is gone.

Thank you for your suggestions with my daughter. I appreciate it greatly.

Thanks,
Susanne

[tex]

Susanne,

Wow! You are tough (and innovative) to successfully navigate through that ordeal. I'm glad to "hear" that your flights were uneventful.

Hopefully things will settle down now that you are home and you will soon be doing as well as the dog.

Thanks for the update.

Tex

[brandy]

Since I've been flying a little more lately I book a seat close to 1st class and tell & ask the flight attendant that I have a medical condition and might need a bathroom quickly and which bathroom would be closest to my seat, they always point me to the 1st class bathroom and say I may use it.

Hi Susie,

The above is a REALLY GOOD TIP! I fly alot and a lot of time if you are in coach you are made to feel like you cannot use the first class bathroom. I'm definitely going to use your tip. The key is talking to the flight attendant in advance about the "medical condition."

[suzieq]

Hi!!

Well, after stopping myself up for the flight home last Thursday, I must have done a great job. I didn't have any bm until this am and it was a norman . I guess the Entocort is kicking in and also my intestinal rumblings have quieted down.

I was drying my hair this morning and was thinking about the past few months and remembered something. I remembered that my intestines hadn't been happy since at least July but I had Norman's 95% of the time, just a few bouts with loose bm's, that's when I upped the antihistamines to 2 per day and it didn't help. I had a Reclast infusion in mid-June. Do you think this could have played a part in my downfall? I had been careful about everything but I know I probably slipped up a few times.

Brandy, I spoke to the flight attendant as I boarded the plane. I always choose a seat a row or two behind 1st class, I did pay a little more. I would have told them exactly what my problem was if they gave me "no" for an answer and what a real mess they would have on their hands. LOL

Thanks,
Susanne

[tex]

Susanne,

Yes, the bisphosphonates are known to trigger MC for many patients. So the Reclast was almost surely the cause of your flare.

Despite what your doctor (or actually the drug companies speaking through your doctor) might say, your bones will get much more benefit from taking plenty of vitamin D and magnesium than they will ever get from a bisphosphonate. The bisphosphonates increase bone density by preventing the resorption of old dead bone cells. This deceives the tests that are used to measure bone density, because old dead bone is harder than normal, living bone.

But the most dangerous effect of the bisphosphonates is the fact that new bone cells cannot be formed unless dead bone cells are removed first. So after a few years, the bones of bisphosphonate users become more and more brittle as dead bone tissue accumulates, while the formation of new bone cells continues to be blocked. I can provide published medical documentation for this if you wish to read it yourself.

But this is the reason why taking bisphosphonates is limited to approximately a 5-year period — if patients use the drug much longer then 5 years, so many of them begin to have hip fractures that the drug companies become sitting ducks for lawsuits. By labeling the use of the drug for a limit of 5 years, they hope that this will keep the cost of lawsuit payouts down to a level where the drug is still profitable for them.

The bisphosphonates are definitely not designed to benefit patients — they're designed to inflate drug company profits, while totally disregarding major problems with the drugs. And the doctors prescribing them either don't understand the risks, or they choose to look the other way, and hope that everything will turn out OK.

Tex

[suzieq]

Hi Tex,

OMG, I feel like a sitting duck for future bone problems!!! I took Fosamax for 8 years and then discontinued them because I was on them too long and then I had 2 Reclast infusions, each a year apart, and this last one in July was 2 1/2 years from the last one. My Dexa scan is scheduled for January.

I have been taking D3 and magnesium through lotion and spray. I can't take the calcium pills, I choke on them, even when I cut them up. I've been going to the gym for over a year, working out with weights and strengthening exercises, that is until this last flare's s**t hit the fan, LOL.

Thanks so much for all that information.

BTW - I have a picture for my avatar but couldn't figure out how to make it smaller, it wouldn't upload when I tried it.

Thanks,
Susanne