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If you are not taking budesonide to "artificially" suppress the symptoms, it usually takes a while for the elimination diet to heal the intestines enough to completely stop the symptoms.
Tex
Clarification, please? You said if you are not taking Budesonide it takes a while to heal. Are you saying if she IS taking Budesonide it won't take as long to heal?
Sue
Sue
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Thank you for your response Tex. No I am not taking Budesonide. Actually I am not taking anything for the CC except for Vitamin D3 and Magnesium. My GI said 3 meds could be tried but he never did prescribe anything. I had an improvement after colonoscopy. For back pain I'm taking Meloxicam.
Are you saying I can be on the E diet more than 3 weeks? Is it healthy? What is eaten on the GF diet?
About the sugar. No I don't have a lot in fact because I was on a weight loss diet for over a year I was having a lot of artificial sweeteners. Now of course on the E diet I have had no sugar or sweeteners.
I will see what happens this week and hope that I can try to add back dairy and 2 tablespoons of sugar if the dairy trial goes well.
I am also thinking that I should try the GI doc that is on your list of good doctors. Only one on Long Island but he does take my insurance and I could probably use more input from a doctor. My GI doctor is a nice man but he did not really respond to much of my concerns or ideas.
Yes it's "healthy" to remain on an elimination diet forever, if it's necessary to stop the inflammation from being regenerated with each meal. I've been on a very restricted diet since 2004 (over 13 years). My labs always check out great (now that I've corrected my magnesium deficiency). My systolic blood pressure is fine (usually below 120 mg mercury, even though I don't take any meds for hypertension), no diabetes or pre-diabetes, no arthritis, no aches or pains or anything else, as long as I stick to my diet. And I'm 76 now. I do take vitamins though, because I eat no vegetables except for potatoes.
Sue and Retta,
Research shows that corticosteroids actually slow down healing, so you are better off without them if you are OK with putting up with the symptoms until the diet starts getting results. If the symptoms are debilitating though, you can take a corticosteroid such as budesonide to suppress the symptoms while the diet heals the gut. IOW, the corticosteroid will make you think you are in remission, even though the gut has not started to heal (because the inflammation continues, the corticosteroid only hides the symptoms). If you adopt the diet though, you will begin to heal even if you are taking a corticosteroid — it just may take slightly longer to heal. That's why if you are going to take budesonide, we recommend taking it at least six months, to give the diet time to heal the gut.
Sue,
You wrote:Clarification, please? You said if you are not taking Budesonide it takes a while to heal. Are you saying if she IS taking Budesonide it won't take as long to heal?
That's not what I said.
I wrote:it usually takes a while for the elimination diet to heal the intestines enough to completely stop the symptoms.
As explained above. Budesonide does not heal the intestines — it only temporarily stops or suppresses the symptoms. The inflammation continues to be regenerated with every meal if the diet is not changed. The diet stops the inflammation from being produced in the first place and therefore it allows the gut to heal.
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.
OK, gotcha. So when I get back from my trip on September 8th I will get off the Entocort so that I will see what causes me issues and what doesn't. I've never been able to get into a remission before WITHOUT drugs, but then again I never gave up gluten, dairy and soy before, either, so maybe this will be the magic bullet.
Sue
Sue
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Tex please excuse my thoughtlessness. I should have sent my sympathies for what is happening on the Golf coast of Texas. I hope you and your family and friends are doing OK.
It will work if you stick with it. You gotta have faith.
Retta,
No problem. Hurricanes are always bad, but we're far enough inland that were only getting constant rain. The wind is rarely over 30 mph here, but we're going to be plenty soggy by the time it runs out of energy. We're lucky, we're only on the fringe of it, and so the rainfall rate is very slow. We've only had 4 inches so far (which may double by the time it ends), but 20 or 30 miles east or south of here they've had twice as much. And 50 or 60 miles south of us they've probably had 3 times as much rain already, with more to come. Plus the high winds. I have no desire to live on the coast.
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.
Bone broth is something that I've never had. The only soup I've ever made is butternut squash or cauliflower soup. How many Cornish hens do you use to what amount of water?
Hi Retta,
I use one Cornish hen, I think I could use a couple more but don't, lol, and I cook off the hen and remove the meat and set it aside in the fridge and I'll add it back into my individual servings that I freeze after I cook off the bones.
I think being persistent with the diet has been the biggest win in healing. My bone broth may not be the richest with amino acids but it has worked for me. Mentally it was easy to make so it's what I've stuck with I'm doing better getting creative but still find it hard to think up new ideas at times.
Hope your doing well today!
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
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.
Hi Retta,
Regarding Weight Watchers, I was never successful after they stopped counting fats, proteins, etc. and encouraged all-you-can-eat fruits and veggies. I finally conquered my weight problem on Medifast, which is high protein, low carb, but unfortunately soy-based meal replacement. Five months in, the D started. Nothing would stop it, short of complete fasting. Finally a combination of budesonide and Colestipol got the D under control. I am now on 3mg bedesonide every other day, still on my healing journey. One thing I did learn is that eating protein and fat will control appetite. Carbs alone will give you spikes. If you have a salad or veggies, include some meat and cheese in small amounts.
Cheers!
Karen
I am nearing the end of week 2 of the E diet. It has been a challenge to keep eating so much chicken, turkey burgers, Basmani rice, canned string beans, apple sauce and bananas. I'm having a lot of cravings. Even thinking of Rice Chex as a MUST HAVE NOW. Plus because of reading posts here I look at the foods as if they might be hiding things that are counterproductive to healing. I buy all natural NO this or that chicken and turkey but it says rosemary extract and I'm not sure if this is bad or good. Reading about it sounds like it could go either way!
My D at times is the same WATERY and now sometimes just mushy. I thought after 2 weeks I would see Norman. But from other reading I see it can take months to heal enough to see him again.
I'm taking Mag and vitamin D-3 and an Allegra 60mg in the morning. Also thinking of adding Country Life Methyl B-12 Lozenges , 1000 Mcg but I am not sure if this is a correct amount to take.
Thanks all who read this I'm sure Newbies can be quite clueless especially someone like me who just finds it hard to "get it".
It sounds as though you're healing OK. 60 mg of Allegra is a mild dose. If that works, fine. But if you have any histamine issues, you may need at least 180 mg (or twice that) to help resolve any symptoms. Your B-12 dose is probably fine. The government's RDA might be adequate for a kid with a perfect digestive system, but for older people, according to research, we need at least 200 times the RDA. And for people who have MC, even that amount is usually way to low. We usually need at least 1,000–2,000 mcg.
Have you tried skipping the apple sauce for a day or so to see if that might help?
Thanks for the update.
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.
I have completed 2 weeks on the Elimination Diet. The D has not been at its worse for about a week. Only 2 watery D a day but still the bubbling water noise and sensation in my left side of my belly. I am learning and trying to absorb the information here. First thing I learned was that the 2 weeks that the E diet describes as healing time is too optimistic. I know I can't try to add back foods until I see Norman again. I have read Gabe's Stage ONE eating plan several times and realize healing could be months! Right now I am trying to take it one day at a time. This diet is worse that the reducing diet I used to lose 120 lbs which will probably be more pounds thanks to the E diet and my CC.
Food cravings were getting to me yesterday so I added plain rice cake and a chip to my diet. The chip is Pop Corners popped corn chips. The ingredients are non-GMO yellow corn sunflower oil and sea salt. Eating this chip is like having the best desert ever even though it is a little cardboard like.
In three weeks we are having a party at an Italian restaurant for my mom's 90th birthday. Don't know what I will do that day. Trying not to think about it. One day at a time.
At some point I may try the Pepto treatment. It sounds like a miracle treatment. Right now I don't take any prescriptions for CC and only Magnesium, D-3 and B-12. More vitamins that I have ever taken in my life.
Anyway that's this newbies progress. I hope my next update will be more positive.
I'm doing better getting creative but still find it hard to think up new ideas at times. 
