Hi again,
I am new here (have made one post so far, thanks for the replies!). I have a GI appointment tomorrow and I really hope I can get my issues resolved. I realize that I have been sick on and off for a year now, but lately have been more sick than not sick. Last night I took two magnesium citrate capsules and got nauseated about 30 minutes after, and then nauseous again this AM with a couple of soft BMs. Could it be the magnesium? I also ate chicken. It is so difficult to work when my stomach is just not right, I am afraid it is never going to resolve! I need some encouragement!
Feel sick all the time, getting discouraged
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Tango,
Two magnesium citrate capsules would probably be 400 mg (check the label). Everyone has a different tolerance level, but personally, I consider anything much above 200 mg of magnesium citrate to be a laxative. Chelated magnesium (magnesium glycinate) is a much safer form of oral magnesium. But you might or might not be bothered by this amount of magnesium citrate. Topical magnesium can also be used to avoid that problem in cases where supplemental magnesium tends to cause diarrhea. Many/most of us take Doctor's Best brand of magnesium glycinate.
It's possible that the chicken is the problem (if you are sensitive to histamine issues), because chicken relatively quickly becomes a high-histamine food when it is not frozen, and of course elevated histamine levels promote excess stomach acidity and in some cases, nausea. You can substitute turkey for chicken and eliminate the problem in most cases.
Fine-tuning one's diet for MC can be a bit tedious at first, but eventually it becomes second nature. You're on the right track. Please don't feel discouraged — we all go through such phases.
Tex
Two magnesium citrate capsules would probably be 400 mg (check the label). Everyone has a different tolerance level, but personally, I consider anything much above 200 mg of magnesium citrate to be a laxative. Chelated magnesium (magnesium glycinate) is a much safer form of oral magnesium. But you might or might not be bothered by this amount of magnesium citrate. Topical magnesium can also be used to avoid that problem in cases where supplemental magnesium tends to cause diarrhea. Many/most of us take Doctor's Best brand of magnesium glycinate.
It's possible that the chicken is the problem (if you are sensitive to histamine issues), because chicken relatively quickly becomes a high-histamine food when it is not frozen, and of course elevated histamine levels promote excess stomach acidity and in some cases, nausea. You can substitute turkey for chicken and eliminate the problem in most cases.
Fine-tuning one's diet for MC can be a bit tedious at first, but eventually it becomes second nature. You're on the right track. Please don't feel discouraged — we all go through such phases.
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.
Welcome to the forum Tango. All of us have been on the same journey and after being on diet modifications for a period of time you will see recovery and you will feel better. The process of healing is gradual and patience (and prayer for me) is the only thing that will get you through it. It took me about 9 months of being on very strict diet restrictions before I noticed a big change. I'm still working through how to manage this long term and improve the variety of foods I can eat, but I know that it a marathon and not a sprint. There are so many great resources on this website that have been provided by amazing people who have given their time to helping others.
When I first got really sick I would only eat about 25% of what I normally would and the only things I ate were bone broth, plain rice and plain tuna for about 4-5 months. Nothing exciting but it will pay dividends. As Tex said you have to modify it so that the foods you're eating agree with you and this can be hit and miss as food can often be contaminated by irritants in the food chain and especially when you're probably in a household where others are eating a 'normal' diet using the same equipment/prep space as you.
When I first got really sick I would only eat about 25% of what I normally would and the only things I ate were bone broth, plain rice and plain tuna for about 4-5 months. Nothing exciting but it will pay dividends. As Tex said you have to modify it so that the foods you're eating agree with you and this can be hit and miss as food can often be contaminated by irritants in the food chain and especially when you're probably in a household where others are eating a 'normal' diet using the same equipment/prep space as you.
Hi Tango,I am new here (have made one post so far, thanks for the replies!). I have a GI appointment tomorrow and I really hope I can get my issues resolved. I realize that I have been sick on and off for a year now, but lately have been more sick than not sick. Last night I took two magnesium citrate capsules and got nauseated about 30 minutes after, and then nauseous again this AM with a couple of soft BMs. Could it be the magnesium? I also ate chicken. It is so difficult to work when my stomach is just not right, I am afraid it is never going to resolve! I need some encouragement!
Don't get discouraged! Also be prepared for the GI to not be as helpful as you may expect
If you could be a bit more specific as to what you eat or drink lately there may be other suggestions to help you with. Not feeling well is a pretty broad description for us all here, lol....
Hang in there!
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
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Thanks for your responses. I am not even sure I have MC, but I have had on and off GI symptoms for one year, with normal ultrasound, CT, blood work, thyroid, stool samples. My latest "good" period lasted 5 months and I was eating everything. The GI signs seem to range throughout the GI tract and include soft voluminous stools, normal stools, intermittent but not common explosive diarrhea, two accidents in pants (thinking I was about the pass gas). But mostly, lately, I have normal stools with intestinal cramping, decreased appetite, and off and on GERD. And upper left quadrant pain. And sometimes what feels like trapped fluid/gas in my upper left quadrant that sloshes around if I breath deeply. Yesterday I ate only white rice, turkey, carrots, kale, maple syrup, earth balance buttery spread, rice cakes, chicken, bone broth (made from chicken), and broccoli. Oh, and two square of chocolate. Started having stomach pain in afternoon, turned to mild nausea in evening, cramping and low appetite all day today.
Does this detail help? I appreciate everyone's responses, it is nice to share symptoms. I am just really wanting the GI doc to do a colonoscopy and endoscopy to try and get an actual diagnosis. I have already been to an unhelpful GI doc (he kept telling me how healthy I looked and there couldn't possibly be anything wrong) and this is a new one with a good reputation. Fingers crossed.
I am a veterinarian and a biomedical researcher (iron metabolism and blood clotting) and so I move around from the "lay" literature and health forums to the primary literature, trying to figure my symptoms out.
And if I am reactive to chicken does this mean I can drink the bone broth I just made from my chicken carcasses?
Does this detail help? I appreciate everyone's responses, it is nice to share symptoms. I am just really wanting the GI doc to do a colonoscopy and endoscopy to try and get an actual diagnosis. I have already been to an unhelpful GI doc (he kept telling me how healthy I looked and there couldn't possibly be anything wrong) and this is a new one with a good reputation. Fingers crossed.
I am a veterinarian and a biomedical researcher (iron metabolism and blood clotting) and so I move around from the "lay" literature and health forums to the primary literature, trying to figure my symptoms out.
And if I am reactive to chicken does this mean I can drink the bone broth I just made from my chicken carcasses?
Short answer....maybe....BUT it depends on how reactive you may be to it....It is a 1 on my enterolab results (and this is something you may want to do - it comes with a cost $539 - but so worth it) and if I rotate chicken I am ok with it...I can not eat it every day so to have it in bone broth daily may not be such a good idea, rotating also works for me with egg and I am reactive to the protein in eggs (I have been trying Duck eggs for the last 3-4 months and am cautious so I rotate that to - so far so good I'm not doing to bad).And if I am reactive to chicken does this mean I can drink the bone broth I just made from my chicken carcasses?
So far with your description of symptoms...this is how my body slowly crept up to having really bad bowel movements and it took a couple years so you may be onto something here and it is worth getting checked out so if you get a colonoscopy get biopsies many of them so they check for lyphocite count...I have Lymphocytic Colitis that I am slowly getting healed but I know it will never go away for the rest of my life. I am on a perpetual changed diet and healing program that has sent me through every grief process there is.
I hope you find an answer and can start working on a solution of healing of some kind what ever that may be
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
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Hi, Tango. I was eating a lot of chicken until I had the EnteroLabs testing which showed chicken was one of the worst foods for me to be eating. I now eat a lot of turkey instead. I had issues with magnesium citrate. I now take the magnesium that Tex mentioned with no issues. It's a learning process for all of us. Hang in there, it will get better.
Marcia
------------
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
------------
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
Hi Tango,
I am now in remission but it seriously took me at least 2 1/2 years to get there, and even the next year had some rough days, even when sticking rigidly to my gf, sf, and df diet. While I was healing, it was always 2 steps forward and one back. I kept a 'food and poop' log and tracked not only what I ate, but how I slept and what meds, supplements I took. It made it much easier to see patterns, such as, my gut would always become overactive and I'd have numerous bouts of 'soft serve' if I hadn't slept well or long enough the night before. Also, when my seasonal allergies hit, they would trigger some LC symptoms too. There's just so many factors that play a role here.
If you have concerns about chicken you may want to switch to turkey and forget chicken altogether to see if you can tell a difference. Rarely does anyone here have issues with turkey. I have a turkey sausage recipe that has become a staple for me. Let me know if you'd like the recipe and I'll post it.
I'll mention too that I dealt with absolutely debilitating nausea first thing in the mornings. Initially it would keep me from getting out of bed when I wanted to. It would let up about 10am at best, sometimes by noon. I lost 25 pounds in 10 weeks because the nausea would keep me from eating and then when I did I probably wasn't absorbing any nutrition. It was my constant companion for 2 years while I tried PPIs and other strategies. Finally I tried acupuncture and that really helped me turn the corner. Once my upper GI issues improved, so did any remaining lower GI issues. My worse days got much better and I began to even have good days.
It really is a process, with many ups and downs. Once you experience a few downs and get yourself out of them, you'll feel less distressed, and you always have the rest of us to talk to when needed.
Hope this helps-
Carol
I am now in remission but it seriously took me at least 2 1/2 years to get there, and even the next year had some rough days, even when sticking rigidly to my gf, sf, and df diet. While I was healing, it was always 2 steps forward and one back. I kept a 'food and poop' log and tracked not only what I ate, but how I slept and what meds, supplements I took. It made it much easier to see patterns, such as, my gut would always become overactive and I'd have numerous bouts of 'soft serve' if I hadn't slept well or long enough the night before. Also, when my seasonal allergies hit, they would trigger some LC symptoms too. There's just so many factors that play a role here.
If you have concerns about chicken you may want to switch to turkey and forget chicken altogether to see if you can tell a difference. Rarely does anyone here have issues with turkey. I have a turkey sausage recipe that has become a staple for me. Let me know if you'd like the recipe and I'll post it.
I'll mention too that I dealt with absolutely debilitating nausea first thing in the mornings. Initially it would keep me from getting out of bed when I wanted to. It would let up about 10am at best, sometimes by noon. I lost 25 pounds in 10 weeks because the nausea would keep me from eating and then when I did I probably wasn't absorbing any nutrition. It was my constant companion for 2 years while I tried PPIs and other strategies. Finally I tried acupuncture and that really helped me turn the corner. Once my upper GI issues improved, so did any remaining lower GI issues. My worse days got much better and I began to even have good days.
It really is a process, with many ups and downs. Once you experience a few downs and get yourself out of them, you'll feel less distressed, and you always have the rest of us to talk to when needed.
Hope this helps-
Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou