Diet changed everything!

[C.U.B. girl]

I'm new here, and have found this forum to be FAR more help than any doctor or related website! In fact, it was this site that made me suspect I had what was ultimately confirmed as CC. I was diagnosed with celiac four years ago -- after 11 years of misdiagnoses, and being so sick and depleted nutritionally that I was blacking out occasionally. My weight had dropped to 99 lbs, and had I not done my own research and basically self-diagnosed, I probably would have been hospitalized in short order. Anyway -- four years of the GF diet did wonders for me and I felt like I had my life back. Up until March of this year, that is.

It was almost like all of my old celiac symptoms had suddenly returned -- chronic diarrhea, fatigue, feeling weak and depleted -- all while knowing for certain that I hadn't been eating anything with gluten in it. My PCP wanted me to take Flagyl, which would have wiped out everything in my gut, the good with the bad. I held off though, until she would order stool tests for bacteria, parasites, & C. Diff. She finally complied, and all the tests came back negative. Thank God I never took the Flagyl -- it wasn't even necessary! I had also been having episodes of itching on my legs and ankles, along with flaky patches on my scalp and face, and a white tongue in the AM. All of which spelled "fungal overgrowth" to me. So then I convinced her to prescribe an antifungal, and I took a course of Diflucan. I was hoping that the D was related to the fungal overgrowth, but though the itching, etc. went away, the gastro symptoms remained. At that point I was pretty convinced it was an allergy or intolerence to something I was eating...

I had had food allergy tests a couple of years earlier, and knew I was already allergic to dairy, soy, eggs, and peanuts. Experience also showed me I was allergic to almonds. One of my sisters, who is battling debilitating chronic Lyme disease, had had an ALCAT test a couple of years earlier, with excellent results from eliminating the offending foods that showed up on it. So I took the 200 foods panel test, and about 100 of them showed up as an intolerence to one degree or another. Not surprisingly, one of the worst offenders was rice --- the ubiquitous ingredient in nearly all GF foods! I started on the rotation diet right away, although there was such a limited list of foods to choose from each day that it really has put my culinary creativity to the test! Within a month I saw about an 85% improvement in my symptoms, but because it wasn't yet 100%, the GI doc wanted to go ahead with a colonoscopy. I agreed, mostly because I suspected (from reading the posts on this site and others) that I had some form of MC. The suspicions were correct -- CC -- but even since the colonoscopy there has been further improvement. Now I'd say the symptoms have improved by about 95%. Of course, the doc wanted me to go on Entocort right away, but I have declined at this point. When dietary changes are working so well, why on earth upset the apple cart by dumping corticosteroids into my now-healing gut?? I should also add, I've also been taking probiotics, Saccharomyces Boulardii, Digest Spectrum as needed, along with plenty of Vit. D and multi-vitamins.

If I had followed the advice of my PCP and the GI doc, Lord knows what kind of shape I'd be in now! Sometimes it pays to buck the system. I have several more weeks to go on the rotation diet before I'll be able to start re-introducing foods, but I'm feeling so much better now that I may leave some of them out of my diet permanently. If I start having symptoms again in the future, I may get re-tested to see if I've developed new sensitivities, but I'll cross that bridge when -or if - I get to it! :)[/b]

[tex]

Hi,

Welcome to the board. Good for you for being so proactive about your own health, and congratulations on your successes.

Since you're so motivated, and clearly on the right track, I have no doubt that you'll be able to track down any future diet issues and remain in control of your health.

Thank you for posting your experiences. Many others will surely benefit from your insight.

Tex

[dolson]

Dr. Fine is an outstanding doctor. I have also learned many things from Wayne Persky and Dr. Fine. It's nice that people care. In Savannah, medical care is below par. Medical care is backward and doctors and hospitals treat you like a Lab Rat. I have a love/hate relationship with Savannah. The only reason I stay is because I was born here. I really don't know why I stay. Maybe it's the old oak trees and Spanish Moss. This is a wonderful forum and Wayne and Dr. Fine is Fine! I have CC or MC, plus I'm a Type 1 diabetic. I am so sick of autoimmune diseases. My last venture with autoimmune diseases was BOOP Pneumonia, which doctors don't understand but seems to be another autoimmune disease, as per Dr. Fine. Your lung lining and colon are similar. Seems like I get over one disease and another one pops up and reeks havoc. I am tired...but a FIGHTER! I think you can't give up. Keep up the GOOD FIGHT. Thanks Y'all, Dorothy