Newbie here
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Thank you Anna for the welcome. I take levothyroxine for hypothyroidism and was taking duloxitine and gabapentine before the diagnosis. My rheumatologist insisted I take both felt foggy all the time and had actually quit taking it about a month before the LC diagnosis. I have never had a problem with constipation ever! Until this .... I am 52 and consider myself to be healthy in spite of the diagnoses. I walk over a mile everyday only drink water and a cup of black coffee in the morning and again at 4 pm. Sometimes by the end of the day I need a boost lol. I have an amazing job managing a single property and am blessed because the main residence has six bathrooms in it! Perfect job for LMC. However, this new issue with the pain and constipation has me pulling my hair out. I haven’t changed my diet at all I eat mostly fish fruit and vegetables that I grow myself. Not a sweet eater and never buy snacks or chips etc. My husband and I fish often in natural springs. I will most definitely check his book out! I dread going back to the gastro doc and hope he listens this time. He told me LMC was the least bothersome of the IBDs. I hope he never gets the stomach flu lol. Thank you again
Hi Sammy,
Welcome to the group. I get the impression that you're not taking any opioids, so with a history of no previous constipation problems, this is a very unusual situation. I assume you're drinking plenty water. It sounds as though there might be some sort of restriction or blockage. Do you have a copy of the operative report from your colonoscopy? This would be the GI Doc's report, not the pathologist's report. In that report, the doctor would have noted the presence of any strictures or restrictions (narrowing of the colon). The most common place for a restriction in the colon is the Sigmoid colon (left side) due to diverticulitis. Could this be a possibility?
If there's no restriction, something must be causing slow motility. Magnesium might help. More healthy oils might help because they will act as a lubricant. A few members here have used a low dose of amitriptyline (10 mg) to successfully regulate motility. Normal (much larger) doses of amitriptline sometimes trigger MC, and they are very addictive.
I hope some of this is helpful.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to the group. I get the impression that you're not taking any opioids, so with a history of no previous constipation problems, this is a very unusual situation. I assume you're drinking plenty water. It sounds as though there might be some sort of restriction or blockage. Do you have a copy of the operative report from your colonoscopy? This would be the GI Doc's report, not the pathologist's report. In that report, the doctor would have noted the presence of any strictures or restrictions (narrowing of the colon). The most common place for a restriction in the colon is the Sigmoid colon (left side) due to diverticulitis. Could this be a possibility?
If there's no restriction, something must be causing slow motility. Magnesium might help. More healthy oils might help because they will act as a lubricant. A few members here have used a low dose of amitriptyline (10 mg) to successfully regulate motility. Normal (much larger) doses of amitriptline sometimes trigger MC, and they are very addictive.
I hope some of this is helpful.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
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.
Wait a minute! Hold the phone! I just re-read your last post and noticed this:
If so, that's the problem. You simply have currently-untreated constipation-predominant MC.
Tex
Are you still eating gluten and casein?Sammy wrote:I haven’t changed my diet at all
If so, that's the problem. You simply have currently-untreated constipation-predominant MC.
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.
Hi Teresa,
Welcome to the group.
No wonder you're running out of energy. After several years of untreated MC, the inflammation and accumulated intestinal damage has be getting to be pretty significant.
Here are some general guidelines for recovery:
Guidelines for Recovery
And here are some specific recommendations for making the necessary diet changes in order to start healing your intestines:
Suggested Eating Plan - Stage ONE
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to the group.
No wonder you're running out of energy. After several years of untreated MC, the inflammation and accumulated intestinal damage has be getting to be pretty significant.
Here are some general guidelines for recovery:
Guidelines for Recovery
And here are some specific recommendations for making the necessary diet changes in order to start healing your intestines:
Suggested Eating Plan - Stage ONE
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
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.
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Teresa Temos
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2018 6:06 am
- Contact:
Thank you Tex. At least I have an idea of where to start. Just one question. There was no mention of fish. I really love my salmon and I understand I won't be able to use spices in the first stage but can I still have the salmon or any other fish? I feel a little more at ease right now with the information you've given me so I thank you for that.
Teresa Temos
Hi Teresa,
Some of us can tolerate some species of fish (not necessarily all types) and some of us can't, or we can tolerate other species. I believe most of us can tolerate most fresh-water fish better than salt-water fish, but I could be wrong. We all have our own particular sensitivities that are often slightly different from others. Shellfish such as shrimp, prawns, clams, mussels, oysters, lobsters, etc., are usually well-tolerated by everyone (unless you happened to be allergic to them previously).
You're very welcome,
Tex
Some of us can tolerate some species of fish (not necessarily all types) and some of us can't, or we can tolerate other species. I believe most of us can tolerate most fresh-water fish better than salt-water fish, but I could be wrong. We all have our own particular sensitivities that are often slightly different from others. Shellfish such as shrimp, prawns, clams, mussels, oysters, lobsters, etc., are usually well-tolerated by everyone (unless you happened to be allergic to them previously).
You're very welcome,
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.
-
Teresa Temos
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2018 6:06 am
- Contact:
Thanks again Tex. I seem to be okay with any fresh water fish and mussels which i have recently tried. I've come across another food I'm not quite sure of and have seen no mention of it here. It's flaxseed. I take this every once in a while but now wondering if it's ok. I have learned that it does not contain gluten and that it is not considered a grain. Would this be okay to eat?
Teresa Temos
Hi Teresa,
Ground flax seed hulls are an old home remedy for constipation. IOW, they're a laxative. I suspect that whole flax seeds might have similar properties, but I'm not sure of that. On the other hand, if you are looking at them as a source of omega 3 oil, flax seed oil is fine. I'm sure that too much of it could be a laxative (because of the lubricating properties), but I take a 1,000 or 1200 mg capsule of flax seed oil every morning. It's only the hulls that are a possible problem. A little might be OK, but we definitely have a problem with too much fiber in our diet until our digestive system heals.
Tex
Ground flax seed hulls are an old home remedy for constipation. IOW, they're a laxative. I suspect that whole flax seeds might have similar properties, but I'm not sure of that. On the other hand, if you are looking at them as a source of omega 3 oil, flax seed oil is fine. I'm sure that too much of it could be a laxative (because of the lubricating properties), but I take a 1,000 or 1200 mg capsule of flax seed oil every morning. It's only the hulls that are a possible problem. A little might be OK, but we definitely have a problem with too much fiber in our diet until our digestive system heals.
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.
This is for Sammy-
Just my 2 cents, as someone who has constipation prominent LC, your symptoms sound like mine did early on (except I had nausea too). When in a flare the inflammation causes constipation for me, not diarrhea. As the inflammation decreases then your motility will improve. As Tex said, eating gluten is problematic for the vast majority of us. I am also intolerant of soy. And dairy will definitely cause constipation. Fiber is not helpful with the constipation caused by inflammation, because it aggravates our already inflamed gut.
Btw- if you tell your GI docs you have C prominent LC, they will say that either your diagnosis is wrong or that you have IBS instead.
There aren’t a lot of us, but it possible to have constipation as a symtom of LC.
Kind regards,
Carol
Just my 2 cents, as someone who has constipation prominent LC, your symptoms sound like mine did early on (except I had nausea too). When in a flare the inflammation causes constipation for me, not diarrhea. As the inflammation decreases then your motility will improve. As Tex said, eating gluten is problematic for the vast majority of us. I am also intolerant of soy. And dairy will definitely cause constipation. Fiber is not helpful with the constipation caused by inflammation, because it aggravates our already inflamed gut.
Btw- if you tell your GI docs you have C prominent LC, they will say that either your diagnosis is wrong or that you have IBS instead.
There aren’t a lot of us, but it possible to have constipation as a symtom of LC.
Kind regards,
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