I was recently diagnosed with CC. My GI gave me no guidance. Just Citrucel. Fortunately I found this group. I am now gluten free, dairy free, soy free, sugar free, no raw veggies, nuts or seeds. No fruits except bananas. Eating rice, bone broth, GF pasta and Chex mostly.
I am seeing a holistic doctor this week and would like to be able to defend my dietary choices to her. I have referred her here. In a nutshell, what do I say?
Thanks for this great group!
Wendy
What do I tell my doctor?
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Re: What do I tell my doctor?
Hello Wendy,
Welcome to the group. If your holistic doctor understands how to treat CC, then you shouldn't need to defend your diet selections — she will recognize that you are on the right track. If she doesn't understand how to treat CC, then there is little point in trying to defend your diet choices, because she will not be persuaded by your comments. In a situation with a doctor who doesn't understand, the best we can do is to nod in agreement, and when they finish, advise them that we need to think about the treatment program they've suggested, and then go home and do what you feel is best. Unless you love to waste money on treatments that do no good, your clear choice will be to stick with the diet, because it's your fastest path to remission (and it costs you nothing).
You need to add a safe source of protein to every meal in your diet, because it takes a lot of protein to heal the intestines. Safe proteins include turkey, lamb, and wild-type meats such as venison, duck, goose, rabbit, pheasant, quail, etc. Most shellfish,such as shrimp, prawns, oysters, mussels, clams, etc., are safe also, unless you were previously allergic to them.
What do you hope to gain by keeping the appointment? The diet you have selected is the best treatment available.
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to the group. If your holistic doctor understands how to treat CC, then you shouldn't need to defend your diet selections — she will recognize that you are on the right track. If she doesn't understand how to treat CC, then there is little point in trying to defend your diet choices, because she will not be persuaded by your comments. In a situation with a doctor who doesn't understand, the best we can do is to nod in agreement, and when they finish, advise them that we need to think about the treatment program they've suggested, and then go home and do what you feel is best. Unless you love to waste money on treatments that do no good, your clear choice will be to stick with the diet, because it's your fastest path to remission (and it costs you nothing).
You need to add a safe source of protein to every meal in your diet, because it takes a lot of protein to heal the intestines. Safe proteins include turkey, lamb, and wild-type meats such as venison, duck, goose, rabbit, pheasant, quail, etc. Most shellfish,such as shrimp, prawns, oysters, mussels, clams, etc., are safe also, unless you were previously allergic to them.
What do you hope to gain by keeping the appointment? The diet you have selected is the best treatment available.
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.
Re: What do I tell my doctor?
I don't eat a lot of meat. Is smooth peanut butter out of my diet? How about spices? I could try turkey sausage perhaps.tex wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 7:05 pm
You need to add a safe source of protein to every meal in your diet, because it takes a lot of protein to heal the intestines. Safe proteins include turkey, lamb, and wild-type meats such as venison, duck, goose, rabbit, pheasant, quail, etc. Most shellfish,such as shrimp, prawns, oysters, mussels, clams, etc., are safe also, unless you were previously allergic to them.
What do you hope to gain by keeping the appointment? The diet you have selected is the best treatment available.
This is an excellent question. I am going for my husband. He isn't supporting what I'm learning here. He wants a doctor's approval. Lol. I'm staying on the diet regardless.
Thank you so much for your reply.
Wendy
Re: What do I tell my doctor?
Hi Wendy,
Regarding the peanut butter, peanuts are a legume, and most people who are sensitive to soy are sensitive to most legumes, also. Roughly two-thirds of us are sensitive to soy. Not as many of us are sensitive to tree nuts, so it might be safer to substitute walnut, cashew, or almond butter, although a few of us react to those, also. I'm sensitive to soy and peanuts, but I can eat pure (no additives) almond butter and cashew butter. They're delicious. Sunflower butter, pistachio butter, walnut butter, and possibly a few others are available, also.
Turkey sausage is fine. You can prepare turkey in many ways. You can even get turkey bacon.
Salt is safe (in reasonable amounts), but most spices and seasonings should be avoided until after you're in remission, especially hot-flavored spices such as chili peppers.
Tex
Regarding the peanut butter, peanuts are a legume, and most people who are sensitive to soy are sensitive to most legumes, also. Roughly two-thirds of us are sensitive to soy. Not as many of us are sensitive to tree nuts, so it might be safer to substitute walnut, cashew, or almond butter, although a few of us react to those, also. I'm sensitive to soy and peanuts, but I can eat pure (no additives) almond butter and cashew butter. They're delicious. Sunflower butter, pistachio butter, walnut butter, and possibly a few others are available, also.
Turkey sausage is fine. You can prepare turkey in many ways. You can even get turkey bacon.
Salt is safe (in reasonable amounts), but most spices and seasonings should be avoided until after you're in remission, especially hot-flavored spices such as chili peppers.
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.
Re: What do I tell my doctor?
Hi Tex,tex wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:51 pm I'm sensitive to soy and peanuts, but I can eat pure (no additives) almond butter and cashew butter. They're delicious. Sunflower butter, pistachio butter, walnut butter, and possibly a few others are available, also.
Turkey sausage is fine. You can prepare turkey in many ways. You can even get turkey bacon.
Salt is safe (in reasonable amounts), but most spices and seasonings should be avoided until after you're in remission, especially hot-flavored spices such as chili peppers.
Tex
I seem to tolerate almond milk, I'll test some almond butter.
I thought pork bacon was ok? I don't think that turkey bacon deserves to use the name bacon. Lol
I seem to be craving salt. Is that a thing? I love spices, especially hot ones, but I have been doing well avoiding them. Are herbs better tolerated?
Sorry for all the questions, thank you for your patience and knowledge. My appointment is tomorrow, hopefully we will be able to add another doctor to your list.
Wendy
Re: What do I tell my doctor?
Wendy,
Living on a farm, and recalling how we used to cure our own bacon (back in the 1950's–60's) when I was growing up, I agree with you about the turkey bacon. Frankly, I've never tried any. Fortunately, I'm not sensitive to pork (or chicken eggs), so I start almost every day with real bacon and eggs. Once a week or so, I'll have bacon and GF pancakes, with maple syrup. (King Arthur Flour makes a great GF, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Pancake mix).
Speaking of hijacking product names, milking those almonds every morning is a real chore.
Some of us are sensitive to pork, so they can't eat bacon. Some members here have used uncured (pork) bacon, but it doesn't keep very well.
I would hold the herbs (unless they're home grown) until you're in remission, because most herbs are imported, and they're notorious for being contaminated with all kinds of foreign matter.
The salt craving (if it's really excessive) might be a sign of adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease).
Tex
Living on a farm, and recalling how we used to cure our own bacon (back in the 1950's–60's) when I was growing up, I agree with you about the turkey bacon. Frankly, I've never tried any. Fortunately, I'm not sensitive to pork (or chicken eggs), so I start almost every day with real bacon and eggs. Once a week or so, I'll have bacon and GF pancakes, with maple syrup. (King Arthur Flour makes a great GF, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Pancake mix).
Speaking of hijacking product names, milking those almonds every morning is a real chore.
Some of us are sensitive to pork, so they can't eat bacon. Some members here have used uncured (pork) bacon, but it doesn't keep very well.
I would hold the herbs (unless they're home grown) until you're in remission, because most herbs are imported, and they're notorious for being contaminated with all kinds of foreign matter.
The salt craving (if it's really excessive) might be a sign of adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease).
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.
Re: What do I tell my doctor?
tex wrote: ↑Tue Dec 22, 2020 7:05 pm Wendy,
Speaking of hijacking product names, milking those almonds every morning is a real chore.
Hi Tex,
Thanks for the info on Addison's disease. I'll keep an eye on that and stay away from herbs for now.
I saw the Dr. today and I think it went well! She agreed with how I had changed my diet and suggested a few other things.
I got a food sensitivity test from US Biotech. I found an old post regarding their test. Has it gotten any better? It was a blood test.
She was unaware of a specific medication cause for MC and thanked me for bringing it to her attention! We are going to change that.
I am pleased that she backed my decisions and gave me a couple of treatment options. Food based or supplement based. I opted for food based because I'm already doing it. Lol
I'm so happy I found this group!
Thank you, Wendy
Re: What do I tell my doctor?
Hi Wendy,
It's very likely that any blood test for food sensitivities will yield too many false negative and false positive results to be of any practical use. If the test misses one food sensitivity, the diet won't work. Why risk it? If you want to test for food sensitivities, you need to order a stool test kit from EnteroLab in Dallas, TX. I suggest you start by reading the September, 2020 Newsletter from the Microscopic Colitis Foundation. It deals specifically with testing for food sensitivities for MC patients. Here's a direct link to that Newsletter, but you can find back copies of all the newsletters at their website (that link is above the forums on the main Page on this site).
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 22__1_.pdf
Kudos to your doctor for supporting dietary treatment. It will bring remission, if done properly. Using supplements to treat MC (instead of diet) will not work.
TEx
It's very likely that any blood test for food sensitivities will yield too many false negative and false positive results to be of any practical use. If the test misses one food sensitivity, the diet won't work. Why risk it? If you want to test for food sensitivities, you need to order a stool test kit from EnteroLab in Dallas, TX. I suggest you start by reading the September, 2020 Newsletter from the Microscopic Colitis Foundation. It deals specifically with testing for food sensitivities for MC patients. Here's a direct link to that Newsletter, but you can find back copies of all the newsletters at their website (that link is above the forums on the main Page on this site).
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 22__1_.pdf
Kudos to your doctor for supporting dietary treatment. It will bring remission, if done properly. Using supplements to treat MC (instead of diet) will not work.
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.