Newbie here

[Redrose54]

Hello all - New member here. I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with lymphocytic colitis and diverticulosis. I have since done a lot of reading on the subjects (including Wayne Persky's book) and have questions (imagine that!). Apparently, a low-fiber diet is recommended for the colitis and a high-fiber diet is recommended for the diverticulosis. So - what to do???? My instinct is to first get the colitis under control. I've cut out caffeine, alcohol, gluten,dairy, eggs, and raw veggies completely, and have limited myself to only a few cooked vegetables - mainly sweet potato, carrots, and squash. Lots of jasmine rice. Proteins are chicken, fish, turkey. This has worked absolute wonders in only two weeks' time! However: I am concerned about getting proper nutrition with such a restricted diet. I also have severe osteoporosis, so it is critical that I get sufficient calcium/vitamins D and K. Bananas give me the magnesium. No berries (diverticulosis). Ouch! I take vitamin and calcium supplements but worry I am still not getting the proper balance of nutrients and micro-nutrients. Also on my "OK" list is Garden of Life meal shakes, which seem to sit well in me.
One other consideration: I take Lexapro for anxiety/depression - an SSRI. In addition to it helping for its intended purposes, it helps my muscle/nerve issues. They go into overdrive at the drop of a hat otherwise, and I have debilitating and hugely painful muscle spasms. So how do I manage these things in a workable way?
Sorry for going on and on! Any suggestions would be welcome!

[tex]

Hello all - New member here. I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with lymphocytic colitis and diverticulosis. I have since done a lot of reading on the subjects (including Wayne Persky's book) and have questions (imagine that!). Apparently, a low-fiber diet is recommended for the colitis and a high-fiber diet is recommended for the diverticulosis. So - what to do???? My instinct is to first get the colitis under control. I've cut out caffeine, alcohol, gluten,dairy, eggs, and raw veggies completely, and have limited myself to only a few cooked vegetables - mainly sweet potato, carrots, and squash. Lots of jasmine rice. Proteins are chicken, fish, turkey. This has worked absolute wonders in only two weeks' time! However: I am concerned about getting proper nutrition with such a restricted diet. I also have severe osteoporosis, so it is critical that I get sufficient calcium/vitamins D and K. Bananas give me the magnesium. No berries (diverticulosis). Ouch! I take vitamin and calcium supplements but worry I am still not getting the proper balance of nutrients and micro-nutrients. Also on my "OK" list is Garden of Life meal shakes, which seem to sit well in me.

Hi,

Welcome to the board. Your instinct is correct, because until you get the MC under control, it will continue to dominate your digestion and prevent you from absorbing nutrients. Forget about getting enough nutrition until after you've achieved remission, because that's not possible. Your current malabsorption issues are why you have osteoporosis. You cannot absorb calcium (or anything else) properly as long as you have an inflamed digestive system. Osteoporosis is caused by untreated gluten sensitivity, so your restricted diet will stop the osteoporosis as the inflammation subsides and your gut begins to heal. In addition, taking calcium is not the way to correct osteoporosis. Taking vitamin D will allow you to absorb the calcium that is naturally in your diet. We all have plenty of calcium in our diet, even with a restricted diet. Once calcium is absorbed into the bloodstream, to get the calcium into our bones and other cells where it's needed, we must have an adequate magnesium level so that it can assist insulin in transporting the calcium to where it's needed.

Your diet sounds as though it may be OK otherwise, but it's almost guaranteed that those Garden of Life shakes contain so many questionable ingredients that using them is counterproductive for MC patients. We have to get our protein from real foods. Processed foods almost always slow down intestinal healing or prevent it altogether

One other consideration: I take Lexapro for anxiety/depression - an SSRI. In addition to it helping for its intended purposes, it helps my muscle/nerve issues. They go into overdrive at the drop of a hat otherwise, and I have debilitating and hugely painful muscle spasms. So how do I manage these things in a workable way?

Most of us find that SSRIs trigger MC reactions. The symptoms that are the basis of your reasons for taking an antidepressant in the first place are almost surely caused by a chronic magnesium deficiency. MC depletes vitamin D and magnesium. Your muscle spasms are caused by a chronic magnesium deficiency. Magnesium treats depression and anxiety, and many other health issues. A chronic magnesium deficiency is associated with every disease known, and it's one of the reasons why most of us here have developed MC in the first place.

I hope that some of this is helpful.

Tex

[Redrose54]

Thanks for your helpful words! It absolutely makes sense that getting things under control before worrying about balanced nutrition is the way to go. I've been taking 5,000 IU's of vitamin D3 4-5 days out of 7 for a long time now (along with calcium/magnesium) and the last time it was checked it was 72, so I am fine with that. I have had muscle issues all of my adult life, in spite of always keeping my weight where it should be, exercising regularly, and eating a healthful (mostly organic) diet. My personal theory is that because I have anxiety, my body goes into "survival mode" for little things and everything seizes up. Lexapro has helped that, but has apparently (???) contributed to the development of LC. I am weaning myself off the Lexapro and keeping fingers and toes crossed that I do OK re: anxiety/depression as I reduce (and hopefully eliminate) it.
Is it possible that stress alone can trigger LC? Just wondering. This year has been ridiculously stressful and for the first time in my life my eating habits suffered tremendously. Lots of breads (high quality from a local bakery) but lots, nonetheless. Lots of carbs. Again, high quality, but....
Since I eliminated dairy, gluten, caffeine, alcohol, eggs, and any added sugars 3 weeks ago, things have improved hugely. For the first time in months, I actually had a normal BM this morning! Time to celebrate!
But - being a person who has always used food as an emotional crutch - a source of comfort - I feel I am in deep mourning. Do others feel this way too? How does one deal with the emotional side of this?
Thanks for listening!

[tex]

I feel I am in deep mourning. Do others feel this way too? How does one deal with the emotional side of this?

Yes indeed. This problem occurs because gluten is addictive. The digestion of gluten creates what are known as "gluteomorphins" (also referred to as gliadorphins), and they are addictive to the brain, similar to opioids. In fact, it's hypothesized that the brains of autistic children are abnormally affected by these narcotic peptides. Some of us are much more severely affected than others. In my own case, I never missed gluten, but many others here have gone through fairly significant withdrawal periods after cutting gluten out of their diets.

To add to the problem, the casein in dairy products creates casomorohins when digested, and these are addictive to the brain also, so that cutting dairy products out of our diets creates a similar problem for many of us, unfortunately. Fortunately, the feeling will pass, but it can be quite significant for some of us.

Magnesium should help. Have you tried soaking in bathwater to which a cup of Epsom salts have been added? . . . Or soaking your feet in a pan with an Epsom salt solution? Doing so should relax your muscles, and reduce your anxiety.

Incidentally, your vitamin D level is right about where I like to keep mine. Good job.

Tex

[Redrose54]

Thanks Tex. I've had an easier time giving up the dairy than the gluten. It IS addictive - highly so!!! I gave it up once several years ago for about half a year, and it took about 3 months before the cravings went away. But they did. I know they will again, but this time I know there is no turning back. My health depends on it.
How much magnesium do you recommend? I always thought I got enough but apparently I am deficient - ?
As for epsom salt baths - I WISH I could do that! Circumstances at my home now do not allow for that luxury. My adult daughter and her 8-year-old son live with me (have for the past 4 years since my husband died) and "his" bathroom is the only one with a tub. In addition, he now shares it with my adult son who had to move back home when covid19 hit. It is more effort to clean it in order to use it than it's worth! Stressors abound!
Thanks for this website - it is wonderful to be able to connect with so many people dealing with the same issues, and sharing the combined knowledge accumulated over time!

[tex]

You can also use magnesium lotion or magnesium oil on your skin, but that requires quite a few applications to get enough magnesium. Have you tried oral magnesium glycinate? You might be able to tolerate 1 or two tablets per day (spread them out — don't take them together), but some of us get diarrhea from them if we're not in remission. Magnesium glycinate is the form that's the least likely to cause diarrhea.

Tex