Hello all. Relatively new here but have been suffering with MC (CC) for a long time. I'm two weeks into Budesonide 9mg/day, set to take it for two months then hopefully wean off. For me it's been a miracle drug, quickly helping with symptoms. I'm thrilled, of course, but am very aware that this is the effect of the drug and that when I wean off I may go back to being miserable & homebound by D. And, as I've read here, it's nearly impossible to do food elimination experimentation while under the effects of the drug ... yet dietary changes are crucial to long-term remission.
Just got my Enterolab results back & would greatly appreciate any help discerning what to definitely eliminate from my diet ~ & what I might be able to ingest in moderate quantities. (I've been gluten-, dairy-, & soy-free for a few months now; apparently I should continue that for life).
~ I'm surprised about oats & tuna, but with a 3+ I assume I should not eat these again?
~ I'm confused about eggs; IgA shows high but eggs are NOT listed in my 3+ (or any other) column (I've been depending on eggs for a lot of my protein & didn't feel that they were a problem). Same confusion re rice; do you experienced folks think I should no longer eat rice of any kind (organic short-grain brown rice has been a staple)?
~ Chicken, beef... no more?
AND I'm confused about the "Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 17 Units." Enterolab's explanation leaves me wondering how to decipher what that means in terms of real-life eating (or not eating).
Here are my results: I didn't realize I'd have to pay extra for an Enterolab consultation, & all this has been a (worthwhile) financial strain already. Any help / advice / explanation / guidance will be so very much appreciated. I cannot thank you enough for this Forum, Tex & all you others so very generous with your time, experience, compassion. Clearly, we need to stick together, educate each other... commune & heal together. Thank you.
Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score Less than 300 Units (Normal Range is less than 300 Units)
Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 54 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 28 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 46 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-soy IgA 17 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 17 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
No significant: Cashews
1+ Pork, Walnut
2+ Corn, Rice, Chicken, Beef, Almond, White potato
3+ Oat, Tuna
Grains:
Grain toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Oat
Grain toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Corn
Grain toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Rice
Meats:
Meat toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Tuna
Meat toward which you were next most immunologically reactive: Chicken
Meat toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Beef
Meat toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Pork
Nuts:
Nut toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Almond
Nut toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Walnut
Nightshades:
You displayed immunologic reactivity to white potato
Also new, would appreciate Enterolab results help
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Also new, would appreciate Enterolab results help
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Re: Also new, would appreciate Enterolab results help
Hi,
Based on my own experience, I would classify gluten, casein, eggs, soy, oats, and tuna as permanent no-nos, and never eat them again.
The reason why eggs are not listed in the 11 other antigenic foods results is because eggs are tested individually, like gluten, casein , and soy. They're not tested as part of a group, like the 11 other antigenic foods. With a score of 46, eggs are definitely out — you're reacting to them, whether you realize it or not. You might be able to use duck or quail eggs instead of chicken eggs, but they might not work either, because your sensitivity score is pretty high.
Personally, I wouldn't waste my money on a consultation — he'll just try to sell you his high-priced "health products", and you don't need them. You won't learn much about your condition that's not already listed on the literature that comes with your results.
The result for the 11 antigenic foods (17) is relatively easy to understand. That's a moderate score, so the individual food results are moderately important. If the score was 10 or 11 instead, the individual food rankings would be irrelevant, and if the score was 30 or 40, those individual food rankings would be critically important.
For a score of 17, I would avoid the 3+ foods, maybe occasionally eat the 2+ foods (but never 2 days in a row), and try to rotate the 1+ foods. I would eat turkey and lamb, instead of chicken and beef. Venison, rabbit, duck, goose, pheasant, antelope, etc., would also be safe meats. Eat sweet potatoes, instead of white potatoes.
I hope this helps.
Tex
Based on my own experience, I would classify gluten, casein, eggs, soy, oats, and tuna as permanent no-nos, and never eat them again.
The reason why eggs are not listed in the 11 other antigenic foods results is because eggs are tested individually, like gluten, casein , and soy. They're not tested as part of a group, like the 11 other antigenic foods. With a score of 46, eggs are definitely out — you're reacting to them, whether you realize it or not. You might be able to use duck or quail eggs instead of chicken eggs, but they might not work either, because your sensitivity score is pretty high.
Personally, I wouldn't waste my money on a consultation — he'll just try to sell you his high-priced "health products", and you don't need them. You won't learn much about your condition that's not already listed on the literature that comes with your results.
The result for the 11 antigenic foods (17) is relatively easy to understand. That's a moderate score, so the individual food results are moderately important. If the score was 10 or 11 instead, the individual food rankings would be irrelevant, and if the score was 30 or 40, those individual food rankings would be critically important.
For a score of 17, I would avoid the 3+ foods, maybe occasionally eat the 2+ foods (but never 2 days in a row), and try to rotate the 1+ foods. I would eat turkey and lamb, instead of chicken and beef. Venison, rabbit, duck, goose, pheasant, antelope, etc., would also be safe meats. Eat sweet potatoes, instead of white potatoes.
I hope this helps.
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: Also new, would appreciate Enterolab results help
Thank you very much, Tex (aka MC Lifeline!). So my dietary choices have narrowed drastically, which will be an interesting challenge. (Today when I needed a snack I literally stood in the middle of the kitchen like a lost soul...)
If you don't mind a couple more questions for your opinion:
With almond & rice in my 2+ column: I assume I should not drink almond milk? Re rice: with other options off the table I've been eating high-quality organic brown rice cakes & crackers .. but maybe I should stop? I bought coconut milk to try but snacks are a conundrum (low blood sugar, have to eat fairly regularly).
You've written that if soy is a trigger, all legumes might be. So, best to avoid frozen peas as well? So far I seem to tolerate a stir-fry with mushrooms, bok choy & spinach; with those not on the Enterolab list I'm hoping to eat a very few cooked vegetables.
My plan of the moment is to stay completely away from all the foods you mentioned including oats & tuna ~ forever apparently? ~ with occasional forays into the 2+ foods (corn, rice, chicken, beef, almond, white potato). I'm unclear how problematic the 2+ foods are? Then, once I'm off Budesonide (I finally succumbed when my weight loss became scary), I might slowly add in one food at a time from the 1+ & 2+ lists to see how I react. Does this sound about right to you?
I want to use every possible tool to get & stay off the drug & then maintain remission.
You are so generous with your time & advice. I and so many others here on the Forum are grateful.
If you don't mind a couple more questions for your opinion:
With almond & rice in my 2+ column: I assume I should not drink almond milk? Re rice: with other options off the table I've been eating high-quality organic brown rice cakes & crackers .. but maybe I should stop? I bought coconut milk to try but snacks are a conundrum (low blood sugar, have to eat fairly regularly).
You've written that if soy is a trigger, all legumes might be. So, best to avoid frozen peas as well? So far I seem to tolerate a stir-fry with mushrooms, bok choy & spinach; with those not on the Enterolab list I'm hoping to eat a very few cooked vegetables.
My plan of the moment is to stay completely away from all the foods you mentioned including oats & tuna ~ forever apparently? ~ with occasional forays into the 2+ foods (corn, rice, chicken, beef, almond, white potato). I'm unclear how problematic the 2+ foods are? Then, once I'm off Budesonide (I finally succumbed when my weight loss became scary), I might slowly add in one food at a time from the 1+ & 2+ lists to see how I react. Does this sound about right to you?
I want to use every possible tool to get & stay off the drug & then maintain remission.
You are so generous with your time & advice. I and so many others here on the Forum are grateful.
Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.
Re: Also new, would appreciate Enterolab results help
So far, all of us who are sensitive to almonds have been able to use almond milk (provided the gums used are not problem) some of us use homemade almond milk to avoid the gums.
For many of us, our breakfasts, and our snacks look a lot like our dinners (IOW, we eat leftovers).
I would avoid brown rice — it contains too much fiber. Use waxy rice if you're going to eat rice. It's also known as sticky rice, glutenous rice, etc. It's much easier to digest than regular white rice.
Yes, peas are probably off-limits.
With a score of 17, I would go rather light on the 2+ foods until I was in remission for a while and could reliably test them for safety.
Yes, your plan sounds good.
During recovery especially, limit variety. Concentrate on foods that you know are safe. You don't need variety — just eat larger helpings of safe foods. The simpler your diet, the faster your intestines will heal and the sooner you can begin to absorb nutrients again and test "new" foods.
Remember, this is just my opinion — not something that's chiseled in stone, because we are all different.
Tex
For many of us, our breakfasts, and our snacks look a lot like our dinners (IOW, we eat leftovers).
I would avoid brown rice — it contains too much fiber. Use waxy rice if you're going to eat rice. It's also known as sticky rice, glutenous rice, etc. It's much easier to digest than regular white rice.
Yes, peas are probably off-limits.
With a score of 17, I would go rather light on the 2+ foods until I was in remission for a while and could reliably test them for safety.
Yes, your plan sounds good.
During recovery especially, limit variety. Concentrate on foods that you know are safe. You don't need variety — just eat larger helpings of safe foods. The simpler your diet, the faster your intestines will heal and the sooner you can begin to absorb nutrients again and test "new" foods.
Remember, this is just my opinion — not something that's chiseled in stone, because we are all different.
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: Also new, would appreciate Enterolab results help
Thank you so very much, Tex. One of the fascinating (frustrating) things about MC is that it seems to present differently in different people. However, there seem to be similarities across the MC spectrum ~ & your experience & advice are priceless.
Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.