Suggested Eating Plan - Stage ONE

[alibidwell32]

Hi Tex

That’s so helpful thank you, I’m still on two tablets a day at the moment so I will space them out once I start on one capsule a day and will also take an anti histamine after that! Sorry for all the questions but is the antihistamine something I can take long term or just when I’m flaring?

Yes I agree, I wish I never started PPI’s! Sometimes I just get awful taste in my mouth after eating but my tummy feels fine so I often wonder if my oesophagus has been weakened.

Thanks again, you have no idea how much you have helped me understand this. The doctor told me diet had nothing to do with it!

Ali

[tex]

You're very welcome. Assuming that you have 30 capsules left when you start taking one capsule each day, if it were me, I would take one a day for two weeks, then take one every other day for two weeks, then take one every third day for two weeks, then go to one every fourth day for a couple of weeks, then go to one every fifth day, until they're all used up. Or something similar.

Regarding the use of antihistamines, I doubt that they will help much if you should go into a flare. Flares are usually difficult to resolve. My feelings are that using an antihistamine will only work to help maintain stability when tapering off a budesonide treatment. That's said, I'm not sure that anyone has ever tried using an antihistamine to attempt to resolve a flare, but here's why believe that it wouldn't work:

When mast cells initiate a reaction, by degranulating, they release a number of other inflammatory agents, in addition to histamine. Antihistamines only reduce the amount of histamine in circulation in the blood, so those other inflammatory agents will continue to promote inflammation, which may be sufficient to perpetuate the flare. An antihistamine might work in some cases, though.

Tex

[alibidwell32]

Hi Tex

Thank you so much for your advice. I will do exactly what you said.

I will stay off oats now and perhaps have plain gluten free corn flakes instead with almond milk? Hopefully corn is better than oats? Will also stay off egg as I seem to have a lot of them and never thought they were an issue. I actually did a food intolerance test that I bought online a couple of years ago using a blood sample and it came back with egg yoke and egg whites amongst a lot of other foods including beef too! Not sure how reliable it was though so I kind of ignored it in the end as it was too hard?

Thanks again for all your help, I’m sure I will have more questions soon haha!

Ali

[tex]

Corn is safe for most of us. The safest grain is rice. A small percentage of us react to corn, and very, very few of us react to rice.

I believe I forgot to mention In a previous post that unless there are currently shipping restrictions between the US and the UK due to the pandemic, you should be able to order an Enterrolab test kit, if you prefer to go that route. Previously, at least, they could be ordered from anywhere in the world. The tests they offer are the only food sensitivity tests in the world that we have found to be consistently accurate.

Tex

[alibidwell32]

Hi Tex

That’s great thank you, should I wait till I’m off the Budenoside to do the test?

Ali

[tex]

I forgot that you were taking budesonide. For most people who have been taking budesonide for less than six months, Budesonide will not significantly affect Their test results. However, for anyone who has been taking it for a year or more, their test results would probably be somewhat lower, and include a few false negative results, because budesonide will eventually began to suppress the immune system, so that the immune system will be unable to produce normal amounts of antibodies, and that can interfere with the tests.

In your case, if you've only been using budesonide for a couple of months, it shouldn't have a significant effect on your test results, assuming that you don't have selective IgA deficiency. People who have selective IgA deficiency are unable to produce normal amounts of IgA antibodies, in general, so their test results would be skewed to the low side, and therefore, unreliable.

Tex

[alibidwell32]

Hi Tex

I have switched from esomeprazole to famoditine which I’m really pleased about but can’t help but notice that since being on famoditine, symptoms of my colitis have got worse even though I’m on Budesonide? Can famoditine make Collagenous colitis worse?

Thank you

Ali

[tex]

Can famoditine make Collagenous colitis worse?

Yes it can, unfortunately, it appears that most of us can tolerate H2 blockers, but a minor percentage of us do react to them. Obviously, you're one of those who react to them, so you'll need to discontinue using it. This leaves only antacids (calcium carbonate), as options. The main problem with antacids is that they last only about two hours, compared with the approximately 12 hour effectiveness of an H2 blocker, and the 24 hour effectiveness of a PPI. That said, they're not addictive like PPIs, and using them as needed should allow your lower esophageal sphincter to slowly heal, and thereby resolve your reflux problems. Obviously, it takes a while for that sphincter to regain its normal strength, but you should find that after a while, as it strengthens, you may need to use antacids less frequently, and eventually wean off them. You'll have to determine the dose that's needed to do the job, by trial and error, and after a while, a smaller dose may be sufficient. Acid reflux is not easy to resolve, especially if you been on a PPI for a while, but with patience and perseverance, as your digestive system heals, these symptoms should slowly fade away.

Tex

[grammy1952]

I'm so so happy to have found you! I'm like a drowning person grasping for straws and found a lifeboat! I've had MC for probably about 5 years but just diagnosed 3 months ago after a colonoscopy biopsy. I happened to stumble on this site last night after doing a search for microscopic colitis carnivore diet. I've been doing AIP (autoimmune protocol) for two months with no real results yet and have been desperate for guidance. After reading this, I realize I was doing everything wrong! I had no idea about raw fruit and vegetables irritating it and have been having a smoothie for lunch. Um, no more.

What's strange is that I developed it even though I've been gluten free for over 20 years. And I'm a total health nut with all organic food, grassfed meats, etc. It got much worse after some major traumas the past 3 years (2 broken ankles with surgery and a knee replacement.) I do take bioidentical hormones (skin application only) to control my migraines and I started those about 14 years ago. I am under significant daily stress, I suppose, since I'm a novelist with a constant deadline looming. I don't consciously feel that stress though.

As many of you have said, the supplements I've been taking to help heal my gut aren't working. I've been taking L-Glutamine but there's been no improvement in my diarrhea. The doctor did prescribe Budesonide 9m but though I've filled it, I've been reluctant to take it. Um, health nut? Yeah, that's me and I'd prefer to fix this as naturally as possible.

I had my first Enterolab test nearly 11 years ago with no allergens. And now here I am with the following:
Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 262 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 115 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 22 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-soy IgA 57 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 46 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

And NO foods less than 2+. So a leaky gut which is how I was attacking it first since I couldn't find any real advice on what to do about the LC. So I'm on the search for some wild meats and am changing things drastically this morning to be in line with your suggested eating plan.

Thank you, thank you for this amazing resource! I was getting so disheartened, but now i feel there is hope!

[Gabes-Apg]

Hi grammy1952

so pleased these resources are helping you in the healing journey

based on the enterolab results you posted

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 262 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 115 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 22 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-soy IgA 57 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 46 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)


My observations of these results
- you have very high inflammation levels are having heightened reactions to even mild triggers
- you might be gluten free diet wise, have you removed all traces of gluten from the house? did you buy new cookware/utensils?
have you checked makeup, hair products etc for wheat germ etc
- Also ensure that you remove any diary and soy ingredients/products

Supplement wise - as we suggest in the guideline to recovery for early stages of healing focus on good quality Vit D3 and magnesium.
this will help to reduce inflammation while you fine tune the eating plan.

please read the good reads/relaxation suggestions
viewtopic.php?f=79&t=22350

implementing daily habits of meditation, yoga, 20 minute walk, breathing exercises, other relaxing activities will help reduce the stress levels
Stress was and still is one of my top 5 triggers.

Keep reading and happy healing

[tex]

Abnormal, chronic stress seems to be a key ingredient that triggers the disease for most of us. The other big key is certain medications. I believe it's probably unlikely that most of us would have ever developed the disease, if we hadn't had an extended period of chronic stress (or a medication) that prequalified us for the development of the disease. Most of us are overachievers/perfectionists, and the development of the disease is our warning that it's time to slow down.

You seem motivated, and motivated people find solutions, so this is surely the first day of your recovery journey back to health. To add to what Gabes posted, I can't help but comment on your EnteroLab results — compared with many of us, your results are quite high. As long as you have been avoiding gluten, your gluten antibody level should be in the normal range by now, yet it's very high. Your diet has to be getting cross-contamination from somewhere.

Do you eat any processed foods? Or do you ever eat out? Research shows that over half the restaurant meals claimed to be gluten-free, are not. Most breakfast selections served early in the day, are not too bad, but the contamination rates by the end of the day tend to become unbelievably bad, and meals average about 50% contaminated on a full day basis.

Tex

[grammy1952]

Thanks so much, guys! I do eat out, and just before the test I'd had a period of quite a bit of eating out. I'm a novelist and travel for research as well as book signings and I speak a lot. I don't have a totally gluten free kitchen since hubby is not gluten free, and I do all the cooking so I cook for him. Pasta in the house is totally gluten free but he still eats organic wheat bread for sandwiches. I have not checked hair care and makeup. Good call there! I will check those things and try to tighten up in the kitchen.

I do take good quality enzymes that help protect against accidental gluten exposure when eating out, but it's obviously not enough. I'm highly motivated to figure this out. And yes, I'm a type A personality. LOL This whole forum is a wealth of information! Honestly, just cutting out the turmeric and fruits smoothies so far since I discovered you all has improved the diarrhea so far today. Only 2 bMs so far and not as much volume as usual. Praying that continues!

I ordered your book for my Kindle, Tex, so I'm eager to read it. I haven't yet as I'm racing to deadline on my next book, but I hope to read it on the way to AZ starting Sunday. I've already got my meals planned for the trip, and I just got a little item that heats up food the car so I won't have to eat out on the drive.

Do you recommend fermented foods like kombucha and coconut yogurt or do they trigger histamines? I don't know that I have a histamine response (no runny nose or rashes) but at this point, I simply don't know what has caused all this. Unless it just is mostly the major injuries. I forgot to mention I'd gone into remission 2 years ago after using a product called TRS which gently detoxes the body of heavy metals and parasites. But then I got Covid in March of 2020 and the diarrhea returned and hasn't abated. I even tried LDN for a year with no improvement. And about 3 months after Covid, I broke my left ankle and had to have plates and screws. Then I threw out my right knee. Then a year and a half later I broke the right ankle and had to have surgery again (I've since sworn off flip flops on grave! LOL) Then three months later, I had a knee replacement. So lots of not so fun stuff.

Thanks for your help!
Colleen

[tex]

Colleen,

Wow! You're keeping the orthopedic surgeons busy. There's nothing wrong with staying active, if you can, but most of us find it necessary to shift down a gear or two, at least initially, in order to get this disease under control. Regarding prebiotic's, or probiotics — while a few of us seem to benefit from them, for many of us they don't seem to provide any benefits, and for a few of us, they can prevent us from being able to gain remission.

Doing all your own cooking should help immensely. The trick to getting this disease into remission, and keeping it there, is to totally avoid all (not just most) foods and medications that cause our immune system to produce antibodies. And we have to do that all (not just most) of the time, because every time we slip up, our antibody levels climb again.

Tex

[grammy1952]

Aye, aye, captain! All the time until I get things under control. Both times I broke my ankle I was wearing flip flops on gravel in AZ. I have since sworn off flip flops. LOL I'm a klutz and always have been. NO diarrhea since morning. that's some kind of a record. Things are sort of rumbling so I think my hours long reprieve is about to end but I'll take what I got today! It would be very interesting if it was the turmeric. I do do probiotics so I'll stop that.

Thanks so much!
Colleen

[tex]

Hopefully, tomorrow will bring more improvement.

Tex