HOW CAN I AVOID A THREATENING RELAPSE?

[TREESE]

GREETINGS - I am hoping you can advise me on avoiding an episode that is threatening my stomach with definite warning signs.
My stool is not diarreah, but every time I eat, I move my bowels shortly after. And my stomach does not feel good. It feels as if it wants to worsen and become diarreah.

No real idea why. I have stuck to my gluten free diet and have been okay. Stress has been high, though.

Yesterday, I began to eat only rice. I only went one time after breakfast yesterday.
Today, I have just added a bit of chicken breast with it. It was only a few minutes ago, but so far, I seem ok.

Please offer your guidance as I am very skinny already and I don't want this to turn into a full blown episode. I am 69yrs old and only weigh 97 lbs. (I have a very hard time keeping weight on, but it comes off quickly).

Thank You and Feel Well All!
TREESE

[tex]

Hi Treese,

Well, as you know, I'm not a doctor, so this is only a guess, but even if I were a doctor, I'm pretty sure I would have to guess in this case. Based on your symptoms, your situation gives me the impression that your body is reacting to chronic stress. Back when I was a kid, when doctors still made house calls, if you can even visualize conditions back that far, doctors didn't have all the sophisticated tests that they use to refine their guesses, these days. Our old country doctor would have almost surely called it a nervous stomach. These days, we'd probably call it stress.

The digestive system is highly responsive to stress, or vulnerable to stress, depending on how you want to look at it. Some of us seem to be more vulnerable than others. But medical research shows that chronic stress actually creates inflammation, and we have more than a few longtime members of this board, who enjoyed stable remission for 5 or 10 years, or more, only to see the remission that they thought would last forever, disappear overnight, when they lost a favorite pet, or one of their family members experienced a tragedy.

The solution? Spend less time thinking about the stressful issues, and more time on relaxing hobbies, or yoga, or meditation, or listing to music, or relaxing tapes, or just sitting outside enjoying the fresh air and nature's gifts around you, if you can. Of course sitting outside and enjoying nature may not seem enjoyable to you this time of the year, in many parts of the US, but it depends on what you enjoy doing.

I hope this helps,

Tex

[TREESE]

Hello, TEX! Thanks for your much needed guidance! May I ask one more related question, please?

If my stomach is reacting to stress, does that still cause harm to the intestines the way a relapse from eating gluten would, let's say?

And will this still take me up to 2 years to recover from if it is stress related? Do I have to start all over adding back 1 food at a time and the whole 9 yards? The thought of all that gives me even more stress!

Thank you so much! I hope you are feeling well and staying healthy!
TREESE

[tex]

Hello, TEX! Thanks for your much needed guidance! May I ask one more related question, please?

If my stomach is reacting to stress, does that still cause harm to the intestines the way a relapse from eating gluten would, let's say?

That's a question I can't honestly answer, because I have no way of knowing what biopsies from the intestines of anyone in that situation might look like. But based on the difficulty that most people have resolving a flare of that sort, I'm going to guess that it might, if it continues long enough. In other words the amount of damage your crew will probably depend on how long it takes to get out of the flare.

And will this still take me up to 2 years to recover from if it is stress related? Do I have to start all over adding back 1 food at a time and the whole 9 yards? The thought of all that gives me even more stress!

Again, that depends on how long the flyer lasts. Probably not, but if the flare lasts for months, rather than weeks, it might take a long time to recover, and you might have to add new foods back slowly, simply because your small intestine will not be producing sufficient enzymes to digest various foods. Enzyme production is restored sequentially, not all at once, so more time is required before we can digest certain foods.

Thank you so much! I hope you are feeling well and staying healthy!
TREESE

[TREESE]

I appreciate your assistance, Tex! You are always the first person I turn to with questions of this sort.

Doctors can help with the Medical Tests and Medicines if needed, but they don't really seem to understand the varying sensitivities of each person's individual make-up and how each person reacts differently to a Collagenous Colitis diagnosis along with its on-going struggles thereafter. And how one like myself can begin to even fear the fear of a relapse while enjoying remission and wind up causing one!
Ha Ha!

I must search your forum for a fun story-telling exchange about CC if there is one! Or a good shrink! Or Both!

Sincerely Grateful,
TREESE

[brandy]

Hi Treese,

I"ve successfully held off several reflares that I've felt coming on. What I've done:

1. Gone to chicken broth only for a day or so (generally GF boxed)
2. Then added rice and chicken. Stay on this for awhile.
3. Work on stress. On rough days I will set a timer on my cell phone to go off
every two hours and then I'll do a meditation/prayer for 3 minutes throughout the day.
4. Gradually add back in foods.

[jlbattin]

Hi Treese,

I agree with Brandy! Chicken broth and then adding rice and a little chicken breast is my go to for calming my stomach down. It is a stressful time we live in. I went back to playing the piano and that has helped my stress immensely! I can play away and reduce my stress. I also do a lot of reading. I find that helps reduce my stress.

[TREESE]

Greetings to BOTH of you Ladies - Brandy and Jari - and Thank You for your Replies!

I believe that both of you have the right idea! I have to Copy your Replies to my Notes for future reference.

BRANDY, about that Chicken Broth, GF Boxed; Where do you get that from? I am in NY. I don't think my Markets carry that. Do you order on-line? I stink at cooking, so I would gladly order on-line!

Thanks again!
TREESE

[jlbattin]

I'm not Brandy, but I can tell you what I buy.

I get bone broth at Costco, Sam's or my King Sooper's (Kroger). I've used them all with no issues. Pacific Foods makes a good one and then I've just used the Kirkland or Sam's brands also. Brandy may have some other ideas.

[TREESE]

Hi, Jari - I do have Costco by me! But is Bone Broth the same as Chicken soup? Is the Kirkland Brand actually named Bone Broth?

Thanks!
TREESE

[jlbattin]

Hi Treese,

They do have both (broth and soup) but it's not always available in all places. If they have broth, I usually buy it, but if not, the chicken stock is made from cooking the whole chicken and it works for me.

Hope that helps! Always check the ingredients before you buy though. Sometimes they sneak things in there, but I haven't had any trouble with any of those.

[TREESE]

Thank you, Jari!

I will add it to my COSTCO list. I know at COSTCO you usually have to buy in large quantities. So, I will see how it goes!

Your Replies have truly helped to ease my stress. I am deeply grateful!

And to Brandy, too...thank you!

Be in good health!
TREESE

[Gabes-Apg]

I have been meaning to chime in to this discussion for a week or so.

my advice, listen to your body.
at anytime I have niggling symptoms (increased gurgles, poop changes, joint aches etc) then I make sure I am on blandest eating plan, increase Vit D3 and magnesium to help reduce inflammation.

where possible I prepare for treats/events/ known stressful situations
I will stick with safest eating plan for the week preceding an event or travel etc where the body will be under additional stress
I have pre cooked safe staples in my freezer. If I am poorly and can not shop or not well enough to cook, I have supplies of safe meals.

Good quality rest and relaxation is key to long term wellness. daily relaxation activities are important to optimising good health.

hope this helps

[TREESE]

Hi, Gabes!
YES, thank you so much for your advice! I didn't know about increasing the D3 and Magnesium at stressful times and I appreciate your sharing that, besides the many other useful tips you offered from your years of experience. Preparing your stomach ahead of time for a stressful event to come is also quite smart. Keep it bland when under stress or when a flare-up threatens. And Safe foods only until you feel you can slowly begin to resume your usual diet again. And always keep a store of safe foods on hand. Very Good, thank you!

This might sound ridiculously out of place in this email, but it has arisen at this time, so I will include it...

Since this Threatening Episode began, I am now finally able to drink my coffee again. BUT only 1/2 cup of coffee, black. I discovered I hate it black. I tried Almond Milk, Plain...yuk! My Dietician thinks since I only ever have 1 cup of coffee a day (and it is my favorite thing in the world to have...silly, but true. It calms me) that I should try half and half in it.
I have given up all other dairy. She says the fat would do me good because I am so skinny.

Before this threatening episode, I was having my 1 cup of coffee with 2% Lactaid milk in it. Please share your thoughts and experience with me about this. Oh yes, it is a Dark Roast Coffee blend, also.

Thank you so Very very much!
TREESE