I was diagnosed decades ago with celiac and at the same time also diagnosed with CC. I have had wd since then (good day 5+, bad day 20++). In all that time the only time I had normal bm was when I was put on Methotrexate for a chronic leukemia. The drug put the leukemia into remission and also fixed the CC while I was on it, but of course when I came off the drug, the CC returned with a vengeance. Budesonide hasn't helped. Colestid cut down volume but not frequency. At the moment my gastroenterologist has me trying 2 weeks on Ciprofloxacin.
I tried the Gaps diet for several years and still have bone broth as I find it settling and nutritious. In 2013 my Gaps Practitioner arranged for me to have a US BioTek stool test (from NZ where I live). At the time I was having lots of chicken based vegetable soups plus eggs and home made almond bread.
The tests showed a very high reaction: chicken and duck eggs and moderate reaction to almond. It also showed high reaction to amaranth, pecan, garlic, whey, sugar cane, bakers yeast. In my ignorance at the time I decided it had picked out eggs and almonds as they constituted such a large part of my diet, and as it hadn't picked up wheat, and I'm a celiac, I decided the tests had been a waste of time. However, I have dug out the test results again and think I've been a bit stupid to ignore the eggs and almond issues perhaps as I mainly drink almond milk and have a few eggs a week.
I am obviously gf, plus soy and dairy free. I am also following FODMAP. I drink black English breakfast tea, plus small amount of organic stevia but it is tea bags. Perhaps I should go to loose tea. I take quite a few carefully chosen supplements to try and deal to other health issues I have.
I have just turned 80 and have a small frame and real weight loss issues. Plus I have osteoporosis. However I am really very healthy overall and am on no prescription drugs (except the 2 weeks of Ciprofloxacin I'm taking at the moment). When I'm having a bad spell I spend hours on this wonderful site trying to take in all the information. My trouble is I cannot seem to find 'safe foods'.
What I'm wondering now is whether I should get an EnteroLab test or just go with the old US BioTek test and cut out eggs and the almond milk.
If you do advise an EnteroLab test which should I ask for? I know already I react to gluten.
Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me.
To Test or Not To Test ...
Moderators: Rosie, JFR, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Re: To Test or Not To Test ...
Hi,
As this is your first post, welcome to the group. I have no experience with the Bio TeK tests, nor do I know anything about them. I do know that although many members have tried many different tests, the only food sensitivity tests that we have found to be consistently accurate and reliable, are the stool tests offered by EnteeroLab, in Dallas Texas, in the US. I'm also aware that our food sensitivities can change after a while, because when I initially developed this disease, I tested negative to soy, and, of course, it was not a problem for me. But seven or eight years later, one day I ate some peanuts and they caused my digestive system to completely stop. When I went to the emergency department, they confirmed the problem, but didn't offer any solutions. Fortunately, a few hours later my digestive system started working again on its own, but this prompted me to order a soy test from EnteroLab, because most of us who are sensitive to soy, are also sensitive to most legumes. Sure enough, the test showed that I was now sensitive to soy. Most members here order the A1 + C1 panels of tests, because they cover all the foods that are known to trigger MC reactions, and that combination of test is usually available at a discounted price.
Have you read the newsletter that the Microscopic Colitis Foundation published last year about selecting foods for a safe diet? It's a good place to start when trying to develop a safe diet. Here is a direct link where you can either read or download that newsletter to save it or print it out:
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 479987.pdf
Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
As this is your first post, welcome to the group. I have no experience with the Bio TeK tests, nor do I know anything about them. I do know that although many members have tried many different tests, the only food sensitivity tests that we have found to be consistently accurate and reliable, are the stool tests offered by EnteeroLab, in Dallas Texas, in the US. I'm also aware that our food sensitivities can change after a while, because when I initially developed this disease, I tested negative to soy, and, of course, it was not a problem for me. But seven or eight years later, one day I ate some peanuts and they caused my digestive system to completely stop. When I went to the emergency department, they confirmed the problem, but didn't offer any solutions. Fortunately, a few hours later my digestive system started working again on its own, but this prompted me to order a soy test from EnteroLab, because most of us who are sensitive to soy, are also sensitive to most legumes. Sure enough, the test showed that I was now sensitive to soy. Most members here order the A1 + C1 panels of tests, because they cover all the foods that are known to trigger MC reactions, and that combination of test is usually available at a discounted price.
Have you read the newsletter that the Microscopic Colitis Foundation published last year about selecting foods for a safe diet? It's a good place to start when trying to develop a safe diet. Here is a direct link where you can either read or download that newsletter to save it or print it out:
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 479987.pdf
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: To Test or Not To Test ...
Thank you for your reply Tex, I do so appreciate your help through this site, your book and being able to personally benefit from your accrued wisdom! I am wondering if you can explain how or why Ciprofloxacin helps. I have been taking it for a few days now, keeping an eye on my magnesium intake at the same time, as I saw you recommended in one of your posts. I am amazed at how my energy levels have improved since I started taking Cipro, even from the first day. I had been really struggling with fatigue and suddenly I felt more energised and 'normal'. Would this be because of the drug helping with inflammation. I wonder if you can give insight into this.
Also, should I wait until I have finished the course of Ciprofloxacin before having the EnteroLab test? Will the EnteroLab test show up problem foods even if you are on a very restricted diet of (hopefully) safe foods? I have been many, many years GF. Would the EnteroLab test show up gluten as a problem after all this time?
Thank you again for any information you are able to give.
Also, should I wait until I have finished the course of Ciprofloxacin before having the EnteroLab test? Will the EnteroLab test show up problem foods even if you are on a very restricted diet of (hopefully) safe foods? I have been many, many years GF. Would the EnteroLab test show up gluten as a problem after all this time?
Thank you again for any information you are able to give.
Re: To Test or Not To Test ...
To be honest, I have no idea why ciprofloxacin is so effective against the symptoms of MC, but that's probably a characteristic of all of the antibiotics in the fluoroquinolone class. Cipro seems to stop the diarrhea for virtually all of us, but unfortunately, it only provides control While we're taking the treatment. As far as I'm aware, the fluoroquinolones are the only antibiotics that stop the diarrhea. Most antibiotics trigger it, as you well know, although azithromycin also usually works safely.
Please be aware of the black box warnings on the Cipro, though, because they're there for a reason. And make sure you keep your magnesium level up while taking Cipro because the side effects in those black box warnings are virtually all due to a chronic magnesium deficiency. But space out taking a magnesium supplement and the Cipro, because Cipro depletes magnesium, and magnesium prevents Cipro from working correctly. I always took them about four hours apart, in order to prevent any interference. Cipro has always worked well for me for several decades, but a few months ago, I had to stop using it, because I had an allergic reaction to it while using it for a dental issue. I finished the treatment by using a Z pack (azithromycin), and that seemed to work okay, also.
I doubt that the Cipro will affect your EnteroLab results, but since it's only (I assume) a two week treatment, it wouldn't hurt to wait until after the treatment is finished to catch a stool test sample. In a perfect world, with no risk of cross-contamination, I would say that after avoiding gluten for many years the EnteroLab tests would not be able to detect gluten sensitivity. However, as high as the risk of cross-contamination is, I doubt that your diet has always been squeaky clean, especially if you ever eat out. In other words, you've probably accidentally ingested enough gluten over the years to maintain a sensitivity awareness by your immune system. If your test result for gluten is negative, congratulations, you've done an outstanding job of avoiding gluten.
Tex
Please be aware of the black box warnings on the Cipro, though, because they're there for a reason. And make sure you keep your magnesium level up while taking Cipro because the side effects in those black box warnings are virtually all due to a chronic magnesium deficiency. But space out taking a magnesium supplement and the Cipro, because Cipro depletes magnesium, and magnesium prevents Cipro from working correctly. I always took them about four hours apart, in order to prevent any interference. Cipro has always worked well for me for several decades, but a few months ago, I had to stop using it, because I had an allergic reaction to it while using it for a dental issue. I finished the treatment by using a Z pack (azithromycin), and that seemed to work okay, also.
I doubt that the Cipro will affect your EnteroLab results, but since it's only (I assume) a two week treatment, it wouldn't hurt to wait until after the treatment is finished to catch a stool test sample. In a perfect world, with no risk of cross-contamination, I would say that after avoiding gluten for many years the EnteroLab tests would not be able to detect gluten sensitivity. However, as high as the risk of cross-contamination is, I doubt that your diet has always been squeaky clean, especially if you ever eat out. In other words, you've probably accidentally ingested enough gluten over the years to maintain a sensitivity awareness by your immune system. If your test result for gluten is negative, congratulations, you've done an outstanding job of avoiding gluten.
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: To Test or Not To Test ...
Morning all,
Just a caution about antibiotics in general and quinolone antibiotics in particular.
About 6 years ago because of a dangerous systemic infection acquired while healing from a major surgery I was put on a series of quinolone iv's over a period of weeks and because this infection continued to rear it's ugly head these iv's were ordered several times over the next few years. After this treatment my existing food sensitivities multiplied to many many many more foods. Cipro also made my legs so weak I could barely make it up stairs...as soon as I stopped Cipro my leg strength retuned....one of the side effects is tendon weakness.
So all I'm saying is antibiotics in general are horrible for the gut and I try to only take them when there is no other option. When we need them they can be life saving but they do have their downside.
Hope I'm not out of line bringing this up....
Hopeful healing,
Laura
Just a caution about antibiotics in general and quinolone antibiotics in particular.
About 6 years ago because of a dangerous systemic infection acquired while healing from a major surgery I was put on a series of quinolone iv's over a period of weeks and because this infection continued to rear it's ugly head these iv's were ordered several times over the next few years. After this treatment my existing food sensitivities multiplied to many many many more foods. Cipro also made my legs so weak I could barely make it up stairs...as soon as I stopped Cipro my leg strength retuned....one of the side effects is tendon weakness.
So all I'm saying is antibiotics in general are horrible for the gut and I try to only take them when there is no other option. When we need them they can be life saving but they do have their downside.
Hope I'm not out of line bringing this up....
Hopeful healing,
Laura
Diagnosed with CC, Hashimoto Thyroid, Costochondritis, psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. Cannot eat gluten, dairy, nightshades, and high oxalate veggies.
Re: To Test or Not To Test ...
Hi Laura
Sharing actual experiences is never out of line, because it may be very beneficial to someone else who has this disease. Thanks for sharing.
Tex
Sharing actual experiences is never out of line, because it may be very beneficial to someone else who has this disease. Thanks for sharing.
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: To Test or Not To Test ...
Thank you Tex :)
Diagnosed with CC, Hashimoto Thyroid, Costochondritis, psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. Cannot eat gluten, dairy, nightshades, and high oxalate veggies.