Newbie Question on Enterolab testing

[jlewton]

Life in remission?
When we finally achieve remission, are we able to add back any of these foods which we test reactive too, or should they be permanently removed from our diets, anybody know?

[tex]

Often we can, especially after years of eating. But usually not the big four. For example, I was able to add casein and soy back into my diet early on, but I discovered that I had to remove them again when I found that my osteoarthritis was due to casein antibodies and my soy antibodies completely shut down my digestive system, sending me to the emergency department. On the other hand, I had to strictly avoid corn, and all its derivatives while I was recovering, but I can eat it with no problems, now. Salads, sugar, citric acid, fiber, spicy foods, etc., are not a problem now.

Tex

[jlewton]

That is promising to hear and makes the journey to remission a little easier. Big 4 meaning- gluten,casein,soy and eggs? I have RA(29 yrs) and OA (15+yrs) as well, so good to know how you reacted to those items, I will keep it in mind on my journey. Interestingly, Rheumatologists seem to think the same way most GI docs do in regards to food/diet not affecting your condition. Luckily, during this now almost year long MC flare my RA has remained silent, for that I am very grateful! I just read about Tumeric being a trigger for some??? After being on many different nsaids for RA, I finally stopped all of them after developing MC and began faithfully taking tumeric 3xday in hope of reducing pain and inflamation ( I'll have to think hard about when I actually started the tumeric regimen because it was immediately upon diagnosis)---could this be the thing stopping me from reaching remission??? I am down to 2-5 stools a day, which is great improvement from 30+. Do you have any knowledge,experience or thoughts on tumeric? Since my RA is doing so well I would be nervous to stop it, but it would be worth a shot I guess...

[jlewton]

Although to be fair- the very limited diet I have been following, thinking I was eating safe for most foods, was made of of many of the foods I tested reactive to with Enterolab. those included eggs, grass fed beef, chicken, rice, occasional pork. I have removed all of those since getting my results, just on day 2 now. How slowly or quickly do most people see improvement? Probably varies...maybe just removing these and not tumeric will be the answer??? It's so confusing!

[tex]

Gluten antibodies (antigliadin antibodies), have a 120 day half-life. Consequently it normally takes Two or three months, or more, for the antibody levels to decay sufficiently for improvements to be noticeable, and it takes years for the body to stop producing antibodies against them. By comparison, most other food sensitivities have a five or six day half-life, so improvements after beginning to avoid those foods can usually be seen in a week or two.

A little over 20 years ago, I had arthritis in my knees, elbows, and fingers so bad that I had to use a cane for walking. When I changed my diet, those symptoms all disappeared. I still have the crooked and twisted fingers to prove that I once had arthritis, but the joints haven't been swollen, red, and inflamed for over 20 years, except for that interval when I temporarily reintroduced casein. I'm convinced the gluten was the main reason why my knees were inflamed, and the casein was a secondary cause of my finger joint distortions.

Tex

[Ottavit@aol.com]

Hello! I just got my test results and have a few questions and proactively appreciate the answers

My safe foods of about 6-7 weeks: beef, pork, chicken for protein, potato, green bean, carrot, banana, cooked/peeled apple, almond milk, salt. I add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to my morning almond milk and banana shake. I confess I have eaten Lays potato chips as well…..at times I feel like I am starving

Gluten is out
Milk was 16, not doing any dairy
Egg was 17, not eating
Soy 21, not eating

The other 11 mean value was 20
I am good with potato and tuna
1+ rice
2+ corn, beef, pork, almond, cashew (top to bottom order).
3+ oat, chicken, cashew

Questions:
Based on my labs, should I eliminate pork and almond milk? Based on May 2021 news letter it appears I should? Coconut milk would appear to be a better option as would Turkey. I am not a fish eater.

What would make you think you need tested for enzymes for digestion/issues with fat? I have significant GERD and take a low dose PPI and fat seems is a trigger for upset stomach and reflux….would this be a sign?

What is considered a flare? I have been off Budesonide taper for several weeks with small soft BM, today 3 visits to the bathroom with unformed BM….I ask as I am unsure. Do people return to medication with a flare?

I am early in the game, other than time, how would you know you are in remission?

Lays Classic ingredients include vegetable oil, I think I read it was not a safe oil?

Again thanks for your insight and help,

Tina

[tex]

Yes, with an overall score of 20 on the 11 other antigenic foods, all 2+ and 3+ foods should be avoided. You might still be able to tolerate almond milk, but coconut milk would be safer, obviously.

There's no point in testing for enzymes, because we all have problems with fat malabsorption when our MC is active. PPIs are one of the most common triggers for microscopic colitis. I'd be surprised if you will ever be able to reach remission as long as you continue to take them. Use H2 blockers to treat acid reflux problems, not PPIs. PPIs cause the exact same symptoms that they are prescribed to treat, and they perpetuate the GERD, in addition to triggering microscopic colitis.

We're in a flare, when we have clinical symptoms of the disease. We're in remission when we have no clinical symptoms of the disease.

A few people turn to medications when they're in a flare, but the key to remission is eliminating inflammatory foods from the diet, and totally avoiding those foods.

Lay's Potato Chips usually specifies the type of oil used. If the label just says "vegetable oil", then it's probably soy oil.

I hope this helps,

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

Please be mindful that you can 'ingest' gluten and soy from non food sources

- some make up and lipsticks have gluten and most commercial brands have soy
- check shampoos, conditioners etc for ingredients such as wheatgerm
- I react to soy worse than gluten so can not do any moisturiser or bathroom product that has Vit E. (which is generally sourced from soy)


a flare for me is multiple symptoms that last longer than 24 hours.
things like stress, poor sleep , immune system fighting a virus, having some of my 'sometimes' foods will cause the bowel motion to soften or to have multiple BM's in a day.
only if this continues longer than 24 hours do I consider it a flare

hope this helps

[Ottavit@aol.com]

Thanks to you both….that is helpful!

What do you do in the case of a flare that lasts longer than 24 hours? My biggest fear is to have to return to medication

[Gabes-Apg]

For me if symptoms continue for more than 24 hours
I go back to bland basics for meals for a few days. Rice and 2 veggies with bland proteins - eat this 3 times a day
increase Vit D3 and magnesium to help reduce inflammation

after 48 hours if symptoms are continuing I take small dose of cholestrayamine (questran light).
and have extra rest

in the past 4-5 years I have not had a flare go beyond 48-60 hours.

[Gabes-Apg]

I will mention that life with MC is about listening to your body,
Also - where possible preparing for situations that could cause the body to react.

if I notice fatigue, rubles or cramping, softening or urgency of poop I will ensure meals are bland basics and increase Vit D3 / magnesium.

the preparation aspect - If I am going to be away for the weekend / travelling, eating out etc I will eat bland basics for the week prior to ensure that inflammation levels are at a minimum so body can handle 'treats' better

this 4 day weekend just gone, I was trying a new recipe and had small serve of shredded coconut for the first time in years. I had the small serve of coconut on the Saturday as I knew I was going to be home all day Sunday. Confirmed that Coconut is a definite NO NO for me! was on the toilet for 4 hours with battery acid. (till now most of my reactions had only been MC mud for many years)
I took a very small dose of the cholestrayamine, drank lots of water and had a rest. ate bland dinner and next day things were semi normal again.
I ate bland basics, took Vit D3 magnesium for another day.

Had I been feeling poorly going into the weekend there is No way I would have risked trying the shredded coconut. I only did it as I was feeling well and knew I was home for a few days.

with time you will know the various indicators - rumbles or cramping, excess gas, slight increase in urgency, the consistency is a bit soft.

[Ottavit@aol.com]

That is very helpful…..thank you!

I am back with more questions. I tapered Budesonide with last dose 4-7-22, I was constipated by then. I have had my labs and have been eating safe foods for since.
Though almonds were in my list, I have been doing almond milk with banana shake in the morning. I tried coconut milk for a week and ended up 7 days later with mushy poop and D each morning for the past week, in that order, 3 -4 trips in the morning with the last being watery. My question is when would one consider adding 1 Budesonide back to stop the D? I tried Imodium early on and it constipates and then the D returns, it’s a temporary fix.

I am discouraged
I have lost weight and have fatigue as well. I know everyone is different, but assume the happenings this past week are not normal in the stage one recovery scenario?

Any advice is welcomed
Thank you!

[Sonia]

Gabes, may I ask why do you think coconut was a trigger? It isn't a protein so I'm totally trying to understand how non-protein foods would cause a reaction in someone like you who has healed.
Thanks!
Sonia

[tex]

Hi Sonia,

Please note that coconut does indeed contain protein, it just doesn't contain one of the common prolamine protein forms in plants that are known to trigger MC reactions, such as wheat gluten, hordein (barley), secalin (rye), zein (corn), or orzenin (rice) . The primary protein in coconut, at 40% of the total, is globulin, and the second most prominent protein, at 21% of the total, is albumin. But coconut is also a high fiber, high-fat food, which might contribute to a reaction in some cases. I'm just mentioning this, but for all I know, it may have absolutely nothing to do with the reason why she is reacting to coconut. I have a hunch that our bodies can sometimes develop unusual, and unique sensitivities.

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

It was the fibre aspect of the coconut that caused the reaction

as you do some reading across this site, you will observe that an ingredient that is one persons staple can be a major trigger for another
(that is why attaining remission in MC world can be a draining journey for some and there is no 'one way' to minimise symptoms)

there are some ingredients that even after long term remission that some of us will never be able to consume without reaction.
for me - coconut is one of those