Help with Enterolab Results Interpretation

[tex]

Hi Sonia,

Congratulations on the pregnancy. It's good to hear that things are going well, so far, except for the morning sickness. Believe it or not, morning sickness is caused by severe magnesium deficiency. It's probably too late to eliminate that problem because you have to treat it before it happens, not afterward, but you should be taking a magnesium supplement to keep your blood level of magnesium up. Research shows that magnesium levels decline significantly during an early stage of pregnancy, causing morning sickness, and increased risk for both mother and fetus. Morning sickness can be prevented by building up magnesium reserves before becoming pregnant. Your doctor should have suggested increased magnesium intake before undergoing this procedure. It's amazing to me how ignorant many doctors are regarding the connection between magnesium blood levels during pregnancy, and the need to build up magnesium reserves before becoming pregnant. They could help most women to prevent morning sickness, if they simply suggested magnesium supplements early on.

Carrots seem to be safe for virtually every one of us, so eating carrots is really not cheating on the diet.

I hope everything continues to go well.

Tex

[Harmony33]

Hello Sonia,

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I remember morning sickness and am so sorry you have to deal with that on top of MC. I don’t have many ideas on what to eat as it is so early in your MC journey. Can you stand any simple protein at all? Have you tried other vegetable chips such as the Taro brand?

[Harmony33]

Hello again,

Have you tried banana chips? I was able to eat a few even before I could tolerate a fresh banana. Can you tolerate any nut butters? Your Enterolab results indicated that walnut butter might work for you,

Harmony

[Sonia]

Thanks, tex and harmony.

I have read elsewhere on this site that magnesium deficiency is common in MC. I have been using a spray for the past couple months and for it is worth,my morning sickness hasn't been as bad as prior pregnancies so maybe it helped? FYI I've also done a few "floats" in float tanks which, in addition to being very relaxing, would surely give one a nice chunk of magnesium since you are on a high density of Epsom salts. I recommend if you can afford them and aren't claustrophobic.

I ordered some banana and apple chips:) I haven't eaten Terra chips as I think it has palm oil? So far turkey bacon, hard boiled duck eggs, and sunflower seed butter seem to work ok with me. I'll let you know if I experiment with cassava flour to make crackers but I just don't have the energy right now...

Sonia

[TXBrenda]

Congratulations on the pregnancy!

Are these chips available in your area? https://sietefoods.com/

They aren't crackers but you wouldn't need to bake anything.

Take care.

[Sonia]

Thanks for this idea , Brenda. I'm not sure we have them here but I will try to order them.

In the mean time, I am really struggling to stick with the diet with my current food aversion and cravings and generally icky feeling. I've cheated with pickles (I know, classic pregnancy cravings),lemon juice, and this afternoon I broke down and got some cassava chips at Trader Joe's that also had a few other new ingredients (garlic salt, avocado oil, sesame seeds). They helped my nausea in the moment but 3 hours later I have D. Is it possible to have such a quick reaction?

I usually have great will power...I don't want to throw my diet out the window and need to get back in track.
Sonia

[Harmony33]

Sorry to hear you had a reaction Sonia! I remember morning sickness. Nausea plus “D” sounds miserable!

Yes, a reaction can happen that quickly. Even within an hour. I wonder if it was the sesame seeds—either the food itself or perhaps just too much fiber? Nuts and seeds can be too much in early days, yet tolerable in small quantities when you have more healing. You might test cassava in a different form to see if that will be a safe flour for you.

I see that potatoes and rice were +1 for you. Both are bland. Some of us can tolerate our +1s in small quantities if we rotate and don’t eat them everyday. If potato chips helped you in the past, you might look for a low fat variety—Cape Cod makes one with 40% less fat. Perhaps there is a rice cake or plain rice cracker that would help with nausea, yet not cause a reaction?

Harmony

[Sonia]

This reaction just got worse--terribly painful D and vomiting after another 9 hours. Maybe I got accidentally glutened as these chips weren't certified GF. Regardless I am not up for experimenting, just trying to choke down turkey and cassava noodles (I get the jovial brand and they same to be fine). I expected that the budesinide would mask any symptoms but for better or worse that isn't the case.
Sonia

[Sonia]

Hi friends,
Unfortunately my food aversions have only become worse. I cannot eat most meat products without gagging. Literally. So I'm eating what I can--canned pears and peaches, homemade tapioca crackers with sunbutter and jam, bananas, pickles, lemonade, and the occasional hard boiled duck egg or turkey bacon slice. This is obviously not ideal for colitis and my D is back although it is manageable. I'm sure I'm not getting enough protein, that I'm eating too much sugar, but I have to eat something. Hopefully I'll start feeling better in my second trimester and can get back on track, and make a decision as to how much longer to stay on budesinide.

I don't know if I have any questions as I'm in survival mode and doing my best, but ideas and comments are always welcome.

Sonia

[tex]

Hi Sonia,

Some of us react to tapioca. it caused me to react. You might do better with crackers based on something else, unless you're absolutely sure that tapioca doesn't bother you.

Just a thought,

Tex

[Sonia]

Hi Tex,
Oh gosh, I'm not sure of anything. But that is good to know.. I don't know what else I could try since I can't eat rice or corn or potatoes.
Sonia

[tex]

I believe plantain flour is available. Can you eat bananas? If you can eat bananas, you should be able to safely eat plantain. Maybe someone else knows of other exotic flours.

Tex

[Sonia]

Hello friends,

An update and a question!

First of all, my morning sickness is diminishing as I've made it to week 13 of pregnancy. I've been able to get back on track with the diet, thankfully, and have to give a shoutout to another member who recommended elsewhere on this forum Le Pain des Fleurs Buckwheat crackers. Buckwheat has been my friend!!! I'm guessing that tapioca was a trigger for me so I'm definitely leaving this out for the time being.

Symptom-wise I'm doing better than ever. One relatively well-formed or soft-ish poop per day. No D, no WD, no urgency.

I'm still on the budesinide (9mg), and my OB has recommended reaching out to my GP and GI docs to see about weaning off of it now that I'm close to my second trimester and my symptoms are under control. (No symptoms for 2 weeks now).

My question: what do you think is a good pace for weaning, and what do you think about weaning to a maintenance dose of 3mg vs. completely going off the of the drug? I've been on budesonide for about 4 months and last time I weaned way to quickly and all my symptoms came back immediately (I wasn't on the diet at the time.) I really want to prevent my system from going haywire as I don't want that to affect the baby; also trying to balance that with the fact that it is better for pregnancy not to be on any unnecessary drugs.

Thanks as always for listening and for the feedback,
Sonia

[Gabes-Apg]

congratulations that must be a big relief to you and your family to reach this milestone


re the weaning
I have never taken the med, but based on the years of observations of others in this group, best advice is listen to your body.
are the tablets 3mg each? if so reduce to 6mg and if symptoms return alternate 9mg one day 6mg the next etc

have the doctors checked your Vit D levels? I would have this checked before you start reducing the medication

Good luck with journey

[tex]

Sonia,

Great update. To add to Gabes' response, some of us do better if we reduce the dose at the first signs of constipation, rather than on a time schedule. Also, if 3 mg works well, you might be able to reduce the dose (after a few weeks at 3 mg per day) to 3 mg every other day, for example.

Tex