19 AND A NEWBIE HERE :)

[antonella1]

Hi everyone,
I´m Antonella from Peru. I´m 19 and I was diagnosed with LC November 2021 after many tests. I´ve found this forum almost 3 month ago and I´m so glad I did. I felt so lost back then because at that moment I was taking Mesalamine for 4-5 months showing some improvement but nothing permanent.
So I was so worried that if the medication wasn´t effective then, what else would be?
I started to show symptoms January 2021. I was drinking lots of milk every day and when I started to have loosen stools, I thought it was because of the high fat that it contains so I changed for a "lighter" one. I had the same problem (stools didn’t improve) so I change for a lactose free milk but I guess the damage to my guts was already done cause it didn’t got better. I think it was the milk, cause I kept drinking it for almost 6 months after I accepted that it was inflaming my guts (I know, that was an stupid decision)
Most of the time I have between 5-6 from the Bristol chart and in the worst days total D. Hair loss, weight loss, gas that is painful that even wakes me up in the middle of the night, bloating and fatigue are other symptoms.
Since I´ve found this forum, I felt big relief and am so thankful cause I´ve found people that understands what I’m going through. That means everything to me. At the beginning of June I cut mesalamine and started following the Stage 1 diet (GF,DF,SF and EF). For now it just consists of quinoa, potatoes, lamb and rice. I was having bananas and cooked carrots too, but I noticed that it worsens the gas and it wasn’t getting digested very well (saw some pieces of carrots in the stool) so I cut them. I take a 1000 iu of D3 (GF and lactose free) and spend a good time outdoors every day to release stress ang get more sun.
I´ve felt so much better since I have changed the diet: less gas, bloating and more formed stools. The problem started 3 weeks ago, I´ve had episodes of constipation that last 1-2 days, since then it comes and goes (I´ve never had this symptom before). Is it normal? I thought I was getting into remission but i´m not sure (stools are the same). I´m worried cause I´ve been diligent with the diet (no cheating at all) and I´ve been using my own cookware to avoid crossed contamination.
I don´t know if I have to give the diet more time so the constipation will go away soon. I would really appreciate your help cause I don´t know what I´m doing wrong.

[tex]

Hello Antonella,

Welcome to the group. it sounds as though your recovery is coming along well, except for the constipation symptoms. Are you drinking enough water? You may need to add more fiber to your diet to prevent the constipation. Carrots and bananas should be safe sources for fiber if you still see whole pieces of carrot in your stool, your digestive system may need to do more healing, because that's a sign of inflammation. If you're taking any medications such as budesonide, that can cause constipation. I hope this helps.

Tex

[antonella1]

Hi Tex,
Thank you for your quick reply. I drink 2 liters of water everyday and I´m not taking any medications at the moment. I gave up on them It´s been 3 months since I´ve cut mesalamine. I read in some part of the forum that constipation may be a sign of a magnesium deficiency. So, what do you think? Should I buy a safe magnesium supplement? or Is it too soon?
Thanks again for the work you do here. MC is hard and your support means a lot to me.

[tex]

Yes, magnesium deficiency can cause constipation, but usually that shows up long before the development of microscopic colitis. The disease does deplete vitamin D and magnesium, however, so if you've had it for a while, that may be causing the constipation.If you start taking an oral magnesium supplement, be sure to divide up the dose during the day, because we can only absorb so much magnesium at a given time. Magnesium glycinate seems to be the most effective form, but if constipation becomes a significant problem, magnesium citrate has laxative properties, especially in larger doses.

By the way, hair loss is a side effect of mesalamine. Since you've stopped taking it, the problem should slowly resolve.

Tex

[antonella1]

Thanks Tex, I will follow your advice
With constipation I thought at least I would have more formed stools but they are still loosen the day I finally go to the bathroom (not diarrhea, but 5-6 in Bristol scale), that´s why I was so worried. And with it the gas just got worse. (sorry for the details) I will try the magnesium supplement since I´ve had LC since December 2020 so I´ve had it 1 year and 8 months now. I hope with time it will get better. From here I guess it´s just patience.

[tex]

Your intestines may just need more healing time. Is the quinoa you're using labeled gluten-free (or kosher)? A few years ago, quinoa was notorious for being cross contaminated with gluten.

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

mild increase in fibre will help (go slow with this regarding what you add and how much you have)

another aspect depending on your diet, is healthy fats. you may need to increase healthy fat intake

with the water intake - are you weeing regularly with healthy colour wee? or are you holding onto fluid?

Vit D3 and magnesium will also help reduce inflammation and help the muscles pass the poop.

[antonella1]

Hi Gabes,
I´m weeing normal, with the light yellow color. Yes, I will also increase healthy fats, It´s something I kinda left behind. Today for lunch I included a small portion of well cooked carrots. We´ll see tomorrow. Crossed fingers. Thanks for your advice.

[antonella1]

Your intestines may just need more healing time. Is the quinoa you're using labeled gluten-free (or kosher)? A few years ago, quinoa was notorious for being cross contaminated with gluten.

Tex

I´m afraid the quinoa i´m using is not labeled gluten free. Definitely I will change to a GF one. I hope in time I get into remission soon.

[Gabes-Apg]

The early part of my MC journey was drifting between diahorrea and constipation (I barely had 'normal' back then)

I would have to do gentle fibre. ie peeled apple eaten slowly, watered down pear juice etc
fatty meats and increasing healthy fats helped alot.

to protect your anus if you are finding it painful to pass the poop, coconut oil is a good option on your skin in that area

[antonella1]

Hi everyone,
I would really appreciate your advice with this symptom that i have: gurgling. Before starting my diet, I used to have gurgling all day long specially at midday because I used to eat like 1 1/2 bananas, and at early mornings (like 4am) wich waked me up every time and defintely I couldn´t rest that well.
So after I change my diet to stage 1 I noticed improvement with the grugling at midday but it continues at early mornings and it´s so annoying cause it doesn´t let me sleep the time that I need (I understand how important is rest in our healing journey)
I red somewhere in the forum that gurgling is because something is not being well digested so I evaluated my diet wich consists only of lamb, rice, potatoes and quinoa. I thought the gurgling was because of quinoa cause as it is a grain maybe is hard on my stomach so I eliminated it.
At the same time I stopped quinoa I started to take Dr. Best chelated magnesium 2 tablets a day: one at breakfast, one at dinner (equals to 200 mg a day, I´m 1.60m tall and weight 50 kilos) I'm taking that serving size because one day at breakfast I took just 1 tablet with my vitamin d3 gummie and after and hour I had horrible D (after so many weeks without it) so I thought that maybe those two cant be taken together so I take them now separately and I had no D after that change. I attempeted 2 serving sizes distributed during the day (equals to 400mg magnesium a day) but I noticed my stools were so much loosen so i reduced the amount. Because of all of that now I´m being kinda carefull with magnesium, I suppose I dont need that much cause i guess i also get magnesium from my diet so it kinda compensates it. What do you think? should I increase the dosage?
Well, the problem here is that after eliminating quinoa I´ve been having really loud gurgling just at early mornings so as it wakes me up more than normal i´m really worried about my resting and healing. Also, my stools are more formed (some days looking like Normans) but I really suffer to get it out despite I drink almost 2 liters of water a day. The days that I´m constipated the gurgling and gases at early mornings are worse. I used to eat quinoa for breakfast wich has been replaced for lamb and rice. I´m really confused. I thought the gurgling was because of quinoa but now I dont know. My diet is pretty restricted right now : lamb, rice and potatoes so what else could be causing the loud gurgling at early mornings (4am)?

[tex]

Loud gurgling in the digestive system is called borborygmus. For microscopic colitis patients, it's a common symptom of active disease. In other words your MC is apparently not in remission. Most likely, something in your diet is continuing to cause inflammation. If you're eating quinoa that you're sure is gluten-free, it should be safer than rice, because a few of us do react to rice. If I were in your shoes, I would avoid rice for a few days to see if that makes a difference. Besides quinoa, other ancient grains that should be safe include millet, teff, amaranth, ragi, Job's tears, and buckwheat. You might be able to find one or more of them.

I hope this helps.

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

my thoughts, I get gurgling in early hours of morning (interrupting sleep) if

1. I ate dinner/evening meal too close to bed time. ie did not sit up for 2 hours after eating
2. something I have eaten late afternoon/ evening is causing inflammation
3. I am over tired / had stressful day before hand

[antonella1]

Thanks Tex and Gabes. I will try to switch to just potatoes and no rice for some days just to see what happens (crossed fingers)
Also, I will eat dinner earlier and manage my stress wich is hard for me. I repeat to myself that is just time and patience.

[Gabes-Apg]

podcasts / audiobooks are a good way to relax, settle the mind

I have some audiobooks that the voice and the content is relaxing so I have listened to them multiple times
I will play them during a break at work, or on the way home from work to calm the mind

during the day a 10 minute walk outdoors will help, do some deep breathing exercises

relaxing activity after dinner before bed, ie craft, colouring in,