Greetings to all you wonderful people..
I was curious and can't find an answer to this question but I'm confident someone here can help.
Could you please explain why/how the gut reacts with constipation instead of diarrhea as a response to an allergen? I understand the diarrhea response by the gut. But how/why constipation?
Thanks.
Constipation
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Re: Constipation
Good question. There are no medical references on this, of course. It's never been investigated, because diarrhea was originally claimed/described to be the primary symptom of MC (when MC was first described in the medical literature). Constipation is not particularly common (as the primary symptom of MC), but at least a few of us have this problem, and of course, gastroenterologists have no idea how to handle it, because budesonide just makes the problem worse (since budesonide is constipating).
With no research available, we have to guess at the cause. Normally, diarrhea originates in the small intestine, and is amplified as it passes through the colon. Diarrhea originates when certain electrolytes, such as sodium, are infused into the small intestine, rather than being absorbed by the small intestine. Normally, the absorption of electrolytes, like most nutrients, occurs in the small intestine, and it continues in the colon. Note that only electrolytes and water are absorbed in the colon, but the absorption rate is normally very efficient (when the digestive system functions normally).
When diarrhea begins, it begins as electrolytes (especially sodium) are infused into the small intestine. When it reaches the colon, additional electrolytes (such as potassium and magnesium) and water are infused into the colon, and this causes the secretory diarrhea that is mostly unique to MC. And apparently the electrolyte imbalance promotes increased intestinal motility, to add to the rapid transport (short turnaround time).
So I'm going to guess, that for those of us who have constipation as a primary symptom of MC, the electrolyte infusion into the intestines almost surely does not occur, and without the infusion of electrolytes and water, the inflammation associated with MC retards the motility (peristaltic pumping) of the intestines, to cause the constipation. But this is strictly a guess, so it could be only partly right, or even totally wrong. If you're ever able to find out the true cause, please let me know. My primary symptoms when MC was active, were alternating diarrhea and constipation.
Tex
With no research available, we have to guess at the cause. Normally, diarrhea originates in the small intestine, and is amplified as it passes through the colon. Diarrhea originates when certain electrolytes, such as sodium, are infused into the small intestine, rather than being absorbed by the small intestine. Normally, the absorption of electrolytes, like most nutrients, occurs in the small intestine, and it continues in the colon. Note that only electrolytes and water are absorbed in the colon, but the absorption rate is normally very efficient (when the digestive system functions normally).
When diarrhea begins, it begins as electrolytes (especially sodium) are infused into the small intestine. When it reaches the colon, additional electrolytes (such as potassium and magnesium) and water are infused into the colon, and this causes the secretory diarrhea that is mostly unique to MC. And apparently the electrolyte imbalance promotes increased intestinal motility, to add to the rapid transport (short turnaround time).
So I'm going to guess, that for those of us who have constipation as a primary symptom of MC, the electrolyte infusion into the intestines almost surely does not occur, and without the infusion of electrolytes and water, the inflammation associated with MC retards the motility (peristaltic pumping) of the intestines, to cause the constipation. But this is strictly a guess, so it could be only partly right, or even totally wrong. If you're ever able to find out the true cause, please let me know. My primary symptoms when MC was active, were alternating diarrhea and constipation.
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.