Hello! I am so happy to have found this place and appreciate all those who have shared your stories and knowledge. I was diagnosed with MC 15 years ago, and have been gluten free a couple of years longer than that. Our family went GF in solidarity with my son when he was diagnosed with celiac disease as a child, and I quickly learned gluten was bad for me as well. I thought I was managing ok, avoiding lots of foods and keeping D to a few times a day. Then recently I was injured in a freak accident resulting in a deep gash that went a little ways into my rectum. A painful injury for anyone but a nightmare for someone with MC to keep clean. I was given a high powered antibiotic that had me weeping and I am not a cryer. Hopefully it didn’t mess me up forever. This still not completely healed gash has been good in that it convinced me to do absolutely anything in my power to get to remission. So I looked around and found you.
Once many years ago my doc put me on budesonide which did bring about remission then after tapering off I developed a rash which took years to go away. So I gave up on the idea of remission. At one time I took so much Peptobismol that I felt like it was causing neurological issues, so I began to use it sparingly, when I had a really good reason. (For sure had a good reason with the gash.) I decided years ago and recently reinforced that Imodium does something strange with me- a couple of days after I have a dose or doses, I will suddenly without warning experience a flood of D that is unstoppable. Like it relaxes my muscles too much or something. I could use it every day to get around this issue, but then what if it causes the muscle problem to be permanent? If anyone has any thoughts on this, please let me know. Because it works, but I am afraid to use it. I am most interested in dietary solutions but not opposed to medication I am sure won’t hurt me. I have a bottle of mesalamine I was prescribed two years ago but too much of a whimp to take.
Not on my elimination diet yet but will be after I get Enterolab results. Really dreading this as I already am not a joy to dine with. How come there are so many folks here and I have never met anyone with MC? I have run across several people with celiac disease but not one with MC. Glad to know I am not alone. Learned here that the magnesium I have taken daily for prevention of migraines and foot/leg cramps was causing diarrhea- wow I feel like an idiot, but am so glad to know this. Also I had no idea MC could be connected to these other issues. Does anyone have a suggestion for how much magnesium oil one should use as a replacement? Am taking epsom salt baths for my injury.
Thanks for allowing me to join you!
Jane
Here and already learning
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Re: Here and already learning
Hello Jane,
Welcome to the group. Regarding the Imodium: the reason that happens is because Imodium doesn't treat inflammation, or eliminate any diarrhea — it only postpones the inevitable. In other words, it only temporarily halts diarrhea, so that when the medication wears off, the build up may be a substantial amount of diarrhea. And the period of time over which it delays diarrhea, depends upon the dose, of course. As a general rule, Imodium is considered to be one of the safest medications around, but an overdose can cause problems, including constipation. Resolving a constipation issue often ends with a significant episode of diarrhea.
That said, some of us have atypical symptoms as a result of taking Imodium. For example, even half a tablet causes me to be so dizzy, that I can't go about my normal activities, so I had to stop taking it.
Re: magnesium oil, it takes a significant amount of magnesium oil or lotion to replace an oral supplement, so it's necessary to rub it on to a fair amount of surface area (of skin), multiple times each day. We all tend to have different absorption rates, skin coverage, etc. so it's difficult to assign a number to the needed amount. Epson salt baths are more effective, since so much more skin surface area is exposed to the treatment, and foot soaks in Epsom salts seem to work well for many.
Magnesium Glycinate seems to be the most readily absorbed, least likely oral magnesium supplement to cause diarrhea, out of all the different types of magnesium supplements, and it's the form that most of us take. For a few of us, it can cause diarrhea, but sometimes reducing the dose will eliminate the problem, sometimes not.
You might find the information in the following newsletters published by the Microscopic Colitis Foundation to be helpful, if you haven't already seen these newsletters. For your convenience, here are direct links:
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 479987.pdf
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... e_orig.jpg
There are a couple of newsletters that discuss vitamins and minerals, and you might find some helpful information about magnesium, in them. Here are the links:
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 924761.pdf
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 940391.pdf
I hope this helps. Again, welcome to the group, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to the group. Regarding the Imodium: the reason that happens is because Imodium doesn't treat inflammation, or eliminate any diarrhea — it only postpones the inevitable. In other words, it only temporarily halts diarrhea, so that when the medication wears off, the build up may be a substantial amount of diarrhea. And the period of time over which it delays diarrhea, depends upon the dose, of course. As a general rule, Imodium is considered to be one of the safest medications around, but an overdose can cause problems, including constipation. Resolving a constipation issue often ends with a significant episode of diarrhea.
That said, some of us have atypical symptoms as a result of taking Imodium. For example, even half a tablet causes me to be so dizzy, that I can't go about my normal activities, so I had to stop taking it.
Re: magnesium oil, it takes a significant amount of magnesium oil or lotion to replace an oral supplement, so it's necessary to rub it on to a fair amount of surface area (of skin), multiple times each day. We all tend to have different absorption rates, skin coverage, etc. so it's difficult to assign a number to the needed amount. Epson salt baths are more effective, since so much more skin surface area is exposed to the treatment, and foot soaks in Epsom salts seem to work well for many.
Magnesium Glycinate seems to be the most readily absorbed, least likely oral magnesium supplement to cause diarrhea, out of all the different types of magnesium supplements, and it's the form that most of us take. For a few of us, it can cause diarrhea, but sometimes reducing the dose will eliminate the problem, sometimes not.
You might find the information in the following newsletters published by the Microscopic Colitis Foundation to be helpful, if you haven't already seen these newsletters. For your convenience, here are direct links:
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 479987.pdf
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... e_orig.jpg
There are a couple of newsletters that discuss vitamins and minerals, and you might find some helpful information about magnesium, in them. Here are the links:
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 924761.pdf
https://www.microscopiccolitisfoundatio ... 940391.pdf
I hope this helps. Again, welcome to the group, 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: Here and already learning
Thank you, Tex,
That makes sense about the Imodium. Appreciate your thoughts. I will give a low dose of the magnesium glycinate a try. I really don’t want to get back into a migraine jag- have had them for weeks at a time.
I purchased your book, and I will review the newsletters. Have already gotten lots of helpful information from them.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the day!
Jane
That makes sense about the Imodium. Appreciate your thoughts. I will give a low dose of the magnesium glycinate a try. I really don’t want to get back into a migraine jag- have had them for weeks at a time.
I purchased your book, and I will review the newsletters. Have already gotten lots of helpful information from them.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the day!
Jane