Cristi,
There's no doubt that the surgery and subsequent hormonal imbalance problems are making your LC recovery more difficult.
If I felt that I needed an antidepressant, I wouldn't be concerned about it interferring with a recovery of MC symptoms. In fact, some antidepressants actually help to relieve diarrhea for some patients.
As was already mentioned, most of us couldn't handle uncooked fruits and vegetables while we were having active symptoms. They tend to irritate the sensitive mucosa in the colon, when it is inflammed. Some of us had problems with bananas and asparagus. Nearly all of us could eat green beans, however. Citrus is usually a problem, and raw, green, leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, would make many of us sick every time we ate it. Brown rice shouldn't be a problem, unless you are getting a lot of fiber from other sources. Fiber tends to be a problem for many of us.
As far as I am aware, no one has ever had any problems with olive oil, or flax seed oil. They are very good for you.
Baked goods are ok. When I couldn't tolerate much sugar, GF choclate chip cookies were the only treat that I ever ate, until other members brought maple candy to my attention, and I found that I could tolerate maple sugar. Kinnickkinnic makes some very good GF frozen doughnuts, and other baked goods, that you can find at health food stores, if you crave something sweet.
If you crave bread, the best GF bread, is only available as a mix, from Manna from Anna, unless you happen to be close to one of the few bakeries that are now using her mixes. You can order direct, but it is rather expensive. It's the best available, though, and is available in a gluten-free, corn-free version, also.
Do you know if you can tolerate corn? Tortilla chips, and cornbread, etc., will help to put some weight on. Also, are you sure that you are intolerant of eggs? Only a very few of us have problems with eggs.
Wayne
New to forum -- questions about everything
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-
harvest_table
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1509
- Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 6:29 pm
- Location: Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Welcome Cristi,
I was DX with Colagenous Colitis 2 years ago and had been so sick ( well over a year) at the time with chronic explosive watery D, extreme muscle and joint pain, fatigue and depression. We all can relate.
Finding this group of supportive folks with MC is another good step in your recovery- like having Dr. Fines tests done. Take care and keep taking.
Love, from Alaska
Joanna
I was DX with Colagenous Colitis 2 years ago and had been so sick ( well over a year) at the time with chronic explosive watery D, extreme muscle and joint pain, fatigue and depression. We all can relate.
Finding this group of supportive folks with MC is another good step in your recovery- like having Dr. Fines tests done. Take care and keep taking.
Love, from Alaska
Joanna
THE GLUTEN FILES
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/
Hi Cristi,
Welcome aboard! There is good reason to believe that you can get better, and it may be possible sooner than you think.
The way that I discovered I was reacting to gluten was to just start into the gf diet with the intention and determination to leave out every single molecule of gluten until I knew the answer.
At that point in time, I had no idea how many products contained gluten -- things you'd never dream would have it, including plain chicken as one would buy at the grocery. Gradually, as members of this group on our old site helped me gain knowledge about certain products I peeled away the more minute amounts lerking in unexpected places.
While this learning process was going on with the gf part of the diet, I was fortunate in that all the body pain I'd been having, etc., pretty well ceased just with the MAIN sources of gluten. Also, the diarrhea slowed down significantly, but it was still there until all the allergens were discovered and removed after the testing was done.
Other sources of help with gluten sources are the celiac.com site, and a local celiac support site in your geographic area.
However, I don't recommend overstocking on
gf baked goods as when you get your results back, you may have to throw all those away.
Fatigue took the longest to leave, but it gradually gets better if one is very strict with the diet.
About your concern about the higher glycemic index starches such as white rice and potatoes, you need to be sure to have some protein (chicken, fish, etc.) when you eat these products or other allowable carbs.
Also, it's possible to get carbs from other vegetables and fruits. You might want to google soluble and insoluble fiber on the net, and, until your tolerance is better for fiber, use the insoluble ones for a while.
It shouldn't hurt to cook them a little more while you are working on feeling better for the time being.
One of the reasons you may find yourself so hungry all the time is that you are relying so heavily on these "white" starches, especially if you are having them without protein at the same time. What happens is that a few hours after eating a high carb source, your body over reacts with insulin drooping your sugar level even lower than it was before you ate the carbs, so it's a vicious cycle.
The way that one can go about getting off this treadmill is to divide your protein into maybe 6 feedings throughout the day, and try to not eat a whole lot of the higher glycemic index carbs.
Another reason you might be feeling particularly hungry would be if our are still eating any of your allergens. Are there any particular foods that you crave, other than the starchy white carbs mentioned above?
One good indication that something's getting better is the fact that your stools are already up to a soft consistency. Also, that there are so many fewer of them.
I need to go on to bed before I start getting you as mixed up as I am at this late hour.
Just keep on asking questions here including about your diet. There is a bread without all those things, but many of us find ourselves moving away from the gf breads, particularly if we have more allergens. For me, the specialty foods were just a bridge to get me over a certain hurdle. Now, I emphasize meats and vegetables, primarily, but the meats must be uninjected, and plain at the grocery (I use Whole Foods, but Buddy's chicken, Saunderson Farms chicken, and some Kosher chickens are free of gluten.
Coleman's is a brand of beef that is ok as well.) Plain fish, or shrimp is sometimes all I feel safe to order at a restaurant unless I know they use uninjected meats, for example.
It's probably best to fix most of your meals at home, at least until you feel like interrogating cooks and managers! Ha!
This is one great advantage of local celiac groups -- they can tell you which restaurants and even menu items can be made gf at various restaurants
Best wishes,
Luce
Welcome aboard! There is good reason to believe that you can get better, and it may be possible sooner than you think.
The way that I discovered I was reacting to gluten was to just start into the gf diet with the intention and determination to leave out every single molecule of gluten until I knew the answer.
At that point in time, I had no idea how many products contained gluten -- things you'd never dream would have it, including plain chicken as one would buy at the grocery. Gradually, as members of this group on our old site helped me gain knowledge about certain products I peeled away the more minute amounts lerking in unexpected places.
While this learning process was going on with the gf part of the diet, I was fortunate in that all the body pain I'd been having, etc., pretty well ceased just with the MAIN sources of gluten. Also, the diarrhea slowed down significantly, but it was still there until all the allergens were discovered and removed after the testing was done.
Other sources of help with gluten sources are the celiac.com site, and a local celiac support site in your geographic area.
However, I don't recommend overstocking on
gf baked goods as when you get your results back, you may have to throw all those away.
Fatigue took the longest to leave, but it gradually gets better if one is very strict with the diet.
About your concern about the higher glycemic index starches such as white rice and potatoes, you need to be sure to have some protein (chicken, fish, etc.) when you eat these products or other allowable carbs.
Also, it's possible to get carbs from other vegetables and fruits. You might want to google soluble and insoluble fiber on the net, and, until your tolerance is better for fiber, use the insoluble ones for a while.
It shouldn't hurt to cook them a little more while you are working on feeling better for the time being.
One of the reasons you may find yourself so hungry all the time is that you are relying so heavily on these "white" starches, especially if you are having them without protein at the same time. What happens is that a few hours after eating a high carb source, your body over reacts with insulin drooping your sugar level even lower than it was before you ate the carbs, so it's a vicious cycle.
The way that one can go about getting off this treadmill is to divide your protein into maybe 6 feedings throughout the day, and try to not eat a whole lot of the higher glycemic index carbs.
Another reason you might be feeling particularly hungry would be if our are still eating any of your allergens. Are there any particular foods that you crave, other than the starchy white carbs mentioned above?
One good indication that something's getting better is the fact that your stools are already up to a soft consistency. Also, that there are so many fewer of them.
I need to go on to bed before I start getting you as mixed up as I am at this late hour.
Just keep on asking questions here including about your diet. There is a bread without all those things, but many of us find ourselves moving away from the gf breads, particularly if we have more allergens. For me, the specialty foods were just a bridge to get me over a certain hurdle. Now, I emphasize meats and vegetables, primarily, but the meats must be uninjected, and plain at the grocery (I use Whole Foods, but Buddy's chicken, Saunderson Farms chicken, and some Kosher chickens are free of gluten.
Coleman's is a brand of beef that is ok as well.) Plain fish, or shrimp is sometimes all I feel safe to order at a restaurant unless I know they use uninjected meats, for example.
It's probably best to fix most of your meals at home, at least until you feel like interrogating cooks and managers! Ha!
This is one great advantage of local celiac groups -- they can tell you which restaurants and even menu items can be made gf at various restaurants
Best wishes,
Luce
Hi Cristi,
I also want to welcome you to our group with open arms...
I was dx with mild LC in January 2006. Probably because we caught it early, before it spread throughout the colon according to my GI, I have never had a problem with serious D. or nausea. So I can't advice you there!
However, I feel great empathy with you as I have shrunk to 98 lbs. (am 5'1" or so). Even without the D., I have many food intolerances. I'm able to eat most low starch vegetables and any kind of meat, chicken or fish, but I find that I don't do as well with red meat. I know that I am definitely gluten and casein intolerant and I avoid soy, legumes, grains, starchy vegetables, sugar of any type and nuts as well. I was reacting to fruit too but I am testing it out again. My reactions don't involve D. Instead I wake up in the middle of the night, have periperhal neuropathy, arthralgias, and a bunch of other symptoms. Sometimes gastro symptoms, depending upon the food. But I do pretty well if I stay on the diet. I myself have to stay away from rice or potatoes as they cause arthralgias in my case.
I have noticed that certain types of foods cause depression and increase anxiety for me (wheat, corn, sugar for example).
I also went through a period when I had many hypoglycemic symtpoms, like intense hunger, anxiety, irrittability, etc. It's good to eat frequent meals as you are doing. I found that it improved when I made sure I was eating ENOUGH food. It's interesting that nutritionists in the 50's recommended going very easy on or removing starchy foods for hypoglycemia and diabetes. They no longer do so now, but I'm not sure that is a positive evolution. Meaning that I think it's possible that starchy foods can contribute to hypoglycemia, depending upon the individual. We are all biochemically different. If that's all you can eat though, you best stay with it!!!!! The best thing is to listen to the wisdom of your own body.
One of the things I found is that I started getting slightly afraid of food and was eating less and less. Once I realized that, I started to expand more at least in the realm of vegetables and that really helped me a lot.
A few months ago I had a phone consultation with a cutting edge nutrionist who wrote the book Going Against the Grain. Her name is Melissa Diane Smith. So if you feel you could benefit from ongoing support and advice from a nutrition expert, you could check it out at www.melissadianesmith.com It's costly, but worthwhile for some.
You will also get great advice here too! This is a wonderful group of people!
For me, MC is not the cause of all my symptoms so I've needed to do more investigation to find what might be triggering my other problems - like heavy metals for example. I too work with a naturopath and it's been extremely helpful.
Good luck and keep asking all the questions you need to ask!
Warmly, Celia
I also want to welcome you to our group with open arms...
I was dx with mild LC in January 2006. Probably because we caught it early, before it spread throughout the colon according to my GI, I have never had a problem with serious D. or nausea. So I can't advice you there!
However, I feel great empathy with you as I have shrunk to 98 lbs. (am 5'1" or so). Even without the D., I have many food intolerances. I'm able to eat most low starch vegetables and any kind of meat, chicken or fish, but I find that I don't do as well with red meat. I know that I am definitely gluten and casein intolerant and I avoid soy, legumes, grains, starchy vegetables, sugar of any type and nuts as well. I was reacting to fruit too but I am testing it out again. My reactions don't involve D. Instead I wake up in the middle of the night, have periperhal neuropathy, arthralgias, and a bunch of other symptoms. Sometimes gastro symptoms, depending upon the food. But I do pretty well if I stay on the diet. I myself have to stay away from rice or potatoes as they cause arthralgias in my case.
I have noticed that certain types of foods cause depression and increase anxiety for me (wheat, corn, sugar for example).
I also went through a period when I had many hypoglycemic symtpoms, like intense hunger, anxiety, irrittability, etc. It's good to eat frequent meals as you are doing. I found that it improved when I made sure I was eating ENOUGH food. It's interesting that nutritionists in the 50's recommended going very easy on or removing starchy foods for hypoglycemia and diabetes. They no longer do so now, but I'm not sure that is a positive evolution. Meaning that I think it's possible that starchy foods can contribute to hypoglycemia, depending upon the individual. We are all biochemically different. If that's all you can eat though, you best stay with it!!!!! The best thing is to listen to the wisdom of your own body.
One of the things I found is that I started getting slightly afraid of food and was eating less and less. Once I realized that, I started to expand more at least in the realm of vegetables and that really helped me a lot.
A few months ago I had a phone consultation with a cutting edge nutrionist who wrote the book Going Against the Grain. Her name is Melissa Diane Smith. So if you feel you could benefit from ongoing support and advice from a nutrition expert, you could check it out at www.melissadianesmith.com It's costly, but worthwhile for some.
You will also get great advice here too! This is a wonderful group of people!
For me, MC is not the cause of all my symptoms so I've needed to do more investigation to find what might be triggering my other problems - like heavy metals for example. I too work with a naturopath and it's been extremely helpful.
Good luck and keep asking all the questions you need to ask!
Warmly, Celia
I beleive in magic!
Hi Cristi and 
!
I'm not gonna do a long post at this time because my computer is very slow this morning and I've already lost a long post. I did respond to your question in the Info on Diet Forum.
So happy you have joined the family. Many of us here attribute our current level of health and sanity to this website family.
Love,
Polly
P.S. Some have had good luck with the newer SSRIs like Celexa or Lexapro. They act more quickly and have fewer side effects. It is always wise to seek medication for depression......despite what Tom Cruise might say! LOL! Just be sure to call the manufacturer of ANY med/supplement/herb you might be taking to make sure there is no gluten, dairy, etc.
!I'm not gonna do a long post at this time because my computer is very slow this morning and I've already lost a long post. I did respond to your question in the Info on Diet Forum.
So happy you have joined the family. Many of us here attribute our current level of health and sanity to this website family.
Love,
Polly
P.S. Some have had good luck with the newer SSRIs like Celexa or Lexapro. They act more quickly and have fewer side effects. It is always wise to seek medication for depression......despite what Tom Cruise might say! LOL! Just be sure to call the manufacturer of ANY med/supplement/herb you might be taking to make sure there is no gluten, dairy, etc.
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
thanks everyone,
I really appreciate all the wisdom here. I think I will stick to my really restrictive diet......being more careful to include more protein, until I get my results from Dr. Fine. i already know that I,m intolerant to dairy and eggs, so I'm really hoping I can eventually eat soy. But I will give up any food to feel healthy again. I'm very confident that I'll test possitive for gluten intolerence because I've always had problems with gas and bloating and stomach pain. I've been anemic since i was a teenager...so this all seems like strong indicaters of gluten intolerence to me.
I think I probably should try an antidepressant. My first doctor gave me some effector(sp?) which is an SSRI. I had a horrible reaction to it.....violent , ugly, nasty 48 hours. My gastro said that the seritonin in it doesnt work well with people with sensitive guts. But he is the one who also said diet doesn't matter. So, I'm nervous to try anything. Guess I'lljust have to be brave and try.
thanks for all the warm welcomes,
Cristi
I really appreciate all the wisdom here. I think I will stick to my really restrictive diet......being more careful to include more protein, until I get my results from Dr. Fine. i already know that I,m intolerant to dairy and eggs, so I'm really hoping I can eventually eat soy. But I will give up any food to feel healthy again. I'm very confident that I'll test possitive for gluten intolerence because I've always had problems with gas and bloating and stomach pain. I've been anemic since i was a teenager...so this all seems like strong indicaters of gluten intolerence to me.
I think I probably should try an antidepressant. My first doctor gave me some effector(sp?) which is an SSRI. I had a horrible reaction to it.....violent , ugly, nasty 48 hours. My gastro said that the seritonin in it doesnt work well with people with sensitive guts. But he is the one who also said diet doesn't matter. So, I'm nervous to try anything. Guess I'lljust have to be brave and try.
thanks for all the warm welcomes,
Cristi
-
artteacher
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 731
- Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:13 pm
.
Hi Cristi,
I also had LC, mostly had pasty BM's multiple times in the am, but at times had liquid Bm's at night or daytime.
I'm agree with, and am going to sound just like Lucy . . .
Through experience, I do best with simple foods: beef, pork, fish, chicken, turkey, all vegetables without added sugar, chemicals or sauces, lower sugar fruits fresh or canned without sugar - grapefruit, berries, pears, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, tapioca.
I don't eat: dairy, any grains, beans, avoid corn, corn products and derivatives, maltodextrin/sorbitol/mannitol, eggs by themselves, and highly sulfited foods.
Dairy makes me very moody as well as giving me explosive D 30 hours after I eat it. So eliminating it helped my mental state so much I can't explain it. One tablet of Caltrate 600 plus before breakfast and dinner controls D, even if my diet isn't 100% perfect. But I can go without even the Caltrate if I stay on a low carb, adequate protein diet (within the guidelines mentioned above). I also take thyroid medicine, & a small dose of Wellbutrin and Zoloft - it helps my mood slightly, but it's mostly for energy & joint pain.
You might try eating low carb vegetables (cooked green beans, asparagus, celery), simple meats (hamburger/steak, no-additive chicken, Jimmy Dean sausage/original/it's non-gluten), small servings of potatoes, water/tea/coffee for 2 days, and see how it affects you . . .
It's a simple experiment, and it might be educational. Everyone is so different, but it does seem like there are a few people here (I can think of 4 or 5) who have been helped that way.
I'm glad you found this site - everyone here has helped me so much,
Love, Marsha
I also had LC, mostly had pasty BM's multiple times in the am, but at times had liquid Bm's at night or daytime.
I'm agree with, and am going to sound just like Lucy . . .
Through experience, I do best with simple foods: beef, pork, fish, chicken, turkey, all vegetables without added sugar, chemicals or sauces, lower sugar fruits fresh or canned without sugar - grapefruit, berries, pears, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, tapioca.
I don't eat: dairy, any grains, beans, avoid corn, corn products and derivatives, maltodextrin/sorbitol/mannitol, eggs by themselves, and highly sulfited foods.
Dairy makes me very moody as well as giving me explosive D 30 hours after I eat it. So eliminating it helped my mental state so much I can't explain it. One tablet of Caltrate 600 plus before breakfast and dinner controls D, even if my diet isn't 100% perfect. But I can go without even the Caltrate if I stay on a low carb, adequate protein diet (within the guidelines mentioned above). I also take thyroid medicine, & a small dose of Wellbutrin and Zoloft - it helps my mood slightly, but it's mostly for energy & joint pain.
You might try eating low carb vegetables (cooked green beans, asparagus, celery), simple meats (hamburger/steak, no-additive chicken, Jimmy Dean sausage/original/it's non-gluten), small servings of potatoes, water/tea/coffee for 2 days, and see how it affects you . . .
It's a simple experiment, and it might be educational. Everyone is so different, but it does seem like there are a few people here (I can think of 4 or 5) who have been helped that way.
I'm glad you found this site - everyone here has helped me so much,
Love, Marsha
-
MaggieRedwings
- King Penguin
- Posts: 3865
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 3:16 am
- Location: SE Pennsylvania
Hi Cristi and Welcome to the family!!
I have CC and was diagnosed 6 months after my hysterectomy - what a trend that seems to be here. The diagnosis was in April 200 - wow 6 years of this disease diagnosed. How time flies.
I tried the pepto regime with zero results and was on Asacol, Lomotil and also Rubinol Forte. Nothing worked and I gave them all up. I started the GF diet 2 days after diagnosis and for me it has worked quite well. By that I mean I am down from a high of 40+ times per day in the loo to about 8-10 now. I just cannot seem to get to a better point. For a while it seemed so but that has waned. I am also multi-intolerant as many of us here are.
Please take time to read around the forum and ask whatever questions need to be asked. Mornings are the worse for me too.
Visit often and hopefully you will find everyone here to be helpful. This is a really great family.
Maggie
I have CC and was diagnosed 6 months after my hysterectomy - what a trend that seems to be here. The diagnosis was in April 200 - wow 6 years of this disease diagnosed. How time flies.
I tried the pepto regime with zero results and was on Asacol, Lomotil and also Rubinol Forte. Nothing worked and I gave them all up. I started the GF diet 2 days after diagnosis and for me it has worked quite well. By that I mean I am down from a high of 40+ times per day in the loo to about 8-10 now. I just cannot seem to get to a better point. For a while it seemed so but that has waned. I am also multi-intolerant as many of us here are.
Please take time to read around the forum and ask whatever questions need to be asked. Mornings are the worse for me too.
Visit often and hopefully you will find everyone here to be helpful. This is a really great family.
Maggie
Maggie Scarpone
___________________
Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
___________________
Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!