Hey everybody,
I have an appointment with one of the best GI doctors in the country tomorrow. He wasn't booking new appointments until mid-March, but after badgering his office enough, I was able to get in within a week of calling. I'll keep you all updated.
Feeling hopeful,
Beth
Have a GI appointment tomorrow
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kate_ce1995
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barbaranoela
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MaggieRedwings
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Hi everyone,
Okay, so here's the update. I like the doctor a lot - he took his time, asked a ton of questions, and wants to proceed slowly and cautiously. Right now he wants to confirm the diagnosis from five years ago (I had thought it was three years, but in fact it was actually five!), so he'll take a look at the slides from the biopsy, and then we'll proceed from there. For now, I've been taking caltrate 600, one three times a day, and I really think it's helping. Today I had an almost normal BM for the first time in months. Still a little bit crampy, but I think that's because I pushed the limit yesterday to see what I could handle (gf waffle with sunflower seed butter and some buckwheat flakes with a little soy milk). Anyway, this doctor seems very good - no immediate treatment because he wants to avoid prednisone as much as possible, and he thinks that I may be excreting bile, which could be a whole other cause of the D. At any rate, I'm at least in good hands for now. Will keep you updated.
Thanks,
Beth
Okay, so here's the update. I like the doctor a lot - he took his time, asked a ton of questions, and wants to proceed slowly and cautiously. Right now he wants to confirm the diagnosis from five years ago (I had thought it was three years, but in fact it was actually five!), so he'll take a look at the slides from the biopsy, and then we'll proceed from there. For now, I've been taking caltrate 600, one three times a day, and I really think it's helping. Today I had an almost normal BM for the first time in months. Still a little bit crampy, but I think that's because I pushed the limit yesterday to see what I could handle (gf waffle with sunflower seed butter and some buckwheat flakes with a little soy milk). Anyway, this doctor seems very good - no immediate treatment because he wants to avoid prednisone as much as possible, and he thinks that I may be excreting bile, which could be a whole other cause of the D. At any rate, I'm at least in good hands for now. Will keep you updated.
Thanks,
Beth
Beth,
Thanks for the update. That sounds very promising. So often, when one goes to a new GI, the first thing he/she wants to do is to schedule a colonoscopy. IOW, a lot of GI docs seem to distrust the work of other GI docs, with little to no regard about how much hardship this imposes upon the patient.
The fact that your doc chose to reexamine the biopsy slides, instead of immediately scheduling a colonoscopy, is a good sign that he has more interest in your well-being, than his bank account.
Tex
Thanks for the update. That sounds very promising. So often, when one goes to a new GI, the first thing he/she wants to do is to schedule a colonoscopy. IOW, a lot of GI docs seem to distrust the work of other GI docs, with little to no regard about how much hardship this imposes upon the patient.
The fact that your doc chose to reexamine the biopsy slides, instead of immediately scheduling a colonoscopy, is a good sign that he has more interest in your well-being, than his bank account.
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.
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artteacher
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Hi Beth,
Caltrate may work for some people because it absorbs excess bile. (This isn't my opinion, it's the opion of people who post on websites devoted to Caltrate and IBS). People who rely on it most are those with malfunctioning or missing gallbladders (due to surgery).
I've tried to imagine how bile might be a factor for me:
1. If a person has no gallbladder, the bile has no "holding tank", and bile enters the intestinal tract whenever food triggers it's release. This is called "dumping syndrome", and immediately after eating sugary or fatty foods you would have D. Dumping syndrome is different than what most of us experience.
2. An intestinal tract that is only irritated in the colon or lower bowel may have a different pattern of reaction. To me that seems logical, because I have D 26-30 hours after I eat something bad (dairy, etc)
Anyway, if Caltrate is helping you, it might be worthwhile to pursue that line of questioning with your doctor. And it sure sounds like he's a doctor worth working with . . .
Love, Marsha
Caltrate may work for some people because it absorbs excess bile. (This isn't my opinion, it's the opion of people who post on websites devoted to Caltrate and IBS). People who rely on it most are those with malfunctioning or missing gallbladders (due to surgery).
I've tried to imagine how bile might be a factor for me:
1. If a person has no gallbladder, the bile has no "holding tank", and bile enters the intestinal tract whenever food triggers it's release. This is called "dumping syndrome", and immediately after eating sugary or fatty foods you would have D. Dumping syndrome is different than what most of us experience.
2. An intestinal tract that is only irritated in the colon or lower bowel may have a different pattern of reaction. To me that seems logical, because I have D 26-30 hours after I eat something bad (dairy, etc)
Anyway, if Caltrate is helping you, it might be worthwhile to pursue that line of questioning with your doctor. And it sure sounds like he's a doctor worth working with . . .
Love, Marsha
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harvest_table
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Re: Have a GI appointment tomorrow
Beth,Beth wrote:Hey everybody,
I have an appointment with one of the best GI doctors in the country tomorrow. He wasn't booking new appointments until mid-March, but after badgering his office enough, I was able to get in within a week of calling. I'll keep you all updated.
Feeling hopeful,
Beth
Who is this GI? That might help members here.
Joanna
THE GLUTEN FILES
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/
http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/
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barbaranoela
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