Hi all,
I just have to pass along this info in case it might help someone. I have not purchased his products but he has a lot of seemingly good info. His diet is basically Paleo with rice and potatoes. He even addresses my fructose intolerance which no MD I've encountered seems to know what to do. The first is his website and the second is his program. He has a book too.
EDIT: Links removed at the request of someone who claims to be a representative of Dr. Dahlman's website. Admin.
It's nice to know that I am not alone in this quest.
Pat
Dr. Dahlman
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Pat,
I started reading his treatment program, and I found myself agreeing with everything he said, through about the first 12 or 13 pages. He makes a lot of sense. When I got down to page 19, however, and saw where he recommended cutting out sweet potatoes and squash, and a few other foods, (in order to eliminate fructose from the diet), and then in the next paragraph he endorses eating lettuce and spinach, I stopped reading. From our cumulative experience here, probably only one or two percent of us can tolerate lettuce before we heal, and spinach causes problem for a lot of us. If that's the only caveat in his entire program, though, that's not bad at all.
It bothers me that he is selling non-prescription supplements as part of his program. Doctors are prohibited by law from selling prescription drugs, for a reason. Of course, what he is doing is not illegal, it just "pushes the envelope" a little, and it's common practice on the internet, of course. To his credit, he seems to be pricing most of the supplements at only 10 to 15 % higher than what they are generally available for from other suppliers on the net.
All in all, I don't see any reason why his program would be harmful, and IMO, there's a very good chance that it will help a much higher percentage of patients than the treatment programs used my most GI docs. Of course, that's because the treatment programs used by most GI docs for this purpose, generally suck.
He's right when he says that a lot of patients try all or most of those things on their own, but don't see any success, because they don't try all of them concurrently. I certainly wouldn't bet against it working.
Anyway, best of luck with the program, assuming that you are planning to try it, and please keep us informed on how it goes.
Tex
I started reading his treatment program, and I found myself agreeing with everything he said, through about the first 12 or 13 pages. He makes a lot of sense. When I got down to page 19, however, and saw where he recommended cutting out sweet potatoes and squash, and a few other foods, (in order to eliminate fructose from the diet), and then in the next paragraph he endorses eating lettuce and spinach, I stopped reading. From our cumulative experience here, probably only one or two percent of us can tolerate lettuce before we heal, and spinach causes problem for a lot of us. If that's the only caveat in his entire program, though, that's not bad at all.
It bothers me that he is selling non-prescription supplements as part of his program. Doctors are prohibited by law from selling prescription drugs, for a reason. Of course, what he is doing is not illegal, it just "pushes the envelope" a little, and it's common practice on the internet, of course. To his credit, he seems to be pricing most of the supplements at only 10 to 15 % higher than what they are generally available for from other suppliers on the net.
All in all, I don't see any reason why his program would be harmful, and IMO, there's a very good chance that it will help a much higher percentage of patients than the treatment programs used my most GI docs. Of course, that's because the treatment programs used by most GI docs for this purpose, generally suck.
He's right when he says that a lot of patients try all or most of those things on their own, but don't see any success, because they don't try all of them concurrently. I certainly wouldn't bet against it working.
Anyway, best of luck with the program, assuming that you are planning to try it, and please keep us informed on how it goes.
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.
Tex,
I will have to agree with you on the lettuce and spinach, but the sweet potatoes and squash I must beg to differ. I think he was referring to the subset of people with fructose intolerance only. Unfortunately I happen to be in that subset. I have to be very careful with fructose. Sweet potatoes and some squash are high in fructose.
I doubt I will order his supplements. I just thought his site was interesting.
Pat
I will have to agree with you on the lettuce and spinach, but the sweet potatoes and squash I must beg to differ. I think he was referring to the subset of people with fructose intolerance only. Unfortunately I happen to be in that subset. I have to be very careful with fructose. Sweet potatoes and some squash are high in fructose.
I doubt I will order his supplements. I just thought his site was interesting.
Pat
I read the entire 32 pages and found it interesting, too. I think he is trying to sell himself and his products, but he does seem more informed than most GIs. Of course, we all know that's not saying much. 
I'm curious about his claim to re-establish our bacterial balance. I think Polly mentioned that it's possible to maintain a balance using a probiotic every day, but it's very difficult to re-establish resident bacteria. I don't think that's been proven one way or the other. I'd have to assume that he recommends taking his probiotic every day.
I thought his recommendation about when to drink liquids was interesting.
The fruit cautions were right up your alley. It probably would be a good idea to eliminate all fruits for two weeks to see if that made a difference. It would certainly be cheaper than a fructose test, which apparently isn't reliable when you have MC. I've read other articles which implicate high fructose corn syrup as a major contributor to obesity in this country. I've personally found that when I have had to drink soda pop sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, I'm even thirstier than I was prior to drinking the soda. I avoid it as much as possible.
Thanks for posting the link. It was interesting reading and I learned some things about fructose that I didn't know before.
Gloria
I'm curious about his claim to re-establish our bacterial balance. I think Polly mentioned that it's possible to maintain a balance using a probiotic every day, but it's very difficult to re-establish resident bacteria. I don't think that's been proven one way or the other. I'd have to assume that he recommends taking his probiotic every day.
That hasn't been my experience. I agree with his recommendation to avoid eating all legumes, at least in my situation. I wonder why he exempts the soybean oil and lethicin?Soybean oil and soy lethicin will be found when reading ingredient lists and they are fine to eat.
I thought his recommendation about when to drink liquids was interesting.
The fruit cautions were right up your alley. It probably would be a good idea to eliminate all fruits for two weeks to see if that made a difference. It would certainly be cheaper than a fructose test, which apparently isn't reliable when you have MC. I've read other articles which implicate high fructose corn syrup as a major contributor to obesity in this country. I've personally found that when I have had to drink soda pop sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, I'm even thirstier than I was prior to drinking the soda. I avoid it as much as possible.
Thanks for posting the link. It was interesting reading and I learned some things about fructose that I didn't know before.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Gloria,
I have had the fructose intolerance breath test. Afterwards I eliminated all sugar and fruit for over 2 months and within a week all my gas, gurgling, bloating, and 80% of my muscle aches were gone. But it didn't affect the D. I was told I have dietary fructose intolerance not hereditary fructose intolerance. With HFI you are missing an enzyme to digest fructose and it can affect your liver if you continue to eat it. Most people with DFI who quit eating fructose get better in two months and then are able to add back in some and do fine. I also have MC so well you know all about that. My doctor seems to think the FI and the MC are two different problems not related. It makes it hard to follow the paleo diet and get enough calories if you eliminate fruit. I struggle to get enough calories.
Dr. Dahlman also said that you could eat butter because it was the fat from milk and not the protein or sugar. I guess that is why he thought you could eat soy lecithin or soybean oil. He may not be so correct about all that. He comes closer than most doctors.
I think the liquids thing has to do with reflux. I used to have that when I ate dairy. Leave out the dairy and no more reflux for me.
I think you are right about him trying to sell himself and his products. But at least he has a plan and must have had some success helping people with IBS, Crohns, etc.
About the probiotics. I think somewhere in there he tells about how to take his supplements and you only take the probiotics for a few months. I would have to go back and reread.
Gloria, I wanted to ask you about the bread you make. Could you send your recipe? Also the recipe for rice yogurt and rice milk. I am so happy for you that you have been able to achieve remission. I know you have had some setbacks, but you've done it. You are a real inspiration and I appreciate your willingness to share your experiences. It helps a lot! It gives me hope!
Pat
I have had the fructose intolerance breath test. Afterwards I eliminated all sugar and fruit for over 2 months and within a week all my gas, gurgling, bloating, and 80% of my muscle aches were gone. But it didn't affect the D. I was told I have dietary fructose intolerance not hereditary fructose intolerance. With HFI you are missing an enzyme to digest fructose and it can affect your liver if you continue to eat it. Most people with DFI who quit eating fructose get better in two months and then are able to add back in some and do fine. I also have MC so well you know all about that. My doctor seems to think the FI and the MC are two different problems not related. It makes it hard to follow the paleo diet and get enough calories if you eliminate fruit. I struggle to get enough calories.
Dr. Dahlman also said that you could eat butter because it was the fat from milk and not the protein or sugar. I guess that is why he thought you could eat soy lecithin or soybean oil. He may not be so correct about all that. He comes closer than most doctors.
I think the liquids thing has to do with reflux. I used to have that when I ate dairy. Leave out the dairy and no more reflux for me.
I think you are right about him trying to sell himself and his products. But at least he has a plan and must have had some success helping people with IBS, Crohns, etc.
About the probiotics. I think somewhere in there he tells about how to take his supplements and you only take the probiotics for a few months. I would have to go back and reread.
Gloria, I wanted to ask you about the bread you make. Could you send your recipe? Also the recipe for rice yogurt and rice milk. I am so happy for you that you have been able to achieve remission. I know you have had some setbacks, but you've done it. You are a real inspiration and I appreciate your willingness to share your experiences. It helps a lot! It gives me hope!
Pat
Hi Pat,
My rice milk recipe is posted in Dee's kitchen. I've never successfully made rice yogurt and I've never found a recipe on the Internet. I don't think it's possible to make it at home. I buy Ricera yogurt at Whole Foods, but it's pretty expensive: $1.59 for 6 oz. and it doesn't taste very good. I'll post some bread recipes in Dee's kitchen. I make the bread without eggs. I think I'll also post GF flour mixtures that I use.
I don't think that I've been able to achieve remission anymore. I probably celebrated too soon. I just had a small accident this morning. I am at a crossroads right now because I'm looking at eliminating even more foods. I've eliminated so many already that I'm drawing the line now. I'm willing to give up corn products, for example, but I'm not willing to give up fruit, chocolate, tomatoes, etc. I was having normal BMs while taking 3 mg. of Entocort per day and I'd rather go back on it than restrict my diet anymore. I know that sounds like I'm giving up, but like you, I've been racking my brain for over a year and a half trying to figure out my intolerances. It seems like just when I think I have it figured out, another one arises. When will it end?
Gloria
My rice milk recipe is posted in Dee's kitchen. I've never successfully made rice yogurt and I've never found a recipe on the Internet. I don't think it's possible to make it at home. I buy Ricera yogurt at Whole Foods, but it's pretty expensive: $1.59 for 6 oz. and it doesn't taste very good. I'll post some bread recipes in Dee's kitchen. I make the bread without eggs. I think I'll also post GF flour mixtures that I use.
I don't think that I've been able to achieve remission anymore. I probably celebrated too soon. I just had a small accident this morning. I am at a crossroads right now because I'm looking at eliminating even more foods. I've eliminated so many already that I'm drawing the line now. I'm willing to give up corn products, for example, but I'm not willing to give up fruit, chocolate, tomatoes, etc. I was having normal BMs while taking 3 mg. of Entocort per day and I'd rather go back on it than restrict my diet anymore. I know that sounds like I'm giving up, but like you, I've been racking my brain for over a year and a half trying to figure out my intolerances. It seems like just when I think I have it figured out, another one arises. When will it end?
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Gloria,
If you feel as though you are in a chronic mode of reacting, again, it may take a little while for the diet to regain control again, or, you might have to "kick-start" remission with Entocort, again. I understand, though, because I can remember feeling the way you are now feeling, myself.
Tex
If you feel as though you are in a chronic mode of reacting, again, it may take a little while for the diet to regain control again, or, you might have to "kick-start" remission with Entocort, again. I understand, though, because I can remember feeling the way you are now feeling, myself.
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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RUBYREDDOG
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Gloria, I am experiencing the same reactions as you are right now. I thought I was near remission but a few poor food choices on my part have set me back weeks. I have been going through this for only 5 months, not the year and a half you have been trying to figure out your intolerances. Next time I will be a little more careful before experimenting.
It does not sound like you are giving up to me!!!! It just sounds like you are going to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and attack this nasty disease again. If that includes the use of Entocort for a short time then that's what it's going to take. We are all pulling for you....Keep going.
Hotrod
It does not sound like you are giving up to me!!!! It just sounds like you are going to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and attack this nasty disease again. If that includes the use of Entocort for a short time then that's what it's going to take. We are all pulling for you....Keep going.
Hotrod
So I'm about a year behind you in discovering Dr. Dahlman
I learned about Dr. Dahlman yesterday through amazon.com when I typed "microscopic colitis" into the book search engine. Glad to see it's been discussed here. Since I've been trying to manage my CC solely through diet and OTC supplements, his approach gave me some new ideas to try. I found this link http://www.drdahlman.com/pdf/DrDahlmans ... rogram.pdfwhich might be the same info Pat found. I ordered his book (Why Doesn't My Doctor Know This?: Conquering Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn's Disease and Colitis) and will see if it offers any other insights beyond the PDF.