Newly Diagnosed

Discussions on the details of treatment programs using either diet, medications, or a combination of the two, can take place here.

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tex
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Post by tex »

Kathleen,

About the caffeine: Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not trying to convince you to drink coffee, if you would rather not, but I get the impression that you are excluding it from your diet against your will. If that's so, then there really is no good reason to stop drinking coffee, (unless, of course, you are convinced that it is causing you to have significantly worse D issues than you would have without it). The fact of the matter is that coffee causes a high percentage of the general population to have an urgent BM, (Bowel Movement), soon after drinking it, which has nothing to do with MC, of course.

Doctors recommend that MC patients should stop drinking coffee, based on the fact that it is a secretagogue, (it stimulates the adrenals to increase their secretions). Since MC often involves what is known in medical circles as secretory D, (in which the colon actually secretes water into the lumen, rather than removing it, as is supposed to do), they probably subconsciously associate this with secretagogues, but it is an entirely different phenomenon. Presumably, they also base their position on the fact that increased hormonal production is somehow detrimental to the body's normal functioning. That could be, but the point is, it's no worse for MCers to drink coffee, than the general population. Most of us simply ignore that misguided medical advice, (along with various other forms of misguided medical advice), and decide for ourselves whether or not we want continue drinking coffee. Drinking coffee might cause you to have an extra BM soon after drinking it, but it will not interfere with your recovery from MC, regardless of what your doctor might tell you.

As far as the electrolytes are concerned, yes, you can certainly run low on electrolytes, if you have serious D, and that seems to be the leading cause of MCers ending up in the ER. Some of us drink Gatorade, (if we're not tolerate of it), or Pedialyte. One of the most common problems seems to be running short of potassium, and eating a banana or two most days will resolve that, along with normal amounts of salt on your food, to take care of sodium losses. Getting enough potassium was often a problem for me, when I was reacting, because bananas didn't set very will with my digestive system. A couple of times, I had to take potassium supplements, because my level was critically low.

Tex
:cowboy:

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.
smile4menow222
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Courtney, thank you!

Post by smile4menow222 »

Thanks for the welcome!!!!
Kathleen in Colorado
smile4menow222
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Rosie,

Post by smile4menow222 »

Sorry, I don't know how to post specifically to someone...

I have never been to TN, but would love to. My dad lives in the mtns. of NC in the summer. So beautiful. The people are so calm and very friendly. I am sooooo ready for that life. I have a freshman in highschool and so does my honey. So, my "stepson"... that's so weird. I was married 18 years and this whole new way to talking about stepson's and such just will never be easy for me. I am so happy now. I think that my body is releasing all the stress I have had for years.

You have inspired me to get back in to working out. I just was afraid to over the past few weeks. I should be on my bike as we speak... it's gorgeous out! But, instead, I am cleaning utensil drawers and listening to some Natalie Merchant. We are actually hoping for snow this week. We have been so dry here. The driest since 2002. I can't breath.

What side effects did you notice on the Endocort. I know it has dried my me out!!! I guess that's good, my diarrhea is under control for today. And, I have had some coffee! Although, things taste horrible.

I am also taking Robinul for the tummy pains. I had a few sharp ones today, but nothing more. I hate taking all these drugs, but I feel so much better. I hate the fact that I had to wait 6 weeks before someone put me on Endocort. Although, I didn't get to the GI doc until last week. I realized that I have to be pushier than I already am about my health.

Wow! I have blabbed. Off to clean more drawers... not mine personally, but the kitchen drawers. Too many poo puns in life!!! tee, hee... As I always say, if I wasn't laughing, I'd be crying!

hugs,
Kathleen in Colorado
smile4menow222
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Tex, thanks...

Post by smile4menow222 »

Yeah, the coffee thing. I did have some today. I actually used to like the fact that it helped me go. I used to have constipation years ago so coffee was my friend. I had some this morning and I am okay. I really don't have any other caffeine in the day. So, I will keep an eye on how the coffee works for me.

Potassium... yep, I know that I am probably low on that. I used to take 1/4 teaspoon of Morton's Lite Salt per day, just for the potassium - it has 350 mg. Maybe I should try that again. I don't use any other salt. I feel like my mouth tastes like salt right now. Is it the endocort?

You are such a wealth of knowledge. I love your advice.

Thanks again!
Kathleen in Colorado
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Post by Rose »

Kathleen,

The s/e I had was headaches (constant), dizzy, blurred vision, nausea, exhausted and just felt like absolute crap, no pun intended, 24/7. I almost fell down the stairs one morning b/c I was so dizzy. I felt like a zombie and I can't do that and take care of my children. I have two kids, a boy thats 11 and a girl that will be 8 on Tuesday. My hubby and I have been married for 15 years.

BTW, I love the mtns of NC. We used to mountain bike at Tasli in Bryson City b/f we moved to TN. Regarding working out, you just need to find your down time from the "office" and do it. I get up at 3:00 am and do it b/c that is a pretty good time for me. I have always ran and biked in the morning, but when the cc really started kicking in last year it was worse after 6:00 (really bad cramping and butt explosions). I usually have to go right when I get up, right b/f I run and almost always have at least one pit stop during the run. I'm a real morning person and always have been. I go crazy if I didn't work out. I will do my best to keep you on your bike and inspired. If someone who goes 15+ times a day can do it, so can you. We will help you get through this.

While you clean your drawers, I'll go clean my bathrooms again.

Love,

Rose
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tex
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Post by tex »

Kathleen,

To address a post to someone in particular, just enter their name along with the rest of your message, (just as if you were writing a letter, e-mail, or whatever. To add emoticons, whenever you get to a spot where you want to enter one, just click on the one you want, (in the assortment to the left of the message-composing window), and the system will automatically enter it in your message. To see all the emoticons, click on the link that says "View more Emoticons", (again, to the left of the message-composing window), and expand the pop-up window that opens, so that you can see more of them. You will have to scroll both horizontally and vertically, to see them all, because there are a lot of them.

Also, you can copy, and/or move emoticons, (and anything else, for that matter), around in your posts to wherever you want them, by the usual copy, cut, and paste techniques.

I've never used Entocort, (I'm one of the diet-only, members - when I first discovered that the diet worked, I thought that I was some kind of mutant celiac, and I didn't even realize that any meds were available to treat MC), but I don't recall anyone here mentioning that Entocort left a salty taste in their mouth. My guess is that the Robinul is causing that sensation. Robinul is an ammonium salt, and it's used as a preoperative agent, in order to reduce salivary, and upper respiratory system secretions, and also the volume of gastric secretions, etc., in preparation for anesthesia and intubation. IOW, it tends to cause "dry mouth", along with "dry everything", all the way down past the stomach. I'm just guessing that this could possibly leave a salty taste in the mouth, since saliva normally contains various enzymes, and if these enzymes are missing or otherwise corrupted, that could alter the ability of the tongue to properly perceive taste.

Tex
:cowboy:

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.
smile4menow222
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yes, salt..... hmmmm....

Post by smile4menow222 »

Tex,

Thanks! Again! You are so full of wonderful advice. I looked up that stuff on the web, but never saw that... the salt thing with robinul. That makes so much sense. I think I will lay off that drug... I don't want my coffee to taste like salt! LOL!

thanks again!!!

hugs, k...
Kathleen in Colorado
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tex
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Post by tex »

You're most welcome. Please let us know if that works.

Hugs,
Tex
:cowboy:

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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