It's wonderful that you have a friend who you can personally talk to and get advice and encouragement. I do believe you do have to throughly clean all utensils that have been in contact with gluten but I'm not sure that it has to be more through than your usual cleaning. Probably Polly or Tex would know more about that.
I wish I had something relatively close like Trader Joe's or one of the other health stores. I plan to move back to the "boonies" in Pa. in about a year or so and it will be even worse there than it is here.
Love, Shirley
Question regarding flares...
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Some members have had cross-contamination problems from pots and pans, but that usually happens when someone else in the house is cooking "regular" food, and not quite doing a thorough job of washing everything. If your kitchen is to be totally GF, then that won't be a problem, after you get underway. Initially, you might want to check to be sure there aren't any baked-on remnants of food in corners, or other hard-to-clean areas, especially on baking pans, and maybe forks.
It's great that your husband is willing to go along with this lifestyle change - that will make the transition much, much easier. The GF diet must be healthy, because celiacs, as a group, have a longer life expectancy than the general population, so that's a pretty good motivation, in itself, for adopting the diet.
I'm in the same situation as Shirley, wishing that I had a Trader Joe's nearby. Not only do they have a great selection of GF foods, but their prices are right, too.
That was a lucky break, to encounter a librarian knowledgeable about the diet. I'd have to classify that as serendipity, at it's best.
Best of luck with the project, and please keep us updated.
Tex
It's great that your husband is willing to go along with this lifestyle change - that will make the transition much, much easier. The GF diet must be healthy, because celiacs, as a group, have a longer life expectancy than the general population, so that's a pretty good motivation, in itself, for adopting the diet.
I'm in the same situation as Shirley, wishing that I had a Trader Joe's nearby. Not only do they have a great selection of GF foods, but their prices are right, too.
That was a lucky break, to encounter a librarian knowledgeable about the diet. I'd have to classify that as serendipity, at it's best.
Best of luck with the project, and please keep us updated.
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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greengirl78
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- Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:36 am
- Location: Massachusetts
So an update - I have lost 10lbs in two weeks. The GI doc is very concerned about the pain I'm having on my left side. He pressed down on my upper left abdomen, and it brought tears to my eyes. I have also been nauseous, with alternating fever and chills. I have a script for Entocort, but if within a week I don't see much relief, I'm headed into the hospital for a sigmodoscopy (sp?).
This is why I have been so adamant about getting back in to see him. This time it seems worse - the symptoms, and the pain. Here's hoping for the best.
As an aside, the diet is going well - no problems whatsoever. I was able to resist the yummy cookies my coworker brought in yesterday. :)
This is why I have been so adamant about getting back in to see him. This time it seems worse - the symptoms, and the pain. Here's hoping for the best.
As an aside, the diet is going well - no problems whatsoever. I was able to resist the yummy cookies my coworker brought in yesterday. :)
If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace. - Thich Nhat Hahn
Hmmmmmm. Something is apparently causing an infection, and with those symptoms, I would immediately be suspicious of diverticulitis. You're pretty young for that possibility, but it's certainly not impossible, and the symptoms are such a perfect match, that it would appear to be the prime suspect. I'm kind of surprised that he didn't prescribe a routine course of a floroquinolone/Flagyl combination, at your visit. Maybe your prior colonoscopy didn't show any diverticuli, or else he has forgotten that it did, and he considers you to be too young to have the problem.
That's a lot of weight to lose in two weeks, also, so whatever it is, it's having a very serious affect on either your eating habits, or your nutrient absorption, or both.
That's great news on the diet progress, however. Now if you can just get this little "glitch" behind you, things should start going a lot more smoothly.
Thanks for the update, and I hope your symptoms improve in a hurry, so that the 'oscopy won't be necessary.
Tex
That's a lot of weight to lose in two weeks, also, so whatever it is, it's having a very serious affect on either your eating habits, or your nutrient absorption, or both.
That's great news on the diet progress, however. Now if you can just get this little "glitch" behind you, things should start going a lot more smoothly.
Thanks for the update, and I hope your symptoms improve in a hurry, so that the 'oscopy won't be necessary.
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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greengirl78
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:36 am
- Location: Massachusetts
Well, a week later, and an update.
The Entocort has worked wonders! The D is gone, for the most part. The diet has been much easier than I thought it would be. I almost slipped up today with some cupcakes, but I resisted the urge. I feel so much healthier eating this way.
The pain is still there, though. I am going to call the doc to let him know shortly. We'll see what he says. I'm hoping I don't have to go in for the test... I don't know what he could be looking for, unless it's the diverticulitis, like you say Tex. It's not excruciating pain, but a constant radiant ache. It gets worse after eating, and I cannot lay on that side when going to sleep. I'll let you know what the outcome is.
The Entocort has worked wonders! The D is gone, for the most part. The diet has been much easier than I thought it would be. I almost slipped up today with some cupcakes, but I resisted the urge. I feel so much healthier eating this way.
The pain is still there, though. I am going to call the doc to let him know shortly. We'll see what he says. I'm hoping I don't have to go in for the test... I don't know what he could be looking for, unless it's the diverticulitis, like you say Tex. It's not excruciating pain, but a constant radiant ache. It gets worse after eating, and I cannot lay on that side when going to sleep. I'll let you know what the outcome is.
If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace. - Thich Nhat Hahn
Hi Greengirl,
It's great to hear that Entocort is working for you. Almost everyone that takes it wonders why they waited so long.
I can relate to the tenderness you're having. I have the same thing, but it comes and goes. It's not excruciating, but it is tender to the touch. You might also have the doctor check to see if it's a hernia. I'm still not certain what is causing my pain. My GI considers himself an expert at determining hernias and he's not certain if that's what I have. One nice thing since having MC - I haven't had a diverticulitis attack in nearly three years. I don't know if they're related or not.
Gloria
It's great to hear that Entocort is working for you. Almost everyone that takes it wonders why they waited so long.
I can relate to the tenderness you're having. I have the same thing, but it comes and goes. It's not excruciating, but it is tender to the touch. You might also have the doctor check to see if it's a hernia. I'm still not certain what is causing my pain. My GI considers himself an expert at determining hernias and he's not certain if that's what I have. One nice thing since having MC - I haven't had a diverticulitis attack in nearly three years. I don't know if they're related or not.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
It's good to see that the D is so much better, and I'm glad that the diet is going so smoothly, too.
We'll all be anxious to see what your doc says about the pain, of course.
Thanks for the update.
Tex
We'll all be anxious to see what your doc says about the pain, of course.
Thanks for the update.
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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greengirl78
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:36 am
- Location: Massachusetts
He told me to go back to the PCP because, and I quote: "pain is not a symptom of microscopic colitis." Gee... here I was thinking he's a GI doc, so stomach pain qualifies as his specialty. Ha.
Besides that, Entocort is working wonders most days, and the diet is going smoothly. The hubby gets his gluten fix at work, when needed, but seems to be adjusting well to the new diet plan. He said the constant back pain he has is letting up... wonder if that's related to gluten?
As an aside - I'm now on Amoxicillin for strep, is that one of the antibiotics which causes symptoms to flare?
Besides that, Entocort is working wonders most days, and the diet is going smoothly. The hubby gets his gluten fix at work, when needed, but seems to be adjusting well to the new diet plan. He said the constant back pain he has is letting up... wonder if that's related to gluten?
As an aside - I'm now on Amoxicillin for strep, is that one of the antibiotics which causes symptoms to flare?
We all wish that were true, of course, and for a few people with MC, it is. Unfortunately, most of us have varying, moderate to very severe pain. For some reason or other, that was included in the original description of LC/CC, (that MC does not present with pain), and many GI docs still have not progressed past that early error, and they still believe it, even though most MC patients try to "clarify" the error, most GI docs "know better", and refuse to be "confused" by the facts."pain is not a symptom of microscopic colitis."
It's very gratifying to read that the Entocort is working so well, and the diet is going smoothly. I believe that your husbands' observation is right on the money. Most of my life, I had regularly recurring episodes with back pain, occasionally quite severe. After I cut gluten out of my diet, and all the damage began to heal, my back issues went away, and have not been back. Of course, if I abuse my back, I can still have temporary back pain, but that's not surprising. It's no longer a regular problem for me.
I'm sorry to have to mention this, (and hopefully this will not be a problem for you), but amoxicillin is one of the "riskiest" antibiotics that someone with MC can take, due to it's propensity for causing a C. diff infection. It would probably be a good idea for you start taking, (or ramp up your intake of), a good probiotic, before your antibiotic treatment period ends, just as a precaution, so that it will not be as easy for C. diff to gain a toehold, while your GI tract is vulnerable.
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=870
I hope everything continues to go well.
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.