Progress report and supplement that's helping
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Ant, I'm the one who started all this D-Mannose stuff. I'm glad Tex knows all the science behind it. My doctor talked about lectins, but she had so much information, I didn't have much to connect it to at the time. I don't know what's happening, but I have had and am continuing to have a dramatic improvement taking this supplement. I know it's still early to know the long term results, but this is the best I've done since I got this wretched disease. I haven't taken entocort for a week, but I also know that takes time to play out. So, I've got my fingers, toes, and everything else I can crossed hoping this is for real. I'm still, of course, sticking to gf, df, ef, and sf diet. Good luck to you, JoAnn
Tex, thank you for going into so much depth on the topic of lectins and the complexity of the effects on digestion. It helps to see your research and thoughts in writing so I can ponder it and understand better. As I mentioned in a previous post, my doctor talked about lectins and is very good about taking time to explain things to me, but I didn't have any prior knowledge to attach it to. I'm just the guinea pig trying out the D-mannose, so it's good to know the science behind it. As always, you're amazing. JoAnn
JoAnn,
It's great to have new ideas, and we really appreciate your letting us in on what you've found. Who knows where this may lead? Almost all medical breakthroughs are the result of a serendipitous discovery, (IOW, a lucky accident).
Thanks for the kind words, and thank you for being willing to try it out.
Tex
It's great to have new ideas, and we really appreciate your letting us in on what you've found. Who knows where this may lead? Almost all medical breakthroughs are the result of a serendipitous discovery, (IOW, a lucky accident).
Thanks for the kind words, and thank you for being willing to try it out.
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.
This is fascinating. JoAnn, I'm amazed that you've been able to completely wean off Entocort now that you're on D-Mannose. I am also 
for your success.
Dee,
You mentioned a while ago that you dropped down to just one Entocort pill per day. Did that happen at the same time that you began taking the D-Mannose? Are you still maintaining on one Entocort per day?
Tex,
You wrote:
I went to the NOW vitamins website and they have a store locator where it's possible to purchase their products: http://www.nowfoods.com/StoreFinder/index.htm There are several stores near my home, mostly health food stores, but they are also available at Whole Foods.
Gloria
for your success.Dee,
You mentioned a while ago that you dropped down to just one Entocort pill per day. Did that happen at the same time that you began taking the D-Mannose? Are you still maintaining on one Entocort per day?
Tex,
You wrote:
Does that statement suggest that we shouldn't be eating brown rice, but rather white rice?Yes, in rice, the harmful lectins are in the hull that's polished off, when white rice is made from brown rice.
I went to the NOW vitamins website and they have a store locator where it's possible to purchase their products: http://www.nowfoods.com/StoreFinder/index.htm There are several stores near my home, mostly health food stores, but they are also available at Whole Foods.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Gloria,
I honestly don't know if brown rice is as great as it's claimed to be, for someone in the general population, but obviously such a position flies in the face of conventional wisdom, because all the "experts" tell us that brown rice is so much healthier than white rice, because the hull contains most of the fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. Of course, as we've learned, fiber isn't all it's cracked up to be for someone with MC, and lectins are best avoided, as much as possible, by anyone with MC. Since rice hulls also contain most of the harmful lectins, I have to say that it doesn't appear to be a great choice for someone with MC, especially while their digestive system is still healing. I'm probably not the best one to ask, though, because I never eat brown rice, anyway.
Maybe Mary Beth has an opinion on this.
Tex
I honestly don't know if brown rice is as great as it's claimed to be, for someone in the general population, but obviously such a position flies in the face of conventional wisdom, because all the "experts" tell us that brown rice is so much healthier than white rice, because the hull contains most of the fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. Of course, as we've learned, fiber isn't all it's cracked up to be for someone with MC, and lectins are best avoided, as much as possible, by anyone with MC. Since rice hulls also contain most of the harmful lectins, I have to say that it doesn't appear to be a great choice for someone with MC, especially while their digestive system is still healing. I'm probably not the best one to ask, though, because I never eat brown rice, anyway.
Maybe Mary Beth has an opinion on this.
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.
Pat,
Please read my post, (the third post in this thread), for an explanation of why mannose is not well metabolized by humans.
Tex
Please read my post, (the third post in this thread), for an explanation of why mannose is not well metabolized by humans.
If it were to "go right through you", that would be great, because it would probably sweep out most of the toxic agents in your intestines, on it's way through, since it has the capacity to force some of them to detach from the walls of the intestines, but unfortunately, very, very little is likely to get very far into the small intestine, let alone the colon, because it is rapidly absorbed, and mostly taken out by the kidneys.90% of ingested mannose is excreted, unchanged, into the urine, within 30 - 60 minutes, and 99% of the remainder is excreted within the following 8 hours.
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.
It should definitely help. This may not be a perfect solution, since the capsules won't be sealed, the way they normally would be, if the coating were applied after the capsule was assembled. Here's a link to an eBay supplier of enteric-coated empty capsules, located in the UK, if you want to try it yourself. Enteric-coated capsules would appear to be the optimum way to deliver probiotics, also, FWIW, since stomach acid kills most of them.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Empty-Capsules-Em ... 3a53b4b98b
They are also available direct from wholesalers, but the minimum order is usually something like a million pieces:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/25465 ... sules.html
Tex
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Empty-Capsules-Em ... 3a53b4b98b
They are also available direct from wholesalers, but the minimum order is usually something like a million pieces:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/25465 ... sules.html
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.
Hi all, I'm so glad Tex has all the technical information about this. I usually only eat blueberries, strawberries, and bananas. I think I react to other fruits. With all that said, I am still doing amazingly well on the D-Mannose. I've been off Entocort 2 weeks now, and things just seem to get better and better. I take a capsule am, noon, and 2 in the evening. I just hope someone else has these results. I'm at school now so I don't have much time. My computer at home has been having some issues. I'll check in when I can. Thanks, JoAnn
I just bought 500mg capsules of NOW brand D-Mannose at my local health food store. The cost was $31.99 for 120. I took 2 capsules tonight.
I haven't improved since I returned from my daughter's yesterday, though it's a little soon. It seems I'm back to square one again. I should be another good test case for the D-Mannose. I'll keep you posted.
Gloria
I haven't improved since I returned from my daughter's yesterday, though it's a little soon. It seems I'm back to square one again. I should be another good test case for the D-Mannose. I'll keep you posted.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Tex,
I guess I am a little dense. I also guess mannose get channeled to the urinary tract which I guess is good for that but with fructose (another sugar) it is supposed to be absorbed in the small intestine but when one has fructose malabsorption and the fructose does not get absorbed as in my case it goes on down through the small intestine and colon and feeds the bacteria there making gas and bringing with it water which in turn makes D. My question is will the mannose do the same thing as the fructose and just make more D for those of us who have fructose malabsorption? It doesn't sound like it will since it generally gets channeled to the urinary tract but I am just very leary of any sugars. I seem to have a problem with them all.
I am very interestedly watching you, Gloria, to see how you react.
I am hoping for good results!
Pat
I guess I am a little dense. I also guess mannose get channeled to the urinary tract which I guess is good for that but with fructose (another sugar) it is supposed to be absorbed in the small intestine but when one has fructose malabsorption and the fructose does not get absorbed as in my case it goes on down through the small intestine and colon and feeds the bacteria there making gas and bringing with it water which in turn makes D. My question is will the mannose do the same thing as the fructose and just make more D for those of us who have fructose malabsorption? It doesn't sound like it will since it generally gets channeled to the urinary tract but I am just very leary of any sugars. I seem to have a problem with them all.
I am very interestedly watching you, Gloria, to see how you react.
I am hoping for good results!Pat
Hi Pat,
I understand your concern, and since these are uncharted waters, and we're all different, to boot, I can't definitively answer your question, but since mannose is not fructose, and it's not a polysaccharide, hopefully, it will perform as desired.
Tex
I understand your concern, and since these are uncharted waters, and we're all different, to boot, I can't definitively answer your question, but since mannose is not fructose, and it's not a polysaccharide, hopefully, it will perform as desired.
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.
I have been taking the D-Mannose for a day and haven't seen any improvement yet. I'm weary of having D six times a day (again) and decided to up my Entocort from 1 to 2 pills daily until the D subsides. I have a commitment tomorrow and can't be dealing with D all day. Any improvement I have will likely be due to Entocort. I haven't decided if I'll continue the D-Mannose yet.
I'm sorry I'm not testing it properly. I guess I'm getting extremely frustrated with my continual cycle of eliminating foods, improving, then deteriorating to the state I was in before I eliminated any foods. It's starting to look like Entocort is the only thing that maintains improvement for me.
Gloria
I'm sorry I'm not testing it properly. I guess I'm getting extremely frustrated with my continual cycle of eliminating foods, improving, then deteriorating to the state I was in before I eliminated any foods. It's starting to look like Entocort is the only thing that maintains improvement for me.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.