Another Clue That IBDs May Be Caused By A Mycobacterium

[tex]

Hi Joanna,

Thanks for the link - that's some interesting reading. While the author's review of the history of MAP and Crohn's disease, (and their possible relationship), appear to be accurate and factual, IMO, there are two glaring problems with the dire predictions suggested in his "doomsday" scenario.

1. In this quote:

Left undisturbed, maybe the education in hostility already received by increasingly aggressive members of the former normal gut flora will progress to the point where they too can emerge from background to become primary independent pathogens in their own right. When they do so more new diseases will emerge.

That is pure speculation, with no basis in fact, (and no precedent in nature, that I am aware of). Left undisturbed, a bacterium does not become more aggressive, nor does it necessarily become more robust, and it certainly does not become invincible.

2. In this disclosure:

Competing interests

The author currently owns the patents to a virally vectored vaccine against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis intended as a treatment for MAP infection in humans.

That pretty well explains why such a "doomsday" scenario is proposed - don't you agree? Such a vaccine is dead in the water, as long as the current medical atmosphere of apathy exists, concerning the possible connection between MAP and Crohn's disease. If he can't get something going on this project relatively soon, his patent will expire before there is any demand for the product, and it will be worthless. It appears to me that he is simply trying to employ sensationalism, to inspire someone to take up his cause, in time for him to profit by it.

Remember the British doctor, Andrew Wakefield, who started the scare about the MMR vaccine, based on what turned out to be pure speculation on his part, and who eventually admitted that he holds a patent on an alternative vaccine? I have no idea whether or not the currently-used vaccine actually does what he claims, (and neither does he, evidently), but it's pretty clear that his patent on his own vaccine, was the driving force behind his campaign to discredit the currently-used vaccine. It's almost always about money.

Love,
Tex

[Stanz]

This is going to be a LONG post, but I’ve been at this all day so forgive me.

Rosie posted a link to this article on 12/28/09: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article ... ool=pubmed

and I found the following I’m quoting from that link to be quite revealing:

"The use of steroids in Crohn's disease and other immunosuppressive therapy are considered contraindicated in pulmonary tuberculosis, exacerbating the disease. However, the detrimental effects of immunosuppressive drugs on mycobacterial infections are not as pronounced as believed. Steroids in combination with antimicrobial agents have been used for treatment of leprosy and in tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections …. Studies in cattle with paratuberculosis have shown that massive corticosteroid administration does not significantly influence the clinical manifestations or outcome of the disease, although it was expected to."

And this may explain why so many people have problems getting off of steroids, as they may simply mask the symptoms for a time, but do not resolve the underlying condition that is the cause.

So, after reading through all the links on this thread, and also on the thread that Tex referenced, I started to ask myself what connection there would be between MC and the use of anti-biotics? What connection would there be in the use of NSAID’s, or in HRT – all of which are known to be connected to MC? If we didn’t have “infections”, if we didn’t have “pain”, if we didn’t have menopause (for us ladies here), for whatever reasons then we WOULDN’T be treating those things for it in the first place. So, is it possible that all of these connections made some sort of sense? We wouldn’t be using these things if we didn’t have a reason already?? Would we??

So, Tex said:
Quote: (And, to add to the difficulty in capturing a glimpse of them, am I not correct that all mycobacteria are fungi?)

Surprisingly, (sorry, Tex) it would appear that you are wrong about this, see the link below that led me to todays endless search that has been so prolific, IMO. So, I started here:

http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/Patient ... seases.pdf
Where I found this:
"The name does not imply that mycobacteria are fungi; rather it describes the way that the tubercle bacillus grows on the surface of liquid media as mold-like pellicles when cultured. (19) When taxonomists allocated Bacterium tuberculosis and Bacterium leprae to the genus Mycobacterium, they morphed into Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae. (20)"

And links within this article referred to so many things that clicked for me, this one in particular:

"Atypical mycobacteria may cause skeletal infections. A large outbreak of spinal infections after discovertebral surgery was reported in 2001.42 Tenosynovitis, multifocal osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, protracted carpal tunnel syndrome, and spondylitis implicating M chelonae, Mycobacterium kansasii, MAC, or Mycobacterium xenopi have been described in the literature.43,44,45,46,47 Keratitis and endophthalmitis after intravitreous injection of steroids or other ophthalmoscopic procedures secondary to M chelonae invasion have been reported. Although most of those infections secondary to atypical mycobacteria have been described in the adult population, cases of cutaneous mycobacteriosis manifesting as cellulitis, skin abscess, or sporotrichoid lesions secondary to M chelonae abscessus and M kansasii have been reported. M kansaii and M marinum have been reported in aquariumworkers.48,49 M avium– associated typhlitis mimicking appendicitis has been described in an immunocompetent host."

I’ve been told at various times that I had typhlitis, appendicitis, tenosynovitis, Rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel, my sister was diagnosed with spondylitis, but NO tests for any of those have been positive. I’ve had hideous presentations of skin disorders that were NEVER definitively diagnosed but were supposedly Psoriatic Arthritis or eczema where the skin peeled off my hands and feet in sheets. I’ve had boils in my groin and “spider bites” on my legs that led me to assume, after internet research, that I had MRSA – which led to my massive antibiotic regime that my MD prescribed because “MRSA was so common now she didn’t need to test me” that resulted in the 2 years of diarrhea that led me to the ultimate diagnosis of MC, which led me here.

So, I was in LA when this thread was posted and clearly not paying attention to my own issues, but today when I saw this thread and read all the links within and this led me to endless sites and endless connections to my own symptoms since early childhood.
Specifically- my first “problem” with diarrhea and pain occurred when I was 9 and w/o going into details of my traumatic childhood, this occurred with a major stressor that presented with signs of appendicitis. I did not have appendicitis. As I matured I developed other “signs” of disease. I eventually was diagnosed with Endometriosis when I was 22, after YEARS of pain. I also have at least 1 sister who had this. I had a hysterectomy at 24, she at 26. After my hysterectomy I had years of pain that was initially diagnosed as Typhlitis. At 32, after 8 years of partial bowel obstructions, I had a complete bowel obstruction because of scar tissue – presumably because of the hysterectomy. I had 2 kids and there was no way for me to not do any heavy lifting for 6 wks post op w/o any help. I accepted the blame for the scar tissue.

Prior to my surgery to remove the scar tissue, I asked my surgeon to check out my appendix while he had me open. His report was that what he did was to snip the adhesion to release the kink in the intestine, that the intestine was highly inflamed and he was just so glad he did not have to cut into it for fear of peritonitis and was just hoping that this would resolve my problem. He looked at the cecum and where the appendix should be and found the appendix to be completely "dried up". With 2 kids and no health insurance or internet, I just accepted this, but clearly this should have indicated something was wrong – even then.

So, today I did this search for research in the past year:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q ... afe=images

Which eliminated all kinds of research that debunked a connection that I had previously been researching on Mycrobacterium Avium complex and it’s connection to MC. But what initially led me to follow this course today was this link:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2168579/

"We found a highly significant association between Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in the intestine and IBS. People with a Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection were 17 times more likely to have IBS than people without a Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection. The validity of the methods and the results of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis detection in IBS are supported by the finding of a Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis detection rate of 87% in the Crohn's disease control group in this blinded study, in close agreement with the findings of previous work (59). The finding of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis colonization of the intestinal mucosa of a minority proportion of subjects in the non-IBS/IBD group is entirely in keeping with the population biology of multihost pathogens (34, 76). Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis has been cultured from the blood of people with Crohn's disease (45). In subsequent work it will be interesting to see if the systemic symptoms that occur in individuals with IBS are associated with the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in blood."

I don’t know where to go from here. Do we all have Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis? Is this the key? I don’t know. Is there a genetic predisposition for this? It would seem so from my research. I will do more research on this, but this seems to be to be a possible explanation.

Joanna, I was born in Fergus Falls. Small world.

And I forgot to add that during this whole time of what were weird "bacterial type" infections, I also had what seemed to be endless UTI's. I have no idea how that would correlate to all of this, but all of these "infections" ended after I did the antibiotics for MRSA.

And just to be clear - Last year I requested a blood test to show the antibodies for my ever having had MRSA - it was negative.

I have ALWAYS believed that there was a bacteria or fungal related correlation to this.

Since I took my MRSA related antibiotics I have had a complete cessation of all my prior symptoms (prior to my MCC-MCL diagnosis in Oct. and the protocol I have been following since then with my ND has stopped the D) EXCEPT that I still have a crust that accrues in my nose and I also have what presents as a "weeping" in my ears in response to stress. I will awaken in the night hearing my heartbeat in the ear that is on the pillow because my ear is weeping a fluid that ultimately seals off my eardrum. Usually I can clear this with water on a Q-tip, but occasionally it will last for a day or two when my hearing is basically closed off by some sort of crust. My MD has given me Fluocinonide for this, which seems to help, but now that I look at what it is for:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluocinonide

It only makes me nervous to use it anymore, since "Fluocinonide ranks as a "high-potency" (second-highest rank) topical corticosteroid. Minimal amounts should be used for a minimal length of time to avoid the occurrence of adverse effects.[2]" and I am probably damaging my hearing because of it with long-term use, when what I really need to do is to kill the bacteria that is causing all of these problems in the first place.

But, then I am only just a stupid patient.....and so it goes. We were out of town over the weekend and prior to that I had eaten a catered lunch on Friday that likely had MSG (gluten)- something I've long known triggered body pain - and then we ate dinner at a Mom & Pop type restaurant where I must have had another gluten exposure, so I have been not doing well the last 3 days, but it is clearing up - thankfully.

[tex]

Connie,

Thanks for setting me straight. Now I see where I went wrong. The Latin prefix "myco—" means both fungus, and wax. The correct definition of mycobacterium is: A family of bacteria that have unusually waxy cell walls. Sorry about that.

And this may explain why so many people have problems getting off of steroids, as they may simply mask the symptoms for a time, but do not resolve the underlying condition that is the cause.

Actually, we have always assumed that to be the case, (and Dr. Fine's research, of 15 or 20 years ago, verifies it). As he points out on his website, the corticosteroids do indeed suppress inflammation, (which can be seen in cellular histology), but unfortunately, they have no mechanism for preventing the inflammation from occurring in the first place, (so your observation is correct, of course).

The first article that you cited, ( http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/Patient ... seases.pdf ), refers to atypical mycobacteria, (only). MAP are not included in that classification, of course.

Exactly what antibiotic/s did you use for the MRSA treatment?

Also, MSG does not contain gluten, though it certainly does adversely affect many people, for other reasons, (since it can cross the blood/brain barrier, which is also one of the attributes of gluten). As I mentioned before, MSG is almost certainly the cause of the acephalgic migraines that I had in May and June of last year, and the transient ischemic attack, (TIA), that I had in July. Since avoiding MSG, I have had no further recurrences of either event.

I hope you recover quickly from whatever caused your current flare.

Tex

[Stanz]

Tex, you said: (sorry - I am unable to figure out the whole "quote" thing.)"Actually, we have always assumed that to be the case, (and Dr. Fine's research, of 15 or 20 years ago, verifies it). As he points out on his website, the corticosteroids do indeed suppress inflammation, (which can be seen in cellular histology), but unfortunately, they have no mechanism for preventing the inflammation from occurring in the first place, (so your observation is correct, of course)."

That being a given, I guess I still do not understand why anyone would still prescribe steroids for MC, knowing what they do know, or should know.

Here is a link to a prior post that says what my MRSA treatment was: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... ght=#68924

I was given: 56 SMZ-TMP Tab 800mg/160mg

I know that MSG doesn't contain gluten, I meant to say soy sauce.which is most often wheat based, and MSG occurs naturally in the fermenting process. See this link: http://www.msgtruth.org/msgand2.htm

I've avoided MSG for years, because I KNEW it was a cause of pain symptoms. It's everywhere. MSG is used as a conditioner in pizza dough as well as being a flavor enhancer in pizza sauce, and Pizza is, unfortunately, the most common 2nd meal ordered in the film industry. My question now is: has it been MSG that has consistently triggered my pain, or was it just that (as I know now) I have the genetic link to being gluten sensitive that triggered me? I don't know the concentration of wheat/gluten in soy sauce, I just know that anything with MSG in it makes me sick and that it is in nearly every kind of "prepared food". I believe MSG has over 15 different "names" such as:

Glutamic Acid
Monopotassium glutamate
Gelatin
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
Glutamate
Autolyzed Yeast Extract
Autolyzed Plant Protein
Yeast Extract
Sodium Caseinate
Yeast food or nutrient
Calcium Caseinate
Textured Protein
Natural flavor, etc. etc.

I was a label reader long before gluten was an issue for me, as before then I was feeding people with multiple food intolerances: peanuts, dairy, etc. - gluten was one of the simpler things to eliminate.

As I believe I said in an earlier post, I would come home from work and feel like someone had just thrown my body against a wall and I hurt everywhere. In those days I was eating a lot of "prepared foods" that I usually bought at Trader Joe's because I thought they were healthy fast foods. I was tired of cooking all day and just needed something to eat and it needed to be fast because I still had to prep for my next day of work and I work an average of 16 hrs. a day. Cooking wasn't an option, nor was the pizza. I've known I couldn't eat "fast food" for years now.

Some of the links I posted earlier today link to research that was done in past years and has since been refuted. However, information from those earlier links was still valuable in leading me to where I ended up today, especially the one from Walter Reed.

When I began today, I was researching w/o the search delimiter "within the past year". Maybe I am completely off here, as it all gets a bit overwhelming - not being a scientist - but when I then searched for info using this criteria: Mycobacterium-avium-complex "microscopic colitis" and "within the past year", I got a whole different group of information sources.

And maybe I am still floundering, I have no idea. There are so many possibilities of where a person can come into contact with environmental toxins, bacteria, etc. My husband and I also got food poisoning about 6 years ago from what had to be a chicken pizza at the Red Lion Hotel, in Shasta, CA., where we were staying while on a job. Nobody else on the crew got sick, we can only assume it was room service that got us. They refunded our expenses only after we signed an agreement that we wouldn't pursue any further claims against them. When I became aware that my recent arthritis symptoms might relate to So, when I found a connection between salmonella/reactive arthritis and HLAB27, I researched Shasta County and I found NUMEROUS cases of salmonella poisoning reported around that time. We had never reported it to the County. I then had the genetic test done for HLAB27 as a possible explanation for my arthritic symptoms and the results were negative. This was 6 years ago, so I've been researching this "bacterial connection" for awhile.

WHATEVER it is, I've little doubt that it is bacterial. I don't know what type of bacteria it is yet, but I am still working on it. Nobody ever called me a quitter.

As to my food issues of the past weekend, I'm feeling better now. I've just been researching this all day because I have so many people that I love who are invested in this. I am just a bit overwhelmed, so hang in there with me, I am just trying to learn. All I know is that when I searched for articles that were specifically within the last year, I felt like I actually was given access to information that wasn't overridden by a multitude of posts that favored the drug companies who have a vested interest in treating - not curing - disease.

[tex]

Connie,

To use the "quote" function, if you want to quote an entire post, just click on the "quote" button in the upper right button of the post that you want to quote, and the system will open a message box with that post properly formatted for a quote - all you have to do then, is write your message below the quoted text, (or above it, if you prefer). If you want to quote only a portion of a post, you can do as described above, and then delete the parts you don't want to include, or, (as I prefer to do), simply copy the text that you want to quote, paste it into your post, highlight it, and click on the "Quote" button, just above your message-composing window. The system will add the BBCode, (Bulletin Board Code), designating a quote, to your message. If you wish to add a name to the quote, attributing it to a specific source, (the way the system does, if you quote the entire previous message, as described above), you simply need to modify the leading "quote" marker, so that it says, "

", without the outside quotation marks, of course, but do include the quotation marks around the name of the source. IOW, use the name that is appropriate, in place of "name of the source".

That being a given, I guess I still do not understand why anyone would still prescribe steroids for MC, knowing what they do know, or should know.

You're being too practical-minded, (IOW, you're thinking too logically). Remember that doctors don't really care whether they cure the patient, or improve a patient's overall health status, when they write a prescription. They write that prescription to relieve specific symptoms. Period. If the drug they prescribe causes other symptoms, and the patient is agreeable, then they will write additional prescriptions to help relieve those drug side effects, as needed.

Please don't misunderstand me - I'm not saying that doctors are intentionally trying to harm us, it's just that they are trained to treat symptoms, not diseases. There are exceptions to this, of course, (such as treating cancer), but for the most part, doctors are trained to relieve symptoms, (and they "naively" assume/hope that by doing so, the underlying disease will somehow magically be resolved, or at least improved).

According to current medical consensus of opinion, MAP can only be effectively treated with a combination of antibiotics such as Rifabutin, and a macrolide such as Clarithromycin. However, as we all know, current medical opinion is not always up-to-date, nor is it even reasonably accurate, in some isolated instances.

Okay, to get down to business - bear in mind that MAP are gram-positive aerobic bacteria.

http://www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/genomes/bacte ... avium.html

Trimethoprim acts by interfering with the action of bacterial dihydrofolate reductase, inhibiting synthesis of tetrahydrofolic acid. Tetrahydrofolic acid is an essential precursor in the de novo synthesis of the intermediate Thymidine monophosphate (dTMP), precursor of DNA metabolite Thymidine triphosphate[1]. Bacteria are unable to take up folic acid from the environment (i.e. the infection host) and are thus dependent on their own de novo synthesis. Inhibition of the enzyme starves the bacteria of nucleotides necessary for DNA replication.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimethoprim

In bacteria, antibacterial sulfonamides act as competitive inhibitors of the enzyme dihydropteroate synthetase (DHPS), an enzyme involved in folate synthesis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfonamide_%28medicine%29

These two drugs work together to develop a synergistic effect, (IOW, the potency of the combination is much more effective than the sum of the individual parts would indicate).

These sulfonamides, in combination with trimethoprim, are active in vitro against many gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic organisms.

http://www.drugs.com/mmx/smz-tmp.html

Therefore, in my opinion, while there are no guarantees, (since specific, dedicated research with MAP has apparently not been done, with this particular drug combination), it certainly might be possible that the treatment that you used, (56 SMZ-TMP Tab 800mg/160mg), might have suppressed, or even eliminated, any MAP population that was causing your problems, (if, indeed, MAP was implicated, in your situation).

Regarding the MSG, I understand what you're saying, but technically, all those items in the list that you posted, are not actually other names for MSG. They are food ingredients that contain glutamic acid, (and, in fact, most of them contain "free" glutamic acid, which is the ingredient in MSG that apparently causes people who are sensitive to MSG, to react to it).

MSG-sensitive people do not react to protein (which contains bound glutamic acid) or any of the minute amounts of free glutamic acid that might be found in unadulterated, unfermented, unprocessed, food. (According to the article at the link below). Here is a much more comprehensive list of food ingredents to which people who are sensitive to MSG might react, (also from the article at the link below):

These ALWAYS contain MSG:

Glutamate, (E 620)
Glutamic acid, (E 620)
Monosodium glutamate, (E 621)
Monopotassium glutamate, (E 622)
Calcium glutamate, (E 623)
Monoammonium glutamate, (E 624)
Magnesium glutamate, (E 625)
Natrium glutamate (natrium is Latin/German for sodium)
Gelatin
Calcium caseinate
Sodium caseinate
Textured protein
anything "hydrolyzed"
any "hydrolyzed ... protein"
Yeast nutrient
Yeast extract
Yeast food
Autolyzed yeast
Vetsin
Ajinomoto

These OFTEN contain MSG, or MSG is created during processing:

Carrageenan
Maltodextrin
Malt extract
Natural pork flavoring
Citric acid
Malt flavoring
Bouillon and Broth
Natural chicken flavoring
Soy protein isolate
Natural beef flavoring
Ultra-pasteurized
Soy sauce
Stock
Barley malt
Soy sauce extract
Whey protein concentrate
Pectin
Soy protein
Whey protein
Protease
Soy protein concentrate
Whey protein isolate
Protease enzymes
Anything protein fortified
Flavors(s) & Flavoring(s)
Anything enzyme modified
Anything fermented
Natural flavor(s) & flavoring(s)
Enzymes anything
Seasonings, (the word "seasonings")

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html

Remember that MAP are pretty much ubiquitous these days - they are literally everywhere. Research is, in and of itself, rather infective, isn't it - the further you get into it, the harder it is to stop.

Tex

[Bifcus16]

Back when I was doing my energetic medicine with my naturopath, that system showed I had heaps (the best part of a page full, from memory) of mycobacterium infections, along with a bunch of other parasites.

Now this testing is clearly towards the snake oil end of medicine, but there is usually something of value even in snake oil.

The naturopath was surprised because she had never seen so many of these infestations in one person, and in most people the system shows them rapidly resolving after treatment, whereas mine reduced only slowly.

Just enforces in my mind the likelihood that mycobacterium will one day be shown to cause IBS and maybe MC.

Lyn

[Gabes-Apg]

Hi Lyn
what is energetic medicine?

[Stanz]

Ok, Tex, I'm giving your instructions a try and hopefully it will work:

Therefore, in my opinion, while there are no guarantees, (since specific, dedicated research with MAP has apparently not been done, with this particular drug combination), it certainly might be possible that the treatment that you used, (56 SMZ-TMP Tab 800mg/160mg), might have suppressed, or even eliminated, any MAP population that was causing your problems, (if, indeed, MAP was implicated, in your situation).

So, I wonder if I can have a blood test now that would show antibodies for any MAP population that I might have killed?

Yeah, it's hard to stop researching, as the more I learn the more frustrating it is to see how little focus there has been in medical research that has been done with the aim being towards finding the cause. I know I'm preaching to the choir here and I really appreciate all the help I've gotten here.

As to the MSG thing, I was hesitant to pursue L-Glutamine originally as a possible treatment because of the very word "Glutamine" and my ND assured me that it wasn't the same thing and I am so glad I have been taking it because it has helped so much.

Thanks to all for the input on this thread, it has truly been eye-opening for me and my family.

Oh - yippee - it worked, Tex. Thanks.

[tex]

I have no idea if there is an ELISA test available to reliably make that determination. Obviously, most tests are targeted at detecting a current infection.

Several members have tried L-glutamine supplments in the past. You might find this old discussion somewhat interesting:

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... lglutamine

Yep, you've definitely mastered the quotes. Incidentally, the other BBCode options available above the message-composing window, work basically the same way - highlight the text that you want to "transform", and then click on the appropriate button. For changing the color of text, after highlighting the text, just select the color you want, from the dropdown list. The same thing can be done with font size, of course, from that dropdown list.

To use the emoticons, when you get to where you want to place one, just click on the one you want, and the system will place the proper code in your message. Once the code is in your message, you can use cut and past to move it anywhere, if you wish, and it can also be duplicated by using the copy and paste option. To see more emoticons, just click on the "View more Emoticons" link, and then enlarge the pop-up window that opens, so that you can locate the one/s you want more easily.

I enjoy these discussions, also, and I always learn a lot from them.

Tex

[Stanz]

I left a post at that old one you referenced, Tex. I'm glad I seem to have mastered the quotes but who knows if I will remember this tomorrow. One can only hope. I will make an attempt at the emoticons but I don't see any

"View more Emoticons" link

and I'm too tired today to pursue it. Thank you for attempting to teach me.

I am officially at a weight where I am concerned now. I still have no appetite. I guess I need to force myself to eat. Has anyone else been at this point that you are aware of, and if so, what did they do? At first it was kind of "fun" to lose weight, since we all are programmed to think we're too fat by the media, but I am way beyond losing 1/4 of my normal weight and it's getting scary. Realized today that I had just stopped looking at myself after I got out of the shower. I looked today, it's not good. Frankly I'm amazed I can be this skinny and still function.

I have an appt. on the 22nd with my PCP, and I told the scheduling nurse what I wanted to discuss. I will ask her if there is an ELISA test for this. I have little faith my PCP will even have seen anything about why I'm there, or will be prepared to discuss in any way all that I've learned since I was Dx w/MC in Oct. She only works part time, really just wants to be home with her daughter who is under 1. And so it goes. Only reason I'm seeing her at all is that I am still on Premarin and usually I get a notice from them that I need to come in for a Mammogram and apparently this is only an every other year thing now, and renewing my Rx for Premarin was the only reason that I ever had a Mammogram, as there is no history of it in my family and it isn't much fun. If prostate exams involved what Mammograms do, men would have put a stop to it long ago, LOL.

And I know there's been much discussion on here about HRT, but...I just would really like to NOT have to stop that. EOM.

[tex]

Connie,

The emoticons are to the left of the window, when you are composing a message to post. Just click on the one, (or ones), you want. The "Quote" function has nothing to do with them.

I got down to hide and bones a few times before I started the diet, in part, because I was afraid to eat, at times, since it not only seemed to make the D worse, but I often had nausea, along with it, and eating definitely made the nausea and vomiting worse. I got so skinny that it was painful to sit on a hard chair, (or in a bathtub), because I didn't have any butt left - just hide and bones. I got into the habit of forcing myself to overeat, whenever I was able, so that I would have some "cushion" whenever I had a bad flare. After I was in remission, and my malabsorption problem eased up, it was easy to gain weight. Of course, I wasn't worried about my "figure", so I didn't hesitate to eat.

Trust me, prostate exams are not near as much fun as you seem to think they are. I believe I would trade one for a mammogram, most any day.

Tex

[Bifcus16]

Hi Connie,

What can you safely eat? Perhaps if you list a few things you can cope with we can make some suggestions on how to take a bit more in.

Fat has more energy than carbs or protein, so it may be worthwhile trying some ways to increase your fat consumption just until you get a bit better. Adding oils when cooking, margarine on jolly near anything. Chocolate

Lyn

[tex]

Gabes,

Apparently Lyn didn't notice your question, so hopefully this will help:

http://www.nwhealth.edu/healthyU/liveNa ... /emed.html

http://www.energetic-medicine.net/

Tex

[Stanz]

I guess I will have to try to force myself to eat as you did, Tex. Really don't have nausea much anymore and D is gone as long as I am GF. Fear of eating was huge for so long that I've just gotten out of the habit.

Lyn, supposedly I can eat anything I want except for gluten. My Enterolab results came with a recommendation that I give up dairy for a year, which I haven't done so far. Am also possibly sensitive to almonds. Guess it's time to make a big batch of Quinoa salad w/lots of olive oil. I've always been sensitive to dairy and have used Lactaid for years whenever I was going to eat cheese, etc. Even with Lactaid I icecream is an immediate no no.

I'm actually really enjoying all the new foods I've been making that are GF, lots of soups and salads. I just lose my appetite, almost like the smells of it make me full. I'll dish up a normal portion and then can't finish it. Guess I could have worse problems than this, at least I have so many options.

[Gabes-Apg]

Thanks Tex.

much apprecaited.