HI everyone. My update and a few questions for you.
Diagnosed with MC a few years back. Never even thought about diet until this year. Treated in the past with Entocort for 6-8 wks which cleared up D till the next flair.
So..I found all of you, and went GF immediately - got remarkably better but still went on Entocort to speed the healing process. I have greatly reduces Casein - occasional cheese on a baked potato and milk in baking.
So...been off Entocort for a week now. Watching diet. Still GFCF. Still not quiet normal. Soft, sometimes D, 1-2 a day (which is completely manageable) - I just want to feel better. Only 1 semi-normal BM this entire week.
What's next? What are nightshade veggies? what should I try to avoid next on my list? any suggestions? spaghetti sauce with rice noodles did not sit well - assuming the tomato sauce?
I have eliminated my amazing salads that I love - lettuce I think not so good?
Raw carrots? is that a bad one?
Pamela's GF cookies? (I'm enjoying the PecanShortbread and the PeanutButter Chocolate Chip ones)
Almonds? Are nuts generally Ok?
I am also pretty anemic... Doc wants to see me - not sure if taking iron is a good thing with MC...
Any advice would be AMAZINGLY appreciated!!
Thanks,
Laurie
food question - next step
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Also...
if fruits and veggies do better cooked, what about raw apples and raw bananas? do many tolerate these well?
And as my main meals and snacks, I've been heavy on corn chips and tortillas (all corn)...
I'm still enjoying baked potatoes and homemade fries as well.
I need to take this one step further, so curious what the most common triggers may be past GFCF.
Thanks!
if fruits and veggies do better cooked, what about raw apples and raw bananas? do many tolerate these well?
And as my main meals and snacks, I've been heavy on corn chips and tortillas (all corn)...
I'm still enjoying baked potatoes and homemade fries as well.
I need to take this one step further, so curious what the most common triggers may be past GFCF.
Thanks!
Hi Laurie,
Sorry to hear that you're still having persistent symptoms. Unless I misread your post, I get the impression that it's not just the D that you are concerned with, but also the way you feel, in general. The first consideration is whether or not you are sensitive to casein. If you are, then just minimizing it in your diet will not work - you have to eliminate even trace amounts. Casein-sensitivity can cause the same symptoms as gluten sensitivity - bloating, aches and pains, arthritis symptoms, diarrhea, and even brain fog. It can also cause a malabsorption problem which leads to vitamin dificiencies, (especially the "B" vitamins). That's because it can cause the same type of damage in the small intestine that gluten causes for celiacs - namely, villus atrophy. Minimizing dairy products in the diet works for lactose intolerance, but not for casein-sensitivity. If I were in your situation, I would try eliminating all sources of dairy products in my diet for a while, to see if that makes a significant difference. If not, then, as Joan suggests, it might be time to try eliminating all sources of soy from your diet.
I believe that most of us can tolerate raw bananas OK, (though some members seem to have problems with them, because of the fiber, so the problem may be dose-dependent), but raw apples usually don't work very well for most of us, until after our gut heals. Also, not only are apples a significant source of fiber, but they contain the sugar alcohol sorbitol, which many of us react to if we eat more than trace amounts. The peel is the worst part of the apple for someone with MC, of course, because it contains concentrated fiber, (which is also the case with the peel of most fruits and vegetables). You are correct - lettuce is bad news for the vast majority of us with MC, (until our gut heals). If you picture your digestive system as an irate bull, then lettuce is the equivalent of a red flag waved in it's face.
I seem to recall someone suggesting that Romain lettuce may not be as irritating to the gut as the more common varieties, (iceberg?), but I've never tried that, and again, it may be an individual issue.
Some of us can tolerate raw carrots, but cooked carrots are much easier on the digestive system, of course. Some of us have problems with Pamela's cookies, while others seem to tolerate them just fine. A lot of the commercial mixes such as Pamala's contain sorghum flour, which seem to bother some of us, (though I must admit that I don't recall whether or not Pamala's products contain sorghum flour). Also, quite a few of us react adversely to tapoica flour, which is in some commercial flour blends.
We've had discussions recently about certain nuts, and I agree with Ant, that peanuts and cashews seem to be the worst offenders. I was also surprised to learn how many others react to almonds. A few days ago, I tried almonds once again, (since I can see no reason why they should be a problem for me), but once again, I spent a mostly sleepless night, with D, and nagging abdominal pains.
I reckon I won't be eating any more almonds, either. Like many people, I seem to be able to tolerate the nut butters OK, but the nuts themselves cause digestive problems for me.
I love corn chips and tortillas, also, but I've had to cut back on them, because they're pretty fattening.
The anemia may be connected with a B-12 deficiency, which is a very common problem with MC. B-12 is absorbed in the terminal ileum, which seems to be affected almost as much as the colon, for many of us, and as a result, we eventually run short of B-12. You can either take megadoses of B-12 in conventional supplements, (with B-12 in the form of cyanocobalamin), or use sublingual B-12 lozenges, (which are designed to be dissolved under the tongue, using B-12 in the form of methylcobalamin, which goes straight into the bloodstream), or your doctor can give you B-12 injections, once a month. It's not impossible that iron deficiency might be the problem, but if B-12 is deficient, then supplementing with B-12 will correct the problem. Any excess B-12 will be safely excreted, so there is no risk involved with taking large doses of B-12 supplement. Also, be aware that in order for the body to utilize B-12 in the diet, a sufficient level of folic acid must be available. Many of us are probably short of folate in the diet, because most people get much/most of their folic acid from conventional mass-market breakfast cereals, enriched wheat flour, etc., which most of us here, no longer eat.
I hope some of this helps. Please keep us updated, because we all learn a lot from members who post progress reports about what works, and what doesn't work. Diets have to be so fine-tuned to the individual, that working out all the details can virtually be an art, and the insight gained from other's experiences can be priceless, sometimes.
Good luck with tracking down the remaining problem/s.
Tex
Sorry to hear that you're still having persistent symptoms. Unless I misread your post, I get the impression that it's not just the D that you are concerned with, but also the way you feel, in general. The first consideration is whether or not you are sensitive to casein. If you are, then just minimizing it in your diet will not work - you have to eliminate even trace amounts. Casein-sensitivity can cause the same symptoms as gluten sensitivity - bloating, aches and pains, arthritis symptoms, diarrhea, and even brain fog. It can also cause a malabsorption problem which leads to vitamin dificiencies, (especially the "B" vitamins). That's because it can cause the same type of damage in the small intestine that gluten causes for celiacs - namely, villus atrophy. Minimizing dairy products in the diet works for lactose intolerance, but not for casein-sensitivity. If I were in your situation, I would try eliminating all sources of dairy products in my diet for a while, to see if that makes a significant difference. If not, then, as Joan suggests, it might be time to try eliminating all sources of soy from your diet.
I believe that most of us can tolerate raw bananas OK, (though some members seem to have problems with them, because of the fiber, so the problem may be dose-dependent), but raw apples usually don't work very well for most of us, until after our gut heals. Also, not only are apples a significant source of fiber, but they contain the sugar alcohol sorbitol, which many of us react to if we eat more than trace amounts. The peel is the worst part of the apple for someone with MC, of course, because it contains concentrated fiber, (which is also the case with the peel of most fruits and vegetables). You are correct - lettuce is bad news for the vast majority of us with MC, (until our gut heals). If you picture your digestive system as an irate bull, then lettuce is the equivalent of a red flag waved in it's face.
I seem to recall someone suggesting that Romain lettuce may not be as irritating to the gut as the more common varieties, (iceberg?), but I've never tried that, and again, it may be an individual issue.Some of us can tolerate raw carrots, but cooked carrots are much easier on the digestive system, of course. Some of us have problems with Pamela's cookies, while others seem to tolerate them just fine. A lot of the commercial mixes such as Pamala's contain sorghum flour, which seem to bother some of us, (though I must admit that I don't recall whether or not Pamala's products contain sorghum flour). Also, quite a few of us react adversely to tapoica flour, which is in some commercial flour blends.
We've had discussions recently about certain nuts, and I agree with Ant, that peanuts and cashews seem to be the worst offenders. I was also surprised to learn how many others react to almonds. A few days ago, I tried almonds once again, (since I can see no reason why they should be a problem for me), but once again, I spent a mostly sleepless night, with D, and nagging abdominal pains.
I reckon I won't be eating any more almonds, either. Like many people, I seem to be able to tolerate the nut butters OK, but the nuts themselves cause digestive problems for me.I love corn chips and tortillas, also, but I've had to cut back on them, because they're pretty fattening.
The anemia may be connected with a B-12 deficiency, which is a very common problem with MC. B-12 is absorbed in the terminal ileum, which seems to be affected almost as much as the colon, for many of us, and as a result, we eventually run short of B-12. You can either take megadoses of B-12 in conventional supplements, (with B-12 in the form of cyanocobalamin), or use sublingual B-12 lozenges, (which are designed to be dissolved under the tongue, using B-12 in the form of methylcobalamin, which goes straight into the bloodstream), or your doctor can give you B-12 injections, once a month. It's not impossible that iron deficiency might be the problem, but if B-12 is deficient, then supplementing with B-12 will correct the problem. Any excess B-12 will be safely excreted, so there is no risk involved with taking large doses of B-12 supplement. Also, be aware that in order for the body to utilize B-12 in the diet, a sufficient level of folic acid must be available. Many of us are probably short of folate in the diet, because most people get much/most of their folic acid from conventional mass-market breakfast cereals, enriched wheat flour, etc., which most of us here, no longer eat.
I hope some of this helps. Please keep us updated, because we all learn a lot from members who post progress reports about what works, and what doesn't work. Diets have to be so fine-tuned to the individual, that working out all the details can virtually be an art, and the insight gained from other's experiences can be priceless, sometimes.
Good luck with tracking down the remaining problem/s.
Tex