New to MC in July 2010

desjenkins · Post by **desjenkins** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 1:37 pm

I was diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis on Sept 21 after being hospitalized for dehydration for diarrhea for 3 weeks starting July 15th. I am not making much progress. I really have had no advice from my GI Dr. I don't know how much she knows about this. What I would like to do is every time I crap I want to put it in a bag and send it to her.LOL

Maybe that would get her attention. I am eating but everything goes straight through. I really haven't changed my diet. I don't know what causes the diarrhea. It seems that everything does. I really haven't had a regular stool since July. I am taking imodium, asacol, a probodic and now I have a cold and I am taking amox tr-k clv.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Des

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 2:05 pm

Hi Des, welcome to the group.

Your story is quite familiar here and you have made the first step in getting well. For most of us there are aggravating foods that do keep the D going and they typically are:

Gluten (wheat, flour breads pastries cookies etc..)

Soy in any form

Dairy (all products)

Raw fruits and vegetables and citrus also seem to bother quite a number of us.

Food high in fat can also cause problems.

To help determine your food intolerance's you can have testing done by Enterolab

https://www.enterolab.com/

or by keeping a food diary and starting with basic ingredients then add one at a time slowly until you identify the items that are the most troubling to you. Even with Enterolab testing, you will still need to use this method to fine tune your diet.

As hard as this list sounds it really is not that bad to deal with. I was diagnosed last April and found that the dietary aspect of this was as important as any of the medications the doctors would prescribe.

A great place to start looking for recipes and ingredients that are LC friendly would be Dee's Kitchen, a sub forum on this site

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=7

Dee is a professional chef that also deals with MC

I look forward to your posts Des

--Joe

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 3:24 pm

Des, we are glad you found us. If you start reading here and at www.enterolab.com
you will probably find the help your doctor can't give you because he/she doesn't know it.

As our guru Tex says, you can get your life back.

Your doc will say that diet has nothing to do with MC (LC and CC). I say :BSFlag:

Some of us have used diet alone to treat our MC.

desjenkins · Post by **desjenkins** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:00 pm

Thanks Joe. It is good to know that I am not alone. My family is about to drive me nuts. I have never had a problem with any kind of foods and I have lost over 35 lbs since July. I can afford to loose the weight but not this way. I need to start somewhere. Thanks for the tip for Dee's kitchen I will take a look and cook myself happy I hope.

Thanks for the Enterolab testing also. I want to get started with that right away. Maybe they can tell me what is causing the problems.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:15 pm

Welcome, Des. I'm new, too. You will find help here! And lots of support

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:18 pm

Welcome, Des.
All I can say is read, read, read and then see what approach you want to take to try and conquer this disease.

The support here is awesome.

Love, Shirley

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:21 pm

Hi Des, you are not alone at all. This really is one of the best group of people on the internet. As far as weight loss, since April I have lost 37lbs. Weight loss can be one of the symptoms of MC.

I am glad that you will be looking at the Enterolab testing, but I would also highly recommend adopting the food diary approach now as this will be a great tool at learning what your system will like. Many have been able to determine their main food intolerances with Enterolab, but the use of a food diary will to help fine tune their understanding of their sensitivities.

This is all important in the healing with MC. Things certainly will not be as simple as before, but with a bit of planning this can be managed fairly well.

Best wishes Des

--Joe

Post by **tex** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:39 pm

Hi Des,

Welcome to our internet family. I'm sorry to see that you had such a rough time in July, but I'm glad that you were able to get a prompt diagnosis. Some of us had to wait for years to get a correct diagnosis. Doctors seem to be doing much better at diagnosing this disease, compared with just a few short years ago. The faster we can get a diagnosis, the sooner we can begin treating it, so as to minimize the damage to our intestines.

There is no known cure for any of the inflammatory bowel diseases, but with MC, the symptoms can definitely be controlled, with a treatment program custom tailored to your needs, and your lifestyle. Unfortunately, most doctors are not very successful at treating this disease, but on this board, by sharing experiences and information, we learn from each other what works, and what doesn't work.

Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.

Tex (Wayne)

desjenkins · Post by **desjenkins** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 6:52 pm

Joe it was nice of you to suggest Enterolab but I am in Maryland and I cannot participate.

I started my diary of foods tonight. I will keep the food diary will keep me in control and God only knows I don't feel in control of anything now.

Thanks Robby, Shirley and Tex (Wayne) for your words of encouragement.

I am a bad speller so if something isn't spelled correctly please forgive me.

desjenkins · Post by **desjenkins** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 6:53 pm

Oh BTW (by the way) does any one know of a good doctor in Maryland for this disease?

Post by **tex** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 7:07 pm

I know of a good doctor in Maryland with this disease, but unfortunately, she's a pediatrician, not a GI doc. Polly, one of our founding members, is from Maryland. Maybe she can recommend a good GI doctor. I suspect that she probably has her own GI doc up to speed on this disease, after recently undergoing a colonoscopy, where absolutely no indications of the disease remained to be found in her biopsy slides. She controls her symptoms by diet alone.

Tex

IDreamInColor · Post by **IDreamInColor** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:56 pm

Hello Des, I am new to this disease as well, I have had the scooties for months and months, until it finally got severe this past August. I ended up at the ER twice due to starvation, I simply didn't want to eat because of the consequences, but even without eating I was in the bathroom many many times per day.
I also have other autoimmune issues, graves disease, and sinus disease, and to top it all off I have agoraphobia/panic disorder.
This forum and the people here are awesome! It wasn't until I found them that I thought there was hope. I am still sick, but I have learned so much, and I"m learning what I need to do to get myself better.
Just hang in there, I know it's rough. But you'll find the help here can't be beat, they are all so supportive, and informative, and caring.

Celie · Post by **Celie** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:59 pm

Hi Des,
I am newly diagnosed, too. This is a great board. Tex, Polly and the gang have all sorts of helpful information.

You can participate in the Enterolab testing. You collect your own specimens and send them in.

Like you, I was hospitalized because I cannot keep ahead of the D when I am not treated. Entocort has worked wonders for me. If you are not currently taking it, ask your doc. I will have to get off of it at some time, but it is giving me a break from the big D!

Welcome!

Celie

ant · Post by **ant** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 10:27 pm

Dear Des

I am glad you found us. Just wanted to say welcome from Hong Kong. I cannot add anything to what you have already been advised here. As Tex often says it may take some time but you will get your life back.

Best, Ant

wonderwoman · Post by **wonderwoman** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 10:34 pm

You are in the right place. Don't be afraid to ask ANY question. You can get all the answers right here. This site save my life.