NEWBIE, WERE TO START???
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
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alexlive01
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 1:32 pm
NEWBIE, WERE TO START???
hi all, my name is alex, and iam from mexico, recently i been diagnose with MC, collagenous colitis to be exact and i have IBS too, on june of the present year i also had a cholecystectomy cause i had gallstones.... its seems here in mexico doctors dont know much about MC or how to treat it right.... right now i been taking pentasa for like more then a month an it helped to a certain point, but i been having ups an downs lately.... the only thing i am sure iam intolerant is to lactose, everytime i drinked milk in the past i had diarreas hours after i havent drink milk for like 8 months know, but i dont really know if aim intolerant to anything else, dont know if my IBS is the one thats giving me hell, i really dotn know were to start or were to go or what to do with this sickness.....
Hi Alex,
Welcome to the board. Most of us have discovered the same thing - doctors all over the world are getting better at diagnosing MC, but they aren't very good at effectively treating it.
Some of us have found that we can take a drug called Entocort EC, and it will control our symptoms. Unfortunately, though, it's not enough by itself to control all the symptoms for many of us. Because of that, many of us also have to completely eliminate certain foods from our diet, in order to eliminate our symptoms. In fact, some of us here have never used any of those drugs - we have always controlled our symptoms by diet alone.
Anyone with enteritis is going to automatically be lactose intolerant, but that's a minor problem compared with the real food sensitivities. The main problem is an autoimmune reaction caused by certain proteins in the diet. The biggest problem for most of us is gluten, (found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats). Almost as many of us are also sensitive to casein, which is the primary protein in milk and all dairy products. About half of us are also sensitive to soy, and everything that includes ingredients made from soy. A few of us are also sensitive to proteins in egg whites, yeast, corn, etc.
The disease is similar to celiac disease, except that it affects the colon, rather than the small intestine. In fact, in many cases, it affects both, and it can also affect the stomach, and other organs. Unfortunately, the blood tests used by doctors to detect celiac disease, will not detect the type of gluten-sensitivity that we have with this disease.
Each one of us has to figure out which foods we cannot tolerate, and custom design our own diet, because we are all different, and so we don't all have problems from the same foods, (although most of us do indeed have a problem with gluten and casein). Also, doctors recommend increased fiber in the diet for IBS, but fiber should be avoided as much as possible by someone with MC, because it irritates our intestines, (due to the fact that the intestines are inflamed, and therefore very easily irritated). Most of us do better if we avoid all fruits, (except bananas), and most vegetables. Any vegetables, (or anything else, for that matter), should be peeled, and well cooked, (overcooked). Raw vegetables should be avoided, especially lettuce, since it is very irritating to the gut. Most of the fiber is in the peel, so peeling fruit and vegetables helps to reduce fiber consumption.
There is a lab, in Dallas, Texas, that can do tests on stool samples to determine specific food sensitivities. We have found their tests to be very accurate and reliable. These tests are much more sensitive and much more reliable than the blood tests use for diagnosing celiac disease. The lab offers tests for antibodies to gluten, casein, soy, eggs, and yeast, plus tests for fat malabsorption, tissue transglutaminase antibodies, (to test for autoimmune reactions), and they also offer a gene test. All of the tests are based on a stool sample, except for the gene test, which is a test based on DNA collected by rubbing a cotton swab on the inside of the cheek. You can order the tests yourself, online, or by phone.
Or, you can figure out your food sensitivities by trial and error, but many of us choose the Enterolab tests because they save a lot of time and aggravation. Members here from various countries all over the world have sent them samples for analysis, so I would assume that the test kits can be ordered from Mexico, also. Some doctors are willing to order these tests for their patients, (and some are not), but if a doctor orders the tests, it is usually much easier to get your insurance company to cover the cost of the tests.
https://www.enterolab.com/
This disease cannot be cured, but the symptoms can certainly be controlled. Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex (Wayne)
Welcome to the board. Most of us have discovered the same thing - doctors all over the world are getting better at diagnosing MC, but they aren't very good at effectively treating it.
Some of us have found that we can take a drug called Entocort EC, and it will control our symptoms. Unfortunately, though, it's not enough by itself to control all the symptoms for many of us. Because of that, many of us also have to completely eliminate certain foods from our diet, in order to eliminate our symptoms. In fact, some of us here have never used any of those drugs - we have always controlled our symptoms by diet alone.
Anyone with enteritis is going to automatically be lactose intolerant, but that's a minor problem compared with the real food sensitivities. The main problem is an autoimmune reaction caused by certain proteins in the diet. The biggest problem for most of us is gluten, (found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats). Almost as many of us are also sensitive to casein, which is the primary protein in milk and all dairy products. About half of us are also sensitive to soy, and everything that includes ingredients made from soy. A few of us are also sensitive to proteins in egg whites, yeast, corn, etc.
The disease is similar to celiac disease, except that it affects the colon, rather than the small intestine. In fact, in many cases, it affects both, and it can also affect the stomach, and other organs. Unfortunately, the blood tests used by doctors to detect celiac disease, will not detect the type of gluten-sensitivity that we have with this disease.
Each one of us has to figure out which foods we cannot tolerate, and custom design our own diet, because we are all different, and so we don't all have problems from the same foods, (although most of us do indeed have a problem with gluten and casein). Also, doctors recommend increased fiber in the diet for IBS, but fiber should be avoided as much as possible by someone with MC, because it irritates our intestines, (due to the fact that the intestines are inflamed, and therefore very easily irritated). Most of us do better if we avoid all fruits, (except bananas), and most vegetables. Any vegetables, (or anything else, for that matter), should be peeled, and well cooked, (overcooked). Raw vegetables should be avoided, especially lettuce, since it is very irritating to the gut. Most of the fiber is in the peel, so peeling fruit and vegetables helps to reduce fiber consumption.
There is a lab, in Dallas, Texas, that can do tests on stool samples to determine specific food sensitivities. We have found their tests to be very accurate and reliable. These tests are much more sensitive and much more reliable than the blood tests use for diagnosing celiac disease. The lab offers tests for antibodies to gluten, casein, soy, eggs, and yeast, plus tests for fat malabsorption, tissue transglutaminase antibodies, (to test for autoimmune reactions), and they also offer a gene test. All of the tests are based on a stool sample, except for the gene test, which is a test based on DNA collected by rubbing a cotton swab on the inside of the cheek. You can order the tests yourself, online, or by phone.
Or, you can figure out your food sensitivities by trial and error, but many of us choose the Enterolab tests because they save a lot of time and aggravation. Members here from various countries all over the world have sent them samples for analysis, so I would assume that the test kits can be ordered from Mexico, also. Some doctors are willing to order these tests for their patients, (and some are not), but if a doctor orders the tests, it is usually much easier to get your insurance company to cover the cost of the tests.
https://www.enterolab.com/
This disease cannot be cured, but the symptoms can certainly be controlled. Again, welcome aboard, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex (Wayne)
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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alexlive01
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 1:32 pm
wow, thanks for all the info.... i tried going off gluten , but its so damm hard, today iam starting again and trial my self for some weeks without any gluten.... what i find uncomforting is that my doctor told me i can eat anything, and that i should only avoid spicy food and lactose....its proof he doesnt fully understand how to treat this sickeness... still iam staying with him cause i have some confidence on him cause he was the only to diganose me with MC after seeing 5 diferent doctors before him, he told me he was certain i had MC even before he did colonocospy and the biopsy's.
Yes, most GI specialists will ague that diet has absolutely nothing to do with this disease, because no one has scientifically proven that it does. Of course, no one has scientifically proven that diet does not have anything to do with this disease either, but they never consider that fact. I agree that it's a good idea to stay on good terms with him, because you might need a prescription or something else from him. It sounds as though he is a lot more familiar with the disease than most GI docs, if he recognized the symptoms right up front.
Good luck with your treatment,
Tex
Good luck with your treatment,
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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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
Alex
firstly welcome to the site and this family
as tex mentioned there is no scientific proof either way that diet works or doesnt work
for me when i was first diagnosed to see this group of people using diet as the main management tool of the MC symptoms and majority of them having great success that was the only proof i needed, and 12 months down the track i have reasonable wellness minimal symptoms using diet as my main management tool.
regardless of which way you go there is no quick fix or guarenteed solution. it takes a bit of time (and patience) to figure out what will work for you. there is loads of information on the site and lots of wonderful people that will help you along the way.
best of luck
take care
firstly welcome to the site and this family
as tex mentioned there is no scientific proof either way that diet works or doesnt work
for me when i was first diagnosed to see this group of people using diet as the main management tool of the MC symptoms and majority of them having great success that was the only proof i needed, and 12 months down the track i have reasonable wellness minimal symptoms using diet as my main management tool.
regardless of which way you go there is no quick fix or guarenteed solution. it takes a bit of time (and patience) to figure out what will work for you. there is loads of information on the site and lots of wonderful people that will help you along the way.
best of luck
take care
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Alex,
Welcome! I am not as wise or experienced with MC as Gabes or Tex so I will only add that if you have had gall bladder issues (or removal), many have had D reduction by ingesting moderate doses of calcium. I think you can search "Linda's Calcium" on the IBS Forums.
Much to learn on this site.
Rich
Welcome! I am not as wise or experienced with MC as Gabes or Tex so I will only add that if you have had gall bladder issues (or removal), many have had D reduction by ingesting moderate doses of calcium. I think you can search "Linda's Calcium" on the IBS Forums.
Much to learn on this site.
Rich
"It's not what I believe. It's what I can prove." - A Few Good Men