Paging Pat and Kelly

Discussions can be posted here about mediator release testing (MRT), as offered by Oxford Biological Technologies, in conjunction with the LEAP program, which is claimed to determine a relative level of sensitivity to various foods and chemicals by measuring an increase in the ratio of liquids to solids in a blood sample that has been exposed to a specific allergen.

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Polly
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Post by Polly »

WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terrific news!

Love,

Polly
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Post by irisheyes13 »

That's super news Pat! :banana2:
Kelly

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Post by Kari »

Hi Pat - I'm so happy for you that you're showing more progress!!! If you're like me, you'll quickly develop a liking for food that doesn't give you trouble, and knowing that more choices are around the corner is a great motivator. :xfingers: that your progress continues!!!

Love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
Pat
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Post by Pat »

Well, it seems that every time I post that I am doing so much better it will turn out that I am not after all.

After taking a vit/min on Wed morning I had a very loose bm in the night. Then on Thurs. I weighed myself and I was down to 101.5. I was going backwards. So to try to gain some weight I tried the olives and I put some olive oil on my food. I also made the trip to the city to central market to get the plain sunflower seeds. I got them and made the sunflower butter last night. I knew I should wait to try it until today but while making it I couldn't help myself and ate some. I had some more this morning and so far today I have had 2 brown water D episodes. So was it the olives I ate yesterday or the sunflower butter I ate last night? I haven't taken another vit/min. DH is pressing me to try the opium that GI doc #4 suggested. He wants me to be able to go out to eat with him and have a more normal life. I want to do this with diet but I am struggling so. I just can't seem to get enough calories.

Pat
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Post by irisheyes13 »

Pat - So sorry to hear about your setback. I'm right there with you. I was doing well for a few days last week but I'm back to full blown watery D with some cramping and bloating. I'm attributing mine to stress but who knows...

I don't know how much weight you've lost but 101 is tiny by any standard. I've lost 15 lbs in the last month but my weight isn't getting into the dangerously low level... yet. I've eaten 2 new things on the same day and get frustrated as well when the D hits. I guess we should try to be more patient but when your hungry and tired of the same old stuff you think "just maybe it's okay". You mentioned the lamb being greasy and that may have disagreed with you, do you think the olive oil may be too oily also? Just throwing it out there as a possibility. I've been eating almond butter and I was considering eliminating it for now because of the fiber/roughness to the GI tract. How did the sunflower butter turn out- was it smooth? Was it tasty?

I have the same issues with my DH and dining out. My birthday and anniversary are both coming up in the next month and he's mentioned making reservations and I just cringe at the thought. I would love to but am scared to death at the prospect and feel bad for him because this disease is affecting him almost as much as me. I'm sure everyone here with multiple intolerances have felt the same way.

I hope you feel better soon. :hug1:

I'm sure others will be by soon to give you their thoughts and encouragement. Hang in there:)
Kelly

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Post by mbeezie »

Pat,

Aww Pat, so sorry to hear you had a setback. I'm going to send you a PM with some thoughts.

Mary Beth
"If you believe it will work out, you'll see opportunities. If you believe it won't you will see obstacles." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
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Post by Kari »

Dear Pat,

Sooooo sorry you've had another set-back. Boy do I relate - my life style has been turned on its head. My SO is very understanding and considerate, and many times when he is out during the day, he stops and eats a meal in one of his favorite restaurants. My hope is that one day I'll be able to join him again. I agree with Kelly, that MC has a big impact on those we love as well.

Treating MC with diet is truly a tough thing to do and takes enormous will power and perseverance. However, as hard as it is, there are many people here who are living proof that it works. We CAN conquer this disease!!! I've lost a total of 25 lbs. since I started this process, and worry when I see my skinny self in the mirror. All my old clothes are too big for me now, so I've started buying some that fit to make me feel better. Yesterday I looked up weight tables, and discovered that I'm below the minimum weight that's considered healthy for my height :(.

All that said - I hope you don't give up yet, we are all here rooting for you and want you to pull through. Can you take imodium to nip a flare in the bud? This is what I've started doing. As soon as my BM's get watery, I take a pill, and so far it has been working to get me back on track. I know it can be insanely frustrating and disappointing at times. The way I see it is that if I can get through one to two years with careful eating, my gut should be healed enough that my life will be more "normal" again.

Hang in there and let us know how you do. I keep thinking of something Tex said in one of his responses, that I have posted on my refrigerator: "Once you conquer the disease, and get your life back, a most exhilarating feeling comes over you, as you realize that what you have accomplished, against seemingly impossible odds, means that you can do virtually anything that you set your mind to".

:bigbighug: :bigbighug: :bigbighug:

Lots of love,
Kari
"My mouth waters whenever I pass a bakery shop and sniff the aroma of fresh bread, but I am also grateful simply to be alive and sniffing." Dr. Bernstein
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Post by Pat »

Thanks, guys. I really appreciate your support. I just let myself get too hungry at times. When I am full I feel I can do anything, but when I get too hungry it is really hard.

Kelly,

I eliminated the olive oil but was losing weight that I don't have to lose. I got up that day and looked in the mirror and I was beginning to resemble a POW survivor. I just had to add some calories. I am not like Polly where she can add one new thing in every day I think I have to add one new thing every few days. As a matter of fact I had eliminated instead of adding and then adding the olives was too much and then I screwed up eating even that little bit of sunflower butter. No, it was not real smooth. I think if I had added a lot of oil to it I could make it smooth. I just added a little. I used a recipe from the internet. I just need to eat more of what I can eat, more often really. I will get back on track now, just a minor bump in the road.

Kari,

I need to print out that saying and put it on my frig. Thanks!

Pat
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Post by Gloria »

Pat,

I'm sorry that you've had a bad day. :hug: I hope (and think) it is temporary. I would suspect the sunflower butter. I can't seem to make nut butters smooth enough so that they don't irritate my gut. I suppose a Vita Mix would do the job, but I don't own one. Trader Joe's sells a sunflower butter that doesn't have soy, but I don't think they're in Texas.

I know what you mean about going out to eat with hubby. It's one thing to sacrifice ourselves, but another when we see that it's affected our time together with our spouse. I think you'll be able to go out with him again someday, just not right now.

It's hard to realize you're losing weight that you can't afford to lose. I don't want to give you any suggestions because I'm sure Mary Beth has some.

My thoughts are with you.

Gloria
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tex
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Post by tex »

Pat wrote:I just need to eat more of what I can eat, more often really. I will get back on track now, just a minor bump in the road.
I agree 100%. Getting more calories by eating larger portions of the foods that we can tolerate, (or by eating them more frequently), is much, much safer than trying to get calories from foods that we cannot, (or might not), tolerate. A boring diet is never fun, but it is much safer, and it paves the way for a safer, (and more reliable), journey to the point where you will someday be able to eat more exciting foods again.

You're probably closer to success than you realize, but whenever we suffer a setback, the symptoms of the disease are so cruel that they tend to overwhelm our thoughts, and they totally destroy our optimism, at least for the moment. I have no doubt that you will prevail, because you are motivated, and motivated people achieve their goals.

Tex
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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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Post by Pat »

Thanks Tex,

I printed out your saying that Kari has on her refrigerator. I am going to read it daily. Just needed a little cheerleading and food! :smile: Thanks a million for being here and hosting this forum. I can't even imagine what life would be like without it. Probably I would be an opium junkie! Ha!

Gloria,

Thank you for your kind support. We've been at this a long time and your successes and support help keep me going!

Pat
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Post by Polly »

Hi Pat,

You sound a little more chipper (maybe more full?) this morning. :grin: Refresh my memory, what foods can you eat just now?

I feel a little guilty about how well I am doing when I read about the trials and tribulations that you, Kari, and Gloria are experiencing. I know the only reason I am doing so well is because I had 10 years of an incredibly restrictive diet under my belt before doing the MRT/LEAP program. For me, LEAP is mostly fine-tuning/tweaking my diet, which is a lot easier than where you are. But, believe me, I remember vividly when I was in your shoes, and it was physically and emotionally exhausting - and frustrating much of the time. I wonder how much easier it might have been had I been able to do LEAP early on........

I hear you about the eating out. For my hubby and me, our main pleasure was eating out (before MC).
I recall fondly those days when I delightedly searched the menu to try to narrow down to a single choice. Now it's searching to find even one thing that might be safe. And sometimes there is nothing at all safe. I frequently take my entire meal with me to our local diner. The wait staff thinks I'm some crazy lady, I'm sure, but I long ago stopped caring about that. This way at least my hubby can experience a meal out.

Hey good buddies, if I become too optimistic or cavalier about MY progress, feel free to call me on it! LOL! The main reason I like to share my successes is to let others know that there IS hope for us folks with multiple sensitivites. That one CAN have normal gut function again. I can honestly say that I have never had once-a-day perfect Normans like I am now since being on LEAP the past 7 weeks. But it has really been 10 years of healing my gut that makes it possible for me to say this. Remember, my 5 year colonoscopy was still positive. It takes a long time but is well worth it in the end.

Love,

Polly

P.S. Pat, here is some more cheerleading for you: :cheerleader: :cheerleader: :cheerleader: :cheerleader:
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Post by mbeezie »

Pat,

Glad to hear you sounding a bit more hopeful this morning. Since you were seeing some progress I hope you keep going with the diet. It took me six weeks to see Norman on LEAP and I hadn't been sick nearly as long as you. Your immune system is so hyper that it may take a while to calm down. I think you are right - you should only try one new food every 3-4 days just to make sure. Have you had a chance to check out the Emerson Ecologics vitamins? I don't know if they will work any better for you - maybe compare the ingredients. I worked with one client who was so sensitive that she had to go to a compounding pharmacy for vitamins. Pat, we are all cheering you on - hang in there!!


Polly,

I hear you . . . I sometimes feel guilty talking about feeling good too. But I think it has been your postive LEAP experience that has helped others to make the decision to do LEAP. I personally am glad that you are posting your success, for when it was just me saying that LEAP worked for me I didn't get people's attention (in fact, I feel like I was met with skepticism and I think your opinion carries alot of clout). So I am personally glad that we have another tool to help people move forward. Not everyone will have the same response as us, but I have never worked with anyone that didn't find something positive about the process. So keep on posting your success - I promise it will inspire others!!

Love,

Mary Beth
"If you believe it will work out, you'll see opportunities. If you believe it won't you will see obstacles." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
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Post by Pat »

Oh, Polly, please don't stop telling us of your successes and you, too, Mary Beth and all others. That is the only way that I, and I am sure others, have hope!!!!! Don't stop and don't feel guilty! I apologize if I made you feel that way. I think I just try to emulate you and I just can't YET!

Thanks for all the support - keep it coming!!!!!!!

Polly,

To answer your question about what I can eat or think I can eat. Right now I am eating beef, chicken, pork, turkey and occasional cod. Baked potato, mashed potato ( I made that just awhile ago and used some of the water I cooked the potatoes in to thin, they were good), Quinoa, zuchinni, and yellow squash. I have been blenderizing them and eating them as soup. Pretty good, but not many calories. I have been putting olive oil on the potatoes to up the calories and it seems to be a pretty good butter substitute. I have added in Calcium citrate from Freeda. Water only to drink. That's it.

Pat
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Post by Kari »

Polly,

Although I can relate to your trepidation about cheerful news, I agree wholeheartedly with Pat to keep it coming. It is an enormous help on this tough MC road to know that it is possible to achieve some kind of "new normal" again. I have a feeling that when sticking with this way of eating, the health benefits will multiply as time goes by. Last time I checked, a healthy diet, some exercise and meditation (or quiet time), and vitamin D from the sun :grin: will result in an energized, well balanced person !!! And you seem to be an example of that. We are all very fortunate to have you here!!!

Pat,

I'm glad the pep talks are helping you. I have found that it is essential to have some prepared snacks and foods and to eat frequently rather than big meals. I find myself munching every 2 to 3 hours. This eliminates the panic and the feeling of extreme deprivation. My latest food endeavor has been to make a satisfying stew. I use well cooked potatoes, two vegetables, and pinto beans or meat. Instead of making a soup, I make it a thick stew, which feels much more substantial and filling. I've just added turmeric to my diet, which is very low reactive for me, and have discovered that it has anti-inflammatory properties + I like the mild flavor. So turmeric and celtic salt are my two flavor enhancers. Having this stew readily available in the refrigerator gives me a nice, secure feeling. I also keep on hand "Linda's simple oil biscuits" in the freezer. They can be popped in the oven for 5 minutes and are good to go.

Don't ever feel bad about pouring your heart out here - you couldn't find a more willing and receptive audience!!!

Love :comfort: ,
Kari
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