I don't doubt I have MC. 30 weeks of antibiotics during pregnancy can certainly cause that. My concern is that I have issues that began more than ten years ago. I feel it's worth investigating root cause immune response issues which I feel could have ultimately led to GI problems, including officially diagnosed conditions like MC and possibly crohn's.
FWIW, Mayo in Minnesota (the original) is the top rated GI hospital in the country. The one in JAX is rated as a high performer, but not in the top 100. I still think Mayo JAX is probably a great institution but posts from folks on this forum, including Tex, have led me to believe that we won't find much help there beyond what I'll get at Shands or other comparable institution. I have a hard time believing a GI can fix all this when it feels like a systemic problem requiring the attention of a rheumatologist, infectious disease specialist, etc. (unless I go to one of those departments at Mayo). I do realize GI issues can cause problems all over the body though so I'm still not completely giving up thinking that some GI-based issue is what's causing everything.
I would be starting a two week only trial of the antibiotics with a direction to stop them if I felt worse. The LLMD hands out lots of paperwork informing you of the hazards of antibiotics and it's clear he does not take their use lightly. We would only consider continuing an antibiotic treatment if the labs come back indicative of lyme. He's not just prescribing one for the heck of it. A thorough examination of my history and symptoms lines up very clearly with chronic lyme (although I realize a number of people on this forum probably have similar symptoms).
Gayle, actually the Shands GI has been tremendous at explaining everything and listing her rationale for every procedure and action. I don't have the report from my colonoscopy earlier this year which was done by my local GI. I had horrible problems while pregnant and we all just thought everything would be better once the baby was born. When problems continued we did the procedure and found MC. Since then I've learned as much as I can and have started collecting all my records to be my own manager/advocate. I'm afraid the colonoscopy report just got placed in another file somewhere. Thanks for all the input.
Not sure if anyone with gut flora issues has considered this, but my husband and I are very close to doing our own at-home fecal transplant enema. I was on antibiotics for so long that I don't know how taking a bunch of acidophilus (and maybe a few others) is supposed to recreate an intricate biotic community made of hundreds of different species all performing unique functions.
endoscopy/MRE results - IBD? Crohn's? WTF?
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Yes, it's been tried. It appears that fecal transplants are quite successful for controlling a pathogen (such as a C. diff infection), but so far I'm not aware of anyone who has been successful in using the technique to treat MC. You may find the discussions at the following links to be informative.Marie wrote:Not sure if anyone with gut flora issues has considered this, but my husband and I are very close to doing our own at-home fecal transplant enema. I was on antibiotics for so long that I don't know how taking a bunch of acidophilus (and maybe a few others) is supposed to recreate an intricate biotic community made of hundreds of different species all performing unique functions.
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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.