MICROSCOPIC COLITIS SUPPORT

Hi Linda,
Correct...the long rices and wild rices have more fiber content....the Minute rice is stripped of all that as is the Calrose Sticky rice those are the only two I'd rotate right now.

Cheers
Erica

Hi, again, Erica -

Thanks for responding so quickly. I thought maybe that was the difference, so I will apply your suggestion. Just spent 2 hrs helping someone “discover” this forum...she was recently diagnosed w/ MC/C. Our 2 husbands were exchanging that news at the grocery store where her husband is head of the produce dept. I was really happy to walk her through my experiences, docs, and intro her to this forum...I count it a privilege, for sure! Told her she had some reading to do this aft in the Newbies section. lol Told her about EnteroLab history, cost, my results, etc. So happy to be able help someone else!

HI Linda,
Getting Dx with MC/LC/CC can make one feel lost real quick! It's a good thing you found this place too I have referred many to here also, it's a bit like an island when you feel you been lost at sea for a long time!

It feels good to help others that's for sure

Stools were back to my old normal. Now, after pouring over my journal noting ANYTHING different, in the last wk I’ve gone backwards (even to a watery D, one time)...have no clue. Back to Level 1 w/ NO additions...still can’t get back to my normal. Still GF/DF/SF and eating as lab results restrictions. Any ideas? Very frustrated! I know things will never be perfect, but SO lost trying to figure out why Level 1 is no longer working so I can adjust intake. Thanks, in advance.

Hi Linda,

I reread Gabes Level 1 plan and it is incredibly safe for us.

Consider the following:
1. Take a hard look at gluten contamination in your kitchen. Read up on gluten contamination.
2. If you are taking supplements consider eliminate most of them for awhile. Move to transdermal magnesium temporarily.
3. Folks that are struggling seem to respond to larger servings of protein.
4. Be aware there are peaks and valleys early on with healing.

Hi, Brandy ~

Thanks for responding so quickly and taking the time to review the Level 1 Eating Plan on my behalf. I’ve been taking Mag Citrate 500 mg for a month (previous to that, took Mag Oxide 500 mg for several yrs until I learned we only absorb 2-3% of that form...thanks Tex), Vit D3 5,000 IU, and Calcium 600 mg for years. Had a bit of a bumpy ride moving to the Mag Citrate because I transitioned, full dosage, in 1 day rather than gradually since I had not read that part on the forum yet. That was a month ago, but the last several days have been all over the map! I will give your suggestions a fair trial and post how things are going.

Also, for the last 35 yrs, I have always kept my IBS-D in check by just adding 1 small serving of a grain-based food for 1 day to nudge me back to my normal bowel pattern. Now, being GF/DF/Soy Free for 7 wks, things go well a couple of wks, then downward a few days, and I can’t seem to make sustained progress. My body always feels like, “Where’s that bit of starch to help rock things back to the center?” And, though I can likely have a serving of rice, I’m afraid to do ANYTHING, at this point...Afraid I might make things even worse! Before my lab results I had a small serving of rice a few times nearly every day. So, I think I will wait a few more days to see if things straighten out, try some of your suggestions Brandy, then try a small serving of rice once.

Thanks again...wish me luck, sanity, and patience on this journey.

Hi Linda,

Magnesium citrate can be used as a laxative. I would change at least half of that magnesium citrate dosage to magnesium glycinate (in fact I did, because I was in a similar situation as you are in a few years ago). I have no proof, but my impression is that for most people who have MC, 500 mg of magnesium citrate is enough to cause diarrhea. I don't consider it a good idea to take over about 200 mg of magnesium citrate unless you are having constipation issues.

Of course, calcium supplementation in significant doses is constipating. If you are taking the calcium to prevent osteoporosis, research shows that to be counterproductive. Untreated gluten sensitivity causes osteoporosis. So if you are avoiding gluten you should be eliminating that risk. There's no risk in getting plenty of calcium from food by increasing absorptivity of calcium by taking vitamin D, and utilization of calcium by taking magnesium. But research shows that there is a cardiovascular risk associated with taking calcium supplements. The best way to prevent osteoporosis is to:

1. avoid gluten

2. take vitamin D

3. take magnesium

Calcium supplements do not appear on that list.

Tex

Good Morning, Tex ~

Thanks for the quick and thoughtful response, Tex! I read on the forum in many places that the suggested levels were Mag 500 mg and Vit D3 at 5,000 IU, so I doubled my Mag and change the form to Citrate rather than oxide. Was that suggested level of Mag primarily for MC people who still struggle w/ frequents bouts of diharrea? I thought that recommendation was for all of us MCers. (I think part of the problem is that I sometimes forget to check the advice w/ the person’s profile...but I generally read all the comments back and forth on any given post by 1 person). So, then I could go back to my former level of 250mg Mag Cit since I no longer have the watery diharrea issues, right? Thanks for being patient w/ me, Tex, I’m still on a pretty steep learning curve.

I will also discontinue the calcium. Every doc routinely asks if I’m taking it because I’m a post-menopausal women.

Thanks again for all you have/are/will be doing here...it is a life saver for SO many!

The 500 mg recommendation is for chelated magnesium (magnesium glycinate). It's not near as likely to cause diarrhea as magnesium citrate at that dose. But that's not my recommendation — it's Gabes'. Personally, I can't take that much magnesium — it causes me to have heart arrythmias, because my kidneys can't handle the extra load caused by having to purge the extra magnesium (it's possible for too much magnesium to cause a heart attack when your kidneys can't keep your blood level of magnesium from getting too high).

If you're sure your kidneys are in great shape, it's probably safe to take that much. If not, that's a high dose if you should have kidney problems, because unlike magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate are both highly absorbable.

As a rule, post-menopausal women are deficient in vitamin D and magnesium, not calcium. Almost everyone has plenty of calcium in their diet, but not enough vitamin D and magnesium to be able to use the calcium. The deficiency of vitamin D and magnesium is the cause of osteoporosis.

You're very welcome,

Tex

Once again, thanks for your quick response, Tex.

are you spreading the magnesium out throughout the day ie 3-4 times a day? or taking it in bigger doses 1-2 times a day??

using topical magnesium will not cause loose stools.

Hi, Gabe’s ~

Thanks for addressing the question about magnesium. I switched from Mag Oxide to Mag Citrate when I read about the 2-3% absorption issue w/ Oxide form in 1 day rather than the gradual increase as suggested a few days later in next reading on the forum. I take 500 mg total spit into noon and dinner. Starting today, I dropped down to 250 mg of Mag Cit and discontinued my calcium. For a couple of days now, I have had several bouts of diharrea (which I have not had in several months). I moved back to Level 1 Eating about a wk ago before this all started. Looking over my food journal for possible problems. Maybe too much sugar in sorbet I have had 7 times in 17 days. Labs indicate cashews are safe so I had added that butter, but took that out several days ago, and no bananas either. Hoping the magnesium is the issue and things will ease up.

Calcium is constipating. That might alter the balance when the situation is borderline. But discontinuing the calcium apparently wasn't the cause of your current diarrhea. It could certainly be the sugar, depending on how well that coordinates with your food journal. Too much sugar gives me D either the same day or the next day.

Tex

Hi Linda,

Mag glycinate is generally a safer from of oral magnesium for us. Currently I'm taking 200 mg of mag glycinate orally per day. Even though mag glycinate is generally safer for us when I was taking 400 mg of oral mag glycinate I was having loose stools.

I use mag citrate when i have constipation.

I believe that is right on target for many/most people. We each have our own "tolerance level" for magnesium and if we exceed that, any form of magnesium can cause diarrhea.

Tex