CC & Mouth Mucus

Brief answers to many questions about Collagenous Colitis, Lymphocytic Colitis, Microscipic Colitis, and related autoimmune issues, can be found here. These concepts are covered in much greater detail elsewhere in these forums.

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laney
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CC & Mouth Mucus

Post by laney »

I have recently been diagnosed with CC. In my 2nd month of symptoms (prior to diagnosis) I started getting very bad mouth mucus. I have been told that this is not linked to CC, and my online research is supporting this. However, I cannot find anything else that would be causing this.
I literally wake up at 5am, if not earlier, each day to clean my mouth out as it wakes me from my sleep. I also haven't slept a full night through in the last 6 months, since I have had the CC - even though it is now under control, just because I don't seem to know how to relax or sleep properly - I don't know if this is related to CC or not!
I am currently testing the Gluten Free diet, and I am learning just how many foods contain this substance - it's a challenge!
Any advice appreciated!! x
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi Laney,

Welcome to our online family. These are uncharted waters, (because this is outside the scope of the original description of CC). However, many additional symptoms of CC have been discovered since the disease was originally described, 35 years ago. Mucus is one of the mechanisms by which the digestive tract tries to protect the mucosal surface from inflammatory pathogens, and other irritants. Copious amounts of mucus are often produced by the intestines, for example, when inflammation is present, and it's very common with CC.

It is a fact that Microscopic colitis can affect any portion of the GI tract, from mouth to Anus. I'm not a doctor, but I am confident that if the mucosal lining in your mouth were biopsied, and analyzed the same way that the biopsy samples from your colon were analyzed, when your CC was diagnosed, (IOW, under a microscope), the pathologist would discover that you have the markers of microscopic colitis in the mucus membranes of your mouth.

Good luck with the diet. Please be aware that most of us are also sensitive to casein, (the primary protein in all dairy products), and about half of us are sensitive to soy, and all legumes, in addition to gluten and casein. Some members have additional food sensitivities.

Please keep us posted on your progress with resolving your symptoms, as you are the first member to report involvement of the mouth membranes to such an extensive degree. Many of us have occasional mouth sores, when we are reacting, but I don't recall anyone else mentioning such an obvious sign of inflammation as mucus production in the mouth.

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

Tex
:cowboy:

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.
JLH
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Post by JLH »

I have mouth mucous and attributed it to post nasal drip. It is so disgusting.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV.

LDN July 18, 2014

Joan
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sarkin
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Post by sarkin »

Welcome, Laney.

My nose ran in new and frightening ways when I was first slammed with MC symptoms - I know it's not strictly digestive, but I do think the inflammation of mucous membranes goes far beyond what most people realize. I felt as though every internal inch was 'sunburned' somehow.

I hope you see results soon from adjusting your diet. Each of us vary in that regard, and healing takes longer than just removing the troublemakers - though that really helps and gives some encouragement along the way. And I really hope you start getting some quality rest!

All my best,

Sara
laney
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Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:32 pm
Location: london

Post by laney »

Thank you for the prompt replies.

It is such a relief to hear from other people with CC, I have been getting such little information from the Gastro specialists themselves!

I am 28 years old, and gather that this affects mostly people in their 50's upwards - so I have many years to perfect my diet I guess!

I will be visiting my dentist soon to have a check up, and I will ask if they can test it. I have almost non-existant enamel on my teeth so I am very worried it will cause me more sensitivity or leave me prone to other gum/mouth diseases.

Thank you once again for your thoughts!
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natythingycolbery
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Post by natythingycolbery »

You know... thinking about it... i seem to have a lot more muscus in general since they symptoms first started....
'The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be.' Horace Bushnell

Diagnosed with MC (LC) Aug 2010
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tex
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Post by tex »

Laney,

We have many members in your age bracket, and younger. Katy, (natythingycolbery), for example, who is also from the UK, is significantly younger than you.

Have you been tested for celiac disease? CC is commonly associated with celiac disease, especially untreated celiac disease. Gluten-sensitivity is one of the primary causes of damage to tooth enamel. If your enamel is that thin, you have probably been gluten-sensitive since very early in life. Gluten-sensitivity definitely destroyed the enamel of my teeth.

You should also be tested for osteoporosis, as well. Your doctors are going to say that you're too young, but if your tooth enamel has been severely damaged, there is a very good chance that your bones may also be beginning to show some damage, and you need a baseline test, (dexa scan), so that your doctors can monitor any future osteoporosis issues.

Please keep us updated on how your treatment is going.

Tex
:cowboy:

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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