MICROSCOPIC COLITIS SUPPORT

I have two questions. First is my D has stopped but I am still having a lot of stomach pain is this normal? If so how long does this last? Second question my doctor believes I got MC from a virus and that it will go away and not come back. From what I have read that isn't true, so who is right? I feel very confused by all of this. I couldn't afford the medication they normally use as it was $900.00, so she put me on Cholestyramine 4 times daily. Has anyone tried this medication, and did it help?

Hello, bigred. Welcome to our group, you've come to the right place for help on your journey. I've only had pain on my left side and that's after eating. As you will discover, most doctors don't understand our disease and you have to figure this out without your doctor's assistance. I can't help with medication, I haven't taken anything except Pepto Bismol. Take some time to search the forums and you'll find a lot of information to help you on your way to healing.

Welcome to our group. Sorry you had to find us but you've come to the right place for help!

As to the stomach pains, yes, it's very normal. I had pains for a couple of months (until I got my diet and everything else under control). They will subside. MC has a mind of its own, so be patient. Nothing happens overnight.

I can only speak to Budesonide. That's the only medication I have taken.

Hi and Welcome! My symptoms are: Diarrhea, stomach pain, stomach cramping, stomach burning, nausea, dry heaving and extreme fatigue. Once my system calms down and I have my diet under control (gluten free and dairy free), then the pain/cramps/burning goes away. It can be anywhere from a day to months, depending on how bad of a flare. Remember, each individual is different.

I believe your GI may be talking about post-infectious IBS, a C.Diff infection or something along those lines. My GI first thought the same until I had a colonoscopy with a confirmed diagnosis of Microscopic Colitis from a colon biopsy. Microscopic Colitis does not just "go away", unfortunately. I was diagnosed in 2012. I had a good year or so in 2014 when I thought that I was cured, but it has been beating me up since May. It can wax and wane, like other IBD's.

I'm currently on Budesonide (for the second time). I am sorry, I am not familiar with Cholestyramine, but there is some information about using this drug to treat microscopic colitis on the Microscopic Colitis Foundation website here http://www.microscopiccolitisfoundation ... tions.html
It is under the heading "Bile acid sequestrants".

Hi bigred,

I have two questions. First is my D has stopped but I am still having a lot of stomach pain is this normal? If so how long does this last? Second question my doctor believes I got MC from a virus and that it will go away and not come back. From what I have read that isn't true, so who is right? I feel very confused by all of this. I couldn't afford the medication they normally use as it was $900.00, so she put me on Cholestyramine 4 times daily. Has anyone tried this medication, and did it help?

I'm hoping since this site is being backed up at the moment that I don't loose this post...so here I go.

First - Welcome and feel free to ask anything here :-)

Q1 = By being Gluten, Dairy, Soy and Egg free starting immediately you ought to see a significant decline in gut pain over the next couple weeks or sooner depending on how inflamed you are. How are your VitD levels? Are you on any Magnesium regimen?

Q2= Yes you may have set it off by a virus, or any meds to relieve such virus, or it could have just been there perpetually being antagonized by antigens that you had no clue were even doing it to your gut and it finally got to a tipping point and the MC symptoms arrived, which I am learning not that the gut is predisposed to MC it will not ever go away, it just has to be dealt with in the only way most at this forum understands it and that is to get the diet, and stress under check, along with working out any medications one might be taking as lots of them aggravate MC and will keep it stirred up on an ongoing basis.

Q3= The Cholestyramine may help as it binds extra bile acid that does not absorb in the small intestine and therefore when it gets to the large intestine it causes diarrhea. I am in the process of requesting it and I also have a natural product called Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth that I am taking again since I had it in the kitchen for other purposes but am learning it may be just as good as the chemical med Cholestyramine too....so will be letting the forum know how I get along with either one. Polly the moderator here is a big advocate for Cholestyramine :-) It has taken me a year of healing to know whether or not I wanted to embark on taking anything as I did not take any meds to get my healing started and almost under control

Good Luck!
Erica

hi there!
welcome to our group (and sympathies that you had to find us)

keep reading posts and discussions, this will help you understand 'life with MC'

we have drafted up some 'guidelines to recovery' that may also be of assistance

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=79

I want to thank you all for the responses you have given me about MC. I just want to verify that I did have a colonoscopy where tissue samples were taken and that's how I found out I had MC. For some reason my doctor told me I didn't need to go on a gluten free diet, she just said to avoid greasy foods and any thing spicey. I know some days are much worse than others and I do believe it is my diet. So thank you for leading me in the right direction by starting with the foods I'm eating. So for now I will go gluten free and dairy free and see what happens.