I was diagnosed with Microscopic Colitis in June 2017, after a couple of months of terrible, uncontrollable diarrhea, bloating, gas, stomach pain and awful gurgling - and several times not making it to the bathroom in time. It was and has been crippling.
I feared travel and had to rely upon Pepto Bismol & Imodium. I always needed to know where the bathroom was - exactly - and gauge whether I'd make it or not. A couple of times, heading home, I did not. A couple of times, I awoke in the night and could not get to the bathroom in time.
I told myself that I'd share anything and everything I did to "cure" my MC - if that day ever came.
That day HAS come - and so I'm going to outline what I've done and continue to do as specifically as I can.
NOTE: This is in no way medical advice or a recommendation. This is simply what I did and what I do today.
Today, I have zero need for Pepto or Imodium. I have no fear, no pain, no uncontrollable, explosive diarrhea. I am cautiously optimistic. I have back "my old, regular BMs," relatively solid - often brought on by my espresso habit - which I'm fine with. This is about 90-95% NORMAL - and fine and healthy.
In 2017, miserable, I got Wayne's book and read it. I also hired a nutritionist and she read Wayne's book. The nutritionist did NOT have experience with MC. I also got acupuncture from her and Chinese herbs. I did all of this from August, 2017 - to December, 2017.
I got the Mediterranean Cookbook and experimented with "pure cooking." I eliminated a LOT of foods from my diet, i.e., sugar, flour, gluten and ate only grass FINISHED (not fed) meats.
It wasn't really changing much. The bloating was perhaps less and the pain not so bad, but I still had terrible, volatile, scary diarrhea, 10 - 20 Xs a day.
I got tested for and learned I'm allergic to gluten, tuna, oats, and wheat. I completely eliminated all of these from my diet.
I eliminated alcohol and caffeine completely for a month and also tried to do the chicken, quinoa, sweet potato, green vegs diet for a few weeks and, one day, I thought I'd loose my s*^t if I had to live like that.
I decided in Jan. 2018 to drink caffeine, drink alcohol moderately (mostly wine) and eat very clean - completely eliminating all gluten and my "allergy foods."
That is what I've ingested for the the entire year. It's been wonderful - great for my soul. I also began eating KETO (low carbs, moderate protein, high fat) since May 30, 2018.
In addition, I continuously poked around to see what gastroenterologists were recommending, generally speaking, to help MC and IBS and Celiac Disease. To that end, I have added these elements over the last year or last few months.
Below is what I now take every day. It comes from all of 2018's findings and "experimenting." It appears to be working and I will continue this regime indefinitely.
A cup of homemade, grass FINISHED chicken or beef stock
Primal Defense Ultra Probiotic Formula
Manuka Health MG 0550, Manuka Honey
Marshmallow Root
Slippery Elm
1000 mg L-Glutamine
Vit C 1000
Vitamin D3 5000 IU
Super B 100 which contains B1B to B3, B6 folate vitamin B 12, B 7
(liquid) Magnesium Miracle
NOTE: Magnesium in vitamins and other places (including cal-mag tabs and the like) is hard to digest. I learned of Magnesium Miracle, which you add to a bit of water and drink as a replacement.
Furthermore, I buy and use the vitamin/minerals WITHOUT any magnesium. I read labels carefully.
Generally speaking, I eat and drink about anything I want. KETO eliminates sugar, but I'm known to cheat now and again.
I also found a great gluten-free beer and treat myself to that a couple of times a month.
I don't eat corn, except that I also got some movie popcorn just because - a time or two this month.
But 85% of my diet is clean, KETO-centric - and quite wonderful.
I've got my life back.
Honestly - I've spent the last 18 months thinking, "Well, this is how it's going to go. I'm 63-years-old and this is only going to get worse. Diapers are in my future."
That was my thinking through August 2018 ... then, not quite a month ago, EVERYthing suddenly quieted down, became routine, healthy and predictable.
It's wonderful. I can't begin to tell you - it's amazing.
Find a path and keep reading and experimenting and trust your gut (pun intended). When something feels like it's a good thing for you, go with it, even if you don't see results immediately.
I didn't believe (for me) that wine or a cocktail or my morning coffee was a culprit. I read physicians experienced in MC's tales of "healing the colon wall."
I worked toward that.
Seems it worked!! Keep going.
HUGE thank you to Wayne, to others who shared their success stories here and to Julie - all terribly helpful to me, particularly at the start of this.
Cathie
