Hello,
I believe my MC was brought on by Zoloft. After 1st high dose of Zoloft (had to do for 2 days) I became terribly ill.
Lasted about a week, horrible D, began losing weight 20+ lbs.
I weaned myself off of Zoloft a year later, stools slowly went back normal but the panic attacks returned so I went back on them.
D got so bad I asked to try a different RX other than Zoloft. Started using Lexapro if I remember right, but the D never went away and that Rx wasn’t as good at keeping panic attacks at bay so back on Zoloft again.
Been battling this chronic D for over 3 years now and I want my life back!
Had a colonoscopy last week and was discovered then that I have MC.
Started the Budesonide today.
I just wonder since I feel it all began due to the Zoloft if it will ever get better since I have no plans of getting off Zoloft again.
There is a lot of great information in this forum, I’ve been reading for hours.
Thank you for allowing me to join!
Diagnosed with Collagenous Colitis Yesterday....
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Beth,
Welcome to the group. I'm not a doctor, but my opinion is that you have a better chance of winning the lottery than stopping the diarrhea, as long as you continue to take a medication that's known to cause MC. I doubt that the budesonide will be able to override it, but even if it does, your doctor is not likely to allow you to continue to use budesonide indefinitely. Diet changes won't bring relief either, against drug-driven diarrhea. The drug must be discontinued in order to get relief. Taking a drug to treat the side effects of another drug is an endless merry-go-round that doctors and drug companies use to get rich.
One of the dirty little secrets among the drug companies and physicians is that depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are all symptoms of a chronic magnesium deficiency. Published medical literature is available describing how those symptoms can be treated (and resolved) by supplemental magnesium. But everyone is making far too much money treating those symptoms to dare mention a cheap treatment like magnesium to a patient. So the game goes on, at the patient's expense.
I have personally experienced the symptoms you mentioned. This happened to me about 5 years ago:
I would wake up in the wee hours of the morning (whenever my body ran out of magnesium reserves from my last meal) sweating, heart racing, my breathing was rapid and shallow, and I would feel as though I were having a panic attack. After I ate breakfast, my symptoms would disappear. Until one morning I felt so bad that I couldn't force myself to eat breakfast. So I went to the ER.
I was taking a magnesium supplement at the time. but it was misrepresented by the manufacturer (as proven in a class action lawsuit, later). Because of that issue, I slowly developed a severe magnesium deficiency.
But when I figured out the problem, it was complicated by a reaction against the antibiotic Bactrim, that I had been taking for some dental work. At any rate, when I noticed that the lab had flagged my magnesium test level, I upped my magnesium intake and my symptoms were resolved by the next day.
Here's a link to the post I made when I resolved the issue:
Even ER Docs Don't Recognize The Importance Of Magnesium
Obviously I can't guarantee that magnesium will resolve your depression, anxiety, etc. symptoms, but at least 80 % of the general population is magnesium deficient, and MC depletes magnesium. Over 300 chemical process in the body depend on magnesium. When we run low on magnesium, everything goes haywire.
Again, welcome to the group, and please feel free to ask anything.
Tex
Welcome to the group. I'm not a doctor, but my opinion is that you have a better chance of winning the lottery than stopping the diarrhea, as long as you continue to take a medication that's known to cause MC. I doubt that the budesonide will be able to override it, but even if it does, your doctor is not likely to allow you to continue to use budesonide indefinitely. Diet changes won't bring relief either, against drug-driven diarrhea. The drug must be discontinued in order to get relief. Taking a drug to treat the side effects of another drug is an endless merry-go-round that doctors and drug companies use to get rich.
One of the dirty little secrets among the drug companies and physicians is that depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are all symptoms of a chronic magnesium deficiency. Published medical literature is available describing how those symptoms can be treated (and resolved) by supplemental magnesium. But everyone is making far too much money treating those symptoms to dare mention a cheap treatment like magnesium to a patient. So the game goes on, at the patient's expense.
I have personally experienced the symptoms you mentioned. This happened to me about 5 years ago:
I would wake up in the wee hours of the morning (whenever my body ran out of magnesium reserves from my last meal) sweating, heart racing, my breathing was rapid and shallow, and I would feel as though I were having a panic attack. After I ate breakfast, my symptoms would disappear. Until one morning I felt so bad that I couldn't force myself to eat breakfast. So I went to the ER.
I was taking a magnesium supplement at the time. but it was misrepresented by the manufacturer (as proven in a class action lawsuit, later). Because of that issue, I slowly developed a severe magnesium deficiency.
But when I figured out the problem, it was complicated by a reaction against the antibiotic Bactrim, that I had been taking for some dental work. At any rate, when I noticed that the lab had flagged my magnesium test level, I upped my magnesium intake and my symptoms were resolved by the next day.
Here's a link to the post I made when I resolved the issue:
Even ER Docs Don't Recognize The Importance Of Magnesium
Obviously I can't guarantee that magnesium will resolve your depression, anxiety, etc. symptoms, but at least 80 % of the general population is magnesium deficient, and MC depletes magnesium. Over 300 chemical process in the body depend on magnesium. When we run low on magnesium, everything goes haywire.
Again, welcome to the group, and please feel free to ask anything.
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.
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Magnesium specifically and nutrition in general can have a profound effect on mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and panic. This article gives a good overview of the topic. I know this from personal experience after having weaned myself off all the antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds I once took. Following a strict low carb diet plus removing all food to which I am sensitive has given me back my life. I also take a magnesium supplement, 425mg, every day.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/men ... edications
Jean
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/men ... edications
Jean
In line with what Tex and Jean said changing diet alone can have profound effect on mental health. At a bare minimum go gluten free, sugar free, dairy free and processed foods free. Gluten is heavily linked to mental health issues.
Magnesium has helped me dramatically.
PS. YOu have to give gluten free a 10 week trial or so. One week is not enough of a window.
Magnesium has helped me dramatically.
PS. YOu have to give gluten free a 10 week trial or so. One week is not enough of a window.
Hi BethEEA,
I'll share a slightly different (and probably unpopular) perspective. Zoloft and another psych med contributed to my MC. Psych medications can certainly be tricky to manage while you have MC, but I don't think it's impossible. My best advice is to work with a psychiatrist who can also speak directly to your GI doctor so everyone can be on the same page.
Everyone is different, but my understanding is that zoloft is one of the worst meds for diarrhea. So even if it works for your panic disorder, it might not be the best med for your MC. You do have to weigh the pros and cons in these situations. It can take a lot of trial and error, but there are other medication options if you want to go that route.
Wishing you well,
Lisa
I'll share a slightly different (and probably unpopular) perspective. Zoloft and another psych med contributed to my MC. Psych medications can certainly be tricky to manage while you have MC, but I don't think it's impossible. My best advice is to work with a psychiatrist who can also speak directly to your GI doctor so everyone can be on the same page.
Everyone is different, but my understanding is that zoloft is one of the worst meds for diarrhea. So even if it works for your panic disorder, it might not be the best med for your MC. You do have to weigh the pros and cons in these situations. It can take a lot of trial and error, but there are other medication options if you want to go that route.
Wishing you well,
Lisa
