Hi, i am a newbie, diagnosed just 7 days ago. My name is Jen. I am 59 years old and have always been healthy and quite active. I have had zero medical issues until 5 weeks ago. I had ear issues (first time in my life) so went to the doctor. Diagnosed with an ear infection and placed on Clairythromycin x 10 days prednisone 5 days pack. On day two, the diarrhea and nausea began. I lasted 9 days, it was brutal! A week after i was off the med i was even worse. I ended up in the ER with clear watery diarrhea and severe nausea. A cat scan showed "acute colitis" Dr orders Flagyl and Cipro. I should have known better. I lasted 3 days on those antibiotics until i called my GI who said to stop, as the antibiotics were doing more harm then good. A colonoscopy last week revealed microscopic colitis.
I am devastated. How could i have been healthy 5 weeks ago and now a lifelong condition? GI says i was probably predisposed and the antibiotic triggered it? He ordered Uceris 9 mg daily. I am scared to death to put another medicine, esp a steroid, into my body. He did say that "microscopic colitis was not a serious condition, it just puts you at risk for chronic diarrhea" Not sure how he can say this is not serious when i have had severe nausea for 5 weeks, lost 14 pounds that i can not afford to loose and have been stuck literally in a chair?i have not been living, merely existing.
My main problem is the nausea, not the diarrhea. I poo once, maybe twice very morning.It is loose to semi formed. Not my normal solid by any means, its first thing in the am and i'm good until the next am. The nausea is constant, sometimes mild, sometimes severe, but it is always there. In order to avoid going on Uceris, i started the gluten free, dairy free, sugar free like this site suggested, 2 days ago. This was a very difficult decision for someone who has never had a food intolerance in her life, but i must try this route first. I know nothing about this diet except from what i have read on here. I am sort of lost and confused. Any advise is welcomed. Sorry for the long post, i am just incredibly discouraged but grateful i found you all. Jen
HELP!
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
HI, Jen. Welcome to our internet family and sorry that you had to find us! Your story is a lot like mine - I was healthy most of my adult life, no major issues and in my 50's I was diagnosed with LC. My trigger was when my only child left for college. While I had many episodes of explosive D every day, I didn't have the nausea, so I don't have any suggestions as to how to deal with that. You're on the right road with the dietary eliminations. I did the Pepto treatment (8 tablets day/8 weeks) and haven't had to take any medication; dietary changes have kept me in remission for 7 years now. I believe antibiotics & NSAIDS after dental surgery are what caused m LC. You have found the best group for support in your journey to healing. Again, welcome to our group. Search the forums and ask as many questions as you need to!
Marcia
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My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
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My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
Hi Jen,
Sorry you are going through this. I also got MC at age 50.
I can't speak to the nausea as I did not have that.
If you are having one or two bms (loose/semi formed) in morning if you decide to heal with diet alone I think you will respond well. Uceris and it's sister med Entocort work for most people but the thing is you have to change your diet anyways to GF and DF
to get off of the med if that makes sense. We get a lot of new members who go on Uceris or Entocort, don't change their diet,
get off of the steroid and reflare about 3 weeks later and then find us.
Many people have gone into remission from diet alone. Many people use drugs and diet . I was a 4.5 month Entocort user
but have used diet to stay in remission the last 9-1/2 years.
I highly recommend Tex's book. The link is in the upper right hand corner.
I'd also recommend read every newsletter on the Foundation website. Link is in the middle. There is good information in the newsletters and you can click on all of the former newsletters.
Hopefully someone can chime in on help for nausea.
Sorry you are going through this. I also got MC at age 50.
I can't speak to the nausea as I did not have that.
If you are having one or two bms (loose/semi formed) in morning if you decide to heal with diet alone I think you will respond well. Uceris and it's sister med Entocort work for most people but the thing is you have to change your diet anyways to GF and DF
to get off of the med if that makes sense. We get a lot of new members who go on Uceris or Entocort, don't change their diet,
get off of the steroid and reflare about 3 weeks later and then find us.
Many people have gone into remission from diet alone. Many people use drugs and diet . I was a 4.5 month Entocort user
but have used diet to stay in remission the last 9-1/2 years.
I highly recommend Tex's book. The link is in the upper right hand corner.
I'd also recommend read every newsletter on the Foundation website. Link is in the middle. There is good information in the newsletters and you can click on all of the former newsletters.
Hopefully someone can chime in on help for nausea.
Jen,
Here is the link to the Member Success stories. https://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=71
I think they are worth a read.
It does appear that you have antibiotic induced MC as a side effect of taking the Clairythromycin.
Hopefully someone will chime in on your nausea situation.
Here is the link to the Member Success stories. https://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=71
I think they are worth a read.
It does appear that you have antibiotic induced MC as a side effect of taking the Clairythromycin.
Hopefully someone will chime in on your nausea situation.
I will remain gluten & dairy free the rest of my days. I can't say that I'm sugar free because I bake on occasion using honey or maple syrup. I can also tolerate a square of Lindt 90% chocolate which contains sugar (not until I was healed, though). It's not easy, living in a gluten filled world, but it is so worth it. I don't understand when someone writes that they "cheated" and then are sick. It's just not worth it to me. I still eat a lot of the same things because I know they're safe - turkey, sweet potatoes, lamb, steamed broccoli, roasted zucchini (no raw vegetables ever). I found the Enterolab testing to be very helpful to me as well as Tex's book (which Brandy already mentioned). In the beginning of my journey I think the sweet potatoes helped me to keep weight on. I did lose 5 or 10 lbs., but I'm a healthy weight again. Bone broth also helps to heal the gut and provide nourshment.
Marcia
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My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
------------
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
Hello Jen,
Welcome to the group. Like you, I had debilitating nausea most days which made life miserable until I was able to achieve remission. Looking back now (and after doing extensive research), I'm pretty sure that in my case, at least, my nausea was due to a chronic magnesium deficiency. Nausea is a symptom of a magnesium deficiency and a magnesium deficiency is associated with the development of every known disease. To further amplify the problem, MC (and other IBDs) deplete magnesium. I would try 200–300 mg of magnesium glycinate, divided with meals during the day, to see if that helps. Many forms of magnesium act as a laxative, especially when the gut is inflamed. Magnesium glycinate is the form that's the least likely to cause diarrhea, but don't overdo it, because that may still prompt diarrhea, especially for some of us. If the magnesium doesn't help, a daily 24-hour antihistamine capsule (such as Allegra) first thing each morning, might help.
We can't tolerate aspertame and other artificial sweeteners, and we have to limit sugar intake while recovering. The problem is, when our gut is inflamed, it can't produce adequate (normal) amounts of digestive enzymes. So carbs become more difficult to digest (because we run out of enzymes before all the food is digested). More, smaller meals or snacks work better for many of us than two or three bigger meals. Probably the most practical source of calories is sweet potatoes (as Marcia suggested), regular potatoes (for most of us), or the grains. But many of us can't tolerate certain grains. The safest grain for most of us is rice, but be sure that you use white rice because fiber is a major problem while recovering. Glutenous rice, or sticky rice (from SE Asia) is the easiest to digest. But in general, I found it impossible to gain weight while I was reacting, and I believe that's true for most of us. Nutrient malabsorption is one of the main problems with active MC. Once in remission, I gained weight quickly again, because for one thing, I had better digestion, so I could eat more.
Again, welcome aboard, and I hope your recovery goes well.
Tex
Welcome to the group. Like you, I had debilitating nausea most days which made life miserable until I was able to achieve remission. Looking back now (and after doing extensive research), I'm pretty sure that in my case, at least, my nausea was due to a chronic magnesium deficiency. Nausea is a symptom of a magnesium deficiency and a magnesium deficiency is associated with the development of every known disease. To further amplify the problem, MC (and other IBDs) deplete magnesium. I would try 200–300 mg of magnesium glycinate, divided with meals during the day, to see if that helps. Many forms of magnesium act as a laxative, especially when the gut is inflamed. Magnesium glycinate is the form that's the least likely to cause diarrhea, but don't overdo it, because that may still prompt diarrhea, especially for some of us. If the magnesium doesn't help, a daily 24-hour antihistamine capsule (such as Allegra) first thing each morning, might help.
We can't tolerate aspertame and other artificial sweeteners, and we have to limit sugar intake while recovering. The problem is, when our gut is inflamed, it can't produce adequate (normal) amounts of digestive enzymes. So carbs become more difficult to digest (because we run out of enzymes before all the food is digested). More, smaller meals or snacks work better for many of us than two or three bigger meals. Probably the most practical source of calories is sweet potatoes (as Marcia suggested), regular potatoes (for most of us), or the grains. But many of us can't tolerate certain grains. The safest grain for most of us is rice, but be sure that you use white rice because fiber is a major problem while recovering. Glutenous rice, or sticky rice (from SE Asia) is the easiest to digest. But in general, I found it impossible to gain weight while I was reacting, and I believe that's true for most of us. Nutrient malabsorption is one of the main problems with active MC. Once in remission, I gained weight quickly again, because for one thing, I had better digestion, so I could eat more.
Again, welcome aboard, and I hope your recovery goes well.
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.
Hi Tex,
Thank you for the response and the advice. You are the first and ONLY person i have found that can actually relate to the brutal nausea that i am dealing with. I was beginning to wonder if i was crazy.
I have no pain, i have no diarrhea, its only nausea. If it werent for the nausea woudl actually be a functioning human being. I guess i will have to ask to get my levels drawn? and go from there. I hope there is another form of magnesium, as at this point i am too afraid to take anything by mouth to cause further nausea. I also hope Allegra/Claritin don't have much side effects. I have become so paranoid with drugs since the antibiotic fiasco.
I will stock up on the sweet potatoes like you and Marcia suggested, what is the safest way to cook them?
Any suggestions for oral thrush? That was brought on by the antibiotics as well. Nystain, mycelex trouches and Diflucan haven't touched it. Wonder if that has anything to do with mag levels and not healing or lack of nutrition, or is that a stretch?
Thank you again for your kindness and help. I feel better knowing i can count on you, Tex. I will be purchasing your book today.
Jen
Thank you for the response and the advice. You are the first and ONLY person i have found that can actually relate to the brutal nausea that i am dealing with. I was beginning to wonder if i was crazy.
I have no pain, i have no diarrhea, its only nausea. If it werent for the nausea woudl actually be a functioning human being. I guess i will have to ask to get my levels drawn? and go from there. I hope there is another form of magnesium, as at this point i am too afraid to take anything by mouth to cause further nausea. I also hope Allegra/Claritin don't have much side effects. I have become so paranoid with drugs since the antibiotic fiasco.
I will stock up on the sweet potatoes like you and Marcia suggested, what is the safest way to cook them?
Any suggestions for oral thrush? That was brought on by the antibiotics as well. Nystain, mycelex trouches and Diflucan haven't touched it. Wonder if that has anything to do with mag levels and not healing or lack of nutrition, or is that a stretch?
Thank you again for your kindness and help. I feel better knowing i can count on you, Tex. I will be purchasing your book today.
Jen
Hi, Jen. I buy turkey breast cutlets, Costco has Kirkland cooked turkey breast (3 or 4 lbs), turkey tenderloins. Ground turkey contains soy (rosemary extract), which I avoid as well. Always read the labels to make sure it is gluten free. I roast a whole turkey once or twice a year and use the bones to make bone broth. I buy ground lamb. Costo carries lamb roasts, but they're very expensive & fatty and I prefer the ground lamb. Any kind of lamb should be okay, though. I most can tolerate lamb. I usually bake the sweet potatoes. Sometimes I slice them, toss with a bit of avacodo oil & roast in the oven. My local grocery store carries fresh sweet potato fries & cubes that I toss with a little oil & roast. Oils are a funny thing, too. Olive oil doesn't sit well with me, even when I buy the best kind. This disease is crazy and it's not a one size fits all.
Marcia
------------
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
------------
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. - M. Angelou
Thanks Marcia, that helps a lot knowing i can pick it up at Costco. Do you just form the lamb into a burger? Also this may be a dumb question, but how soon will i know if something doesn't agree with me? Will it be immediate, a few hours , the next day? Sorry just started this diet a few days ago and i am still learning, i appreciate you helping me through this.
Jen
Jen
If you're afraid of oral supplements, you can use magnesium oils and lotions on your skin. Foot soaks in Epsom salts (which is magnesium chloride, I believe) help, and so does adding a cup of Epsom salts to bath water and soaking in it for 15 or 20 minutes.
I, too, had a thrush problem when my MC was active, so presumably I also had Candida, but I never treated it. Before I developed MC, I was a sugarholic. But we can't tolerate more than a very small amount of sugar when our MC is active, so I slowly learned to reduce my sugar intake to only traces, and my Candida disappeared as it was starved out.
And yes, since healing is controlled by the immune system, and the immune system is fueled by vitamin D and magnesium (adequate amounts of both are essential), vitamin D and magnesium are necessary for healing and disease prevention.
This is a WAEG (wild-assed educated guess), but I'll bet that nausea is also a symptom of Candida overgrowth (note that we both had the same issues, thus the same symptoms).
Tex
Thrush suggests that you have a Candida albicans overgrowth. When out of control, Candida can penetrate the tight junctions in the epithelial lining of the intestines, causing increased intestinal porosity (leaky gut), which is the cause of the food intolerances associated with MC. Oral antifungals can help, but you basically have to starve it, in order to get it under control. Candida thrives on carbs, especially sugar.Jen wrote:Any suggestions for oral thrush? That was brought on by the antibiotics as well. Nystain, mycelex trouches and Diflucan haven't touched it. Wonder if that has anything to do with mag levels and not healing or lack of nutrition, or is that a stretch?
I, too, had a thrush problem when my MC was active, so presumably I also had Candida, but I never treated it. Before I developed MC, I was a sugarholic. But we can't tolerate more than a very small amount of sugar when our MC is active, so I slowly learned to reduce my sugar intake to only traces, and my Candida disappeared as it was starved out.
And yes, since healing is controlled by the immune system, and the immune system is fueled by vitamin D and magnesium (adequate amounts of both are essential), vitamin D and magnesium are necessary for healing and disease prevention.
This is a WAEG (wild-assed educated guess), but I'll bet that nausea is also a symptom of Candida overgrowth (note that we both had the same issues, thus the same symptoms).
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.
Hi Jen,
I believe Carol M had issues with nausea. I'd do a search for the word nausea and see what discussions come up.
Going by memory I believe she used acupuncture and a tiny dose of something called Elavil (prescription).
You might also try ginger tea.
If you decide to try the anti histamine buy one with the least number of ingredients/chemicals as listed on the box. If you can find a
melt a way version I find them safer than pills.
Also if I try new things I find I do better testing them after lunch on a full belly rather than first thing in the morning on an empty belly.
I've never tried the ginger tea for nausea so I can't speak to the efficacy. I like this ginger tea https://www.vitaminlife.com/index/page/ ... 20Products
as it is 100% ginger with no other ingredients. It comes in the orange box. I pick it up from the grocery store.
If you try it try with tea bag and steep for a serving for 3 or 4 days. If no negative effects on day 5 I'd try with tea bag combined with
chopped fresh ginger steeped. Before drinking I'd fish out the fresh ginger. I think it is too strong for a newbie to swallow.
Again, I have not personally tried ginger tea for nausea myself but thought I'd mention it.
I believe Carol M had issues with nausea. I'd do a search for the word nausea and see what discussions come up.
Going by memory I believe she used acupuncture and a tiny dose of something called Elavil (prescription).
You might also try ginger tea.
If you decide to try the anti histamine buy one with the least number of ingredients/chemicals as listed on the box. If you can find a
melt a way version I find them safer than pills.
Also if I try new things I find I do better testing them after lunch on a full belly rather than first thing in the morning on an empty belly.
I've never tried the ginger tea for nausea so I can't speak to the efficacy. I like this ginger tea https://www.vitaminlife.com/index/page/ ... 20Products
as it is 100% ginger with no other ingredients. It comes in the orange box. I pick it up from the grocery store.
If you try it try with tea bag and steep for a serving for 3 or 4 days. If no negative effects on day 5 I'd try with tea bag combined with
chopped fresh ginger steeped. Before drinking I'd fish out the fresh ginger. I think it is too strong for a newbie to swallow.
Again, I have not personally tried ginger tea for nausea myself but thought I'd mention it.
It can be all three. If I have cows milk my stomach is gurgling within 30 minutes and I vomit all night. Now most of my reactions are the next morning. I will react to trace amounts of gluten the next morning. Eating too much roughage (fiber)jen wrote:Thanks Marcia, that helps a lot knowing i can pick it up at Costco. Do you just form the lamb into a burger? Also this may be a dumb question, but how soon will i know if something doesn't agree with me? Will it be immediate, a few hours , the next day? Sorry just started this diet a few days ago and i am still learning, i appreciate you helping me through this.
Jen
will mean I react the next morning. Next morning reaction for me now means looser stool (still solid).