MICROSCOPIC COLITIS SUPPORT

Hello everyone,

This is my first post on here. I just recently found this support group. I also recently have been diagnosed with MC. I've been struggling and in and out of inpatient treatment centers for anorexia nervosa for years now. During my last refeeding experience, I noticed a type of pain that was like non other i had experienced before, I knew something was different and wrong. I've experienced tons of abdominal pain throughout my life battling with anorexia, however I knew something was off this time when I started experiencing all the MC symptoms during what maybe is my first inflammation flare up experience.

For months I've been going through tests after tests and recent biopsy results had revealed MC. I just started taking budesonide so no relief yet, hoping there will be soon, or my doctor says he wants to do more tests to completely rule out crohns disease.

So with all this being said, I have a few questions. (1) has anyone out there experienced MC with eating disorders? What has been your experience and your recovery process like? (2) How do I build up enough energy to do the things I love? One of the biggest things about eating disorder recovery is being able to practice self-care and a few of my favorite things to do is yoga/light walking my dog/journaling/arts and crafts. All of these require movement with energy I just don't have anymore because of the 24/7 pain of MC. What can I do? These are the activities I love doing outside of my treatment facility for anorexia and because I do not have the energy to even move at all after I eat, my depression is really taking a toll.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Stay strong my fellow MC fighters!


XOXO,

Hannah Duran

Hi Hannah,

Welcome to the group. There have been a handful of members over the years who had eating disorders, but it doesn't appear to be associated with MC. You will continue to be low on energy until you're able to get your MC into remission. And even then, it can take up to a couple of years to return to normal energy levels, because the intestines heal slowly. We have to ration our energy use during most days because our immune system burns most of our energy fighting the inflammation. Some days are worse than others.

The budesonide should begin to work within a week or two, and it should increase your energy level. If it doesn't help after a few weeks, the odds of it helping at all are greatly reduced. If it doesn't help after a month or so, it's probably not going to work for you, and you'll have to use diet changes in order to reach remission. You'll have to totally avoid your major food sensitivities in order to be able to reach remission. Gluten is the worst, followed by all dairy products, then soy, and then chicken eggs.

Your depression raises a red flag. Depression is a symptom of magnesium deficiency, A magnesium deficiency is associated with all known diseases, and MC further depletes magnesium, making the problem worse. Most antidepressants cause MC, so if you are currently taking an antidepressant, that may prevent you from ever reaching remission. You would need to be taking a magnesium supplement, instead.

At least, these are my initial thoughts, from your description.

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

Tex