Hello all,
This is my first time posting, although I've been a "lurker" on this forum for quite a while. Little background, I'm in my early 20's, have been diagnosed with "early onset" collagenous colitis (colonoscopy Nov 2019) and negative for celiac (biopsy), have been dealing with GI issues since 2015 (got salmonella from Chipotle), and have been trying to figure out what has been causing my issues.
This forum has, as I'm sure most of you would agree, enlightened me more so about microscopic colitis than any doctor has. That being said, I started the phase one diet about 6.5 weeks ago, with moderate improvement. I have been supplementing with Vitamin D and topical Magnesium. I finally ordered tests from Enterolab last week, and my results are as follows:
Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 1220 Units (Normal Range is less than 300 Units)
Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 17 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 25 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 3 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-soy IgA 5 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 5 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
While all of the foods tested can be immune-stimulating, the hierarchy of reactions detected were as follows:
Food to which there was no significant immunological reactivity:
Corn
Rice
Beef
Chicken
Pork
Tuna
Almond
Walnut
Cashew
White potato
Food to which there was some immunological reactivity (1+):
Oat
Food to which there was moderate immunological reactivity (2+): None
Food to which there was significant and/or the most immunological reactivity (3+): None
Within each class of foods to which you displayed multiple reactions, the hierarchy of those reactions detected were as follows:
Grains:
Grain toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Oat
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In case it helps, I have been gluten free for multiple periods of time, and haven't really felt any difference. Now, per reading the through the forum for months, I understand that most of us with MC react to gluten and dairy, so I have no problem eliminating it although my results above show little reactivity. However, the fecal fat score of 1220 is concerning. I am going to make an appointment with my doctor asap to figure out what to do next, but has anyone else had similar results to mine? What has worked, what hasn't? I am confused as to where to go from here - as my test interpretation from Enterolab suggests I may have some sort of pancreatic issue.
Thank you in advance!
Newbie - Enterolab Results In; Help!
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Hi Croline,
Welcome to the group. Your fecal fat score is as high as I've ever seen among the members here. It's very uncommon to have a score that high. Usually, such a high score suggests celiac disease, but the moderate anti-gliadin score undercuts that likelihood. Most of us do tend to have some degree of pancreatic inflammation when our MC i active, but I'n not sure it would cause that level of fat malabsorption. Has your bile production and actual delivery though the common bile duct been checked out? I hope your doctor will be able to track down the problem.
Again welcome aboard.
Tex
Welcome to the group. Your fecal fat score is as high as I've ever seen among the members here. It's very uncommon to have a score that high. Usually, such a high score suggests celiac disease, but the moderate anti-gliadin score undercuts that likelihood. Most of us do tend to have some degree of pancreatic inflammation when our MC i active, but I'n not sure it would cause that level of fat malabsorption. Has your bile production and actual delivery though the common bile duct been checked out? I hope your doctor will be able to track down the problem.
Again welcome aboard.
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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carolineo2222
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:09 pm
Hi Tex,
Thank you for your response! No, neither have been checked out. I suppose that should be my next step. I received a referral (finally) to see the gastroenterologist, but it was so difficult to get that referral after all these years - he kept writing off that nothing was wrong with me. My fear is bringing my results from EnteroLab and having him, or even my own doctor, not believe in the results or the credibility of EnteroLab. That will be a challenge.
Now, if there is an issue with my bile production, is cholestyramine what most members have been taking as a treatment? Or have I misinterpreted some of the forum?
Thank you again, Tex.
Thank you for your response! No, neither have been checked out. I suppose that should be my next step. I received a referral (finally) to see the gastroenterologist, but it was so difficult to get that referral after all these years - he kept writing off that nothing was wrong with me. My fear is bringing my results from EnteroLab and having him, or even my own doctor, not believe in the results or the credibility of EnteroLab. That will be a challenge.
Now, if there is an issue with my bile production, is cholestyramine what most members have been taking as a treatment? Or have I misinterpreted some of the forum?
Thank you again, Tex.
Well, as best I can recall, no one has ever posted about insufficient bile production. Most of the problems are due to too much bile (or compromised bile reabsorption in the terminal ileum). With low bile availability, I don't see how cholestyramine could be much help, unless the reduction was only slight. In that case, cholestyramine might help.
Your gastroenterologist should understand enough about fat malabsorption problems that he would see the value in a fat malabsorption test. We have to be tactful, in the event our doctors dispute the value of EnteroLab testing. In that case, maybe he would prefer his own favorite fat malabsorption test.
Tex
Your gastroenterologist should understand enough about fat malabsorption problems that he would see the value in a fat malabsorption test. We have to be tactful, in the event our doctors dispute the value of EnteroLab testing. In that case, maybe he would prefer his own favorite fat malabsorption test.
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.