S
Sandra_Lee
Guest
Hello! This looks like a great forum. I’m hoping you might be able to help me with some questions I have about my current situation.
I was dx with very mild lymphocytic colitis in early 2006. This is a newer disease that is inflammation at the microscopic level. I had some loose stools but they cleared up going on a gluten free diet. I had one big episode of extreme abdominal pain and diarrhea in 2004, but the D cleared up after 5 days. I’ve had problems with food since then, but the digestive problems seem to come and go depending on what herbal or natural type treatment I do.
About 3 months later (in 2006) I began to have serious constipation and abdominal pain a few hours after eating and in the night. Eventually it cleared up using some herbal supplements for three months, but then I had a second episode in the Fall of 2006. That too cleared up after awhile. using homeopathic medicine.
My current episode, number 3, is the absolute worst but it came on slowly beginning in May 2007 with serious constipation and occasional bouts of abdominal pain, so occasional I didn’t realize it was another ‘flare.’ The abdominal pain began to increase in the autumn and by December I was having pain just about after every meal (a few hours afterward) and in the night, every night. Quite strong pain and I would be awake for a few hours in discomfort and then it passes.
It doesn’t seem like LC pain which is usually mild. There’s strong tightness, like a knot, around my navel, and hard lumps and sometimes having sensations of scraping or feeling bruised in certain spots in my large intestine or my guts just sometimes felt raw. It feels like both my small intestine and large intestine are involved. Any type of meat, chicken, fish seem to cause the worst problems and I had to stop eating them in January. However, soy, beans, and the like are very bad too as are things like cauliflower, carrots. However, I’m not getting D, just the strong abdominal pain and on-going C. Also, I seem to be malabsorbing fat/oil cause even the tiniest amount gives me neurological symptoms.
I only eat 4 foods at the moment and manage quite well with them. I have to eat 5 small meals with everything well cooked or I can even get problems from the simple food I eat, but definitely not as severe. I am definitely better than a few months ago but clearly not ‘healed.’
I actually think the constipation comes from another problem I have, a sensitivity to phenols and amines in foods and synthetic chemicals and fragrance. Any exposure, which is often as they are hard to avoid) makes me very constipated. However, I’ve also read several stories of people with Crohn’s who have C instead of D. In any case, my chemical problem and resulting C could be obscuring my abdominal problem.
Some researchers say that in subsequent development of UC or Crohn’s, preceding LC is probably a microscopic manifestation of the disease before typical manifestations like ulceration, etc., however this is somewhat uncharted territory since LC is a newer disease; no one knows for certain.
I’ve also been plagued with mouth ulcers beginning the year before my LC dx and every time I have one of these ‘flares’ I also get mouth ulcers.
LC is usually a self-limited disease and typically resolves on a gluten free, dairy free low allergenic diet, which I’ve been on for several years now. This doesn’t seem like LC pain to me.
I think it’s possible that I may be developing Crohn’s in particular, but just be in an early stage before the blood and big D. I realize you are not doctors, but I’m wondering what your impression might be? Any input would be greatly appreciated! If am really dealing with Crohn’s or UC, it would be good to know. I’m not in a position to get a colonoscopy at the moment and my doctor doesn't know what's happening. I realize my situation is not as serious as all of yours, but it would help to know early on as it seems to get worse with each flare. Sorry this is so long!
Thanks! Sandra Lee
I was dx with very mild lymphocytic colitis in early 2006. This is a newer disease that is inflammation at the microscopic level. I had some loose stools but they cleared up going on a gluten free diet. I had one big episode of extreme abdominal pain and diarrhea in 2004, but the D cleared up after 5 days. I’ve had problems with food since then, but the digestive problems seem to come and go depending on what herbal or natural type treatment I do.
About 3 months later (in 2006) I began to have serious constipation and abdominal pain a few hours after eating and in the night. Eventually it cleared up using some herbal supplements for three months, but then I had a second episode in the Fall of 2006. That too cleared up after awhile. using homeopathic medicine.
My current episode, number 3, is the absolute worst but it came on slowly beginning in May 2007 with serious constipation and occasional bouts of abdominal pain, so occasional I didn’t realize it was another ‘flare.’ The abdominal pain began to increase in the autumn and by December I was having pain just about after every meal (a few hours afterward) and in the night, every night. Quite strong pain and I would be awake for a few hours in discomfort and then it passes.
It doesn’t seem like LC pain which is usually mild. There’s strong tightness, like a knot, around my navel, and hard lumps and sometimes having sensations of scraping or feeling bruised in certain spots in my large intestine or my guts just sometimes felt raw. It feels like both my small intestine and large intestine are involved. Any type of meat, chicken, fish seem to cause the worst problems and I had to stop eating them in January. However, soy, beans, and the like are very bad too as are things like cauliflower, carrots. However, I’m not getting D, just the strong abdominal pain and on-going C. Also, I seem to be malabsorbing fat/oil cause even the tiniest amount gives me neurological symptoms.
I only eat 4 foods at the moment and manage quite well with them. I have to eat 5 small meals with everything well cooked or I can even get problems from the simple food I eat, but definitely not as severe. I am definitely better than a few months ago but clearly not ‘healed.’
I actually think the constipation comes from another problem I have, a sensitivity to phenols and amines in foods and synthetic chemicals and fragrance. Any exposure, which is often as they are hard to avoid) makes me very constipated. However, I’ve also read several stories of people with Crohn’s who have C instead of D. In any case, my chemical problem and resulting C could be obscuring my abdominal problem.
Some researchers say that in subsequent development of UC or Crohn’s, preceding LC is probably a microscopic manifestation of the disease before typical manifestations like ulceration, etc., however this is somewhat uncharted territory since LC is a newer disease; no one knows for certain.
I’ve also been plagued with mouth ulcers beginning the year before my LC dx and every time I have one of these ‘flares’ I also get mouth ulcers.
LC is usually a self-limited disease and typically resolves on a gluten free, dairy free low allergenic diet, which I’ve been on for several years now. This doesn’t seem like LC pain to me.
I think it’s possible that I may be developing Crohn’s in particular, but just be in an early stage before the blood and big D. I realize you are not doctors, but I’m wondering what your impression might be? Any input would be greatly appreciated! If am really dealing with Crohn’s or UC, it would be good to know. I’m not in a position to get a colonoscopy at the moment and my doctor doesn't know what's happening. I realize my situation is not as serious as all of yours, but it would help to know early on as it seems to get worse with each flare. Sorry this is so long!
Thanks! Sandra Lee