New with questions: LC, Crohn's, UC?????

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Sandra_Lee

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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
 
Whether it is Crohn's or not, it sounds like something has changed in your intestinal tract. It certainly could be Crohn's, but there are many things that can cause similar symptoms. Even after all the tests and scopes are done, it is still a diagnosis that needs to be discerned by an experienced Gastroenterologist.

I think it is kind of strange that you have trouble with such a wide variety of foods and yet not all of them.

Have you used probiotics after the Herbal supplements? I am not sure what you took and the effect, but probiotics are the one thing you can take that really has little chance of making things worse. It helps some people, but never seemed to do much for me. Fish Oil is another possible supplement that may help over time. Assuming that your problem with fish is not an allergy or intolerance to something in fish.

Welcome to the forum. Sorry I could not be of more help.

Dan
 
Hi Sandra Lee Welcome to the forum. I'd agree with Dan, it could be CD, or any number of other issues. You are going to have to see a GI to be diagnosed right.

I'm wondering (pure wild assed guess) if the homeopathic or homogenous 'cures' you've tried haven only been able to delay the inevitable (a progression to CD) Vs conquer it... Or if the 'true' impact has been to alleviate the LC but in so doing leave yourself open to CD... (those symptoms being initially masked by your LC treatments...) You can't put any stock in these wild guesses. See a GI
 
hi sandra lee :)

yep, i would agree with dan & kev in that i'd recommend you get seen and tested by a GI, which would hopefully answer the question as to what you're dealing with. it may also be an idea to consider allergy testing, given that you have such sensitivities to things.

keep us posted how you get on.
 
Hi Everyone,

Thanks very much for your input and ideas. Will definitely try some of these like the probiotics. I seem to be on the mend and can eat more volume-wise, so that's a good direction. No more scraping for the moment! Thanks again for all your support and wisdom.

Sandra Lee
 

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