Quit being an ass, ass

[ProteinSnob]

Going on Month 2 of "colitis" and I am so grouchy. My GI doc told me that the bleeding and pain every day was "relative", and that I should expect another six months of recovery. At that time he says he will look into the colitis.

Guys, is this really part of recovery: cramping, bleeding, and diarrhea every morning, plus loose stools throughout the day? This has been going on before I started solid food (being able to eat is a positive), so I really do not think this is food related. It's especially bad this morning and I am questioning everything that my GI doc told me during my appointment.

I have some hydrocortisone cream that is prescription strength.

Please, for the sake of the chipper, chirpy newbies that I feel like smacking, tell me that this either gets better or give me some ideas about what I can do to get relief? My GI doc ordered a bunch of tests, including one for C Diff. Thanks.

 

[Whit]

Sorry you are going through this. "Things" seemed to stabilize for me around mo 7. I am now 13 mo. post revision and I still have mostly loose (not diarrhea) every morning. On occasion I will have to go (poop) during the day too but not often. Hopefully they figure it out and you will find relif.
Best,
Whit

 

[DianaCox]

I'm going to try to tag @Spiky Bugger on this thread, as she has unfortunately fresh experience with C. diff. (can someone tell me how to tag someone??)

I'm sorry if this is redundant to information you have been given before - but here goes:

• Have you upped your calcium citrate to firm up your poop?
• Have you tried cholestyramine to bind bile salts (a short term solution)?
• Have you tried Imodium?
• Have you tried tincture of opium?
• What probiotics are you using?
• Of course, if it is C. diff, the treatment requires antibiotics

And yes, many people have had rocky starts like yours, and the VAST majority eventually settle down as their body adapts.

 

[ProteinSnob]

Thanks @Whit and thank you, @DianaCox !
1. No, I am still using up my DS Vitalady prepacks. I will go out and buy Calcium citrate today; how much can I up this?
2. Nope, I'll try that too!
3. Yes to Imodium. Hasn't helped yet.
4. Nope. Do you know of any studies on this I can show my GI doc about this? I remember you posting about it when I was a pre-op, but that was over on PB
5. I am taking VSL (my 3rd antibiotic(. My GI doc worked for one of their suppliers as an undergrad, growing bacterias. I have trust issues with OTC meds, so the fact that he had confidence in VSL and the fact that many of you recommended it was enough for me to switch over.
6. Waiting on the stool test results for C. diff and some other things.

THANK YOU for telling me this. I'm tired of crying in the bathroom.

 

[DianaCox]

Calcium citrate - I'd start with two extra doses (two tablets each) a day, and see if it firms things up.

Cholestyramine binds to bile salts - and to your fat soluble vitamins. Be careful (I'm not sure what that means in terms of timing) to separate your vitamins from the cholestyramine, assuming your doctor decides to prescribe it.

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-93960-Opium+Tincture+Oral.aspx?drugid=93960

Try adding another probiotic, in particular one that has Saccharomyces boulardii, which helps with C. diff.

It WILL get better.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

My recovery was 11 weeks.

Now I realize that almost everything I was doing to help...including saltines or dry toast as recommended by my health care practitioners...was making things worse.

If it's C Diff, it smells to high heaven. Very different kind of stink. Nurses can often diagnose C Diff from the hallway. The lab results should take only a couple of days at most.

HOWEVER...I do everything bass-freaking-ackwards...and the VSL #3 was, I am sure, the cause of HORRIBLE gas, and distention and explosive farts and all that stuff...for ME. Also, the s. boulardii that is supposed to very good for C Diff is a yeast. It took me about two days before I had thrush. It went back to Costco.


Okay...cramping, bleeding, diarrhea. Well, C Diff causes pain but, for me, so do hidden lactose and other "wrong foods." Bleeding? I have have maybe one or two bleeding episodes in 8+ years, from hemorrhoids overworked by other issues. Nothing indicating internal bleeding.

When I need to "eat right," I may eat an egg...maybe with cheese. Grease a custard cup, crack in an egg, add a little shredded cheese, cover with paper towel and nuke for 35-40 seconds. I can tolerate a half of a brown rice tortilla (not a culinary treat) with cheddar melted on it. I can divide a string cheese in half and wrap a slice of deli ham around each piece. (To be safe, I might take a lactaid when eating dairy.) I eat a frozen, precooked hamburger patty that is getting harder to find at Costco.

I'm going to go read about what you are eating. Most of my problems were (innocently) self-inflicted.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Okay, this:

B- 2 scrambled eggs with a little butter and cheese
L & S- today I've been working my way through a Costco turkey and provolone cheese hot sandwich with cilantro mayo. Fantastic.
D- Planning to eat my trusty dug out pretzel roll loaded with Mayo, olive oil dressing, an avocado, 2 slices of Costco turkey, and 1 slice of cheese.
S- Also planning to eat a few pistachios (but no chocolate. Oh girl, just the thought of that makes my stomach hurt for you)

Slacking on liquids, so I am working on bumping those up this weekend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
The stuff in red would make me sick...even eight years later.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

B- missed it- oops
L- 10 or so Cilantro Lime Shrimp and a glass of milk
D- 3 pieces of BACON, Ina Garten style.
Dessert- A bite of what I made everyone else for dinner. Does anyone else know what the Waffle Love food truck is? Belgian Leige waffles? Well, I made a copycat recipe that everyone went nuts for. And I made a lot of bacon.
I'm planning to either have another piece of bacon or a Premier Protein drink later on tonight.


Even a bite might upset my stomach.




IMHO, if you want all these symptoms to stop...get the C Diff test and then start being WAY more conservative about what you eat. Your diet would give me a lot of your symptoms.

This does not mean I have self control. I eat crap all the time...just not the crap that makes me sick...mostly overprocessed flour and even too many overprocessed PRETEND flour items.

 

[ProteinSnob]

Thanks for the kick in the ass (ha). Will do. No more bread, dammit. I will try everything suggested.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Thanks for the kick in the ass (ha). Will do. No more bread, dammit. I will try everything suggested.

It's HARD...I'm half-Mexican and half-Italian...no flour tortillas...ever. No real lasagne...ever. Once in a while...a very long while, I will eat LITERALLY a bite of something I want...and a few hours later, I'm in the bathroom hoping the EPA doesn't come by and cite me.

And milk hurts. I use almond milk at home...that way I can eat Rice Krispies...but not every day! lol

 

[kirmy]

Seriously look into paleo recipes on Pinterest. It is perfect DS food without the carbs. It may give you variety and flavours that are missing from your diet and nurture your guts.

 

[Hala]

if really desperate - I use charcoal capsules. They really help but they also may block absorption of vitamins -minerals. but if I have real runs - I do not absorb that either.