anyone have colitis from lyme.

For the full range of issues Lyme can cause in the gut, see http://thehumansideoflyme.net/viewarticle.php?aid=62

I've had bowel obstructions, inflammation, dysmotility, colitis, a very sensitive stomach, food intolerances & allergies, etc., all believed to be from Lyme. The inflammation and obstructions were misdiagnosed for years as inflammatory bowel disease, with which I never felt comfortable with the diagnosis since I didn't get the same stuff others with IBD had and the meds made it worse instead of better (except Prednisone...which makes inflammation better whether it is from infection or other causes).

Cheers,

thank you

Wow I think I need to go to a gastroentologist.

rcenters said...
In addition to the nastier side of things, has anyone gone so far as to consult with a gastroenterologist and actually found(received a formal diagnosis) that they were suffering from, I forget the formal term, but suffering from digestive issues causing nutrients to not get into your blood like they should?

This is called Malabsorption, and it is considered a symptom and not a disease in and of itself.  Inflammation, infection, and/or gastrointestinal dysmotility (any which may be caused or aggravated by food allergy, Celiac Disease, too much magnesium and/or vitamin C intake, etc.) are the 3 primary ways to malabsorb nutrients from food (there are less common issues, too, such as metabolic disorders in which certain enzymes, transport proteins, etc., are deficient, such as hereditary fructose intolerance, etc.).

Most GI doctors I've seen blow off a patient complaining of malabsorption unless there are additional symptoms, such as weight loss, diarrhea with blood in it, etc.  If a GI doc tells a patient that their malabsorption is "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" but has not run any tests, the doctor is blowing off the patient (IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion -  they can't exclude anything if they haven't taken a thorough history and done any tests/looked at any test results); a second opinion is then a good idea...  But I digress...

Anyway, Leaky Gut actually causes particles that are larger than usual to be absorbed into the blood stream from the gut, thus making it easier for the immune system to incorrectly identify these molecules as foreign, and thus causing antibodies against these molecules to be developed.  In other words, leaky gut can lead to the development of food allergies.  Leaky gut can also lead to translocation of bacteria from the intestine to other parts of the body...  What causes leaky gut?  Infection and/or inflammation from any cause...yes, malabsorption and leaky gut can occur together, and feed off of one another (make each other worse).

I hope this makes sense...take care,

Malabsorption may not have any obvious symptoms. But if you look up in a medical reference, it will say diarrhea, steatorrhea (floating, stinky, pale stools), and weight loss are the primary symptoms - unfortunately, these only usually apply if there is fat malabsorption. There are tests that can help determine whether there is malabsorption present or if malabsorption is a possibility.

Yes, there are subtypes of malabsorption. These subtypes can be due to enzyme deficiencies or other metabolic abnormalaties (such as pernicious anemia - causes a deficiency of intrinsic factor, which prevents absorption of vitamin B12) but can also be caused by combinations of medications/foods/supplements that interact (example: acid reflux medications reduce stomach acid, which decreases absorption of protein, iron, vitamin B12, calcium, and any other nutrient that requires an acidic environment for digestion & absorption).

Taking digestive enzymes with a meal can be helpful for treating some causes of malabsorption. Nutritional supplements can also help compensate for malabsorption of specific nutrients. Timing your intake of supplements may be important in the setting of drug/nutrient interactions (e.g., taking supplements at least 2 hours before or after taking the medication that interacts with the supplement). There are other specific treatments for other enzyme/metabolic deficiencies.

Also, if dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) is causing or contributing to malabsorption, then restoring proper microbial balance in the gut would be beneficial.  Probiotics may not be enough - anti-yeast and/or antibacterial medications or herbs may be needed.

Inflammation in the gut may need to be treated with anti-inflammatory herbs/medications in addition to eating a low irritation diet (i.e., no fried food/spices/caffeine/citrus/wheat/dairy/other allergens specific to you, and reduce additives like preservatives, pesticide residues, MSG, nitrites, high fructose corn syrup, etc.).

Dysmotility - there are options, such as increasing fiber, taking probiotics, motility medications, herbs that promote normal gastrointestinal motility (ginger, peppermint, etc), exercises (deep breathing, etc.), dietary modification (eliminate allergens),

I hope this helps - take care,