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UC without Bleeding? (+Corn Products/Lactose Intolerance ?)

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Posted 5/19/2011 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, I was diagnosed with UC just under a month ago after having abdominal discomfort/nausea/abnormal stool since February and spent 3 weeks in the hospital (first 2 I was on bowel rest and TPN because I was VERY underweight and wasn't allowed to eat because my pancreatic enzymes were up in the thousands, Ultrasound showed no gallbladder/pancreas issues) Anyways my diagnosis scope showed a few polyps that the doctor described as minor and some inflammation and told me I had UC, which I guess means my UC is mild. I'm currently on Pentasa x2 3 times a day, 1 prevacid a day and 40mg prednisone. And my doctor has me scheduled to start taking Pred down to 30mg starting today.

(TMI warning) -

I've only for sure had blood in my stool once and it was a small amount about a week before diagnosis. I did have orange mucus-looking stuff in my stool for a bit whenever I ate junk food/anything fatty but that stopped in March. But since diagnosis I've noticed no blood or mucus and I've been having 2-3 semi-formed BMs a day. I still have discomfort (not as bad), gas, and a little nausea 24/7, but is it normal for someone with UC not to bleed?

My doctor also told me at a follow-up the other day my scope showed lactose intolerance. I was surprised by this because I had been eating cream cheese, margarine, and french toast and it didn't cause any extra grief, as I get some gas and rumbling with anything I eat. Has anyone else been diagnosed with Lactose Intolerance without having symptoms from consuming it? (Although my entire life drinking a glass of milk has given me a stomach ache and too much milk chocolate, besides that though no problems.)

And finally, just to see if it makes a difference, I'm trying lactose free milk, I don't drink milk but I do eat cereal. However I've read a lot of people have problems with corn (I know everyone is different, only corn product I've had is Corn Syrup which didn't bother me), do these people also have problems with things made from corn flour/cornmeal like cereals?

So far the only thing the only big no-no for me is anything whole grain/high in fiber. But every cereal seems to be made from Corn or whole grain/loaded with fiber. I haven't tried anything really sugary yet, but I don't think that will be an issue, just wanna know if anyone has issues with cereals like Frosted Flakes or Fruity Pebbles.

Thanks, sorry for randomness of questions.
Posted 5/19/2011 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sorry to hear you were diagnosed with UC. I don't have lactose intolerance, but I would think getting a stomachache from drinking a glass of milk would be a symptom. I don't think there is dairy in margarine (or at least very minimal amounts) so you wouldn't get symptoms from that. There's not much (if any) in french toast either. I'm not lactose intolerant, but I drink almond or hazelnut milk...they taste much better IMO, and are much healthier for you. They taste good over cereal...a little different taste than dairy milk but you get used to it quickly.

I don't do well with super sugary stuff, like a candy bar, but I have eaten Fruity Pebbles with no issues. :)

I think it's typical to bleed with UC, but not all do have that as a symptom.
Posted 5/20/2011 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
OK, so you presented with nausea and mucous in your stool, low weight and poor appetite - the scope included a biopsy indicating UC? The reason I ask is because frankly, inflammation in the pancreas area, and stomach, and lactose intolerance points to inflammatory conditions above the colon.

Lactose intolerance is pretty easily managed. You can buy lactase, the enzyme your body's not making, at most groceries and drug stores. The name brand Lactaid includes lactose-free milk and also lactase tablets that you can take before a meal. Lactose is the sugar in milk and milk products. Milk and ice cream have the most lactose, soft cheeses are next, then hard cheeses and yogurt have the least. Butter and ghee are going to be somewhere in the middle I think. You may have to experiment a bit to see what you can tolerate, but if you can either add lactase or eliminate lactose from your meals, you will probably feel a whole lot less gassy.
Posted 5/20/2011 5:59 AM (GMT 0)
lactose intolerance can be also temporary and caused by the disruption of gut flora when in a UC flare. usualy doctors recommend UC people to avoid diary and diary products, even in remission. at least in my country they do.

also some UC people - and also some general population - can have intolerance to casein, the protein from cow milk.


@colitis33
you lactose intolerance poped up after a blood test? you are geneticaly lactose intolerant?
Posted 7/26/2011 3:49 PM (GMT 0)
found this thread looking for other folks who have the same problems i have with corn-based things. i know i can't digest full on corn kernels, so i avoid them! but i think i also have to avoid anything made with corn meal: corn chips and corn-based cereals all seem to be exacerbating my condition... so yes, it's possible that could be part of it!

there are definitely cereals made without corn meal... i've had great luck with all the Life cereals--no corn, relatively low/moderate fiber!
Posted 8/18/2011 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to re-ignite an old thread.

Just wanted to post my experiences, as I have pan UC and read the above with interest. While mine has been in remission for many years and I'm off drugs (thankfully), I have always found that both cows milk and heavily processed foods, especially breakfast cereals caused me the biggest problems - and I believe eating lots of certain cereals actually led to the onset of UC in me. At that time I was a university and regularly had 2 to 3 large bowls of cereals through the day - I was always hungry and hooked on cereals that filled me up - such as corn flakes, rice crispies and fruit 'n fibre. After 4 or 5 months of eating this crap diet I ended up in hospital, on steroids.

Since then (over 10 years ago) I haven't touched breakfast cereals and I know that if I did my UC would certainly return with avengence.

I also avoid cow's milk, and am currently experimenting with lactose free milk (in my coffee - my one weakness!). Interestingly I can eat plenty of cheese (cheddar and other aged hard cheeses) without much effect, this must be because, apparently, these have less lactose and caesin.

So, as far as I can tell, the biggest diet culprits for me are, in general, too much fibre (and rough foods), corn and heavily processed 'cardboard' foods like breakfast cereals. Seconded by cow's milk, where the lactose, caesin and other proteins must cause me problems too. And thirded by obviously unhealthy/upsetting take-away foods with too much oil in them.

Tom
Posted 8/18/2011 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
tommaresco,

Welcome to the forum, Tom.

Many of  us with UC have problems  with: dairy, gluten, wheat, and quite a few individualized food intolerances as well.

I've found that the best way to deal with it it to avoid all those products, which basically leaves you with the SCD diet so many of us are on. SCD = specific carbohydrate diet.

Have you looked into that?

Also, as another poster mentioned, I use almond milk for my protein shakes, and when I used to have non-gluten cereal.

But, you still have to find YOUR way and what works for your body.

Good luck to you.

Posted 8/19/2011 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi InSoFla,

Thanks for your response and you're obsolutely right. I suppose after some time, when things appear to be OK and in remission, it's easy to become lazy with food.

Of course, I would love to be able to isolate exactly what causes me problems and so far I can only identify normal cow's milk/cream/etc with any certainty. It's a little tricky to stick to a completely dairy, plus wheat and gluten free diet, let alone an SCD one - and the reality is that I'm often too lazy, stupid or just not sufficiently devoted to buying and cooking food separately from my girlfriend. Plus being fussy in restaurants, etc is a pain. It's only when the diahorrea comes in big doses that I take notice! I shouldn't be so cavalier.

I may try the SCD diet for three weeks or so and see if I get diahorrea... will post back on here.

I've tried almond milk and love it - despite being expensive I find it far tastier than most substitutes. And it doesn't affect me. (Recently I've bought lactose free milk to see if that's any good - hence my post yesterday - but have already had diahorrea today so I think I will stop!)

What about protein? I find fish and poultry don't upset me, and I can eat certain red meats if not too oily. Vegetarian diets, on the other hand, are not good for me - I once tried a fully vegan diet - managed 10 days and nearly killed me with diahorrea! I did find protein shakes helped me put lots of weight on a few years ago, but still got some diahorrea. Is whey protein considered bad for UC? I was drinking whey isolate (supposedly minus the lactose).. I would like to start again but there are so many varieties out there I don't know where to start.

Tom
Posted 8/19/2011 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
 

Tom, I think it might be a good idea for you to start a food journal wherein you write everything you're eating and the associated effects: headaches, cramping, diarrhea, gas, bloating, numer of bms etc...and I think you'll be able to find some correlations specific to what YOUR gut can and cannot handle.

Just remember that transit time is very different i.e. in some people symptoms present within a few hours, in others it make take a few days.

Yes, the SCD is rigorous, but for many of us it really works.

And then when you add to it some natural supplements like L-Glutamine for colonic repair, slippery elm powder (IMO a substitute for the mesalamines), and probiotics like VSL #3, you can get exponential results.

Be careful with whey protein and whey isolates, many of them are loaded with sugars and other junk, which won't be good for your UC.

The only whey protein I can recommend because I use it myself without any problems is: Dr. Mercola's Pro-Optimal Whey Protein. His product is from grass fed cows who are hormone free and antibiotic free, and it already contains digestive enzymes in it - which makes it so easy on the stomach. But I have to warn you, his pro-optimal whey is expensive, but worth it IMO. I have at least 2 of these shakes a day, you can see from my sig what I add to it.

Do you have a local COSTCO? I think they have a box of three almond milk at a great price.

Are you on any probiotics?

Posted 8/22/2011 1:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

Thanks for more advice! I will also go on the SCD diet - cutting out sugars, bread and other carbs that I already know aren't good for me - messing up the bacterial balance in the gut. I have made a log/journal in the past and will do so again - although fortunately I don't currently suffer other UC effects other than mild diahorrea.

I've cut out the lactose free milk and am already back to 'normal' in the last 36-48 hours. While it's probably best to cut out dairy all together I can't help wanting to experiment... as I don't think I'm specifically lactose intolerant, more that I can't digest cow's milk and the things it contains, so I'm considering trying goats milk - perhaps unpasteurised goat's milk (if I can get it) as this is supposed to be closer to human milk (containing easier to digest proteins etc which are supposidly more compatable with human digestive system, etc) and being unpasteurised apparently retains beneficial bacteria and enzymes which make it more digestable. Still, I would only ever drink it in very small quantities. I drank goats milk for many years as a child, as my mother kept a goat (farmer's boy). Obviously at that time I didn't have UC and was absolutely fine. My mother was always drinking 'off' milk, or milk that was highly suspect looking (to me). She has an iron constitution and I suspect, therefore, that the bacteria were doing her no harm!

One thing I have noticed in general is that the more locally sourced, and the less processed/branded supermarket bought food I eat, the better.

I'm also considering making probiotic yoghurt with cow's milk as per the SCD website - despite past experiences with mass produced yoghurts.

As for whey protein suppliments - I bought isolate - and I don't remember having any particular problems with it, but I never got fully rid of diahorrea while I was on it (trying to build myself up). I bought it from an online retailer in the UK - http://www.myprotein.com/UK/products/impact_whey_isolate - or something similar. Good stuff. Am only concernced it contains carbs etc incompatible with the SCD.

Cheers
Tom
Posted 8/23/2011 4:14 PM (GMT 0)
tommaresco,

I've cut out the lactose free milk and am already back to 'normal' in the last 36-48 hours

Good news, sounds like you are on the right track.

 as I don't think I'm specifically lactose intolerant, more that I can't digest cow's milk

There is a different between lactose intolerance and casein intolerance. You may be both, or only casein intolerant.

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