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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/23/2012 7:31 PM (GMT 0)
Slightly anemic (not as bad as I thought though), slightly D deficient (still, not as bad as I thought), elevated B12/folate (probably from my multivit), normal liver/kidney function test. So basically everything came back great with the exception of the inflammation markers which were on the high side. That baffles me a bit because my bloodwork otherwise looks good except for that. It makes me wonder what is going on in there to cause so much inflammation...

Is that odd, or am I just making a bigger deal out of it than I need to? What can I do to get the inflammation down besides pop more Lialda?
Posted 1/23/2012 9:58 PM (GMT 0)
My bloodwork has always been good even when I had severe UC symptoms and was losing a lot of blood.

Increase Lialda or try enemas.
Posted 1/24/2012 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Some questions.

Are you bleeding?

When you say you're mildly anemic, what is it about your results that caused your physician to make that judgment?
Posted 1/24/2012 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
No visible blood - and really, I haven't had visible blood for about 13 years.

My iron level was lower than normal, that's what caused my GI to make that judgement. I don't need to take an iron supplement all the time, she suggested just during my period since that's most likely what is causing it.
Posted 1/24/2012 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
Glad everything seems to be on a positive mark otherwise. Some things that reduce iron according to World's Healthiest Foods (WHfoods.com) seem to be caffeine, low stomach acid and over-use of antacids. To balance out your pH -stomach acid, Aloe Vera works well. And other foods that have high iron content are lentils, soybeans, lima beans and olives.
Posted 1/24/2012 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
Me too! Upon going back in my food journal for last week, I realized that the night before my appointment I had eaten chicken curry with peas and rice, which caused problems that day (in the morning). I wonder if that had anything to do with the high inflammation marker result?

I don't drink caffeine or use antacids... and unfortunately all of those foods cause problems for me. But I do cook in cast iron often and eat a lot of meat and eggs. I'll just end up taking the supplement during my period like she suggested and see how that fares.
Posted 1/24/2012 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
Well that settles that. Thought perhaps you might be experiencing sufficient rectal bleeding to run your red cell count down a bit and that when taken together with other pertinent factors caused your gastroenterologist to deem you anemic.
Posted 1/24/2012 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
WingZero,

IMO, I would suggest you look into an Anti-Inflammatory Diet, like Paleo.

Chicken is high in Arachonic Acid, which converts into omega 6's and causes inflammation.

There are also supplements which help with anti-inflammation: Omega 3's, Astaxanthin, Ubiquinol.


 

Posted 1/24/2012 2:27 AM (GMT 0)
My bloodwork came back great last week with no inflamation markers - even while I'm in the middle of flare with decent bleeding. The doctor claimed the inflamation markers can't always be trusted.
Posted 1/24/2012 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
Wingzero,

BTW, What number did your Vit. d3 come in at?

Posted 1/24/2012 11:19 AM (GMT 0)
I don't remember the exact number but I was only slightly deficient on D, so I'll be supplementing 1000IU which is a little more than what she suggested (200-500IU).
Posted 1/24/2012 12:39 PM (GMT 0)
wingzero,

I only asked what the number was, because doctors have a different definition of "normal". My father in law's cardiologist thinks that anything over 30 is normal, so even though my father in law is at 29, he thinks that's ok. He's had a heart attack and congestive heart failure, and am sure that if his numbers were in the 60's he would be in much better health, and probably wouldn't have had his heart attack or CHF. But my father in law comes from a generation where you don't question your doctor, so he won't ask him about supplementation, and refuses to supplement on his own, since it wasn't blessed by the cardio. Urgh... so frustrating :(

Posted 1/24/2012 12:49 PM (GMT 0)
I'm always mildly anemic as well and iron supplementation (oral and IV) didn't make much of a difference on the hemoglobin levels. My GI said menstruating women are often mildly anemic.
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