Sunmountain's Log

[Peata]

Mine didn't stop permanently after just a dose or two. I took it as needed when I had diarrhea or felt like I was going to. Again, I don't think I had to exceed the max. doses per day. It did not end the diarrhea permanently in one day.

 

[Peata]

I can't recall how long I took the pepto, seems like it took two or three days of as-needed doses to calm the diarrhea to about a normal bm, but it may have been at least a few more days after that of taking it once a day (if needed) to get it completely stabilized. I should have taken better notes. But we are all different, so your results will vary. At least you will know relatively soon if this is going to work for you.

 

[sunmountain]

Allright ladies, here's what happened. After two doses, and much rumbling, the stomach settled down. But I couldn't sleep until 4am...go figure...all the excitement I guess LOL!

Today I'm stopped up. No cascara. Went a tiny amount around noon, but barely counted. Not sure what to do next...take cascara or not. Holding off for now. Have mainly had liquids all day (milk, coke, AJ), and now after acupuncture, sushi. I'll continue on a mainly liquid diet if I can now. If there's diarrhea, I'll pepto it.

If I can get away with this plan, I win!! Cuz then I can be on mainly milk and AJ with some solid thrown in.

BigP, I'm leaving for Mexico next week. I plan to eat the things you mention, but I just realized I drink only goat milk!! Do they have goat milk?? I mean there are goats there, right?? I better ask the hotel...

Diane, when is it a good idea to take Ondansetron for diarrhea? Since it's not for bugs. I'll know in another day or two I think if the pepto is working or not...

Wow! I still can't get over it...if pepto solves my diarrhea problem and allows me to do a more liquid diet, that could possibly be a game changer. I could try to cut out starch again then.

Oh and here's some GREAT NEWS! My daughter went on progest-e for PMS and irregular cycles this cycle. We've been talking about it for a while, and for her the problem is always the remembering. After suffering months of terrible PMS, she managed to take it this cycle two times a day 3 drops each, days 14 to 26 and then forgot and got her period today on day 27, but guess what, she DID NOT EVEN KNOW SHE GOT HER PERIOD UNTIL I TEXTED AND ASKED HER IF SHE HAD REMEMBERED HER DOSE TODAY!!! So absolutely no PMS!!!!!!

Yaaaay!!! Long live, Peat!!!!!!

So now I have some questions relating to her. For her next cycle, should we try lowering the dose to 2 drops each morning and night? Although I think 3 drops twice a day is not much of a dose. I'll wait and see how heavy her periods are and maybe base it on that?

Also, I'm thinking of advising her the following birth control: If she continues on progest-e days 14-27, then she might be able to more accurately pinpoint ovulation (which days in general?), avoid sex those days if possible, always use condoms of course, and put a glob of progest-e in her cervix a few hours before and right after. What do you all think? Not as foolproof as pills of course, but better odds than just condoms.

Sorry for so many topics in one post.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[sunmountain]

The casein came today. The scoop is huge! I just had one scoop mixed in milk, and...don't think I can have it again! Gag.

 

[sunmountain]

Took cascara this morning after no BM all day yesterday. Had small BM in the afternoon. Just came home from work, and felt the usual rumbling in stomach around this time, so took a dose of pepto.

Interesting that there is diarrhea around the same time every day -- between 6 and 7pm. I wonder what that means. The bugs are watching the clock??

It's wonderful to get some control over the diarrhea!! Now I have to deal with constipation, which is easier due to cascara. But now I will take it only as needed and only when I haven't gone for a while.

No starch today so far. Will probably have some starch at dinner. Once the diarrhea goes away completely and body adjusts, I will slowly try to do away with all starch and see what happens.

Interestingly, this morning when I awoke, I had a flatter stomach than since a long time! It was still extended, but less so. It seems a bit implausible considering I had casein last night at bedtime, and no BM all day yesterday, but there you have it. Maybe the acupuncture did something.

 

[sunmountain]

The pepto is definitely helping bring the diarrhea under control. Thanks Peata! The first day I took 2 doses, and since then it's been one dose per day with maybe a day with no dose. Usually in the evening which is when the beasties seem to want to play.

As the diarrhea has subsided, I've struggled with constipation. I've tried not to take cascara, but needed to a couple of days after no movement for a long time. I was taking it routinely, which may have contributed to the diarrhea...I'm no longer doing that.

I also took magnesium glycinate one day, and that may well work as an alternative to cascara, though cascara works fine for me. Today for the first time, I had two solid BM's without any laxative! A bit of straining involved, but much better than no BM unless laxative. I did take pepto last evening.

Very importantly, I've cut out starch again. Reading all your posts, Peata, Sueq, BP, convinced me to give it another shot with no starch. I'm already low-fat. Though my stomach is still sticking out, the no-starch may aid in getting things moving again, which would be the start of any improvement.

For a vegetarian, no-starch low-fat is harder to do because protein is also an issue. Reading your posts, I've been trying to up my protein. In the past, my protein was lentils/beans. Now it's milk mainly, some cottage cheese, casein powder (yes, I've figured out a way to eat it), glycine, eggs. I do like seafood, but don't think I'd enjoy it more than couple of times a week. I just checked crono and realized eggs and cheddar cheese have a lot of fat so will have to reduce those. Oh well.

I've been mulling over your comments about fiber as well. I now eat fresh fruit (oranges, apples mainly right now), and am staying watchful about what might be my threshold for fiber.

Another things I reduced a while ago was fructose powder because I got sick of things tasting too sweet. I now sweeten to taste, maybe a bit over that. And I do 1:1 sugar:fructose. But if I understand various posts, it's probably a good idea not to load up on a lot of powdered sugar or fructose at this time anyway as it will just be converted to fat. Although I know that BP's experience was different in that it led to her burning sugar.

I've also switched from OJ to AJ in order to lessen any possible irritation of the digestive system. I used to get diarrhea easily with AJ, but now with pepto that may no longer be a problem.

I also feel acupuncture is helping somehow with all this. Definitely keeping the fluids moving, and maybe helping the bowel too.

 

[sunmountain]

I forgot to mention all of Jennifer's helpful posts...how could I.

I hope you're continuing to do well, Jennifer! And your progress is inspiring, Peata! And BP, I hope you've gotten over the last upset to your system. Sueq, I'm reading your posts and learning a lot from them!

 

[sunmountain]

Forgot to mention, having difficulties sleeping through the night lately since I started the casein. The bottle says to take at bedtime. I'm now experimenting with spreading it out through the day.

I thought it might be a signal to reduce thyroid now that there's more light, and I have reduced my nighttime cynoplus a lot.

But still waking up around 4-5am every morning. Will have to see what else it might be.

Also added Swanson E to my supp list. Take it at night. I wonder if E helps digestion directly? I know it reduces estrogen, but is estrogen involved directly in digestion? I feel the E is helping somehow, though I can't pinpoint.

I also wonder if my cortisol is too low, even though lately I'm waking up at night which is caused by a cortisol rise. I'm certain my testosterone is non-existent. I'm wondering about it because I noticed lately feeling like the fight is gone out of me. And my libido is in the tank of course, given all the digestive issues. I'm wondering if pregnenolone, which I take, is contributing or helping to all this.

 

[sunmountain]

Things are up and down, and I can't make sense of them. Today again I had a BM without laxative (yay!), followed by some AJ, followed after an hour by another solid BM but with symptoms of diarrhea. I just took pepto.

Also since yesterday I have been very bloated. Today I'm holding off on the casein. Feeling bloated, tired, achy. Just took another nibble of T3.

Yesterday I started using crono again and saw that I had 90 protein and 220 carb. Is this too much protein to carb? Maybe that is why I'm waking up around 4am...not enough carb. I've been focusing on upping the protein, but slipping on the carb.

 

[sunmountain]

On a couple of threads, people have talked about measuring temps/pulse as a way of monitoring if certain foods or supplements are working for you or not.

Can anyone elaborate on this?

I was monitoring only my waking temp and pulse for a long time, then gave up because there was n no change. Checked this morning, and the same as when I started. But I would like to know how to monitor in order to assess the effectivenss of a food or supp, other than just how it makes you feel.

thanks

 

[tara]

Yesterday I started using crono again and saw that I had 90 protein and 220 carb. Is this too much protein to carb? Maybe that is why I'm waking up around 4am...not enough carb. I've been focusing on upping the protein, but slipping on the carb.

If you are still eating low fat, this is serious undereating. Yes more carbs, not just for the sake of the ratio, but to get more energy into you. And probably more protein and fat too. I doubt if much healing can happen if you keep undereating like this. More likely you would get increasingly depleted. I think I might be repeating one of my first posts to you - consider increasing calories by at least 1000. :) Supplementing thyroid while undereating can be expected to put the body under more stress. I know it's hard when the digestion is struggling. But it can't recover without some energy going in.

 

[sunmountain]

Hi Tara,

I'm very aware of undereating...and don't know how to improve it, though I keep trying. My stomach swells up no matter what I eat, except (oddly) for cottage cheese. That is the one thing I've noticed has no effect on my stomach. I eat as much of it as I can even though I'm not partial to the taste.

Last night I couldn't sleep at all...until 6 or 7am. This has not happened for a long time. Yesterday I got 75 protein and 214 carb. 1567 calories total. Very low, I know. I've also picked up a sore throat, and I've not had a respiratory infection for a long time.

It's very hard to Peat if you're a vegetarian, unless you're lucky and your gut adapts. The foods I'm eating are milk, cottage cheese, fresh oranges and apples, dried fruit, and AJ. Once or twice a week white fish. The day I had 90 P and 220 C, I had 43 fat due to 2 eggs. To keep low fat, I've cut out eggs. I'm still holding off on the casein.

I could try adding back lentils even though they have starch. Maybe a cup a day, and that would be my only starch. That would also help with protein. I could try that.

But now on Tuesday, I'm leaving for Mexico with my daughter for a week. I plan to eat tons of fresh fruit and cottage cheese. And seafood (easier to eat when already cooked). Will try low/no starch while I am there.

If anyone has other vegetarian suggestions for dense food, please let me know.

 

[charlie]

sunmountain, I came down with a sore throat last night. Guess its going around. It's not bad, but its there. Took a little bit of an energy hit too.

 

[sunmountain]

Sorry to hear that Charlie, and I hear you about the energy hit! I hope I get over whatever this is by Tuesday, so I can fly!!

I remember reading a post saying infection is a good sign that body is on the mend. I sure could use some gut luck right now!

 

[charlie]

I must be really on the mend then!

Hope you get to feeling better for your vacation. :)

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Hi sunmountain, I guess I am wondering WHY you are cutting fat and starch? You only weigh 130 pounds, let your body go through the healing process.....and perhaps reconsider being a vegetarian if it isn't working well for you.

Just to be clear here, I did my no starch no fat experiment when I weighed 170 pounds (and I'm only 5'2") AND I had some other serious health issues that required prompt estrogen reduction. My sincere apologies if I recommended my experiment to you...

Please eat with reckless abandon on your vacation and ENJOY!!!

 

[sunmountain]

Hi BigP, thanks for the reality check!

I started playing around with starch to see if it affected the diarrhea. My conclusion was it did not. At the moment, with no starch and with pepto, I've begun going normalish BMs since the last couple of days. Whether this is because of no starch or the magic of pepto, I do not know.

I went low fat cuz I got scared of the nonstop weight gain.

Then I read all of yours and the others posts, and it seemed everyone was having a grand time without starch. So then I went back to eliminating it.

BUT I neglected to make the IMPORTANT connection you make above -- everyone else who is eliminating starch is eating well and not undernourished.

Also, increasing calories has been a challenge from the beginning, but now especially so due to gastroparesis or gastritis.

Anyway, I had some chicken soup just now that I had made for my daughter, and will have it again.

I'm running a temp now, so really hoping to be in some shape to travel Tuesday.

 

[Blossom]

Have a great vacation sunmountain!!!!

 

[thebigpeatowski]

FEED THE FEVER!!! It's been my experience that making NO attempt to reduce a fever is very beneficial. In other words, you'll get over the illness quicker....lots of juice and soups etc. basically, eat whatever you are craving and sleep as much as you can. Hope you feel better soon!!!

 

[sunmountain]

Oh yes, BP, feeding! Glass of sweet, warm milk made me go from cold to warm instantly, and then asleep deeply. Woke up, sipped AJ, ate cottage cheese with jam, ate an orange. The orange caused a BM semi-solid with diarrhea symtoms. Might take pepto.

So it seems I've become very sensitive to fiber. One orange or apple makes me go. Maybe that was behind the diarrhea. This is not very convenient as I'm looking to eat a lot of fruit in Mexico!

Bad sinus headache and post nasal cough, though nothing through the nose yet. Any suggestions for sinus headache? I get it so infrequently that my tolerance is low.

Thanks for the support, BP and Blossom and Tara, I am really appreciating it!