Imodium (sp?)

[Guest jhmom]

Hi all

I just wanted to know if any of you use Imodium on a daily basis in addition to the gluten-free diet to help control your diarrhea? If so, does it help at all?

The reason I ask is because despite being gluten-free since Sept 2003 I continue to struggle with diarrhea every morning and sudden BM urges (cannot hold it at all).

[Canadian Karen]

Hi Stacie,

Boy, have I been down that road....

Immodium, Lomotil (which I found out had gluten in it), everything under the sun the dr. gave me didn't work. I had permanent diarrhea for almost a decade! Sometimes 10 - 12 time a day. I also was not able to keep it in. I always had to stay close to the bathroom....

After years of this, my celiac dr. finally referred me to a professor at St. Michael's Hospital. He did a colonoscopy and sent several biopsies for testing. He suspected I had collagenous colitis, also known as microscopic colitis. Sure enough, the pathologist report said that is exactly what I had. If you google it, you will probably find what you read very familiar. The first treatment was a high dose of bismuth. 8 Pepto Bismol pills a day for eight weeks. That treatment apparently works for 35% of collagenous colitis patients. It didn't work for me. I am now on Budesonide and it has worked miracles for me. I almost took a picture of my first solid bm, I was so happy!!!

The next time you see your dr., perhaps ask him about collagenous colitis, it might be the reason your diarrhea is not going away....

Have a great day!

Karen