ask: Are acid refux, nausea and microscopic collagen colitis related? Is there a holistic treatment?

Anon - You've asked some good questions about dealing with two different conditions affecting your digestive system. I bet the combination of the two is pretty stressful.

Let's start with some basics.
Colitis means inflammation of the colon (also known as the large intestine o large bowel) which is the last part of the digestive tract. The colon receives undigested food, removes water, stores the remaining contents and then eliminates that from the body during bowel movements. There are several different types of colitis. Microscopic colitis is only visible when viewed under a microscope. According to Medicine.Net, There are two types; lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis. In lymphocytic colitis, there is an accumulation of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) within the lining of the colon. In collagenous colitis, there is an additional layer of collagen (scar tissue) just below the lining. Some experts believe that lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis represent different stages of the same disease.

The inflammation and the collagen probably interfere with absorption of water from the colon, and cause the diarrhea. The primary symptom of microscopic colitis is chronic, watery diarrhea.

The treatment of microscopic colitis has not been standardized because there have not been adequate large scale, prospective, placebo controlled treatment trials. I suggest you read the following article which provides a lot of information on various treatments that are being used at this time: http://www.medicinenet.com/lymphocytic_colitis/article.htm

Acid reflux, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) occurs when acid in the stomach rises up into the esophagus. This occurs because the valve separating the contents of the stomach from the esophagus does not function properly.

This article provides a lot of information on GERD treatment, and may include information you haven't gotten from your physician.
http://www.medicinenet.com/gastroesophageal_reflux_disease_gerd/article.htm

If you go to our Colitis Community you will find information posted by other women who are also dealing with digestive disorders as well as multiple news articles. http://www.empowher.com/condition/colitis

It's not clear from your comments whether you feel your doctor is ignoring your concerns about the nausea that is now coming along with the GERD. If so I'd suggest finding another physician who will address this for you and help you find relief.

There's a lot to learn in trying to manage these conditions, and I hope you find this information helpful, and that you also hear from other women.

Take care,
Pat

Pat provided you with some wonderful information, and I wanted to add one resource for the "holistic" approach that you are looking for.

1. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has research-based information on what has been proven effective regarding holistic and natural remedies. Regarding bowel conditions, this is what one study has shown:
"Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's Disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Conventional medical therapies for IBD typically involve the use of anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation, including reducing the production of pro-inflammatory proteins including cytokines and chemokines. However, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the currently available therapeutic options can have limited benefit or unpleasant side effects and many patients eventually require surgery. Now researchers have found that bromelain — an enzyme derived from pineapple stems — might be able to reduce inflammation in IBD."
Source: http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/070108.htm

2. Have you sought the care of a homeopathic physician?

3. What other lifestyle changes have you made? It seems so simple, but you can never underestimate the impact of:
- managing stress (meditation classes, yoga, deep breathing)
- taking care of your emotional well-being (remove stressors in your life, avoid toxic people, do things that bring you joy)
- exercise
- sleeping well

Let us know if you would like any additional resources or information on any of the above-mentioned topics!

Hi,
I have the exact same problem as yours. The order is different though. I first had chronic diarrhea which was eventually diagnosed as microscopic collitis, then I started having GERD and nausea. My dr seems to imply the gerd episodes are stress related...
I am interested in looking at alternative/natural remedies to address the problem. I eat very carefully (no alcohol, smoking, or lactose, fried, spicy food - eat lots of vegetables, fruits) but that is having no affect whatsoever. The dr also thinks that is not the solution for me (he says eat whatever you want but keep it simple, never says don't eat x, y or z). Also do yoga regularly.
So theoretically I am doing all the right things but am still not going through a particularly bad episode. At this point I am pretty desperate to try anything.