Microscopic Colitis and diarrhea

  My wife has had severe diarrhea for about 6 years. She has recently been diagonised as having Microscopic Colitis through biopsy and under physician care has taken Imodium (immodium), Metaamucil, Azulfidine and oral corticosteroids - at this point she has given up.  I have recently heard that treatment with Pepto-bismol has had some success.  Please give me a reference or references where this treatment has been published so I can bring it to her Dr's attention.  Also please tell me the Pepto-bismol protocol that has shown success in controlling the symptoms. Thanks
Dear Clay,
Treating microscopic colitis with bismuth subsalicylate was published in the January 1998 issue of Gastroenterology by a group of researchers from Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
Thirteen patients with microscopic colitis were treated with 8 chewable 262-mg bismuth subsalicylate tablets per day for 8 weeks. Twelve patients completed the trial. Eleven patients had a resolution of their diarrhea and a reduction in fecal weight. The average time to respond was 2 weeks. In 9 patients colitis resolved. Post-treatment follow-up for 7-28 months showed that the 9 patients remained well without treatment, 2 were well but still required treatment and 1 had continued diarrhea. It's certainly worth a try. The treatment is safe and well tolerated and appears to be efficacious. Good luck.
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*Keywords: microscopic colitis, bismuth subsalicylate

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