DIAGNOSIS
Your health provider will ask about your health history and your symptoms. The doctor may need to perform a series of tests to rule out other bowel diseases like celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and infectious colitis. Some of the tests that would help the doctor to diagnose the condition properly are:
- Blood tests
- Tests for celiac disease
- Stool analysis
- Endoscopy
- Imaging tests (CT Scan, MRI, Upper GI Series)
You may also need to undergo colonoscopy. The test uses special tools that can allow the doctor to examine the lining of your colon and rectum carefully. During the colonoscopy, the doctor will take out a small sample tissue of your colon (biopsy) and examine it under a microscope to tell if you have lymphocytic colitis.
TREATMENT
Treatment depends on the symptoms and their severity. The doctor will review the medications that the patients are taking. Certain drugs are believed to cause lymphocytic colitis; hence, the doctor may recommend changing or stopping certain medications that the patient is currently taking.
The doctor may also prescribe medications to help the patient deal with the symptoms. Such medications are:
- antidiarrheal medications such as bismuth subsalicylate, diphenoxylate/atropine, and loperamide
- corticosteroids such as budesonide and prednisone
- anti-inflammatory drugs such as mesalamine and sulfasalazine
- cholestyramine resin: a drug that blocks bile acids
- antibiotics such as metronidazole and erythromycin
- immunomodulators such as mercaptopurine, azathioprine, and methotrexate
- anti-TNF therapies such as infliximab and adalimumab
The doctor will also recommend the following dietary changes:
- Avoiding caffeinated drinks and food with artificial sugars
- Drinking lots of water especially during episodes of diarrhea
- Eating a milk-free diet is the patient is lactose intolerant
- Eating a gluten-free diet
Severe cases of lymphocytic colitis may need surgery. This, however, is a rare treat; and often, people respond well with treatment.
