Colitis and GLPs?

[Wallydog]

I've been on tirz since Mar 25 I had a strange occurrence in March 26 that has returned again now. Out of nowhere I developed serious bloody diarrhea that concerned me enough to visit the ER. Not blood in the stool. Blood that would make you think you've got serious GIT damage going on. After a few tests (MRI?) they said my colon was pretty inflamed and it was likely a virus causing colitis that would pass eventually. I needed 2.5L of fluids but was sent on my way and I recovered after a couple of tough days. Now, I'm seeing something similar happening again although not quite as severe but very concerning. I hope this isn't related to my use of tirz somehow but it sure seems hard to believe I picked up another virus causing this. Anyone experience anything like colitis after being on the GLP1 agonists?

---- Sorry about the graphic description but I felt it was necessary to distinguish from the diarrhea we can see as a side effect of these drugs.

 

[spanky2026]

Long time IBS sufferer here, until I began Tirz and that just stopped. But yes, I recognize colitis and had a similar but much less severe issue lately that I laid blame to something I ate, literally, a gaseous veggie that I knew didn't agree with me pre GLP, and it certainly didn't now! Tore my gut up for a week, my lower abdomen felt rawly irritated the whole week before finally settling down. As Ive said my whole life, vegetables want to kill you. I'm sticking to meat.

All that to say, is it possible it's also something that severely irritated your gut, and because things in there move slower now, it has more time to bounce around and cause trouble?

 

[Gr33dyOctopus]

I've been on tirz since Mar 25 I had a strange occurrence in March 26 that has returned again now. Out of nowhere I developed serious bloody diarrhea that concerned me enough to visit the ER. Not blood in the stool. Blood that would make you think you've got serious GIT damage going on. After a few tests (MRI?) they said my colon was pretty inflamed and it was likely a virus causing colitis that would pass eventually. I needed 2.5L of fluids but was sent on my way and I recovered after a couple of tough days. Now, I'm seeing something similar happening again although not quite as severe but very concerning. I hope this isn't related to my use of tirz somehow but it sure seems hard to believe I picked up another virus causing this. Anyone experience anything like colitis after being on the GLP1 agonists?

---- Sorry about the graphic description but I felt it was necessary to distinguish from the diarrhea we can see as a side effect of these drugs.

Holy crap buddy! Scary scary stuff. Ive never hear of anything like this associated with tirz.. but wr all know that there are always rare outliers for jsut aboht anything so it is certainly possible...

 

[New2ton]

I've been on tirz since Mar 25 I had a strange occurrence in March 26 that has returned again now. Out of nowhere I developed serious bloody diarrhea that concerned me enough to visit the ER. Not blood in the stool. Blood that would make you think you've got serious GIT damage going on. After a few tests (MRI?) they said my colon was pretty inflamed and it was likely a virus causing colitis that would pass eventually. I needed 2.5L of fluids but was sent on my way and I recovered after a couple of tough days. Now, I'm seeing something similar happening again although not quite as severe but very concerning. I hope this isn't related to my use of tirz somehow but it sure seems hard to believe I picked up another virus causing this. Anyone experience anything like colitis after being on the GLP1 agonists?

---- Sorry about the graphic description but I felt it was necessary to distinguish from the diarrhea we can see as a side effect of these drugs.

I have UC and I've not experienced this since I started GLPs.

Perhaps this is an obvious question, but did you start a new kit? If so, was the kit tested?

I saw a post several months ago about someone having very similar symptoms after starting a new kit, which if memory serves me, turned out to be orange cap T30.

 

[FartfulCodger]

I've never read about this as a side effect, and nothing like this has happened to me since I started Tirz 7 months ago.

The good news is that there are multiple peptides that show promise in treating colitis: KPV, BPC-157, and GHK-Cu. The oral versions would probably work better, if they're available.

 

[Troposphere]

Another with UC here. Been on GLPs since mid March and KLOW blend since the second week of April.

Recent blood tests showed low scores for inflammation markers, but calprotectin was slightly elevated. Got a scope in two weeks so I will report back. Just adding my $0.02 as another data point.

Sorry this is happening to you, flare ups are never fun.

 

[lessthanhalf]

Without seeing every single test result it is a bit hard to guess at the reasons for the diagnosis of viral colitis, but regardless of cause if it is not settling down quickly , it needs to be medically reviewed fairly often until it resolves or if you are unlucky turns out to be a different cause. Did the doctors you saw make a follow up plan ? If not, time to see your local doctor, and if needed a gastroenterologist review. Even things as simple as a blood count and esr/crp and fecal calprotectin can give an idea if inflammatory markers are improving or not. From what you say you did not have a colonoscopy and biopsies? Most likely it will just get better with time but to me it sounds like an issue that should be under medical supervision and regular review until that happens, even if just at local doctor level.

Is it theoretically possible for it to be caused by the tirzepatide? Very unlikely ( I would guess in the order of 1/1000 to 1/10000 range ) but it is possible. I have not seen case reports of colitis due to GLP drugs. On average GLP drugs reduce ulcerative colitis inflammation, but less common and sometimes serious immune reactions to it affecting the skin can happen, and there is no reason why some odd immune response could not happen in the colon instead. If it does not settle down it will have to be considered as a possible but unlikely possibility, but the only way to find out is probably to stop it and see if it helps, but if you do that right now, and it is viral, it will go away but you will never know if the tirz might have been to blame. Specialists in more severe drug reactions are quite rare, so hopefully you do not end up needing to find one.

Just so you know where I am coming from, I do have ulcerative colitis and a medical background though no longer working as a doctor. And spent way too much time looking up odd immune reactions to GLP drugs last year when I had an unusual skin rash that might have been due to ozempic.

 

[Wallydog]

Without seeing every single test result it is a bit hard to guess at the reasons for the diagnosis of viral colitis, but regardless of cause if it is not settling down quickly , it needs to be medically reviewed fairly often until it resolves or if you are unlucky turns out to be a different cause. Did the doctors you saw make a follow up plan ? If not, time to see your local doctor, and if needed a gastroenterologist review. Even things as simple as a blood count and esr/crp and fecal calprotectin can give an idea if inflammatory markers are improving or not. From what you say you did not have a colonoscopy and biopsies? Most likely it will just get better with time but to me it sounds like an issue that should be under medical supervision and regular review until that happens, even if just at local doctor level.

Is it theoretically possible for it to be caused by the tirzepatide? Very unlikely ( I would guess in the order of 1/1000 to 1/10000 range ) but it is possible. I have not seen case reports of colitis due to GLP drugs. On average GLP drugs reduce ulcerative colitis inflammation, but less common and sometimes serious immune reactions to it affecting the skin can happen, and there is no reason why some odd immune response could not happen in the colon instead. If it does not settle down it will have to be considered as a possible but unlikely possibility, but the only way to find out is probably to stop it and see if it helps, but if you do that right now, and it is viral, it will go away but you will never know if the tirz might have been to blame. Specialists in more severe drug reactions are quite rare, so hopefully you do not end up needing to find one.

Just so you know where I am coming from, I do have ulcerative colitis and a medical background though no longer working as a doctor. And spent way too much time looking up odd immune reactions to GLP drugs last year when I had an unusual skin rash that might have been due to ozempic.

Unrelated to the colitis, I did have a colonsocopy in April about a month after the bout. Nothing to report except 2 polyps removed and no biopsies. It was my birthday!

 

[lessthanhalf]

I got the timeline a bit wrong when I first looked at that thinking the initial episode was only a few weeks ago. Odd you had a normal colonoscopy and then the bleeding returned, but if there was less obvious microscopic inflammation it would not have been seen without biopsies. Still think it needs medical followup.

 

[Wallydog]

I got the timeline a bit wrong when I first looked at that thinking the initial episode was only a few weeks ago. Odd you had a normal colonoscopy and then the bleeding returned, but if there was less obvious microscopic inflammation it would not have been seen without biopsies. Still think it needs medical followup.

Well I am getting my prostate checkup today as I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer but it appears to be the slow growing version so at this time we're doing watchful waiting monitoring PSA levels every 6 months. So the urologist might get a surprise.

 

[Troposphere]

Update: Colonoscopy came back with the least amount of inflammation I've had since being diagnosed in 2011.

A few polyps, all small and benign.

I was supposed to get a colonoscopy every year since diagnosis, but I didn't. I was told this time I can wait 3-5 years for the next one.

Not sure if it is Reta, KLOW, or Mesalamine but I'll take it.

If there are others with Colitis or Crohn's please continue to update your progress.

 

[Wallydog]

Update: Colonoscopy came back with the least amount of inflammation I've had since being diagnosed in 2011.

A few polyps, all small and benign.

I was supposed to get a colonoscopy every year since diagnosis, but I didn't. I was told this time I can wait 3-5 years for the next one.

Not sure if it is Reta, KLOW, or Mesalamine but I'll take it.

If there are others with Colitis or Crohn's please continue to update your progress.

Hey -- that's great news.

My colonoscopy was uneventful. Same old one or two polyps but nothing to be concerned about. Propofol almost makes it worth the prep the night before. Almost.

 

[bamagirl26]

Update: Colonoscopy came back with the least amount of inflammation I've had since being diagnosed in 2011.

A few polyps, all small and benign.

I was supposed to get a colonoscopy every year since diagnosis, but I didn't. I was told this time I can wait 3-5 years for the next one.

Not sure if it is Reta, KLOW, or Mesalamine but I'll take it.

If there are others with Colitis or Crohn's please continue to update your progress.

that is awesome!! I also think GLP has improved my stomach/dgestion- a surprising side effect.

 

[Troposphere]

Hey -- that's great news.

My colonoscopy was uneventful. Same old one or two polyps but nothing to be concerned about.

Glad you had good results also!

Propofol almost makes it worth the prep the night before. Almost.

I'd agree but I always get woken up by one of the techs while in the middle of some super vivid dream I don't want to leave.

 

[Wallydog]

Glad you had good results also!

I'd agree but I always get woken up by one of the techs while in the middle of some super vivid dream I don't want to leave.

When I wake up, I'm usually being wheeled down the hallway blithering to the nurses about something that seems to be pretty funny.

 

[lessthanhalf]

I found GLP drugs , all of the ones I have tried , sema, or tirz/reta/cagri improved my gut function, mainly just by slowing down overall gi motility. It had already improved a lot with massive weight loss, diet changes, avoidance of fodmaps to some degree, and a repetitive restrictive diet, but GLPs still helped on top of that. Had ulcerative colitis in remission, but with ongoing symptoms of gut pain and diarrhoea that was lots of times as day before any of those changes, to somewhere close to normal, with only mild residual lower gut pain in the mornings.

 

[sweetmop]

Update: Colonoscopy came back with the least amount of inflammation I've had since being diagnosed in 2011.

A few polyps, all small and benign.

I was supposed to get a colonoscopy every year since diagnosis, but I didn't. I was told this time I can wait 3-5 years for the next one.

Not sure if it is Reta, KLOW, or Mesalamine but I'll take it.

If there are others with Colitis or Crohn's please continue to update your progress.

So did you stop Reta a week or two before the colonoscopy? I have one at the end of Nov and I'm trying to plan out when to stop the dose beforehand. Did you tell them you are on a GLP?

 

[Troposphere]

So did you stop Reta a week or two before the colonoscopy? I have one at the end of Nov and I'm trying to plan out when to stop the dose beforehand. Did you tell them you are on a GLP?

I was splitting my dose every three days. I skipped two of those in the week before the procedure.

I did not tell them I was on a GLP. The results evaluate how well bowel prep went in three sections of the colon and I got 3 out of 3 on all (perfect prep).

I scheduled my procedure for a Wednesday afternoon and stopped all solid food Monday night. Tuesday was all clear liquids and the first half of prep. Wednesday morning finished prep.

Hope this info helps!

 

[sweetmop]

I was splitting my dose every three days. I skipped two of those in the week before the procedure.

I did not tell them I was on a GLP. The results evaluate how well bowel prep went in three sections of the colon and I got 3 out of 3 on all (perfect prep).

I scheduled my procedure for a Wednesday afternoon and stopped all solid food Monday night. Tuesday was all clear liquids and the first half of prep. Wednesday morning finished prep.

Hope this info helps!

Yes this really does help- I'm planning on going it about 10 days off of Reta before mine- I also plan on all liquid diet day before with prep. Thanks again