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Showing results for tags 'bladder'.
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Celiac.com 09/16/2021 - About 10 years ago I thought I had a bladder infection. It came on very suddenly. One day I was fine and the next day I was having all of the symptoms of a bladder infection. I went to my family doctor who prescribed Macrobid—even though I did not test positive for an infection. The Macrobid did not help at all and I was still having the bladder urges and pain. The family doctor referred me to a urologist who did so many tests I can’t even remember them all but every one came out negative. He gave me one antibiotic after another even though I still never tested positive for an infection. After one test he determined that I had fibroids on my uterus and referred me to a gynecologist who did a laparoscopy and confirmed the fibroids and said that some of them were apparently pressing on my bladder and suggested I have a hysterectomy. I consulted another gynecologist for a second opinion. He confirmed the fibroids so I went ahead with the hysterectomy. When I recovered from the surgery and the bladder symptoms were still the same I went back to the urologist for more tests and he eventually confirmed the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis (IC). He put me on Elmiron which is the only medication specifically for the disease. I also had two bladder distensions. Those gave me no relief either. I basically suffered through it for a year or two until I went for acupuncture and started seeing a holistic doctor. He told me to quit eating grains which I did and found relief very quickly. Being one who wants to know what is going on with my body, and wanting to know all I could about interstitial cystitis I was on the computer researching it constantly to see what treatments were working for other people. In all of my research I only found one reference to anyone being on a gluten free diet and getting relief from it so believe me it did not surprise me whatsoever that one would not be able to find any reference connecting interstitial cystitis to gluten intolerance. I haven’t been to a urologist in a few years. My original urologist moved away and when I mentioned to the next one that the only relief I found was a gluten free diet, he didn’t really seem that interested. Other doctors I have seen didn’t even know what gluten was and also seemed disinterested. Initially, after being diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, I attended several conferences on IC and went to some support group meetings but they all seemed to revolve around drugs and most specifically Elmiron. The main website for IC research is ichelp.org and is sponsored by Elmiron so it is no wonder the only research they are interested in promotes using Elmiron. I have shared the story of my success using a gluten free diet for IC with other people who have interstitial cystitiis and are suffering terribly. None of them have taken me seriously. I am confident this is because their doctor never mentioned it to them. Not being a doctor, who am I to be able to know how to treat this condition, even though I speak from experience? I am also sure that they think it is just too difficult to follow such a restrictive diet and would rather be treated with medications. The holistic doctor that I went to was Michael Leveque here in Central Florida. He has moved away from my area and is currently in the Ft. Myers, Florida area. When I was seeing Dr. Leveque I participated in some workshops he did and he used my case history in his presentation and also had my testimonial on his website. The acupuncture physician I saw is Sue Leveque, DOM and the wife of Michael Leveque, who now practices in Fort Myers, Florida also. She offered other holistic services including lab testing for gluten intolerance and a variety of other nutrition related conditions. My test results revealed that I had three parasitic infections, heliocobator pylori (a bacterial infection that causes ulcers and acid reflux) and heavy metal toxicity. I was successfully treated for the parasitic and bacterial infections with antibiotics and also used a pro-biotic treatment afterwards to counteract the effects of antibiotic therapy. In addition, I had my amalgam fillings removed and went through chelation treatments to rid my body of heavy metals. As a result of all that I have done, I am healthier now than I have been in years. And I know that the primary reason my health has improved to the point it is today is because my diet is gluten-free.
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The following piece was written by Ronald Hoggan who is a teacher at Queen Elizabeth High School in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Gall bladder disease or malfunction is often associated with celiac disease. It can cause pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, just at the lowest rib on the right side. In one study of 1300 celiacs in Canada, 9% indicated that gall stones were the earliest presentation, sometimes followed by many years prior to correct diagnosis of their celiac disease. In another report, Dr. Kozlowska indicated that 13 of the 41 newly diagnosed celiacs she investigated were suffering from atresia, a condition which is a partial or complete blockage of the bile duct. CCK (cholecystokinin) is the hormone responsible for gall bladder contraction. The bulk of this hormone is produced in the duodenum. Active celiac disease would be likely, then, to cause a reduction or a cessation of duodenal production of CCK. A radiologist in Hungary is currently researching this problem. In private correspondence, one gastroenterologist reports having found (accidentally) a gallstone in a 12 year old girl who had active celiac disease. The 30% incidence of atresia among celiac children, as reported by Dr. Kozlowska, would suggest an even higher number among adults with active celiac disease. Given the low level of clinical suspicion for celiac disease in North America, it would not be at all surprising if a large portion of patients with gall bladder disease were suffering from occult celiac disease. Future research may reveal that gall stones and atresia are only symptoms of celiac disease. I did a Medline search on cck and celiac disease. I got 65 hits. Researchers repeatedly identified a connection between celiac disease and gall bladder malfunction with such comments as: Thus the already impaired fat absorption in celiac sprue is magnified by the lack of bile delivery.....; and We conclude that there is a reversible defect of gallbladder emptying and cholecystokinin release in celiac disease. and Cholecystokinin (cck) release and gall bladder emptying in response to a fatty meal are completely abolished in celiac disease. and the abnormally decreased gallbladder contraction in celiac patients is the result of endogenous cck secretion and not a lack of end-organ responsiveness to cck. There just isnt much ambiguity there. If youve got celiac disease, you have gall bladder malfunction, of the sort that may well develop into atresia and gallstones. Upon receiving a diagnosis of gall bladder disease, whether gall stones or atresia, one might be wise to request a blood test for celiac disease. The anti-endomysial antibody test is currently the most reliable and available test. Now, given the low level of clinical suspicion for celiac disease, I anticipate the suggestion that absent gall bladder emptying, atresia, and gall stones might occur in the absence of celiac disease. I did another Medline search, and I cant find a single study that has tested atresia patients or gallstone patients for celiac disease. My answer to the suggestion that gall bladder disease may occur in the absence of celiac disease is that there is no evidence to support such a contention. Considerable evidence exists, however, which points to celiac disease as a likely cause of gall bladder malfunction, atresia, or stones. As for childhood gallstones, there appears to be only one answer.... it is associated with celiac disease. A view that incorporates the association of gall bladder disease, and celiac disease, but does not preclude the above, has been expressed by Dr. Joseph Murray, of the University of Iowa, who is a gastroenterologist specializing in treating celiac disease. He believes there are several triggers that can activate Celiac disease in genetically susceptible people. One of them is: Surgery, particularly GI (gall bladder, etc.) In any case, the connection between celiac disease and gall bladder disease is well known.
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Celiac.com 08/28/2008 - Gluten intolerance can affect all the mucous membranes of the body in sensitive individuals, including the bladder lining. I was diagnosed in 1996 with an incurable, progressive, painful disease called interstitial cystitis. The symptoms mimic those of a bad bladder infection, although most lab tests are negative for bacteria, and antibiotics generally do not help. I knew as a nurse how the bladder functions, and that it needs to have an intact lining to tolerate holding all the toxic wastes of the body prior to elimination. It made sense to me to try a dietary approach, and I had good luck immediately by excluding from my diet known bladder irritants like tomatoes, caffeine, chocolate, citrus, and alcohol, even though most doctors at the time gave diet little credit for a reduction in symptoms. Nevertheless, the disease did progress over time, and I eventually needed to take pain medications, anti-spasmodics, and other medications to enable me to function. Every urine test showed that I had significant amounts of blood in my urine. No one ever tested me for food allergies, gluten intolerance, or considered any other possible cause. No one suggested that my symptoms were part of a systemic dysfunction in my body. I had a painful disease, and they would give me as much pain medicine as I wanted, but there was no cure. I was no longer getting enough sleep to enable me to function well as a nurse. I made the choice to stop working for a few years to concentrate on rebuilding my health. I was in constant pain. It was about this time that I began turning to alternative practitioners for help, and started experimenting with my diet, as well as having food allergy and sensitivity testing done. I had some success eliminating the swelling in my pelvic area using castor oil packs, enough so that when I had increased swelling from eating a particular food, I could tell the difference. Careful observation showed me what did and did not negatively affect my bladder. Eliminating gluten resolved a long-standing rash on my legs, called dermatitis herpetiformis, and after about two years and a lot of alternative bodywork, my bladder began to significantly recover. It was the first area to show symptoms, and the last to recover. Now, twelve years after my interstitial cystitis diagnosis, my urologist readily agrees that gluten negatively affects the bladder in some portion of her patients, and that eliminating gluten leads to a reduction in symptoms. All of my urine tests are perfectly normal and I sleep at night. Still, there are almost no published journal articles linking gluten intolerance and the bladder. I am trying to get the word out there, specifically, the idea that we do not have to live with constant pain, and that what we eat can affect our health. My future goals include beginning an informal clinical trial in the form of a support group for patients willing to try a gluten-free diet as a treatment for chronic bladder symptoms. If anyone is interested in the link between bladder symptoms and gluten sensitivity, I have pages of anecdotes gathered from many people who have experienced healing on a gluten-free diet. The Connection Between Bladder Symptoms And Gluten Sensitivity - A Collection Of Personal Experiences* *Names have been changed to initials to protect individualsprivacy.The author has the originalweb-posts or other identifying information. A summary of web posts from icpuzzle@yahoogroups.com and intersitialcystitischronicpain@yahoogroups.com and personal communications revealing strong evidence of a connection between bladder symptoms and gluten sensitivity. This article is an adjunct/follow-up to the above article on gluten sensitivity and bladder disease. …”The main help came from W.’ssuggestion to try to eliminate wheat-barley-rye (gluten).The Elmiron was getting close it it’s maxwithout constantly abusing the situation with gluten…about three months ago Istarted eliminating gluten-carrying grains, “wallah” absolutely the mostsignificant change started happening about 3 or 4 days from the last day ofgluten. How much better am I now sincethen – about 500% better (close to where I was when I first noticed the IC,even though I didn’t know what was happening – close to TWENTY YEARS AGO). I am still of the opinion that some kind ofcritters have and maybe still play a part of this. I have taken every kind of antibiotic, with alittle success now and then, but not enough to kill it.” “It took about 3 months to seemild improvement, about a year to see moderate improvement, and about 2 yearsto feel much better. I am not 100percent symptom free, but most of the time I am a very manageable level ofsymptoms, and when I flare (from diet or sex) it is very short lived.I am down to one Elmiron a day (from theoriginal dose of 3) and I also do a gluten and sugar free version of the ICdiet, which I also think has helped me a lot.” “I have had IC for 30 yearspretty severely. It was only this pastyears that I got tested …and found out I had a severe wheat-gluten allergy tothe point that I cannot ingest one bite of anything with wheat or gluten…theysaid my whole digestive tract was inflamed…Over the years I knew I was wheat,dairy, and sugar intolerant but these (latest) tests are more specific and letyou know the levels. I feel muchstronger and have many days when I am symptom free. I finally feel different.” “I have started cutting wheat andgluten out of my diet, its been about 2 weeks now. I, like M., have IBS. I am feeling better every day.I am following a diet very similar toyours.Thank you for posting it again!” “I have had IC for over adecade. I have been on a gluten freediet for over 6 years and that has been the only thing that has given me anyrelief from the IC. I no longer take anymeds at all – haven’t even been to a doctor for the IC in several years.Glad to hear someone else is seeing thebenefits of the gluten-free diet for IC and getting the word out. I would definitely suggest anyone with ICgive it a try. It definitely gave me mylife back." “Where have you been for the lasttwenty plus years?You may have saved mylife.I have described these symptomsfor years to doctors and never got an answer that sounded even close to whatwas happening. Just “try these antibiotics”once in a while at the beginning (there was minimal change), but more and morethe antibiotics got more and more expensive with less and less effect if any atall, it even included the kill-all antibiotic – kills everything except me…Went to nerve doctor ($2,500 plus, pelvic x-rays (2 or 3 types).One of the urologists… never said anythingbut “prostatitis” over and over again. My head now also has a nearperfectly clear thinking ability, before it was always a bit cloudy even thoughI may not have been totally aware of it.The feel of carrying extra weight is now almost gone. The gluten issue may not be theonly issue I have – prostatitis is likely to be part of the pain problem, butthere is no question that the gluten issue has been a very, very large part andis now subsiding.” “I was tested for glutenintolerance but it came out negative but while I awaited results I went gluten free and I felt so goodI never went back. I have had a lot ofimprovement going gluten and sugar free as well.I can find rice pasta, lasagna etc.easily. It’s amazing how you don’t haveto try hard to substitute (for) it.” “I have gone from having to gowith urgency every 5 to 10 minutes and being in constant pain (especially atnight) to having almost no symptoms. I am not “cured”. I am still working on healing. I occasionally have a mild flare. Gradually I am able to add foods back into mydiet – a very different diet than before. Whole foods, more veggies, only whole grains (no wheat), no sugar, and anoverall more alkaline diet….There is help. There is hope.” “I am just into the first severalchapters of the book (Solving the IC Puzzle, by Amrit Willis, R.N.), but wantedto stop and ask if there were any people who were celiac or gluten intolerant thatalso suffer from IC. In my celiacsgroup, there are quite a few that have celiacs that (also) have IC.Autoimmune – allergy – poor lifestyle choices– toxic body – all related. So, I amwondering if there are others in this IC group that are glutenintolerant/celiacs or who have suffered from, have, or have healed fromautoimmune diseases…” “I have celiac disease also. I was diagnosed via a blood test about 4months before the IC thing came to a head. I disregarded the doctor’s warning to stay away from gluten/wheat.I went to a gastroenterologist because I feltlike I was having a stomach flu every 2 weeks. So I saw this guy and he gave me the blood test results (which Iignored) until finally, I felt so bad I decided to whit the gluten/wheat.I had a friend who has celiac really severelyand she told me that I might as well cancel my hydrodistention to test for ICbecause eliminating wheat/gluten might clear everything up for me. Unfortunately, I had thehydrodistention which made me much worse, IC-wise….Sorry for the long-windedanswer.I finally stopped taking theElmiron…So far so good.I really don’texpect to have a problem. It was justhard letting go. I don’t know which came first(the celiac or the IC).Looking back,every time I drank beer I always felt bloated right away. Classic example, on our way to skiing, wewould stop for two beers. Relievingmyself before getting back in the car, I would be dying for the bathroom beforewe reached our destination, 45 minutes later. I though this was normal.Isuppose it was the celiac and IC kicking in. Too bad it would take 10 years and 3 pregnancies later to diagnose it…” “I have been diagnosed withgluten sensitivity and am gluten-free. Since I was already eating very little in the way of grains at mynutritionist’s urging, I don’t find the diet that difficult to follow.I try to be very careful.” “I agree with these 2 types ofpastas. I also find that when I eatwheat (which is an allergy I have) that my bladder gets irritated…” “…So, W. your IC is totally goneright now – especially after cutting out gluten? I have known for years and years that I wasgluten sensitive as whenever I wouldn’t eat gluten or wheat, if I just atevegetables and protein my stomach would be soooo quiet.Hindsight is 20/20 – just wish I would havegiven up gluten years ago and maybe this wouldn’t have happened. I am checking into pelvic floortherapy and will have that done along with many other things – I am soterrified of this getting worse, absolutely scared to death. Thanks for your words ofencouragement and comfort.” (Personal Communication)“Suddenly some of the mysteriesof what's been called my "wheat intolerance"or "allergy" were resolved. In particular, I no longer thinkI'm crazy for suspecting a link between my 2.5-year-long urinary tract infection and the onset of my moreobviously wheat-related symptoms. Thanks so much for getting theword out, and sharing your experience!” (Personal Communication) “I about fell off my chair when Iread about your bladder stuff. I've seen 3 specialists (including adigestive doc and a urologist!!), a regular PCP, and a naturopath, andnone of them were willing to consider a link between wheat issues and my poorbladder's troubles. It was like the world lifted offmy shoulders - I'm not crazy! And my body is not the wreck I thought itwas at the ripe old age of 31!Seems funny to be exultant aboutprobably having celiac disease, but that's whatI've been since.”
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