Am I Allergic To Something Else Also?

[bigsislivie]

Ok so i was never officially *diagnosed* with celiac, because the tests, like a lot of others, kept coming back negative but i had all the symptoms and i felt so much better when i was off of gluten. plus it runs in my family. i wasnt back on gluten long enough to do the biopsy anyway thats probably why it came back negative. i had lesions, but they said not enough signs of damage to diagnose it. all of the doctors basically told me i have it and to get off gluten so i did. that was 3 years ago. im 15 now, and im feeling so much better and healthier. my appetite is back, i have grown 7 inches and gained 40 pounds (i was the same size for about 4 years, i completely stopped growing..) and the only thing the doctors could determine for me was the only thing that worked was no gluten. but ive been thinking. there has to be something else? my hair still falls out quite a bit, and a few of the other symptoms never went away. my tics (mild tourettes) still flare up when i eat cerain things i just havent figured out what triggers them though. the tics started like 5 years ago and when that started, its when everything else did. so im feeling better, but i was wondering how to determine if i am allergic to something else? it might be dairy? that kind of runs in my family too. my mom and brother are both intolerant to milk, and my dad had troubles with it when he was a kid. i have gas and stomach upset quite often still, so should i remove milk and see what happens? im all for trying it, but what about another blood test? will it be accurate this time do you think since its for dairy not gluten? and what would i be able to eat? im in high school, and its hard enough eliminating gluten, much less dairy too. i love dairy foods, i live off ice cream and cheese...

im sry this is so long, but i would appreciate every answer! i need to figure something out..

Thanks sooo much!

God bless

[mushroom]

Probably more than 50% of us here on the forum have additional intolerance(s) besides gluten. There are two ways of approaching trying to find out what else you may have problems with. Since it is possible that more than one other food bothers you, the surest way is an elimination diet, but being as you are in high school you may not want to take this approach as it is quite restrictive. Basically, you eliminate all but a few safe foods that do not bother you, say chicken, rice, steamed veggies of some kind, perhaps some nuts and seeds, things like perhaps applesauce. Then you add in a new food every three to four days while keeping a diary of what you eat and your symptoms. As I say, this is the surest way but as a teenager it may be the hardest way for you.

Another way is to take out of your diet the most common allergens. Dairy, is definitely one; soy is also a common one for celiacs, and corn bothers quite a few of us. So start with the dairy first. If that does not get rid of your symptoms add soy; then corn. If those three don't take care of it you will have to move on to other things, and perhaps over the summer do a full elimination test. But diary, soy and corn will get you started.