10 replies to this topic

[neff_terence]

Hello everyone,
I was diagnosed with the celiac disease roughly 5 months ago after having the problem for 2 years (finally leaving he**). Believe it or not, this is my first visit to this sight. I have local grocery stores that sells gluten free products and I have made a concious effort to avoid all of the suspect ingredients, as if it is possible?? Even though I swear that I am not eating anything with gluten in it, I still have to use the restroom 3x every morning within a 2-3 hour period of waking up. Given, this is down from the 6x a day before my diagnosis. However, it makes getting to work difficult and uncomfortable. I think anyone with the problem can relate to the suddon unstoppable urge I am speaking of. Is this normal? I understand that soy and other substitutes can aggravate the issue w/o any true danger to the intestines. This problem has ruined a good portion of my life and I am trying to seek any help I can find to make this situation better.

[angel_jd1]

You might want to begin keeping a food diary. Write down everything that goes into your mouth and the approximate times that it does. Even write things down like medicines.

See if you can pinpoint anything that might be causing an aggrivation to your system.

Another option would be to post on here what you eat and folks can try to help you sift out the problem areas. People are very helpful on this site. Welcome and post often. There is a great wealth of information here.

-Jessica

[guppymom]

I found out that dairy and soy are total issues for me. I kind of knew about the dairy, but the soy was a new one for me. I can't handle any butter, no puddings, even the safe ones, no peanut butter either, although peanuts are okay. I totally agree with keeping a food diary. There were alot of "safe" foods listed by the doctor that diagnosed us, but we found them to not be safe for us at all, major reactions. And definitely watch the vitamins or any other supplements you are taking, they have been my downfall more than any other thing. Spices are often coated with flour to prevent them from caking, so we've had to make lots of phone calls to companies. Also, watch for "natural flavors" "natural colors".
I kind of started this out by eating nothing but cheese puffs(from the health store) and water, so it was pretty easy for me to start nailing the culprits as they came back into my diet.
OH! And something that I've noticed, for myself, is that the bean flours keep me in the bathroom ALOT. I've tried working them in gradually, but it doesn't help. So, I've put the beans away, just can't handle them.

[deweyhughie]

You also may want to have your doctor test you for a bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. This is a real simple breath test - nothing invasive. I had that recently and after 10 days of antibiotics, no more problems!

[debmidge]

Dear Neff: Sorry my husband can't/won't reply himself - he is so depressed & can't bring himself to talk about celiac just yet. He was diagnosed in 10/03 after over 25 years as celiac without knowing it. Yes, he has same problem. He can't leave the house until about noon time. He hasn't worked in over 25 years due to this problem. Now that he's been gluten free since 10/03 he still isn't what one would call regular. Don't know if he'll ever be. He has the same 2-3 X within a 2-3 hr period of waking up. He tries to be out of bed by 5:30 AM so that he can get all of this bathroom nonsense out of the way. That's how he handles it. Maybe this is regular for a celiac patient (2-3 X etc.)? What does the consenus say?

[SteveW]

I still have BM problems. Most of the time it is in the morning and I usually know the night before if I'm going to have trouble (Stomach noise/pain).

It is getting a little better-2 to 3 days a week instead of everyday-

A few thing that I know get me are

SOY
Dairy
Yeast
Too much Fiber (Beans,Asparagus)
Maybe Eggs

and the worst is when I'm stressed-after having so many close calls over the past 5 years my GI BM cycle kicks in if I get stressed out at all. It’s really bad when I have a meeting in the morning. I can almost think myself into going to the bathroom. Being a Celiac for so many years caused most of these problems for me but since I've been gluten-free(3 1/2 months) I'm regaining control of myself again. I can tell now if I ate something that is bothering me or if I'm stressing out and doing it to myself.I can't control it all the time but It's slowly getting better.

[hapi2bgf]

Your hubby and I were diagnosed around the same time(10/03). I had been seriously sick for three years before I finally got the Celiac diagnosis. I used to have regular emergency runs to the restroom, which definately causes problems with working!, but that has slowed down quit a bit. Now I have regular bathroom habits except if I eat something bad.

You may want to check and recheck everything he is eating, touching, bathing with, etc. I do get reactions from touching gluten. If nothing better, go see the doctor again and get more guidance.

Best of luck!

[lauradawn]

Im not an expert about this at all, but I just wanted to add. Has anyone thought about what they use in the morning. IE: toothpaste, or mouthwash, or medicines, or flavored floss. Those things could affect the morning routine...I would think.. Just an idea.

[guppymom]

Good point about the floss/toothepast/mouth rinse. It is all supposed to be "safe" if it's manufactured in the USA, but I checked with the company anyway...not bashing any labelling issues here! Just paranoid and trying to get all those poisons away from me.
It seems like alot of us were diagnosed last fall...I know that for the most part i'm now finally okay with the potty, but it did take about 3 months before everything calmed down so that I can go out on a shopping trip without planning ahead for potty stopping spots. And I have also learned the other things I can't handle. I was disheartened to read, at first, about the other trigger foods living along with the celiac disease. But, taking a practical view has helped me alot. I wouldn't stick a grenade in my shoe before I put it on, etc. I know that seems like it's pretty far-fetched, but it is as practical as that for me. Food is tougher because it is so emotional for us, it's survival, but there are alot of things available that weren't even a few years ago. I can find most creature comforts if I search around long enough(okay, not all the same, but close enough that i can delude myself enough to get through the rough spot!)