10 replies to this topic

[rgarton]

Hello guys,

I haven't been on here fr a very long time now, but your always here and ready to help so i'm asking for help.
I've been strictly gluten free for a year and a half since my diagnosis. I also cut out all dairy, soya, tomatoes and peppers. I'm a vegan by proxy. I havent eaten meat since i was 4.

Most mornings I wake up, and within 10 mintues I have bad lower stomach cramps and urgency to go t the bathroom.... Were getting to the TMI bit and i apologise. Its usually a dark brown (I take iron) and i don't know how else to put it but it is like the consistency of soft ice cream, or a cowpat, now formed except a few pieces and so soft but not watery. Its horrible to be blunt.

Some mornings i don't have to go at all, which is delightful, and usually after I've eaten white rice with peas and brocolli the night before. But if i keep eating rice i become constipated and thats not good. So here is my diet

Morning: Breakfast cereal made from rice which is the only cereal i can have.
Lunch: 6 rice cakes, two with avacado and four with sunflower spread and organic peanut butter.
Snack: Apple, Banana or a handful of almonds if i have them.
Dinner: Rice with peas and brocolli, Mashed potato with peas and brocolli, gluten-free pasta with gluten-free/df/sf pesto with brocolli and cucumber.

I also do not drink any caffeine, i drink herbal teas and water. Occasionally elderflower cordial.

I have cut most corn out of my diet as i was having sweetcorn and it improved things for a little while which i was super excited about but it came and smacked my smile off my face. The only remaining corn in my diet is a small section of my pasta is made with it.

I was thinking maybe it was the potato as i can't tolerate any other nightshades, but tbh my gastro issues aren't much better anymore from not having them so i don't even know anymore...

All my hair/make up etc are wheat free/gluten free etc. I'm so careful about CC, it basically isn't possible. I never eat out. I don't even generally go out!

I go to the gym every day because i have osteopenia at the moment and they don't want me taking calcium tablets because of possible heart problems that run in my family. So I'm doing weight bearing excersises to increase my bone density instead which apparently is better for you anyway.

THIS SUCKS. I'm open to all suggestions, please anything... I'm so sick of feeling this way. Of my stomach controlling my life.

[Chaff]

I feel for you -- that's awful. I know how being on a restricted diet and *still* feeling unwell is so infinitely frustrating.

I hate this kind of answer, but my doctor would say you should have more fiber. For what it's worth, you could ground flaxseeds in your cereal or something and see if it helps.
I also add prunes to some of my meals because it makes the whole process of ickiness go faster, but it seems to have no effect on my stool (frequent and tiny -- painless but annoying). I'm not supposed to be able to handle prunes, since I can't eat almost all fruit, but for some magical reason I can.

I've also had some success fermenting stuff to help with digestion. You may be able to add some stuff in if you soak it for a day or two before and add some sauerkraut or pickles or something else with active bacteria as a digestive. I've managed to eat corn as soaked polenta for breakfast. And I can only eat about ten foods total. (I have it with almond milk and cinnamon -- it's delicious!)

I'm guessing you're on the usual digestive enzymes and probiotics most people on the forum go on...if not, they may help. Also guessing you're drinking plenty, but if not that's something to consider.

Anyway, I would say to talk to a doctor or dietician -- even though those people drive me crazy. (My last dietician just printed out something from the USDA food pyramid. There's a *dairy* section. And the chick had celiac herself, albeit DH without any GI stuff. But still -- crazy.) Nonetheless, you may have some other condition they could check for.

Hopefully something in here sparks an idea for you...in the meantime, I really feel for you. If you ever want to see a worse disease, try hanging out on the Crohn's boards (http://www.crohnsforum.com/). I checked it out once, and some of those people are in total and utter agony 24 hours a day and are fed through stomach tubes for weeks, or even life. It's this kind of stuff that makes me grateful I can still manage to go to work. Though it may not be helpful when you feel so bad.

[1desperateladysaved]

Do you only eat these every day, or is this just a sample? I have lots of food intolerances, but eat many of my intolerant foods in rotation style. I hope you will find some more foods to add in. I can't do grains, so I do almond flour, nut flours, and buckwheat. I only eat bites of fruits with meals. Meat is the only food that really digests well for me and you don't have that.

Well, I hope your tummy will tame down and that you will get the nutrition you need beside.

Diana

[JNBunnie1]

You stated in your post that you are vegan by proxy. Have you personally made the choice
to be vegan or is it just out of habit because of how you were raised? It sounds to me like
your food choices are very heavy on the carby-starchy side, and getting some fat and protein
in there could help balance you out and slow things down.

I second the probiotic and digestive enzyme recommendation. You might also try thinking
outside the box a little more with your food choices. You don't have to have cereal for breakfast-
you can have fried zucchini, or fried apples with pine nuts, or all sorts of things.

[mommyto2kids]

I get the runs from a lot of rice. So maybe cut back on rice and see if that helps. Take one food out at a time for several days and see if you are better. Fats do me in. So cut back on all fats. Maybe try to eat meat. See if it helps. If it does eat meat. Not beef, too hard to digest.

[GFinDC]

Since you are open to all suggestions, I suggest you eat meat. Meat give you complete proteins, which is helpful when you are sick. Your diet doesn't seem to have enough protein in it to me. Maybe some fish would work and eggs. Can you do other grain subs, like quinoa or amaranth? Too much of any one thing is not real good, especially with such a limited diet. It seems like you are depending on rice a lot.

[mommida]

I don't think this person can eat meat if they haven't ate it since the age of 4.

[Wendelann]

I feel for you -- that's awful. I know how being on a restricted diet and *still* feeling unwell is so infinitely frustrating.

I hate this kind of answer, but my doctor would say you should have more fiber. For what it's worth, you could ground flaxseeds in your cereal or something and see if it helps.
I also add prunes to some of my meals because it makes the whole process of ickiness go faster, but it seems to have no effect on my stool (frequent and tiny -- painless but annoying). I'm not supposed to be able to handle prunes, since I can't eat almost all fruit, but for some magical reason I can.

I've also had some success fermenting stuff to help with digestion. You may be able to add some stuff in if you soak it for a day or two before and add some sauerkraut or pickles or something else with active bacteria as a digestive. I've managed to eat corn as soaked polenta for breakfast. And I can only eat about ten foods total. (I have it with almond milk and cinnamon -- it's delicious!)

I'm guessing you're on the usual digestive enzymes and probiotics most people on the forum go on...if not, they may help. Also guessing you're drinking plenty, but if not that's something to consider.

Anyway, I would say to talk to a doctor or dietician -- even though those people drive me crazy. (My last dietician just printed out something from the USDA food pyramid. There's a *dairy* section. And the chick had celiac herself, albeit DH without any GI stuff. But still -- crazy.) Nonetheless, you may have some other condition they could check for.

Hopefully something in here sparks an idea for you...in the meantime, I really feel for you. If you ever want to see a worse disease, try hanging out on the Crohn's boards (http://www.crohnsforum.com/). I checked it out once, and some of those people are in total and utter agony 24 hours a day and are fed through stomach tubes for weeks, or even life. It's this kind of stuff that makes me grateful I can still manage to go to work. Though it may not be helpful when you feel so bad.

Wow okay so this is my very first time on the forum and I have to say that I am impressed with what you wrote here. I have only been dealing with the gastro stuff for about 4 months. It is very tough. I have a hard time with most foods now too. I think I haven't healed much yet as I have only been gluten free for about a week now. It is very difficult but like you said it is manageable and I am so grateful for that. I appreciate what you said about how some people have to eat through stomach tubes and have colostomies. Thank you for helping to put things into perspective.

[Chaff]

Wendelann -- it gets better! It helps to have a guilty pleasure to go to when you feel terrible, like a bath and a trashy novel or a marathon of bad TV.

[Pegleg84]

As others have said, you might be having too much of the same things, and just need to rotate your foods a bit more.

Ethical issues and personal choice aside, if you haven't eaten meat growing up, then introducing it now is probably not a good idea. Or if you do, make sure it's a very small amount (chicken or fish) at first and take good digestive enzymes. Life-long vegetarians don't have the enzymes to deal with meat.
Instead, eat nuts, avocadoes, olives (the good fats) and add flax and such for fibre if you can. I also find too much rice can make me constipated. I also can't do dairy or soy, but am still ok with nightshades (fingers crossed). Try adding some veggies or fruit with breakfast (toast and avocado mmmm....)

Anyway, good luck figuring things out! Hope you feel better

Peg

[Wendelann]

Wendelann -- it gets better! It helps to have a guilty pleasure to go to when you feel terrible, like a bath and a trashy novel or a marathon of bad TV.

Ah thanks! It's crazy how life takes a turn sometimes. I do have a pleasure like that! And you're right it helps tremendously. Thank you!