Edgymama's Gluten Free Journey

My story is similar to many where I have been diagnosed with IBS. I got the diagnosis I believe in 2003 by military doctors. I was having weird rash flare ups including bubbles all over fingers and very swollen joints, the rash was ruled as contact dermatitis. My IBS was the combination of C and D. C would never get that bad just was pretty irregular. It has become more and more a common thing for me since then that every time I go my norm is very loose. In fact I knew after having take out or certain packaged foods especially (canned soups and lipton onion soup mix really seemed to be culprits!) I knew I would be needing a toilet within 30 minutes. This was my normal.

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Fast forward to July 2014. I had a week long episode of severe bloating like I have never experienced. I went to the doctor they ran some tests for G Pylori and all was clear, I got tested for UTI/bladder infections twice and all was clear. I had an ultrasound and they said they found some tiny polyps on my gall stone. They referred me to a surgeon and I stated I really wanted to meet with a GI! I met with the surgeon who laughed over the polyps and said I was absolutely right in wanting to go to a GI and it was not my gall bladder AT ALL causing my issues and the polyps were completely normal.

I went to the GI, well the NP at the GI and although she appeared very young I was impressed she heard my heart murmur straight away that so many miss and that she took me seriously. She agreed that even if I do not have celiac I definitely have a sensitivity to it. See I had gone off gluten for just over a month prior to this appointment just to see if it helped (it DID!). She wanted me to go back on gluten for a month before going to have labs drawn on October 25th. She said with my history of IBS as well as anemia off and on through my life that she wanted to test me.

With two more weeks to go on gluten I am counting down until I can go off of it for good! I cannot believe the extreme difference I am feeling after having only been off it a month and now being back on it. I am tired beyond belief (I feel as if I am in a nyquil fog or have mono!), my eyes are going blurry off and on despite having my contacts in, my hunger is back in full force where I have no shut off, I have weird bumps in my hair line around nape of my neck that I haven't had in a long time,and the D is back every time I have a BM.

My one month off of gluten in August/September I was feeling more energized, I wasn't hungry, and I had normal BM! The proof is right there for me but I am going through the motions so maybe I can have a formal diagnosis. I already know though that a non-gluten containing diet is what is best for me and my body.

I will update once I get my labs back!

Just wanted to update with what labs are being drawn so I have documentation.

Celiac Disease: Complete Panel

CBC with differential

Automated 5-part Differential W Absolutes

CBCD

Iron Binding Capacity Profile

Ferritin Level