Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

From Constipation To Diarrhea?

funkflex

Recommended Posts

funkflex Rookie
funkflex
Posted

Hi

 

I am 10 months gluten free, and starting about 2 months ago my stools became looser and looser. It is now bordering on diarrhea, although it is still kind of hard to get out, i.e. still a little constipated but not at all like it was 6 months ago.

 

Is this normal?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

That has happened to me, but I don't think it is exactly the norm.  Are ther any other changes in your life that could cause it?

  • 2 weeks later...
funkflex Rookie
funkflex
Posted
  • Author

That has happened to me, but I don't think it is exactly the norm.  Are ther any other changes in your life that could cause it?

 

I don´t think so. Well, we are two atleast then...

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Sometimes, when we remove gluten from our diets, we have removed a big fiber source.  Also, gluten-free bread products do have some ingredients, like gums, that you wouldn't normally eat.

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I think my problem with D is due to thyroid medication and some increased vitamins like magnesium. I used to be hypothyroid (causes C) and am on the lower end of normal for Mg, I now take thyroid hormones and many larger doses of vits (as ordered by a doctor). I also greatly increased the amount of nuts I eat and they can have a laxative effect.  So, that's partially why I wondered if you had other possible causes in your life.

 

Hope it gets better for you.

nutritionguy Rookie
nutritionguy
Posted

Hi

 

I am 10 months gluten free, and starting about 2 months ago my stools became looser and looser. It is now bordering on diarrhea, although it is still kind of hard to get out, i.e. still a little constipated but not at all like it was 6 months ago.

 

Is this normal?

Some medications might have this type of side effect.  Are you taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications?  Also, probiotics may be helpful with alleviating this--though figuring out the primary cause if possible is very important.  Are you taking any probiotics?

funkflex Rookie
funkflex
Posted
  • Author

Yes I do take probiotics. I just find it strange that it went from C to D. Hopefully it´ll normalize with time.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


nutritionguy Rookie
nutritionguy
Posted

Yes I do take probiotics. I just find it strange that it went from C to D. Hopefully it´ll normalize with time.

Taking probiotics is good.  However, if you are still on antibiotics, the good from the probiotics could be totally negated.  The problem is that antibiotics may be killing healthful bacteria in your intestines and allowing inflammatory bacteria to proliferate.  If you are still taking antibiotics and you are still having diarrhea, there is an extremely high likelihood that the antibiotics are the root cause of your problem.  Medication side effects (including diarrhea) as a result of antibiotics (especially long term antibiotics) are not uncommon.  And I would guess that in celiacs whose intestines have not yet had a chance to completely heal, the chance of this would be even greater.   You really should seriously consider talking with your doctor about alternative treatments for your acne with him/her if the diarrhea is still ongoing.  I only say all of this because you still seem to be puzzled as to why this diarrhea is occurring... 

  • 2 weeks later...
funkflex Rookie
funkflex
Posted
  • Author

Taking probiotics is good.  However, if you are still on antibiotics, the good from the probiotics could be totally negated.  The problem is that antibiotics may be killing healthful bacteria in your intestines and allowing inflammatory bacteria to proliferate.  If you are still taking antibiotics and you are still having diarrhea, there is an extremely high likelihood that the antibiotics are the root cause of your problem.  Medication side effects (including diarrhea) as a result of antibiotics (especially long term antibiotics) are not uncommon.  And I would guess that in celiacs whose intestines have not yet had a chance to completely heal, the chance of this would be even greater.   You really should seriously consider talking with your doctor about alternative treatments for your acne with him/her if the diarrhea is still ongoing.  I only say all of this because you still seem to be puzzled as to why this diarrhea is occurring... 

 

I am not on any antibiotics (should I be?).  Yes youre right I have some minor acne, but I did I write about it here?

 

Seems that my gut is swinging back and forth between diarrhea and constipation. Right now it´s further on the constipation side of things...

GF Lover Rising Star
GF Lover
Posted

Funkflex,

 

No, you should not be on antibiotics, unless of course they are prescribed by your doctor.  A lot of dairy may cause some constipation.  Since you are swinging back and forth it is probably the food your eating.   Moderate dairy, chocolate, breads and pastas.  Eat more greens, fruits and nuts.  Hopefully you will start to normalize. 

 

Good Luck,

 

Colleen

nutritionguy Rookie
nutritionguy
Posted

I am not on any antibiotics (should I be?).  Yes youre right I have some minor acne, but I did I write about it here?

 

Seems that my gut is swinging back and forth between diarrhea and constipation. Right now it´s further on the constipation side of things...

 

Unless you have a specific infection that requires antibiotics to maintain or restore your health, you should probably not be on them.  And acne, in my opinion, is usually not one of them.  And yes, you did write about your acne and being on antibiotics for it someplace on this website, although I don't see any mention of it in the thread of postings above, nor do I remember exactly where I saw you post this.

 

Good, you are making progress, although it sounds like you probably still have a bit of a way to go in improving your diet.  But before looking at your diet in more depth, i need to ask the following:  Do you exercise daily?  Exercise is probably one of the most powerful things you can do to reverse constipation and keep your bowels moving regularly.  Thirty minutes continuous walking is ideal if you are physically up to that much; and if you aren't physically up to that much, as many minutes as you can comfortably do without overexerting or pushing yourself is a good way to start. 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,331
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kristy2026
    Newest Member
    Kristy2026
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.