Gluten Detox

[aglaze]

Hi all.. I will try to keep this brief. After years,30+, of stomach issue I am done with gluten. I have been a vegetarian for 15 yrs and basically dairy free for about 8-10 yrs (nut milks only..occasional occurrence of dairy cheese) my stomach trouble had almost become debilitating but dr's had given me dx of Crohns,then IBS, then ulcerative colitis. I honestly believe if nothing else I have definite food allergy(s). Anyway, I've gone hardcore into gluten-free and am on day 6 and needing some reassurance about the symptoms I'm having,assuming they're detox? First few days was horrible weird headache, almost felt like static or currents zapping thru my brain every few minutes. Very very tired, like exhausted.. fuzzy headed, unclear and difficult to think clearly. I had a very hard time passing stool and when I finally did it was like childbirth(slight exaggeration). Now my stools are a bit better, my head is clearer, but I have awful aching throbbing joints and TERRIBLE foul(rotten egg) smelling gas. The gas isn't causing me pain per se, and believe me I wish I could control it but as *soon* as I eat, it's there. Is the gas normal? For the record I'm taking these supplements, but would love to know if there's anything different that I should be taking to help thru this detox. My husband even remarked today at the horrible dark circles under my eyes, yet I have been sleeping well. It's like for every gain I feel like I notice another detox symptom! Just knowing there's others who have experienced any of this during the gluten detox would help me.

Daily vitamins and supplements:

D3 1000IU 3x day
B12 1000 mg 2x day
B2 100 mg 2tab 2x day
Milk thistle 240 mg 2 tab 2x day
Digestive enzyme 500 mg 3x day(before meal)
Lemon balm 200 mg at bedtime
Oil of oregano 150 mg 2x day
Liquid Cal/Mag 600 mg cal and 300 mg mag 1x day
Udo's choice 3-6-9 oil blend 1Tbsp 2x day
Jarrow Formulas probiotic 10 billion per capsule 1xday

 

I also take 1 Tbs of AVC with 1/8 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp honey in about 4-5 oz water twice a day


> I should add that in just looking at the probiotic, it only lists lactobacillus plantarum as the only strain in it, so I'm wondering if I should be taking a different probiotic.

Thanks in advance, hopefully someone can help me!

[NoGlutenCooties]

Hi Aglaze and Welcome to the Forum!

 

Many people report having worse and/or new symptoms when they first go gluten-free.  Some call it detox, some call it withdrawal... no one is 100% sure what it is.  But it's common and from what I've read (I didn't experience this myself) it typically goes away after the first couple of weeks.  But one of the most frustrating things about this disease is that it is very different from one person to the next and you have to learn to be patient.  I would definitely recommend a probiotic that has more than one strain of bacteria.  The one I take has 10 different ones in it:  Open Original Shared Link

The bottle says it is wheat free but I contacted them and they assured me that it is gluten-free and I have had no issues with it.

 

You also need to check all of the labels on all of your vitamins/supplements and make sure they are gluten-free.  For example, some will add maltase - which is made from barley.  If they don't say that they are gluten-free either find a different brand or double-check with the company.

 

When eating gas-producing foods I take Bean Zyme, which is the gluten-free version of Beano - and it's actually cheaper than Beano.

 

Most folks also recommend sticking to whole foods for the first few months while your body is healing.  Processed food can be really unhealthy and in my opinion much of the gluten-free processed stuff is even less healthy than the "regular" equivalent because they have to put so much extra crap in it to get it to hold together and not taste like cardboard.

 

Hang in there!  It gets better!

[aglaze]

Hi Aglaze and Welcome to the Forum!

 

Many people report having worse and/or new symptoms when they first go gluten-free.  Some call it detox, some call it withdrawal... no one is 100% sure what it is.  But it's common and from what I've read (I didn't experience this myself) it typically goes away after the first couple of weeks.  But one of the most frustrating things about this disease is that it is very different from one person to the next and you have to learn to be patient.  I would definitely recommend a probiotic that has more than one strain of bacteria.  The one I take has 10 different ones in it:  Open Original Shared Link

The bottle says it is wheat free but I contacted them and they assured me that it is gluten-free and I have had no issues with it.

 

You also need to check all of the labels on all of your vitamins/supplements and make sure they are gluten-free.  For example, some will add maltase - which is made from wheat.  If they don't say that they are gluten-free either find a different brand or double-check with the company.

 

When eating gas-producing foods I take Bean Zyme, which is the gluten-free version of Beano - and it's actually cheaper than Beano.

 

Most folks also recommend sticking to whole foods for the first few months while your body is healing.  Processed food can be really unhealthy and in my opinion much of the gluten-free processed stuff is even less healthy than the "regular" equivalent because they have to put so much extra crap in it to get it to hold together and not taste like cardboard.

 

Hang in there!  It gets better!

Thank you so much! I am feeling better today, and was actually at Vitamin Shoppe yesterday and got a better probiotic,also added some licorice root supplement. Thank you again for your encouragement

[NoGlutenCooties]

Just realized that I had mis-typed and indicated that maltase can be made from wheat - it can actually be made from barley (not wheat) - still off limits.  I corrected it in my original post.

[nvsmom]

Yep, sounds like detox to me too. It's not fun.It usually only lasts a few days to a few weeks for those who experience it. Hang in there, it will probably be done in a week, or the end of January at the latest.

 

L-Glutamine can help with healing of the mucosal lining. It might be something to look into for a while too.

 

Best wishes.

[aglaze]

Thank you all for your encouragement. I am feeling better,just still frustrated with the gas issue. I had a great day throughout yesterday then fixed my dinner last night,tilapia with Edens organic tamari/soy sauce,honey,fresh minced garlic,green beans and Gluten Free brown rice couscous.within two bites I felt my stomach bubbling up and by the time I finished I was so bloated and passing sulphur gas,I was miserable throughout the night. I don't understand whats causing the gas? 

[cyclinglady]

Assuming the soy sauce is gluten-free, you might have issues with things like garlic (I am allergic to it) etc. or have issues with fermented products.