Problems Feeling Full After Going gluten-free?

[tonalynn]

I know there are a lot of vegetarians and vegans on this board, I'm hoping you'll have a perspective I'm not familiar with that might help me. Since going gluten free 5 months ago I never feel full. I always feel unsatisfied after a meal and, well, just hungry!

 

I've heard things like "an apple will make you feel full" or "lots of vegetables/roughage will fill up your stomach and make you feel more satisfied" my entire life. I'm sure the people that tell me this really do feel that way...but I don't. Never have. I eat an apple and I'm still hungry. I eat a veggie-heavy meal and 30 minutes later I'm ravenous!

 

I'm also dealing with gallbladder issues at the moment, a severe attack earlier this week left me in horrendous pain, unable to eat or sleep for 2 days. So now on top of eliminating gluten, I'm starting to develop a fear of food in general, in case it triggers another gallstone attack. I feel like I can't eat anything anymore without dire consequences!

 

Does anyone else have this issue? I felt full when I had bread - REAL bread. It was filling and satisfying and that feeling lasted a lot longer than it does now on a gluten free diet. It seems like anything with fat (good or bad) will trigger my gallstone issues. Heck, I just ate a banana and I'm feeling mild pain from my gallbladder already!

 

If I'm not an eating disorder waiting to happen, I don't know who is!

 

Anyone here find a solution to this problem? I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Geez, at this point, I feel like food is trying to kill me!

[NoGlutenCooties]

While I'm not vegetarian or vegan, I cannot eat fruit or veggies by themselves because they seem to be just enough to wake up my stomach - but not fill it.  I have to eat a good portion of protein on a regular basis or I feel ravenous.  I also tend to get low blood sugar if I don't include protein with my meal.  Digestive enzymes seem to help me too - my theory on this, and mind you it is just my theory, is that the digestive enzymes help break down the food so that I'm actually absorbing what I'm eating.  If you aren't absorbing much of it, it won't make you feel full.

[icelandgirl]

I know there are a lot of vegetarians and vegans on this board, I'm hoping you'll have a perspective I'm not familiar with that might help me. Since going gluten free 5 months ago I never feel full. I always feel unsatisfied after a meal and, well, just hungry! I've heard things like "an apple will make you feel full" or "lots of vegetables/roughage will fill up your stomach and make you feel more satisfied" my entire life. I'm sure the people that tell me this really do feel that way...but I don't. Never have. I eat an apple and I'm still hungry. I eat a veggie-heavy meal and 30 minutes later I'm ravenous! I'm also dealing with gallbladder issues at the moment, a severe attack earlier this week left me in horrendous pain, unable to eat or sleep for 2 days. So now on top of eliminating gluten, I'm starting to develop a fear of food in general, in case it triggers another gallstone attack. I feel like I can't eat anything anymore without dire consequences! Does anyone else have this issue? I felt full when I had bread - REAL bread. It was filling and satisfying and that feeling lasted a lot longer than it does now on a gluten free diet. It seems like anything with fat (good or bad) will trigger my gallstone issues. Heck, I just ate a banana and I'm feeling mild pain from my gallbladder already! If I'm not an eating disorder waiting to happen, I don't know who is!  Anyone here find a solution to this problem? I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Geez, at this point, I feel like food is trying to kill me!

That's really hard. I felt that way the first couple of weeks but now it's better as long as I eat enough protein. In the morning I make a smoothie with fruit and plain Greek yogurt. The yogurt has lots of protein and really fills me up. I'm not vegetarian though so I'm not sure what else...almonds are pretty filling.

I'm really sorry to hear about your gallbladder. ..I just got mine out 2 1/2 weeks ago. It's hard to not feel paranoid though. I'm still recovering from being glutened a week ago and I feel paranoid about food.

[Juliebove]

Potatoes are high on the satiety scale. Dried beans are too. But to keep feeling full, you need fat. And you likely won't do well with fat because of gallbladder issues.

[Gemini]

The reason you do not feel full is because you no longer are bloating up after eating wheat filled bread and gluten filled foods.  It's that simple.  I used to eat very little when I went out to eat, pre-diagnosis, because I would eat a piece of bread from the bread basket and then by the time the meal came, I would be bloated and feel full from the damn bread. I think you still are not comfortable on the gluten-free diet because wheat bread is not the only REAL bread out there.  gluten-free bread is just as good, without the bloat, and if you don't think so, you haven't found good gluten-free bread yet.  It does exist.

 

I can eat much more food now, in one sitting, because my world does not revolve around bread.  Veggies, fruits, protein and good fats are the only way to go....along with some good carbs for brain function. 

 

We discussed your gall bladder problem previously and you mentioned that you were going to dissolve the gall stones, using some idea you read about. I think you will find you need to see a real doctor and probably have your gall bladder out...which is a common problem for Celiacs.  If you are still having attacks, they are only going to get worse, and you'll be down to eating jello....which isn't going to work out well, trust me.  You need to eat good fats and some carbs, plus all that fiber in order to heal and stay satified after eating and it won't be possible if your gall bladder isn't working well.  My niece most certainly has Celiac, but she is in denial. She is up to about 5 AI diseases already and she is only 27 years old.  She had her gall bladder out back in November because she became debilitated by the pain and they found out her gall bladder was loaded with stones. She is feeling better now but the attacks were so bad, she gladly had it removed. That's how it works...so please see a doctor before it becomes an emergency.

[cyclinglady]

Have you had a HIDA scan?  My gallbladder was removed seven years ago on a business trip because 1) it was infected and 2) it was at 0% non-functioning based 3) horrible family history of non-functioning gallbladders.    I have often considered that had I been diagnosed earlier, I might have been able to keep it (but probably not!)  There are possible complications from removing it.  It would be nice to determine what's causing the stones.  Even with your gallbladder out, you can still develop stones.  

[Gemini]

Do your mean gall stones or kidney stones? 

[tonalynn]

I mean gallstones. I can only imagine how bad passing a kidney stone must be!

 

Having your gallbladder taken out is one of the most common surgeries performed today. But no one in the medical field really knows that much about the gallbladder (ask them, most of the time they'll admit it), so their answer is to take it out. But cyclinglady is correct - you CAN still develop stones without your gallbladder. Removing it is not a cure - nor is it a guarantee that it will solve the problem.

 

Developing stones is more a matter of diet. We actually all have and make stones, it's just that they're small enough to pass and you don't notice. It's when a large stone is made and is trying to pass through your system is when you get symptoms. That can still happen with or without your gallbladder.

 

The 'idea' I tried actually makes a lot of sense. One of the things to take is Malic Acid (you can find in any health food store). It's found in apples and softens the stones. Another is lecithin - it's common in ice cream - that helps prevent things from binding together, making a stone. Nothing I'm taking is harmful, experimental or not readily available. I'm just choosing to try to heal my body naturally rather than being frightened into removing something my body still needs to use.

 

I am under the care of a naturopathic doctor, who shares a practice with a classically trained MD, so I'm in good hands and being monitored.

 

Fat is indeed going to become an issue, since it does trigger your gallbladder into action, but we need it to survive. This is one of the reasons I never feel full - I have to watch my fats and avoid gluten - it seems to eliminate just about everything! Veggies and fruit are delicious, but not satisfying. Fat is satisfying, but until my gut heals, not easy for me to handle. I can eat vegetables all day long, but they're like Chinese food to me - 20 minutes later I'm starving!

[Gemini]

tonalynn....you do not have to defend your medical choices to me. I have used alternative medicine myself in the past and still do as they can be viable choices in dealing with different medical conditions.....sometimes better than what standard medicine has to offer.  The point I was trying to make is that you had a gall bladder attack that incapacitated you for 2 days and you admitted that you are beginning to develop a fear of food.  You have a gallbladder problem that is becoming severe, from the sound of it. For that kind of a problem, going to a Naturopath might not be the best choice to make.  The course of treatment of trying to dissolve stones using your method mentioned, sounds a little dubious to be giving someone with your symptoms. The reason I say this is because if it were something that was routinely successful, everyone would be doing it and very few people would have their gall bladders removed. But you do not hear of many people doing this, do you?  There is a reason for that. 

 

As for people still developing gall stones after removal of the organ, I'm sure it happens, without a doubt.  But from my limited experience, the 3 people I know who did have their gall bladder removed, they ceased to have problems with it and never developed another stone.  They had to have surgery because they had reached the point of no return and were unable to have quality of life the way it was.  So, it is a viable option and many times, it does solve the problem. 

 

I also wanted you to know that I have trouble digesting fats.....saturated fat, which we really do not need anyway.  After 9 years gluten free, it still is a problem if I eat greasy fried food, or as I just found out after trialing a small amount of ice cream again, NOT WORKING FOR ME.     So, you may not heal enough for your body to manage fats again too well. Problems with fat digestion can occur from a number of different things and the liver is one, the pancreas another. So, if you are waiting for your body to heal and your stone dissolving treatment to work, you should be aware that they may not.  That means you'll be like my friend who waited and then was down to eating jello for 2 weeks until they could remove his gall bladder.  He was in pure hell with pain.  That's all I'm saying. Make sure you do not wait too long to seek medical attention if things get worse and the attacks continue. Sometimes when you go a long time with undiagnosed Celiac, there is collateral damage that does not go away and your body will not be able to heal itself 100%.  I am speaking from direct experience here.  I am doing really well but I will always need digestive enzymes with a higher fat meal.

[cyclinglady]

Okay, you have stones (those show on a CT scan or ultrasound) but is your gallbladder functioning (squeezing and releasing bile)? I never had stones and neither did my grandmother, dad or five of his six siblings and four cousins to date and we are all gallbladder free. My aunt did develop stones after her gallbladder was removed 40 years earlier and another aunt died from infection 48 hours after her bile duct collapsed and they put in a stent. Her gallbladder had been removed three years earlier.

A HIDA scan can rule out a functioning problem as you can have more than one issue with your gallbladder.

I agree that body parts should be kept, but if infection sets in, then it is a choice between life and death.

[tonalynn]

Thank you, Cyclinglady. I have never heard of a HIDA scan but I will ask my naturopath about it. From what you describe, that very well may be the problem.

 

I am back on my supplements, found a good digestive enzyme to take with my meals and will be very careful to watch my fat intake (and what kind) from now on. To be hit with celiac AND gallbladder problems in the span of less than 1 year is a bit overwhelming, and my inner child is having a huge temper tantrum that I can't eat a lot of the things I love.

 

I feel like my appetite has significantly diminished, maybe that will combat the problem of never feeling full. I certainly hope so, I'm tired of feeling like I have a bad case of "the snacks" (a non-drug user's version of "the munchies") all day!

[cyclinglady]

A naturopath probably won't be able to order a HIDA scan. A GI or GP/PCP can. The equipment is located in the nuclear department of a hospital. You mentioned that your naturopath shares an office with an MD. I am sure he/she can order one. I suffered for 30 years with an "on and off " functioning gallbladder. The pain was often unbelievable. I ended up in hospitals around the country because an attack caused me to black out. No one was able to give me a dx until that surgeon in Las Vegas and I got to use one of those new-fangled HIDA machines!

Now everyone in my extended family gets a HIDA scan when their symptoms become unbearable. This test has saved a lot of pain and life for so many family members. Infection sets in and your risk for dying increases.

I can relate to the overwhelming part do your story. I was just dxed with diabetes. Again, a shock as I am thin and exercise a lot. Thank you genes! My diet is even more restrictive now! More protein and fats keep you full.....but you need to take care of the GB issue.

[tonalynn]

A naturopath probably won't be able to order a HIDA scan. A GI or GP/PCP can. The equipment is located in the nuclear department of a hospital. You mentioned that your naturopath shares an office with an MD. I am sure he/she can order one. I suffered for 30 years with an "on and off " functioning gallbladder. The pain was often unbelievable. I ended up in hospitals around the country because an attack caused me to black out. No one was able to give me a dx until that surgeon in Las Vegas and I got to use one of those new-fangled HIDA machines!

Now everyone in my extended family gets a HIDA scan when their symptoms become unbearable. This test has saved a lot of pain and life for so many family members. Infection sets in and your risk for dying increases.

I can relate to the overwhelming part do your story. I was just dxed with diabetes. Again, a shock as I am thin and exercise a lot. Thank you genes! My diet is even more restrictive now! More protein and fats keep you full.....but you need to take care of the GB issue.

So now that you have had the HIDA scan, what did it tell you? Does it give you specific things that are wrong so you can figure out how to fix/deal with it? Or does it just tell you that stones are not your only problem?

 

I would love to transfer to the MD that shares my Naturopath's practice, but unfortunately they don't accept ANY kind of insurance. It's pay-out-of-pocket and hope your insurance will reimburse some of the cost. To see them both on the same day would cost $300 and I just don't have that kind of money right now. But I will ask my Naturopath to ask the MD about it.

[cyclinglady]

HIDA scan results showed 0% functionality and that I did not have any stones. That meant that no matter what supplements, change in diet, my GB was never going to squeeze out bile. In fact, it was infected. Had I not had it surgically removed, I would have been dead. It was just like an infected appendix. You can have BOTH a non-functioning GB and gallstones.

Next time you are in the ER with an attack, you can request a HIDA scan. Bring documentation that you have stones with you.

Good luck.

[Madhavi]

Tonalynn,

I hope your issues have subsided by now (2 months later). I found myself having the "not feeling satisfied" syndrome when I tried to add too much "raw food" (vegetable salads, etc.) to my diet. Thought I could use the extra "live enzymes" etc. but it had this negative effect. When I went back to my normal, mostly cooked foods (except for fruit, of course) this problem disappeared. By the way, I've been a lacto-vegetarian for more than 40 years.

Now that's just me...I realize that every body is different...but according to Ayurveda, my constitutional "type" calls for mostly cooked foods. Too much raw (veggies) causes the air in your body to become deranged. I've never been attracted to salads, etc.

One other thing I must say though is that, with all due respect to Gemini, I don't believe that your feeling satisfied prior to going gluten free was because you were just feeling bloated due to eating bread. Perhaps that was her experience...but feeling satisfied is what everyone who eats anything anywhere around the world is doing and has been doing for centuries! And it's not an illusion or that everyone's feeling bloated! Feeling satisfied is the proper result of eating the right things at the right time, in the right amount. You are right when you say that including fat in your diet is one of the important ingredients for feeling satisfied...absolutely correct! And I hope you can "fix" that issue. I also have an issue (uncomfortable indigestion) if I consume too much fats and have to be very careful of that...no fried foods, no butter and a limited intake of "good " fat. But dairy is important in the diet, so I hope you can at least have a little yogurt and low fat milk maybe. Protein is of course also essential.

Another thing I noticed though is that no one mentioned other grains to help you feel satisfied! I have to have brown rice almost daily for lunch! And two pieces of millet/brown rice bread with tofu for breakfast. One millet/flax lavash with my brown rice, beans and a veggie for lunch...no grains at night for me...only veggies. But don't forget other grains like quinoa, amaranth, teff, buckwheat...grains are an important part of feeling satisfied! That's what you've eliminated - the gluten containing wheat. You have to replace it with other grains to feel satisfied. Being gluten free doesn't mean being grain free!

Hope this helps!

 

I mean gallstones. I can only imagine how bad passing a kidney stone must be!

 

Having your gallbladder taken out is one of the most common surgeries performed today. But no one in the medical field really knows that much about the gallbladder (ask them, most of the time they'll admit it), so their answer is to take it out. But cyclinglady is correct - you CAN still develop stones without your gallbladder. Removing it is not a cure - nor is it a guarantee that it will solve the problem.

 

Developing stones is more a matter of diet. We actually all have and make stones, it's just that they're small enough to pass and you don't notice. It's when a large stone is made and is trying to pass through your system is when you get symptoms. That can still happen with or without your gallbladder.

 

The 'idea' I tried actually makes a lot of sense. One of the things to take is Malic Acid (you can find in any health food store). It's found in apples and softens the stones. Another is lecithin - it's common in ice cream - that helps prevent things from binding together, making a stone. Nothing I'm taking is harmful, experimental or not readily available. I'm just choosing to try to heal my body naturally rather than being frightened into removing something my body still needs to use.

 

I am under the care of a naturopathic doctor, who shares a practice with a classically trained MD, so I'm in good hands and being monitored.

 

Fat is indeed going to become an issue, since it does trigger your gallbladder into action, but we need it to survive. This is one of the reasons I never feel full - I have to watch my fats and avoid gluten - it seems to eliminate just about everything! Veggies and fruit are delicious, but not satisfying. Fat is satisfying, but until my gut heals, not easy for me to handle. I can eat vegetables all day long, but they're like Chinese food to me - 20 minutes later I'm starving!

[NatureChick]

I had problems with not producing bile before going gluten-free, but it improved afterwards. I also had some vitamin deficiencies that were caused by malabsorption that seemed to contribute to digestive problems so if you haven't been tested for them already, I'd do it, especially because deficiencies can cause intense cravings.

But I did want to remind you that gluten can affect all sorts of organs and processes so there is hope that problems can improve or resolve on a gluten-free diet.

But I wouldn't overlook the psychological aspects behind feeling full. For instance, crunchy foods are more satisfying than soft. Popcorn is a good for that as long as you're not using microwave popcorn.

Pickels can be effective for feeling sated - not sure if it is the tart or that they are high in liquid content and have the crunch factor.

And though carbonated beverages soften tooth enamel, mineral water can be more satisfying than plain, again for psychological reasons more so than nutritional.

But I do understand how pain can make you want to skip meals. I do hope that this is a short-lived phase or that medical treatments aren't too drastic. Best of luck to you.