New to Forum, New to gluten-free Diet, Scary Experience

[puffyclouds]

Hello all!

I have been on a gluten free diet at the suggestion of my doctor for about 4.5 weeks now. Gluten intolerance is in my family on one side and celiac disease is on the other. I had the bloodwork done a month ago and went in to discuss my results yesterday. My celiac panel is negative but my doctor wants me to remain on the diet due to improvements in my health and mental sharpness since I have started. He also ran extensive basic bloodwork and it was normal and I had a CT Scan of my abdomen last month for an unrelated issue and all organs looked good.

I just had a scary experience tonight though. I passed dark brown bubbles of oil with a bowel movement after feeling bloated, nauseous and uncomfortable after eating a light snack this afternoon. I then had urgency an hour or two later, used the restroom and had a lighter colored, slightly loose stool with big blobs of dark brown oil floating in the bowl.

I called my doctor's emergency line and they told me not to worry, I just didn't absorb some fat. This happened in May, but it wasn't as dramatic, the oil was light colored and the droplets weren't as big. In Feb 2015, I stopped producing bile briefly and had a white bowel movement that sent me to the ER. All bloodwork and CT scan was normal.

So, I'm being told not to worry after having these really bizarre escapades lately. Could my intestines be healing? When I googled I saw that this could be due to celiac disease and my doctor said that my nagative blood panel doesn't convince him of anything...

[kareng]

It could be anything.  It isn't what you just ate.  It can take a day or two for food to go from one end to another.  

Changes in diet can cause issues.  Even a change from day to day.  

[ravenwoodglass]

Welcome to the board. It sounds like you may have gotten glutened. You may want to look at what you have eaten over the last 3 or 4 days since it can take a couple days antibodies to build up and cause symptoms for some of us.

Have you read the Newbie thread at the top of the Coping secition? If you haven't you should do so as there is much we need to do to keep ourselves safe.

Since you are not eating gluten more celiac related testing can't be done but do you know what blood tests were run including whether a total IGA was done? Some doctors think we have to be positive on all tests when we may only be positive on one. Did your doctor refer you to a GI doctor before telling you to get on the diet? If not he should have.

[cyclinglady]

I agree with Ravenwoodglass.  Get copies of your "celiac panel" results.  You only need one positive in order to be referred to a GI.  My doctor ran the complete panel.  I tested positive to only one, yet my biopsies revealed moderate to severe damage.  A fluke?  No, even in follow up testing, I test positive to only the DGP IGA test.  

I know you have been gluten free for a month, but you might consider a challenge (going back on gluten) and seeing a celiac savvy doctor if you did NOT get the complete tests.  

 

[puffyclouds]

Thanks guys. He gave me a print out. What he had tested was "Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum", t-"Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA" and "Endomysial Antibody IgA". I don't understand the numbers but the last one says negative and he said the rest were negative.

I'm so worried after yesterday. I'm afraid to go to the bathroom even though the Dr. on call said it was most likely something I ate....I'm just not sure.