Gluten free for 4 years and still stomach issues

[RosanneL]

Prior to being diagnosed with Celiacs, I had stomach issues once in a blue moon. Since I've been on a gluten free diet, I've had nothing but stomach problems (cramping sometimes diarrhea.) I have a new nutritionist and she has me on a grain free diet for 3 weeks. Now I've had heartburn almost every day, and still cramping. Anyone have similar problems? And if so what did you do. I hate this cramping feeling.

[vijackie]

Hi RosanneL, new to this site and spotted your post. I too have been gluten free for 4 years and still will get sick with weeks of cramps and diarrhea. I try everything from probiotics, slippery elm, vegetarian, raw food. The list goes on but almost always need to take Imodium so I can go out. For years I was on the PPI's for heartburn but almost never need them when I quit gluten plus the side effects are very scary. I use Rolaids if I have heartburn. Its frustrating isn't it you start to think what else am I allergic to "water" LOL.

[cyclinglady]

If you were diagnosed with celiac disease, when was the last time your GI ran a celiac antibodies test?  That might help you determine if you are actually gluten-free dietary compliant and not dealing with hidden gluten or cross contamination.  If you are NC Gluten Intolerant....a bit harder to determine.  In that case keep a food journal.

Have you considered something other than celiac disease? It could be something like Crohn's.  You can develop other autoimmune disorders or even a new disease (let's hope not!).  

Welcome to the forum.   ?

[Ariel90]

I'm trying to figure it out too I feel cramping and pain everyday and heartburn I know how you feel but doctors don't know what it is.

 

It sucks I know.

Getting another scope soon hopefully maybe you could go back to your GI and ask for another endoscopy?

[RosanneL]

On 1/19/2017 at 9:52 AM, RosanneL said:

Prior to being diagnosed with Celiacs, I had stomach issues once in a blue moon. Since I've been on a gluten free diet, I've had nothing but stomach problems (cramping sometimes diarrhea.) I have a new nutritionist and she has me on a grain free diet for 3 weeks. Now I've had heartburn almost every day, and still cramping. Anyone have similar problems? And if so what did you do. I hate this cramping feeling.

Thanks for responding. I'm sorry to say but I'm happy to hear there are others who are dealing with the same thing. I went to my chiropractor and she did a muscle testing for food allergies and white rice and sugar came back not good for me...Besides the wheat barley stuff. I've been staying away from that which is hard. A bit better now but I know it'll take time for things to heal.

[Posterboy]

RoseanneL and vijackie,

you may have been/be low in stomach acid.

see this link that explains the importance of stomach acid.

Open Original Shared Link

many of the same symptom's a celiac develops can be explained by no or too little stomach acid.

True heartburn occurs between meals.  If your stomach acid is too low already then eating carbs (rice, potatoes etc) will cause horrible heartburn because carbs ferment and when they do the head that forms (think foam on a beer) splatters the little stomach acid  you are making onto the uncoated esophagus and even a little acid will burn/cause heartburn.

Eating low carb will help this. Since gluten is a high carb meal by it is nature people often express improvement from going gluten free alone.

But if you have traded one carb (gluten) for another like rice, potatoes,  etc then you could still have the same problems because you still are eating high carbs even if gluten is not now the carb that is triggering your heartburn.

But the heartburn most people experience (often confused for true heartburn that occurs between meals) is actually caused from too low a stomach acid that is not strong enough to digest the food they are eating.

Take care of the low stomach acid and your digestion should improve.

There are many sites that talk about this (low stomach acid) but people treat them as separate problems and often people don't consider them related issues.

But if look at the associated conditions occurring with a celiac diagnosis and the absence of stomach acid to help us break up our proteins which trigger autoimmune reactions you will see they are virtually identical symptom's.

I think this explains why you are still having trouble 4 years later. . . . because your stomach acid is still low.

search for the posterboy on celiac.com and and read my blog post where I talk about the golden cross of digestion that explains this in more detail it is down toward the bottom of my "not eaten gluten inf 4 years post" where I talk about the Golden Cross of digestion.

Linked here for your convenience.

To treat the underlying condition naturally you can take Niacinamide till it causes you to burp.

People are not aware today that a Niacin deficiency can cause to have/be low in stomach acid.

Prousky discovered this 15+ years ago but it is still not common knowledge.

See this link that summarized Prousky abstract that notes how he discovered "Niacin treats (many of the, my words) digestive problems"  you are still experiencing 4 years later after going gluten free.

Open Original Shared Link

I hope this is helpful.

good luck on your journey.

*** this is not medical advice but it has been my experience that Niacinamide helped me.

2 Timothy 2: 7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

posterboy by the grace of God,