Sick for gluten or something else?

[lucyx]

Hi everyone. I'm 24 and have had digestive issues for years. After a endoscopy/colonoscopy with still no results, I decided to try and eliminate some foods myself to see if I could solve the problem. I tried dairy in September, but after not seeing much of a difference I reintroduced dairy (without any issues) and took out Gluten, starting October 31. I read the recommended test period is 3 weeks, so after 3 weeks with little results, I reintroduced gluten back in on Wednesday, Nov 22 (it the 26th now). I didn't have any reaction Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, but on Saturday I didn't have much of an appetite and started to have D later in the afternoon that's still going into this morning. I guess I'm trying to determine whether I ate something that didn't agree with me or if this is a late reaction to eating gluten. From your experience, is it normal to not have any sort of reaction until a few days later? Keep in mind, I don't have celiacs, I was seeing if I have an intolerance. Thanks!

[cyclinglady]

5 hours ago, lucyx said:

Hi everyone. I'm 24 and have had digestive issues for years. After a endoscopy/colonoscopy with still no results, I decided to try and eliminate some foods myself to see if I could solve the problem. I tried dairy in September, but after not seeing much of a difference I reintroduced dairy (without any issues) and took out Gluten, starting October 31. I read the recommended test period is 3 weeks, so after 3 weeks with little results, I reintroduced gluten back in on Wednesday, Nov 22 (it the 26th now). I didn't have any reaction Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, but on Saturday I didn't have much of an appetite and started to have D later in the afternoon that's still going into this morning. I guess I'm trying to determine whether I ate something that didn't agree with me or if this is a late reaction to eating gluten. From your experience, is it normal to not have any sort of reaction until a few days later? Keep in mind, I don't have celiacs, I was seeing if I have an intolerance. Thanks!

Well, it could be gluten-related or just a bug.  Who knows?  Celiac Disease “glutening” symptoms can change from exposure to exposure.  For some, their glutening symptoms are consistent.  

Did your doctor test you for celiac antibodies besides the endoscopy?  How many biopsies were taken?  Was Inflammatory Bowel Disease ruled out?  

 

[Awol cast iron stomach]

Hi Lucy x

it might help when you reintroduce to build up by bumping up by small servings as well

example day 1 -3

1/4 c gluten items for 3 days

or 1 piece bread

Days 4-6

1/2 c gluten items for 3 days 

or 2 piece bread etc

Days 7-10

1 cup per day for the subsequent 3 days.

4 slices 

gradual increments for a duration of 3 days may help you determine better what is going on

it helps focus on symptoms

good luck 

[lucyx]

21 hours ago, cyclinglady said:

Well, it could be gluten-related or just a bug.  Who knows?  Celiac Disease “glutening” symptoms can change from exposure to exposure.  For some, their glutening symptoms are consistent.  

Did your doctor test you for celiac antibodies besides the endoscopy?  How many biopsies were taken?  Was Inflammatory Bowel Disease ruled out?  

 

My doctor claimed to test me for celiacs during the endoscopy and I've also had the blood test and both came back negative, so I'm pretty positive I don't have celiacs disease, but I was considering just a general intolerance to gluten. I don't think they tested for IBS...If there's even a test for that.

[lucyx]

19 hours ago, Awol cast iron stomach said:

Hi Lucy x

it might help when you reintroduce to build up by bumping up by small servings as well

example day 1 -3

1/4 c gluten items for 3 days

or 1 piece bread

Days 4-6

1/2 c gluten items for 3 days 

or 2 piece bread etc

Days 7-10

1 cup per day for the subsequent 3 days.

4 slices 

gradual increments for a duration of 3 days may help you determine better what is going on

it helps focus on symptoms

good luck 

Thank you for the advice! I potentially introduced too much at once considering I started eating it again the day before Thanksgiving!

[Jmg]

1 hour ago, lucyx said:

My doctor claimed to test me for celiacs during the endoscopy and I've also had the blood test and both came back negative, so I'm pretty positive I don't have celiacs disease, but I was considering just a general intolerance to gluten. I don't think they tested for IBS...If there's even a test for that.

There's at least a couple of possibilities. You may have celiac but the tests missed it. Some only test positive to one or another blood marker, a small percentage are seronegative to any. Then sometimes an endoscopy may not reach the area of damage but a pill camera does.

Or you may not have celiac but you may still respond to gluten. That's a more uncertain diagnosis called NCGS or Non Celiac Gluten Sensitive. Read more about that here.  That's me by the way, stunned to test negative after I thought I was celiac to a T, but off gluten for life based on how it affects me. 

Finally, maybe you're reacting to something else in the gluten foods, maybe a different part of the wheat or to fodmaps. Food diaries are the way forward on this.

Diagnosing these things can be very hit and miss. Wish you the best of luck