Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Where Your Contribution Counts!
    eNewsletter
    Support Us!

Softer "Food-ier" Stools after Gluten-Free Diet


okamifire

Recommended Posts

okamifire Newbie

Hello!  Hoping some of the more well versed Celiacs here may have a bit of input on my recent situation.  Additional and relevant details also included.

Quick Celiac Backstory: Mother and sister were diagnosed with Celiac circa 2003.  I at the time was blood tested (borderline results) and scoped (negative, no noticeable damage to cilia / villi).  I've went through life on a non-gluten free diet as any guy that was told they don't have Celiac would do, am now just shy of turning 30, and decided to get another blood test (this time a newer antibody one).  The results were a very strong positive for Celiac, which isn't surprising given my family history.  I haven't gotten scoped as I see little actual point in it; I don't doubt I have Celiac.  This was about May 1st.  I've eaten Gluten Free since then.

Relevant Background Information: Main reason how I've went undiagnosed for so long is I've been by and large asymptomatic.  My mom and sister were super sick and a wreck GI wise, that's what led to their diagnosis.  I probably poop a little more than the average person, but of a normal Type 4/5 Bristol scale (important for later!).  My bowel movements don't typically disrupt my life.  I didn't feel foggy, nauseous, swollen, or the typical other symptoms.  I do have acne flare ups and a hand rash on a few fingers, but not sure they're Celiac related (not sure they aren't, also.)

In April I decided I was a bit overweight.  I was 5'9", 185 lbs.  I started counting calories and eating mostly healthy food.  Lot of rice, chicken, and vegetables.  I have comfortably lost 10 pounds in 2.5 months, a very safe rate to lose weight.  In mid-May I started also cutting added sugars and simple carbs, like white bread, etc.  I wouldn't say I was eating Gluten-Free at that point, but definitely a lot less than I ever had before. 

Around this time of cutting out sugars, my stool started getting a bit softer, and while not diarrhea, definitely a 5-6 on the Bristol scale.  I had considered it could be some sort of Candida / yeast / gut flora rebalancing.  The soft stool also contains some solids in it, which I later determined to be what I believe is rice husks.  I also eat granola with gluten-free oats daily for breakfast with yogurt.  After cutting out all gluten, it's looking even a little less solid.  I think that today I saw some oat-y looking things in there.  While not yellow, it's definitely more yellow-brown than it used to be. 

My question is this.  Does it make sense for my stool to get softer and exhibit the characteristics above while switching to a gluten free diet, or has anyone perhaps experienced this and know what might be up?  The only reason I started cutting added sugars and simple carbs in the first place was in attempts to get healthier.  I have been eating rice regularly and also greek yogurt and granola for literally years almost day.  (Though it wasn't gluten-free granola before.)  So it's not a change in the types of fiber going through me.

My plan is to cut out oats for a bit as I hear that's a good suggestion for people starting gluten-free diets.  I still don't feel ill, nauseous, or really any different than before I went gluten free.  Around the time I cut sugars, my stomach was considerably more bubbly and gassy, which I attributed to a change in diet.  Unless something stands out to someone as telltale signs of something else, I think it's completely reasonable to carry on with everything else that I've been doing for a month or two and monitor the progress.

Thanks for the long read and thanks for any input or advice!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Ennis-TX Grand Master

Many factors here, just to note, when I was eating gluten, I used to get constipated, sort of a issue with magnesium  deficiency from damaged intestines. Maybe yours are healing and regulating? Other thoughts like you said could be the biome of your intestines regulating to the new diet, if you had cadidia before or a biome of primary sugar eating bacteria they are dyeing off and purging out and your biome is again regulating.
FEW things to consider natural helps for loose stools and D is potassium 3000mg a day is listed in most medical references for helping. Try eating more foods to "dry out" and add bulk to your stool, I use simple gluten-free breads and flat breads made of coconut flour which is high in potassium and absorbs liquid, high in fiber, and a bulking agent for stools. I think I have a recipe here for a simple one on my recipe blog. 

Probiotics might help regulate your gut flora more but be sure you get gluten free ones...dairy free also  helps, on that note try dropping diary for a few weeks. With damaged intestines comes the inability to get the enzymes to break down dairy effectively til it heals, this can lead to diarrhea, gas, bloating etc. IF your had slight constipation from celiac then it starts healing but enzyme production is not up then lactose intolerance loose stools and D would result, just another thing that MIGHT be happening.

Seeing undigested foods in the stools could also be a sign of enzyme issues, I had this with meats, and a borked pancreas, I have to take enzymes and currently use Silver Fern Enzymes before meals.

This is going to be trial and error, keep a food diary and record your foods, rotate your diet and limit your diet to just a few choice whole foods. Might also suggest checking the newbie 101 thread but I assume you have the family background to know the diet, a blessing many of us did not have (I am adopted so this was a whammy to my family).
Open Original Shared Link
PS simple healthy meals, look up gluten free sheet pan meals, and crock pot meals, blessed with chicken and rice still being on the menu lol. You might trial a paleo diet if you keep noticing issues with rice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Beverage Rising Star

Oat protein is very close to wheat, rye, and barley proteins.  My body reacts to oats the same as the others, yes even gluten free oats, and even certified gluten free oats of the best most strictest brands.  For some, it's close enough to the others to cause the same auto-immune response.  Try cutting out the oats for awhile and see what happens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      120,480
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    EJenkins
    Newest Member
    EJenkins
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.2k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Tlbaked13
      Thank you and I am aware that I should be eating a "normal" diet until tested it's kind of been trial and error for my diet or more like just ERROR! I about 1-3 bites a meal I'm to a point that 99 percent of the time I'm having trouble swallowing just about everything occasionally I find either something or a very small window of time that allows me to get very little of something! I am basically getting zero nutrition what so ever because I take one bite of the meal that I usually just slaved over just to end up tossing it when it's all said and done...did anyone else ever experience anything like this?  I am more then open to suggestions! It is taking a very extreme toll on me and my body forsure 
    • JustGemi
    • trents
      No! Do not start the gluten free diet until you know whether or not you will be having an endoscopy/biopsy to verify the blood antibody test results. Starting gluten free eating ahead of either form of diagnostic testing can invalidate the results. You don't want to allow the villous lining of the small bowel to experience healing ahead of testing by removing gluten.
    • Scott Adams
      We offer a ton of recipes here: https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/gluten-free-recipes/ and have done some articles on fast food places, but keep in mind that eating out is a common source of gluten contamination: https://www.celiac.com/search/?q=fast food&quick=1&type=cms_records2 Many colleges now offer allergen-friendly, and sometimes gluten-free options in their student cafeterias: https://www.celiac.com/search/?&q=colleges&type=cms_records2&quick=1&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy PS - Look into GliadinX, which is a sponsor here, but many studies have been done on it which show that it may break down small amounts of gluten in the stomach, before it reaches the intestines.
    • JustGemi
      Thank you! What do you recommend in the next 7 weeks until I see my Doctor?  Just start my Gluten free diet?
×
×
  • Create New...