GP Recommends Gluten Free--too soon?

[Nissa]

I have been dealing with diarrhea a few times a week for five weeks now. In the days between episodes, I often experienced either constipation or normal bowel movements. At my doctor's original advice, I have eliminated lactose and red meat from my diet (no clear benefits to either), cut way back on fats, and (because it can't be helping) cut out sweets, which I used to enjoy once a week. I've also started taking a probiotic once a day, and taking anxiety medication. I will seem to be fine or improving, then my diarrhea shows up again 4-7 days later. On several occasions, I have eaten exactly the same thing on two different days, been fine one day, and had diarrhea the other.

I've done a series of stool tests that came back negative for everything. My doctor believes the most likely culprit is IBS.

Today I went back to the doctor, because I am absolutely miserable. I'm sick to death of eating chicken, toast, and bananas. I'm terrified that anything I eat that isn't "safe" will cause problems, and be something I can never eat again. I am eating very little and I cry every night at dinner. I'm starting to lose weight (a few pounds in the past week.) Last night I cried for hours because I remembered French Toast exists. 

I asked for and took the celiac blood test (results pending), got a referral to a Gastroenterologist (my appointment is next week), and was prescribed a stronger medication for anxiety (and now depression). The GP also recommended I worry less about what I eat, and "just" focus on the two worst culprits--lactose and gluten. She literally used the words "very easy" to describe a gluten free diet, and I left thinking I would just need to buy gluten free bread/pasta, etc. 

Suffice it to say, a little bit of research reveals a gluten free diet is not easy at all. The grilled chicken breasts that are probably a third of my current diet contain wheat. So could lunch meat, which is my protein at lunch. (I know I should be eating more natural foods, but I'm a working parent who has been sick for over a month, and I don't have a lot of time or energy to prepare meals.) I have a 2-year-old who loves peanut butter sandwiches and gets crumbs everywhere. I am now more afraid of food than before. 

Does it make sense to shelve the gluten free diet suggestion until I talk to the Gastroenterologist, or is it really my best bet to live on gluten free bread, hummus (with my luck, that has gluten too), egg whites, rice and squash for now, as that's what I see happening if I enter into this with my current time commitments and lack of hope/morale?

 

[tessa25]

You are supposed to keep eating gluten (1 slice of bread per day) until all celiac testing is done. For your information:

The full celiac panel includes:

TTG IGA
TTG IGG
DGP IGA
DGP IGG
EMA
IGA

You have to be eating gluten daily for 12 weeks before the blood test. A positive on any one blood test should lead to a gastroenterologist doing an endoscopy /biopsies to confirm a celiac diagnosis.