Newbie Cd Questions

[GinaMarie]

Hi all!

I've been reading the boards for a few weeks now just trying to educate myself. I have had some of the classic celiac disease symptoms for most of my life - I'm 31 now. I was diagnosed with IBS 7 years ago and the symptoms that I've been experiencing have gradually gotten worse over the years. My family dr. has put me on a dairy free diet for the past three weeks and there is a definite improvement in my bowel attacks, but not complete improvement and my other symptoms remain the same. I go back tomorrow and half expect him to put me on the gluten-free diet to see how things go. Is it a good idea to experiment with the gluten-free diet before any bloodwork or other tests are performed?

I understand that many people can have different reactions to the gluten and tolerance levels vary, but I typically do not feel ill after eating gluten and my bowel attacks occur only a few times per week, not every day. Going off the dairy has helped immensely, but I wonder what CAN I actually eat if I'm gluten-free and dairy free too?!

Thanks

Gina

[gf4life]

Hi Gina,

It can be a bit more of a challenge to be gluten-free and dairy free. I have been of dairy for 7 months and off gluten for almost 5 months. There are a lot of foods you can eat, you just have to be aware of all the things to avoid. I highly suggest that you push for the bloodwork before trying the diet and then if it is positive ask for the biopsy as soon as possible, before going gluten-free. It CAN affect the results causing a higher frequency of false negatives if you are gluten free before the blood tests or biopsy.

The things I miss the most are ice cream and cheese, but I am able to get a satisfying and well rounded diet without them. And the good news is that most people outgrow the dairy intolerance after being gluten free and dairy free for a while. The dairy problems is most often caused by the gluten damage in many gluten intolerant individuals. So you may not have to stay dairy free forever.

Also, your symptoms sound a lot like mine did. The bowel problems would come and go. I tended to have bloating and gas most days, but the constipation/diarrhea would come and go. It also was much better being dairy free, even while still on gluten, but not great. I feel much better now. Not perfect yet, but it takes time...

Talk to your doctor about testing you first.

God bless,

Mariann

[travelthomas]

Hi Gina,

From what you said in your post, I would recommend starting a gluten free life. The longer you put it off the more damage you do, and a lot of the damage can never be reversed. I will live with the pain and discomfort from the damage until the day I die. It would be nice to have a pain free day, but I am beginning to realize that is not going to happen at this point.

I did freak out a bit about the gluten and dairy free life a bit at first, but after living in India, and watching people picking through chicken scraps (bones and feathers) for a meal, I don

[GinaMarie]

Thanks a lot for the encouragement. I did go the dr today and had the bloodwork done, so we'll see in a few weeks what the outcome is. He told me to go ahead and start the diet - I'm a little apprehensive to do so before a biopsy, but I really want to see if it helps. I'm just ready to feel better and I'm hoping this will be the answer. Thanks so much for your advice!

Gina