Does this sound like celiac?

[Skoit]

I'm currently waiting on insurance related things before I can really get checked out. But I was feeling like trash for a long time, was unsure what was going on and it was downright horrible on my mental state the entire time it was happening. Which is why i'm here, just for some mental ease until I can get this properly checked. I need it. I was feeling inflammation and my stools were all over the place from darkish green to light colored, I started cutting foods like diary and soy and for some reason Gluten was unfortunately the last thing I got to after quite some time. I never had any severe pains or cramps (or i'd just very rarely feel them), just felt the inflammation alone though it was very mild. I'd say the most major symptoms were brain fog, and fatigue with that slight sensation of unwellness.

I'd say a day after I cut gluten my entire world changed, I felt like I was actually feeling normal for once. My stools changed for the better instantaneously after the gluten cleared from my system, they became more sausage like and kept form but were still a bit yellow.  I'm just now going through all the struggles of first time cutting gluten and realizing what its like to be glutened by the tiniest of things. I'm nearly a week gluten free and it only felt like it was uphill since I dropped it, that is until today. I was eating small amounts of this gluten free bread throughout the week, then today I decided to have a burger with the gluten free bread as a placeholder for buns. So I pretty much had a lot more of the special bread then I was taking normally. I felt okay, a little worse then I have been but not by much until I hit the digestion phase, when I was eating my next meal I got a pain in my lower left abdominal side that was pretty dull but it didn't go away for a good 30-40 minutes (Maybe cramping?). I also felt an increase of brainfog which was starting to ease up a little since I dropped gluten and just felt pretty trashy all day. 

I'm feeling some good relief now after having a BM later on in the night, but something I ate today caused all those symptoms to come right back and all I really had was that burger (no cheese, just ketchup mustard and mayo) and a good helping of rice later on that day. 

Like I said, I do plan on getting checked when I actually can. But I know mental health can really deteriorate the longer this kinda stuff goes on and I could really just want some ease of mind and thoughts. I'm sure everyone here has experienced those dark thoughts and 'what ifs' and that's just kinda what i'm dealing with at this moment.

Also digestive problems run in the family. My oldest sister was an IBS sufferer, my brother has some form of digestive problem that even the doctors haven't pin pointed for the last few YEARS. Unfortunately it looks as if i'm following their lead. 

Thank you for your time!

[Skoit]

I forgot a few things. One I lost a good bit of weight over the course of like 6 months. Though I did cut a significant amount of sugar in my diet, and I dont eat as much. Two, once on the diet my apatite which was pretty small got a lot better over this week. Three I totally just found a post about someone talking about how they used their gluten free bread in a toaster and even the smallest of crumbs caused them to have a sudden celiac flare. I've been using the toaster that other people in this house have been using for normal bread, in fact the bread I put on my burger was toasted in that toaster which could explain it. 

[trents]

4 hours ago, Skoit said:

I forgot a few things. One I lost a good bit of weight over the course of like 6 months. Though I did cut a significant amount of sugar in my diet, and I dont eat as much. Two, once on the diet my apatite which was pretty small got a lot better over this week. Three I totally just found a post about someone talking about how they used their gluten free bread in a toaster and even the smallest of crumbs caused them to have a sudden celiac flare. I've been using the toaster that other people in this house have been using for normal bread, in fact the bread I put on my burger was toasted in that toaster which could explain it. 

Definitely! Get your own toaster. Watch out for gluten in condiments. Wheat is often used as cheap thickener or texturing agent.

Welcome to the forum, Skoit! Be aware that if you ever go for celiac testing you will need to go back on eating a regular amount of gluten daily for 6-8 weeks beforehand or the testing will not be valid.

Edited August 24, 2021 by trents

[Scott Adams]

Welcome! One other thing to consider is that gluten-free breads often use xanthan gum or other gums, and in some people, even though they are gluten-free, they can cause IBS symptoms:

 

[trents]

Good point, Scott, about the xanthan gum.

[Skoit]

12 hours ago, trents said:

Definitely! Get your own toaster. Watch out for gluten in condiments. Wheat is often used as cheap thickener or texturing agent.

Welcome to the forum, Skoit! Be aware that if you ever go for celiac testing you will need to go back on eating a regular amount of gluten daily for 6-8 weeks beforehand or the testing will not be valid.

Did not know that. Thanks for letting me know!

[Skoit]

7 hours ago, Scott Adams said:

Welcome! One other thing to consider is that gluten-free breads often use xanthan gum or other gums, and in some people, even though they are gluten-free, they can cause IBS symptoms:

 

Oh I had no idea. Thank you for letting me know, i'll keep an eye on that!

[GodsGal]

On 8/24/2021 at 9:09 PM, Skoit said:

Oh I had no idea. Thank you for letting me know, i'll keep an eye on that!

Hi Skoit,

Going gluten free is tough. And, it can be overwhelming. In the beginning, I felt like I was trying to get a drink of water from a fire hose.

Just a thought... You should also look at non-food items in your home for gluten. Check any toothpaste, lotions, cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoos, conditioners medications, pet food, etc. That helped me a lot in my journey. Also, don't forget to change your toothbrush.

I hope this is helpful!

[Skoit]

11 minutes ago, GodsGal said:

Hi Skoit,

Going gluten free is tough. And, it can be overwhelming. In the beginning, I felt like I was trying to get a drink of water from a fire hose.

Just a thought... You should also look at non-food items in your home for gluten. Check any toothpaste, lotions, cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoos, conditioners medications, pet food, etc. That helped me a lot in my journey. Also, don't forget to change your toothbrush.

I hope this is helpful!

OH SHOOT the toothbrush! That's an extremely good point, thank you so much. Very much could be a culprit  because I gave gluten up only recently.