Frequent bowel movements

[Dee4825]

I have just been diagonised with ceilac and am doing the gluten free diet but have noticed my bowel movement has increased, i use to go 2 or 3 times in the morning and that would be it but now its 2 or 3 times in the morning then again a few times through the day. Please help as this is worrying me now and wondering if i should contact my G.P

[Dee4825]

I have recently been diagonised with ceilac and have been gluten free now for about 2/3 weeks but i have noticed my bowel movement has become more frequent than ever before, please can someone tell me if this is normal or do i have to be concerned and contact my doctor

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @Dee4825! Is the consistency of your bowel movements normal or are you experiencing diarrhea? Have you added into your diet any pre-prepared/pre-packaged gluten-free foods and snacks or are you just going with naturally free main stream foods?

BTW, I notice you also posted your question in another place in the forum. Please don't double post.

Edited September 3, 2024 by trents

[Dee4825]

Sorry trent didnt know if i had done it right. I have gone total gluten-free. Its not diarrhoea its just more often.

Thank you for the welcome 

[Scott Adams]

Also, do you eat out in restaurants or other places outside your home? Restaurants can be a prime source of gluten contamination.

[Dee4825]

No only where i can get gluten-free food Scott

[Scott Adams]

From your answer it sounds like you do eat out, is that right? Studies have found gluten is a big issue in most restaurant food, including ones that have gluten-free menus. 

In cases where you have a sudden change in your BM's, it usually makes sense to take a closer look at your diet to be sure gluten isn't slipping into it somewhere.

This article has some detailed information on how to be 100% gluten-free, so it may be helpful (be sure to also read the comments section.):

 

 

[cristiana]

Hello @Dee4825 and welcome to the forum!

I echo @Scott Adams statement about eating out - it really is an important factor to consider.  Although most caterers have a better grasp of catering for coeliacs today, mistakes slip in - only this summer I was given a plate of gluten free food, a Ploughmans Lunch, and the baguette was normal bread!

Now, some other things that might be going on:

Temporary Lactose Intolerance

I had issues with diarrhea some time into my early recovery.  The loose bowels and frequent visits to the loo only really improved when I came off not only gluten but dairy products, specifically milk, soft cheese and yoghurt.   Are you still consuming dairy, because if so, it could be the cause.   Coeliacs can become temporarily lactose intolerant  because the villi tips, which are damaged in coeliac disease, means we cannot digest lactose properly.  Once they heal, you can reintroduce dairy gently.  Maybe give it a few weeks, then try again.  (Incidentally, during this period I was still able to tolerate small amounts of cheddar, you might be able to as well, as it is very low in lactose).

Oats

I am looking at the timing of your posts and wondering if you are in the UK?  If so, did you see a nutritionist or gastroenterologist as part of your NHS aftercare?  Mine advised coming off oats for six months to a year after diagnosis, before reintroducing them to my diet.  The reason is some coeliacs cannot tolerate oats, even the pure oats which are certified free from gluten contamination (we shouldn't be eating anything other than those, so, sadly, goodbye to Quaker Oats for us!)  Some coeliacs, either newly diagnosed or some in the long term, continue to react to oats, even the pure ones, as if they were wheat or barley.

Supplements and Medication

Have a look at the smallprint of the ingredients of any medication you use.  I made a huge mistake sometime into my gluten free diet by consuming an iron supplement, Floradix, instead of Floravital.  The former has gluten in it, but the packaging is almost identical.   (TIP:  A pharmacist told me a while back that if UK medication has a PL number on it (Product License) it will be gluten free.)

Lip Balm etc

Anything that goes on your lips - ensure it is gluten free.

***

I would encourage you to keep a food and symptoms diary during this time and see if any patterns are emerging.  You may have developed intolerances which will fade in the long run (I couldn't cope with soya products during the healing process, for example).  Remember to make sure any shared utensils you use are scrupulously clean and don't share a toaster or butter with any non-coeliacs.   Also, if you are in the UK, it is worth joining Coeliac UK even if just for a while, as they issue a fabulous Food and Drink guide (also a digital version).   It will be money very well spent.

If you have already tried the above, I remember being told when I was diagnosed that GPs are interested in referring people to gastroenterologists who have had 'new' symptoms that have hung around for more than six weeks. 

If that is the case with you, it might be worth talking to your GP.   I had to see my gastroenterologist again a few months after my diagnosis because of a lot of pain with bloating, and he gave a couple more tests just to ensure nothing else was happening (it wasn't, but the peace of mind was good to have!)

Cristiana

 

Edited September 4, 2024 by cristiana