New Here And Have A Question

[Sherquilts]

Hi all, I have been gluten-free for 7weeks now since being diagnosed with celiac disease. I used to get severe diarreha and then bouts of constipation. Since being gluten-free the diarreha has stopped completely (thank God) but now I am bloated and constipated. How long before this goes away too. By the way, I am lactose free too. Also I have been gaining a lot of weight, some of which I needed, but don't want to gain too much. I eat a lot of salads and fruit. Any one out there have the same problems.

I want to thank all of you for this web site. I have learned so much from reading all the posts. It makes me feel not so alone.

Thanks to anyone who replies to this.

Sincerely, Sheryl

[Canadian Karen]

Hi Sheryl,

Just wanted first of all to welcome you. I honestly can't help you with your question though because I haven't gotten to that point yet.... I have chronic diarrhea, always, every day, no matter what.... I am still trying to get to the point where the diarrhea stops! I would LOVE to have a day where I can say "I am constipated!!!!" I honestly think I would celebrate!!

I also have learned many things on this board..... It has helped me immensely. When I first started reading the posts, I thought I was reading about myself.. It was a good feeling to know that I am not alone with this disease....

Have a great day!

Karen

[Canadian Karen]

Also, make sure you don't get Gas-X for the bloating and gas.....

I found out the hard way that it contains gluten......

Karen

[burdee]

Sheryl: When I first went gluten-free over 3 months ago, some of my symptoms went away, but I continued to have other symptoms, esp. constipation. Sometimes I could determine a gluten source to blame for recurring symptoms, but sometimes I couldn't detect what caused those. I also assumed I was lactose intolerant, because I had problems with milk. I had assumed taking lactaid supplements prevented those symptoms, so I could just avoid gluten to resolve other symptoms. After 2 gluten-free months I received my Enterolab test results which indicated that I was sensitive (antibodies) to CASEIN as well as gluten. Since casein is the milk protein, lactaid (which helps with lactose intolerance) didn't protect me from casein. When I eliminated all dairy products, my chronic constipation went away. However any time I have slips with casein or gluten, I get all my symptoms (cramping pain, bloating and gas) back plus a few days of constipation after those go away. Perhaps you might consider avoiding ALL dairy to resolve constipation.

BURDEE

[j9n]

Hi Sheryl, I am having the same symptoms for the last few days. I am pretty sure I am gluten and casein free now but I think I am overloading on carbs and not enough fiber. Since the constant diarrhea has cleared up I have not changed my eating habits. Oh and i discovered an awesome rice pasta (the brand begins with a T and I can not remember what it is) that my whole family agreed was better than wheat pasta. I am going to try carrot sticks instead of chips and nuts, more veggies (perfect time of year for that!) less rice and see what happens.

[gf4life]

Oh and i discovered an awesome rice pasta (the brand begins with a T and I can not remember what it is) that my whole family agreed was better than wheat pasta.

Janine , was the pasta Tinkyada brand? This is the brand we eat and it is great! I've served it to non-gluten-free folks and they never knew the difference.

We're having it for dinner tonight in fact!

Sheryl ,

Welcome to the site. It is a great sourch of support and information.

I also have recurrent bouts of diarrhea and constipation when I get gluten contamination. These were a few of my symptoms before going gluten-free and only being off dairy completely makes them go away. I also had my testing done through Enterolab and was confirmed to be casein sensitive as well. I was glad to know that, since I would have had a hard time with the diet if I continued to have symptoms!

My suggestion to you about to ease the constipation is to drink a LOT of water. I don't know if there are any meds out there that can help, but I am not having a good time with taking medication right now, so there aren't many I would recommend anyhow. Make sure you eat veggies everyday too. Too much fruit could be causing the bloating, since if your digestion is too sluggish right now the fruit could be fermenting and causing gas. And although it is temping to fill up on meats and gluten-free grains, a light evening meal will help in the long run to avoid more constipation. Salad is always good, just be careful of the dressing, and avoid too many acidic things like tomatoes and oranges, at least for a while. Pineapple is a good choice if you want something acidic, since it aids digestion.

God bless,

Mariann

[j9n]

Yes that is it, Tinkyada. It is awesome. I was worried that in order to have spaghetti I would have to cook two types of pasta but my husband siad he would try it. I was so relieved when he enjoyed it!

[YankeeDB]

I corrected my constipation by adding flax seed to almost every meal. Either put it in a grinder and sprinkle it on or add it whole (but chew thoroughly). Worked wonders for me and it's supposed to be healthy from other standpoints. Might be worth a try.

[catfish]

Sherquilts, I also experienced an increase in bloating and gas due to the fact that I was eating so much more fruit than before the diet. I have just cut that back and it has helped. Also, Beano is good for preventing gas from vegetables. For pasta I have found that Tinkyada is about as good as store-bought gluten-free pasta gets, but if you want a treat use Bette Hagman's recipe from her Gluten Free Gourmet cookbook. It's time consuming to cut pasta by hand (I don't know whether this dough would work in a pasta machine) but it tastes much better than anything you could buy in the store.

[Judithg]

I think it's easy to end up with constipation when you go gluten-free--unless you make sure you're still getting plenty of soluble fiber in the form of rice, gluten-free pasta, and other gluten-free products.

All my friends who have gone on the Atkins diet, for example, have ended up with constipation, because they're not eating sufficient grains or soluble fiber. Same thing can happen when you're gluten-free.

Someone mentioned the Tinkyada pasta, and it is fabulous. Lots of other options too.

BTW, I went to an Italian restaurant with friends recently, and there was not one single gluten-free item on the menu. I just ordered tea. The owner of the restaurant was distressed about this and came over and asked me if the reason I wasn't eating might possibly be due to gluten intolerance. I couldn't believe it!! She had Tinkyada pasta just for this situation. I was amazed!

[Sherquilts]

Thank you all for your replys. I have tried the Tinkyada pasta and it is very good. I will try to eat less fruit as I didn't eat it before I went gluten-free I always thought that maybe my problem before was from eating fruit so I stayed away from it.

Thanks again everyone.

Sheryl

[talblum]

Hi Sheryl,

I have no answer for you. It's just that I've experianced similar phenomenons since I became gluten-free. My bloating has increased and some constipation.

You're not alone.

Let me know if you find out what causes it.

Tal

[tarnalberry]

If you have recently increased your fiber consumption (particularly due to fruits and vegetables), that may explain the increased symptoms...

[lesliew]

I am by *no*means very experienced, but I am planning on using Citrucel, it's methycellulose, which is a man made fiber. That might help. Anytime you change how much fiber you are getting things change. Funny, I have gone from constipation to more diarhea. I have been having a hard time being totally gluten free though. (i just cheat when I am tired). Good luck and let us know if you find something that works!

[lilliexx]

for anyone experiencing constipation: try psyllium seed. it really cleans out your colon when you are backed up for days. taking it on a reg basis for a few months will really help.

[catfish]

On the topic of fibers (psyllium and Citrucel) it is important to note that these two fibers work very differently! Citrucel is a soluble fiber while psyllium (Metamucil) is an insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber (Citrucel) will help sooth your guts and give them bulk, so it will gently help with whatever ails you (D or C) without causing bloating or gas. Insoluble fiber (Metamucil, wheat bran, etc) is an intestinal stimulant, so it will help clean your guts out in a hurry but it also can cause bloating and gas since it can ferment in your intestines. The two fibers have very different effects on your body and should be taken accordingly.

Due to its soothing qualities I recommend using Citrucel for daily intestinal therapy and Metamucil for those times when you need something strong to purge your system.

[MichelleC]

My doc recommends Benefiber. Worked well for me. Then my dietician had me and ground flax seed, and I phased out he Benefiber. All of that rice and white flour (potato, tapioca) and be binding for sure.

Good luck.

Michelle