More Stomach...

[AmandaD]

For those of you who've been gluten free for a while....have you noticed that your stomach is more sensitive to certain things than before (I'm not talking about gluten here)?

What have you found that bugs you more (gives you gas, softer stools, etc...)?

I'm just wondering as I stare at my diet.

[mythreesuns]

For those of you who've been gluten free for a while....have you noticed that your stomach is more sensitive to certain things than before (I'm not talking about gluten here)?

Well, I haven't been gluten-free for that long (2-3 mos) but I had no idea I had a problem with soy until about 2 mos into being casein-free and one month into being gluten-free. While not as bad as before, I still had diarrhea and some bloating/gas.

And of course, I was consuming a lot more soy than before I went casein-free because I replaced all my milk products with soy.

Oh! And I had no idea that I had a problem with eggs until my EnteroLab tests came back! And all that time I was putting hard boiled eggs into my salads and using mayo to replace dressing....

[AmandaD]

I seem to be having more reactions to beans and to strong coffee?

(I noticed soy as well...)

Does that seem typical?

[mythreesuns]

I seem to be having more reactions to beans and to strong coffee?

Does that seem typical?

I don't know what's "typical" but I do know that there are some people here, I think Ursula is one of them, who have issues with beans.

What are you putting in your coffee? Do you use creamer or a sugar substitute? I used to think coffee bothered me until I realized it was the milk creamer and then the soy creamer. Now it doesn't bother me at all. And I don't use equal in there anymore; I use stevia.

[spunky]

From what I've seen here NOTHING is typical, or even atypical. I've been gluten free for 8 months and counting down to 9, and doing a lot better. However, there are some things I wish would finally leave, annoying gassiness and some bad butt pains. I think I had both of these ON gluten, but they changed their patterns OFF of gluten, and what I'm getting at is it seems to me you go through so many weird changes during the first few months that it's just so crazy it's hard to tell much of what's going on, except that everything IS changing. Better doesn't come for a while.

It seems there are people here who do discover new sensitivities, but I think maybe after a couple of years or so of gluten-free healing, they can sometimes reintroduce the newer-found sensitivities, so, with all of the madness that goes on just after becoming gluten free, I think it's safe to say anything might happen. If something seems to be persistently bothering you (it might take a well-kept journal to notice for sure...I got sick of keeping mine once I saw that I was gradually getting better and threw the thing out), it might just be for now, hopefully not forever. You probably have to get well and stay well for at least a couple of years to know for sure. Others here probalby know better than I do, though.

[AmandaD]

Thanks - it's been my very first year gluten free and I still have no clue what I'm doing. Some days things all seem well, then I'll eat something that does not have gluten, but may cause other symptoms. My dietician also suggested keeping a food journal and see if I have any particular reactions...I just hate to be tied to writing things down!!!!!!

[spunky]

Me too...I absolutely hate to write down everything I eat!!! That's why I stopped when I started noticing my symptoms were much milder and I was having at least as many good days as bad...I thought that was time to get rid of that stupid, annoying food journal and just EAT!

[AmandaD]

THat's sort of where I'm getting now. I jsut don't want to think about what causes issues...I watch other people and if they have a weird stomach they just chalk it up to a weird stomach day. I feel like I have to worry for some stupid reason.

[jknnej]

Yes, and I also get nauseated a lot easier since going gluten free.

I have reflux now and I'm treating it, but I never had this problem before going gluten-free.

[Jestgar]

After I went gluten-free I did start having weird reactions to different things. One of the weirdest is peaches.

I've always had a burning reaction on my lips if I eat the skin, but I never worried about them in other foods (like yougurt, pies etc). Shortly after going gluten-free I tried a bite of mango salsa with peaches and had an immediate reaction- throat burning, swelling, asthma, can't breathe...

I tried a tiny bite of an Adell's sausage with a wee bit of peach flavoring and had the same problem.

Since then I've avoided peaches, but still, how bizarre is that!

[Nooner]

I found out I was gluten intolerant when I went on an elimination diet in July. I had been sick for a few years and it just kept getting worse, and food seemed to be the logical place to start. I was a little suprised to discover the gluten sensitivity, but I was floored when I reacted to broccoli, cabbage and chicken. Chicken? Who can't eat chicken? But eggs don't bother me. My GI thinks this is hilarious.

Since going gluten free, I seem to be bothered a little by soy. I also get a mild reaction, mainly mild intestinal pain, when I eat anything that's been processed a lot. I don't eat a lot of junk, but I've given up my beloved cheetohs for now.

~Li

[Creative-Soul]

I discovered I was gluten-intolerant October 2005 after the worst episode of constipation I've ever had in my LIFE, and because of that I went on a light detox diet, then a gluten-free one (on the recommendation of a good friend) to give my suddenly sensitive stomach time to recover. I started to notice that I felt sooo much better; the exhaustion, bloating and disabling migraines disappeared, and the depression, panic attacks and agoraphobia lessened considerably. When I began to cycle certain foods back into my diet (I did a second elimination diet in July just to confirm), I was amazed at the foods that I had really violent reactions to!

I've always known that I had a sensitivity to diary, but as a former confirmed chocoholic I now can't touch the stuff. Ditto for sugar - I have to use Stevia now; Splenda makes me sick. Caffeine, peanuts,shellfish...all out! But the ones that have shocked me the most are potatoes (I get so bloated & uncomfortable that I (want to) cry), chicken and eggs. I'm vegetarian but it's looking like I may have to go the vegan route really soon!

This is my first posting, and I am so glad that I was introduced to this site; I feel so alone sometimes and it can be very hard to navigate the diet/nutritional issues that arise. I find that since I'm self-diagnosed it makes it tough to explain things to people; just because I can't wave test results before them I've been given a hard time at times, but I stand my ground because I know how bloody horrible I feel when I eat certain things!!! I do NOT get tempted to go off-diet, trust me!

[Mango04]

I seem to be having more reactions to beans and to strong coffee?

(I noticed soy as well...)

Does that seem typical?

I believe beans, strong coffee and soy are all related. Maybe you're experiencing a sensitivity to legumes? But yes, my other intolerances became more apparant after eliminating gluten. I think we become more in tune to how our bodies react to food in general.

[aikiducky]

A tip for those who react to chicken - I get sick from cheap supermarket chicken, but if I buy what they here call "biological" chicken I'm fine. I don't know what the difference is, maybe whatever they feed the poor birds?

Casein gives me similar symptoms as gluten, and I react to legumes (beans, peanuts, peas) and to nightshades (tomatoes, paprika, potatoes and aubergine... um eggplant in English??), not in a major way but enough that I prefer to avoid them. And eggs. Somehow there still sems to be enough food in the world that I feel that I generally eat very well.

Pauliina

[AmandaD]

Thanks guys. My mom was talking last night to the mother of the only other Celiac I actually know in person. He's a friend from childhood and he was diagnosed with Celiac as a baby. He's very strict with the diet, however, I guess that sometimes he'll still have intolerances to random things (in fact, she said, he'll just kind of randomly throw up...or have diarrhea - and he'll be stumped as to what he ingested that caused the problem). She said he's learned that there are some things that are just part of being a Celiac.

I thought that was interesting, so thought I'd share.