3 Wks gluten-free And Gi Probs Worsening?

[SUZ42]

OK, I've been gluten-free for nearly 3 weeks. My original problems included a life long history of constipation. I wouldn't call it that, but don't have another name for it. I only have a BM after taking something. I was first prescribed laxatives as a baby. Then after periods started I would go once a month naturally. After having a baby that stopped. Long story short...the GI did a colonoscopy last May and besides a tortuous colon it was fine. He said do MOM nightly and benefiber twice a day. So I have since June 06. (BTW, MOM always tastes horrible, no getting used to it.) Doing this I usually have a "normal" BM daily. Sometimes it will be a day or two between.

For the last week my stomach has been upset (I attributed this to popcorn) but now I'm not sure. Today about 15 min after a lunch of boiled eggs and lays potato chips and water, I had a familiar gurgle (usually induced from dulcolax) and then diarrhea with [gross-undigested corn]. A relative 1st for me.

I will skip the MOM tonight and benefiber (which I am giving up due to wheat dextrin) and see what happens, but wondering if anyone believes it is "normal" to go from C to D after given up gluten. Is my body just adjusting? My colon doesn't function normally so it's kind of scary to have this change. I guess I'm just needing someone in the know to reassure me. As family doesn't like to hear about this.

I guess the short story wasn't so short after all....

Thanks to everyone for your consistently great advice.

Suz

[RVING4ME]

OK, I've been gluten-free for nearly 3 weeks. My original problems included a life long history of constipation. I wouldn't call it that, but don't have another name for it. I only have a BM after taking something. I was first prescribed laxatives as a baby. Then after periods started I would go once a month naturally. After having a baby that stopped. Long story short...the GI did a colonoscopy last May and besides a tortuous colon it was fine. He said do MOM nightly and benefiber twice a day. So I have since June 06. (BTW, MOM always tastes horrible, no getting used to it.) Doing this I usually have a "normal" BM daily. Sometimes it will be a day or two between.

For the last week my stomach has been upset (I attributed this to popcorn) but now I'm not sure. Today about 15 min after a lunch of boiled eggs and lays potato chips and water, I had a familiar gurgle (usually induced from dulcolax) and then diarrhea with [gross-undigested corn]. A relative 1st for me.

I will skip the MOM tonight and benefiber (which I am giving up due to wheat dextrin) and see what happens, but wondering if anyone believes it is "normal" to go from C to D after given up gluten. Is my body just adjusting? My colon doesn't function normally so it's kind of scary to have this change. I guess I'm just needing someone in the know to reassure me. As family doesn't like to hear about this.

I guess the short story wasn't so short after all....

Thanks to everyone for your consistently great advice.

Suz

[RVING4ME]

OK, I've been gluten-free for nearly 3 weeks. My original problems included a life long history of constipation. I wouldn't call it that, but don't have another name for it. I only have a BM after taking something. I was first prescribed laxatives as a baby. Then after periods started I would go once a month naturally. After having a baby that stopped. Long story short...the GI did a colonoscopy last May and besides a tortuous colon it was fine. He said do MOM nightly and benefiber twice a day. So I have since June 06. (BTW, MOM always tastes horrible, no getting used to it.) Doing this I usually have a "normal" BM daily. Sometimes it will be a day or two between.

For the last week my stomach has been upset (I attributed this to popcorn) but now I'm not sure. Today about 15 min after a lunch of boiled eggs and lays potato chips and water, I had a familiar gurgle (usually induced from dulcolax) and then diarrhea with [gross-undigested corn]. A relative 1st for me.

I will skip the MOM tonight and benefiber (which I am giving up due to wheat dextrin) and see what happens, but wondering if anyone believes it is "normal" to go from C to D after given up gluten. Is my body just adjusting? My colon doesn't function normally so it's kind of scary to have this change. I guess I'm just needing someone in the know to reassure me. As family doesn't like to hear about this.

I guess the short story wasn't so short after all....

Thanks to everyone for your consistently great advice.

Suz

[RVING4ME]

OK, I've been gluten-free for nearly 3 weeks. My original problems included a life long history of constipation. I wouldn't call it that, but don't have another name for it. I only have a BM after taking something. I was first prescribed laxatives as a baby. Then after periods started I would go once a month naturally. After having a baby that stopped. Long story short...the GI did a colonoscopy last May and besides a tortuous colon it was fine. He said do MOM nightly and benefiber twice a day. So I have since June 06. (BTW, MOM always tastes horrible, no getting used to it.) Doing this I usually have a "normal" BM daily. Sometimes it will be a day or two between.

For the last week my stomach has been upset (I attributed this to popcorn) but now I'm not sure. Today about 15 min after a lunch of boiled eggs and lays potato chips and water, I had a familiar gurgle (usually induced from dulcolax) and then diarrhea with [gross-undigested corn]. A relative 1st for me.

I will skip the MOM tonight and benefiber (which I am giving up due to wheat dextrin) and see what happens, but wondering if anyone believes it is "normal" to go from C to D after given up gluten. Is my body just adjusting? My colon doesn't function normally so it's kind of scary to have this change. I guess I'm just needing someone in the know to reassure me. As family doesn't like to hear about this.

I guess the short story wasn't so short after all....

Thanks to everyone for your consistently great advice.

Suz

RVING4ME First time to respond to this site. Its so nice to have others who share the same concerns. I take Miralex for my chronic constipation. It works great ! Kind of expensive but sure helps me. I have never been able to have a BM without help. I also have a terrible itching. Went to the Dermaologist today, she did a biopsey for DH. DO you suffer from this sympton? Also Miralax is availble without perscription at CVS stores. Hope this helps.

rving4me

[RVING4ME]

OK, I've been gluten-free for nearly 3 weeks. My original problems included a life long history of constipation. I wouldn't call it that, but don't have another name for it. I only have a BM after taking something. I was first prescribed laxatives as a baby. Then after periods started I would go once a month naturally. After having a baby that stopped. Long story short...the GI did a colonoscopy last May and besides a tortuous colon it was fine. He said do MOM nightly and benefiber twice a day. So I have since June 06. (BTW, MOM always tastes horrible, no getting used to it.) Doing this I usually have a "normal" BM daily. Sometimes it will be a day or two between.

For the last week my stomach has been upset (I attributed this to popcorn) but now I'm not sure. Today about 15 min after a lunch of boiled eggs and lays potato chips and water, I had a familiar gurgle (usually induced from dulcolax) and then diarrhea with [gross-undigested corn]. A relative 1st for me.

I will skip the MOM tonight and benefiber (which I am giving up due to wheat dextrin) and see what happens, but wondering if anyone believes it is "normal" to go from C to D after given up gluten. Is my body just adjusting? My colon doesn't function normally so it's kind of scary to have this change. I guess I'm just needing someone in the know to reassure me. As family doesn't like to hear about this.

I guess the short story wasn't so short after all....

Thanks to everyone for your consistently great advice.

Suz

[jes1]

I was happy to read your post (sorry not happy for your symptoms, etc) but I am in the exact same situation. I have lived on MOM for many years, without it I could go a month or longer without anything. However since being diagnosed w/celiac, I have been gluten free for just over 2 wks & have been experiencing severe cramping & diarrhea even without the MOM. Also, feel even worse, more fatigued & overall not feeling well. I am as well wondering if this is just an initial reacation to the diet change..

[ravenwoodglass]

OK, I've been gluten-free for nearly 3 weeks. My original problems included a life long history of constipation. I wouldn't call it that, but don't have another name for it. I only have a BM after taking something. I was first prescribed laxatives as a baby. Then after periods started I would go once a month naturally. After having a baby that stopped. Long story short...the GI did a colonoscopy last May and besides a tortuous colon it was fine. He said do MOM nightly and benefiber twice a day. So I have since June 06. (BTW, MOM always tastes horrible, no getting used to it.) Doing this I usually have a "normal" BM daily. Sometimes it will be a day or two between.

For the last week my stomach has been upset (I attributed this to popcorn) but now I'm not sure. Today about 15 min after a lunch of boiled eggs and lays potato chips and water, I had a familiar gurgle (usually induced from dulcolax) and then diarrhea with [gross-undigested corn]. A relative 1st for me.

I will skip the MOM tonight and benefiber (which I am giving up due to wheat dextrin) and see what happens, but wondering if anyone believes it is "normal" to go from C to D after given up gluten. Is my body just adjusting? My colon doesn't function normally so it's kind of scary to have this change. I guess I'm just needing someone in the know to reassure me. As family doesn't like to hear about this.

I guess the short story wasn't so short after all....

Thanks to everyone for your consistently great advice.

Suz

First off you need to eat as much whole unprocessed food as you can right now. The benefiber alone will keep you having symptoms and you need to check every single med or OTC you take to be sure it is gluten-free. Almost all have a phone number on the bottle and sometimes if you put in the name of the med and the word gluten into a search engine you can get the answer that way.

Your system could be getting to the point where it is not trying to hold onto everything as long as possible to suck any nutrition out of it, what I believe is the reason so many of us are constipated at first. If you can drop the laxative and artificially processed fiber out of your diet and sub it with fiber in the form of ground flax seeds, lots of fruits and veggies etc. you will heal much faster.

I hope you feel better soon, stop the benefiber today, it is most likely a cause for your D.

[SUZ42]

First off you need to eat as much whole unprocessed food as you can right now. The benefiber alone will keep you having symptoms and you need to check every single med or OTC you take to be sure it is gluten-free. Almost all have a phone number on the bottle and sometimes if you put in the name of the med and the word gluten into a search engine you can get the answer that way.

Your system could be getting to the point where it is not trying to hold onto everything as long as possible to suck any nutrition out of it, what I believe is the reason so many of us are constipated at first. If you can drop the laxative and artificially processed fiber out of your diet and sub it with fiber in the form of ground flax seeds, lots of fruits and veggies etc. you will heal much faster.

I hope you feel better soon, stop the benefiber today, it is most likely a cause for your D.

I haven't taken the benefiber or MOM since Friday when I had the cramping/D problem. I also have not gone to the BR since Friday. Something's got to give. I may tray the flax seed. Though I did that some time ago and it didn't help, nor did the Miralax. Actually the only thing that has helped is the MOM with fiber supplement. I am eating alot of natural fiber. Anyway, I'm hopeful in time I can be normal and do this naturally.

[ravenwoodglass]

I haven't taken the benefiber or MOM since Friday when I had the cramping/D problem. I also have not gone to the BR since Friday. Something's got to give. I may tray the flax seed. Though I did that some time ago and it didn't help, nor did the Miralax. Actually the only thing that has helped is the MOM with fiber supplement. I am eating alot of natural fiber. Anyway, I'm hopeful in time I can be normal and do this naturally.

This is going to sound like an awfully old school suggestion but have you tried drinking a glass of prune juice a day, gluten-free of course? I used to have awful problems with C and when I did go my Mom used to joke that it was rabbit pellets. For me the prune juice helped within an hour. Can't promise it will for you but figured I would mention it.