Is It Time To Call The Specialist?

[LoveBeingATwin]

Lately I have been really sick and can't figure out what is going on. I started a food journal last week so I could keep track of EVERYTHING that I am eating. My symptoms have been the big D, stomach pain and severe bloating. I eliminated soy and dairy but am still sick. I feel worse than when I started this whole journey.

I called the doctor in February and told them I was not feeling well and his nurse said that it could take 6 months to a year to feel better.(diagnosed in December 2006) I understand that when going gluten free, but I haven't had any gluten since being diagnosed and I am still sick. I am thinking I am having a reaction to some other types of food.

I am at the point where I am getting so frustrated I want to cry. I thought I was suppose to be getting better, yet I am feeling worse. My stomach is so umpredictable right now. It hurst all the time. What should I do? What if the doctor tells me I should wait again and give my body more time? What do I eliminate from my diet? Please help.

[Ursa Major]

Kimberley, I am sorry you are still feeling so bad. You may want to follow my link on lectins, and try if it will help to eliminate all of them, at least for a while. It tells you what to do to then figure out which ones are the problem (it may be all of them, they are for me).

Are you sure you have eliminated all sources of gluten, in personal care products, vitamins, medications? Vitamin E is often derived from wheat germ oil and can be a problem.

[ravenwoodglass]

Lately I have been really sick and can't figure out what is going on. I started a food journal last week so I could keep track of EVERYTHING that I am eating. My symptoms have been the big D, stomach pain and severe bloating. I eliminated soy and dairy but am still sick. I feel worse than when I started this whole journey.

I called the doctor in February and told them I was not feeling well and his nurse said that it could take 6 months to a year to feel better.(diagnosed in December 2006) I understand that when going gluten free, but I haven't had any gluten since being diagnosed and I am still sick. I am thinking I am having a reaction to some other types of food.

I am at the point where I am getting so frustrated I want to cry. I thought I was suppose to be getting better, yet I am feeling worse. My stomach is so umpredictable right now. It hurst all the time. What should I do? What if the doctor tells me I should wait again and give my body more time? What do I eliminate from my diet? Please help.

What are you eating? Are you eating a lot of mainstream products or specialty gluten free? Have you tried eating only naturally gluten free unprocessed food for a while to see if that makes a difference? Do you consume grain alcohols or vinagers? Not all tolerate them.

Also make sure you are addressing the second hand gluten issue and check any craft or home remodeling materials?

Gluten can be such a sneaky thing. Don't assume any meds are safe either unless you call the maker. This is particularly the case with generics and all OTC tummy meds.

If you were diagnosed through blood work have they run it again to see if the levels of antibodies have come down? You may want to call your doctors office and ask for a script for the blood test, if you were positive on one to begin with, it can help show if hidden gluten is still sneaking in. You should not need an appointment to get this done or the results.

I hope you feel better soon.

[chocolatelover]

Kimberly,

I'm so sorry you're feeling so poorly! It just stinks to be doing everything right and then not have it work for you. I'm wondering if there are hidden sources of gluten that you might be ingesting accidentally. It can be in everything from toothpaste to lotions and shampoos and costmetics to the envelopes we lick.

A lot of people will do a complete elimination diet where you start with eating only certain foods and gradually (like every 2 or 3 days) add something new in. For example, start with natural foods that you know are gluten free--meat, fruit, vegetables, whatever your body can handle right now. Then gradually add things in one at a time and see how you feel. Something like the BRAT diet might be a good place to start (bananas, rice, applesauce, tea (most people know it as toast, but obviously that's not going to work for us, even gluten free toast might not be good right now)). What about dairy? It can really cause problems for many of us, especially the first 6 months or so...

The other thing to consider is that there is actually something else going on. I know that when I'm not feeling well, I automatically assume that it's related to the celiac, but sometimes it's not. You could have a virus, an overgrowth of bacteria, too much yeast, colitis. I guess I feel like it's worth checking out with the doctor--it's been a long time that you haven't been feeling well.

Feel better!

CL