Gluten, Yeast Or Both

[jciemb]

I continue to be troubled by the absence of a clear diagnosis.

I am currently 39 years old and, for the last 3 years, I have been tinkering with my diet. For the most recent two years, I have been working with specialists on elimination diets, metal detox, multivitamin ivs, and various supplements. We have made progress, but it has been slow and painful. Specifically, the further I go along in this process, the more I realize that I am intolerant to just about everything: ALL yeasts (wine, vinegar, any alcohol, mustard, cheese, ANYTHING), garlic, onion, soy, chocolate, peanut butter, many recommended supplements, many multi-vitamins, etc. Also, of course, I am staying on a gluten free diet. Notably, I have never rec'd an outright POSITIVE for gluten sensitivity, but my biopsy from three years ago (before i started seeing specialists and getting professional supervision) did indicate slight flattenning and/or atypical villi - not enough for diagnosis of celiac. I have also had a negative blood test for celiac - probably about 3 years ago too - but my physician now feels like it may not have been an accurate test result b/c I had been on and off gluten for the month beforehand. The only POSITIVE test result I have rec'd is that my current specialist recently tested me for the celiac gene, and did find it in my system. This doesnt mean I have celiac, but evidently it does mean that i have a large propensity to be celiac.

Anyhow, rather than have me take gluten for a few months in the hopes of testing, my specialist put me on a gluten-free diet starting 1 1/2 years ago. Since this time, in addition to gluten, I have RELIGIOUSLY avoided yeast, soy, sugar, citrus, dairy, garlic, chocolate and peanuts. My stomach and body feel healthy when I avoid ALL of these items. When I cheat, I pay for it though. Now, coming up on two years later, I was hoping that the yeast intolerance would dissipate, but it has not. [u]Is it possible, even remotely, that I am allergic/intolerant to yeast, not gluten? My specialist believes that gluten free is the right course for me, and that my other intolerances are likely the result of my eating gluten for 35 years. Will I be able to re-introduce some of these intolerants (i..e, yeast) at some point?? Even a single glass of wine kills me now, and it is VERY difficult and frustraing to be single, and yeast AND gluten free.

So, is possible that I am allergic and/or intolerant to yeast (I am allergic to penicillin, if that has any relatedness), and this has caused my other intolerants?? Or is it gluten?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.

[CarlaB]

ANY flattening of the villi is enough for a diagnosis of celiac. You have celiac! I don't know why your doctor would tell you that it wasn't enough.

You could also be allergic to yeast.

I am also sensitive to alcohol, but not all yeast. I have Lyme Disease and it's a symptom of that. Don't know if that's related to you or not, but I thought I'd throw it out there since you're looking for answers.

[jciemb]

Interesting regarding the yeast. To date, I have been operating under the assumption that my yeast problems are a negative and unpleasant side effect of (undiagnosed) gluten intolerance. Yeast is such an obvious problem however, that I am now thinking it (yeast), and not gluten, is the original problem. Every possible type of yeast produces an immediate reaction in me. For example, I had two glasses of wine tonight (without any other cheating on my diet) and ended up flush, sweating, bloated and with gas.

Has anyone out there had a similar experience -- and intolerance/allergy to yeast, that was ignored for many years and then resulted in other intolerances?? Or am I smoking something funny here, and need to just accept that I am probably gluten intolerant and that longstanding future avoidance of gluten will/may allow me to have yeast in the future.

[CMCM]

I had digestive issues my entire life. I always thought the big culprit was dairy, and mostly avoided it. However, as time progressed more and more foods became problematic, and by the time I keyed in on the gluten thing 18 months ago, I felt like I was sensitive to virtually every food out there. I was in a continual state of digestive upset. I learned I had some reactions to gluten, I had the gene (no big surprise there, since my mom is celiac and has 2 celiac genes). I've never been definitively diagnosed as celiac, but whether or not I am, I have the propensity. Anyhow, I went gluten free, also dairy free, and boy did life get better. What I learned after a time was that most of those other foods didn't bother me after all.....not when I wasn't eating gluten or dairy. After nearly a year I cautiously added a bit of dairy here and there, and on a sporadic basis I seem able to handle it. But I have to be very careful with it.

Basically, I think when you eat too much of something you are sensitive to (gluten, dairy, whatever), it sets you up for more and more sensitivies that you wouldn't otherwise have been sensitive to.

[gfpaperdoll]

Having slighly flattened villi in relation to celiac is like being slightly pregnant. Ya got to love these docs

re wine well it could be a bunch of things like nitrates etc. I cannot drink wine either.

I have also battled food allergies my whole life. I was 10 years mostly wheat free - thinking an allergy, now gluten-free for 3 years & now also dairy free. The dairy free thing for me seems to come & go. I am now also having a difficult time with chocolate. God only knows what that is about, I get the Sunspire chocolate chips with no dairy - but still get a stomach ache & now it gives me heart pains also. Usually though I have no problems with the Hershey chocolate powder that is in a can. So if you are desperate you might try it..

I will say about half of my food allergies are gone since gluten-free. I got to add back corn, tomatoes, pork, peaches, oranges, lemons, & peanut butter (but not canned peanuts, I know it is weird), & sometimes I can have a potato.

I would advise to also check to make sure you are completely gluten-free. I do not eat many of the gluten-free goodies. If you are having any food allergies I think you should cut those out & see how it goes. I also think a gluten-free house is the best way to make sure you are not getting cross contamination. Also be sure to check all your other health issues, are you on a schedule, do you get the proper amount of sleep, is there any mold in your house, do you work in a clean environment, have you done everything to make sure that you have happiness everyday, are you exercising, had a massage lately, as in be nice to yourself, that kind of stuff makes a big difference. Also I do not believe in any artificial sweetner & I think sodas, & coffee are bad for you also.

forgot to say that I have recently learned to love broccolli. I now eat it most every day & I think it is a superfood for me - because it makes me feel better & when combined with Kale it clears out my sinuses. Maybe you can pay attention & see if you can find your super food. just a thought.