No More D

[tmk]

did anybody's D turn to C after starting gluten-free?

i used to have chronic D (several times a day) and i've been gluten-free for 2 1/2 weeks and am barely going now (maybe once a week -- so bloated!). Did this happen to anyone else?

[mommyagain]

I have the same problem... although after 5 weeks gluten-free, it is getting better. I now go 2-3 times a week. I don't know if that's normal or not, but I'm not in pain like I was when I was going once a week. I personally think that after having d for so long our colons have "forgotten" how to produce a normal bowel movement. Our bodies get so used to the gluten trigger that when the trigger goes away on the gluten-free diet our bodies have to relearn how to work normally.

Try to stick with simple foods, stay away from processed gluten-free foods for now until you no longer feel sick. Your intestines need time to heal.

Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon.

[gfpaperdoll]

are ya'll eating a lot of dairy? try cutting out the dairy & see what happens..

add in some raisins, prunes or other dried fruit...

also - you are not eating any of the gluten free pastas & bread things are you? - not good in the beginning...

[Ursa Major]

I agree about the dairy. It is known to cause constipation, and could be the culprit. It is best to stick with simple, naturally gluten-free foods in the beginning, like meats, vegetables and fruits, and not start eating gluten-free substitutes until after some healing has taken place.

[tmk]

thanks for all the replies -- I guess I never thought about the dairy as causing me constipation b/c I've never really been all that constipated before (when I was eating gluten I mainly had diarrhea ALL the time!) I do eat a couple of pieces of string cheese and a yogurt a day, so that may very well be my problem. I haven't done much w/ the gluten substitutes yet, except for a rice bar that I eat once a day at work b/c it's easy to grab in the morning.

I literally lost 4 pounds the other day after finally having a bm (sorry if tmi) -- then i gradually gain it back over the week when i don't "go".

I am having an awful time trying to figure out what to eat -- I was never really much of a chef b/c it's just me and it is hard to cook for one person (recipes always serve so many people). I guess I need to just start doing it b/c food is certainly starting to get real boring!

thanks for the ideas -- I think I will start eating some raisins too b/c I like raisins! I used to use psyllium husk pills for fiber to try to bulk up my diarrhea issues before, maybe I will go back to that (those are safe right??)

thanks again!

[Dandelion]

Have you tried adding a B12 vitamin to your diet? Before being diagnosed gluten sensitive I was told I had IBS with constipation. B12 seems to really help with it. I found the following in a Google search:

Signs, symptoms, and health problems associated with vitamin B12 deficiency:

Characteristic signs, symptoms, and health problems associated with vitamin B12 deficiency include anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, and weight loss [1,3,12].

Deficiency also can lead to neurological changes such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet [7,13].

Additional symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are difficulty in maintaining balance, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory, and soreness of the mouth or tongue [14].

Signs of vitamin B12 deficiency in infancy include failure to thrive, movement disorders, delayed development, and megaloblastic anemia [15].

[JNBunnie1]

Yes, psyllium is safe as far as I know, I had a product with it in it confirmed gluten-free to me once. It probably would help. And drink more water when you take it, like a real whole lot of water, or it will not feel good.

[tmk]

thanks for the replies!

I think I will definitely go back to using the psyllium fiber.

I never thought about the B12 -- some of that definitely sounds like me -- anemia, fatigue -- and I have numbness/tingling in my hands and feet/legs ALL the time!!!! I had no idea what that was about!

Can you have too much B12??

[Guest j_mommy]

I had the same issue! Now I would say I have close to normal bowel habits!I've been gluten-free since may!

[mftnchn]

There are some really good threads here on constipation with tons of ideas. A combo of vitamin C and magnesium works really well for many, and it good for you as well.

If you try magnesium, go with the same dose for 4-5 days before each increase as it usually can take a few days to have an impact.

[Canadian Karen]

  tmk said:

did anybody's D turn to C after starting gluten-free?

i used to have chronic D (several times a day) and i've been gluten-free for 2 1/2 weeks and am barely going now (maybe once a week -- so bloated!). Did this happen to anyone else?

Oh God, I wish!

[jerseyangel]

  Canadian Karen said:

Oh God, I wish!

Karen--I'm almost embarassed to ask, because I know that you've tried everything and your issues go further than Celiac--but have you tried the calcium carbonate with every meal?

It's worked like nothing short of a miracle for me.

[peter99ff]

I agree w/ the milk cheese etc. Im trying the soy milk as per this diet by blood type i was looking into. It made alot of difference beyond the gluten free. Hope that helps

[confusedks]

peter99ff,

Be careful with the amount of soy you take in as a replacement. I built an intolerance to it really quickly. You might want to try almond milk instead of soy milk, just to reduce the amount of soy you take in.

Everybody with C,

I have been gluten-free since May and it has JUST gotten better. I am drinking 4-5 times the amount of water I used to drink and WALKING!!!! You have to be active otherwise things just sit in there. These things have helped me a lot also. I think part of the reason I got C instead of D when I went gluten-free is because I used to get a lot of fiber from whole wheat, fiber enriched products, and I can't do that anymore. Most gluten-free replacement foods are really low in fiber, so we must make up for it somewhere else.

Dairy could be the culprit, but that wasn't it for me. I stay off of all dairy just as strictly as gluten because it makes me feel like crap and actually gives me D sometimes. But I suggest anyone who is newly gluten free should get off of dairy because when your villi get blunted, your villi no longer produce the enzyme to break down dairy as it is at the tip of your villi which is usually gone when you're diagnosed.

Good luck!

Kassandra

[peter99ff]

thanks for the insight on the soy, confused. I was never that big on dairy products and have been light with the soy milk, famous last words, I've been doing well so far. LOL

[Nancym]

Dairy constipates the heck out of me.

[Canadian Karen]

  jerseyangel said:

Karen--I'm almost embarassed to ask, because I know that you've tried everything and your issues go further than Celiac--but have you tried the calcium carbonate with every meal?

It's worked like nothing short of a miracle for me.

Yep, it's on the long list of things I've tried....

I have long since given up on anything working "miracles" on me!

Keep the suggestions coming though - you guys know me well enough to know I will try anything once!