Gluten Free For 3 Months And Still Having Stomach Pain

[dinali63]

I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease and have been on a gluten free diet for 3 months. I thought I'd start to feel so much better.........but instead slowly came to realize that I'm definitely lactose intolerant. I've cut out all lactose for a week but I'm still having stomach pain and bloating at times after eating. Is this common? How do I go about figuring out what to avoid? One person told me to eat only raw food....another said cook everything. It's so confusing and depressing! My doctor doesn't seem to be much help.........

[mftnchn]

First of all, double check to make sure you really are fully gluten free, there are many hidden sources of gluten. Cut out your personal care products with gluten and see if it makes a difference. Watch cross contamination issues.

Second it could take longer than a week to know if the milk will make a difference.

Third, you may have trouble while your gut heals tolerating foods harder to digest. So do simple foods, and I would suggest fully cooked rather than raw.

Try cutting starches for a few days and see if that helps, then re-introduce slowly.

Fourth, you may have more food intolerances, many of us do. Search the threads about elimination diets, there is a lot of information here. I'd start by eliminating grains for a week to 10 days, then try one at a time. Then I would eliminate legumes for 7-10 days, try one at a time. Then I would do the nightshades. Beyond that, nuts could be an issue, or actually any individual food. Keeping a food and symptom diary is important.

[dinali63]

First of all, double check to make sure you really are fully gluten free, there are many hidden sources of gluten. Cut out your personal care products with gluten and see if it makes a difference. Watch cross contamination issues.

Second it could take longer than a week to know if the milk will make a difference.

Third, you may have trouble while your gut heals tolerating foods harder to digest. So do simple foods, and I would suggest fully cooked rather than raw.

Try cutting starches for a few days and see if that helps, then re-introduce slowly.

Fourth, you may have more food intolerances, many of us do. Search the threads about elimination diets, there is a lot of information here. I'd start by eliminating grains for a week to 10 days, then try one at a time. Then I would eliminate legumes for 7-10 days, try one at a time. Then I would do the nightshades. Beyond that, nuts could be an issue, or actually any individual food. Keeping a food and symptom diary is important.

Thank you for the advice. This is all so new to me and I'm just realizing how important it is to have a support group to learn from. I realized I had been eating a lot more nuts recently since it was suggested by my nutritionist in order to get enough protein. That will be the first item to go!

Thanks again!

[Guest thatchickali]

Don't have advice, but I'm in the same boat.

[confusedks]

Are you just cutting out lactose or casein? You need to be casein free (the protein found in milk, etc. whereas lactose is just the sugar in milk products). This might make the difference for you. I don't know where a list is of names, but the good thing is that it is one of the top allergens which is mandated by the FDA to be listed on foods. So in that sense it is way easier to be dairy/casein free than gluten free as it MUST be listed. Also, becareful with replacing all your dairy products with soy products. This can cause an intolerance to soy if it is over-consumed. Just watch out for this. This happened to me and now I can't have any soy. I hope this helps and if not, I would look into candida.

Kassandra...keep us updated!

[gfpaperdoll]

If you can eat salads it is a good idea to have one meal a day with a salad. & fresh fruit because the uncooked foods help keep your gut with the right balance of things to digest your food...

But if your system cannot tolerate uncooked foods, then cook them & go from there.

I would say homemade soups, chicken, carrots, cabbage, maybe tomato paste - if you can do tomatoes. Very simple soups, cooked carrots, white rice, baked chicken, jello, 100% juice, steamed broccoli, jicama - usually eaten raw, baked sweet potatoes, cooked squash, pot roast, pork roast, baked salmon, boiled eggs, coleslaw, or sauerkraut which I have recently read is good for the gut...

try your spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash...

You will have to make a list of the things that you can eat & that makes you feel good, when you get those foods down, then add one food at a time.

I eat Paleo, which is no grains, no dairy, no legumes, no potatoes. It works for me but might not work for you. I switched from peanut butter to almond butter. I do eat the corn tortillas about every other weekend as a treat... I eat more meat now, which is good for me.

I also do not eat corn syrup, beef, (would like to try some grass fed beef), colas, coffee, tea, mushrooms, peas, oats, chocolate (new one), soy, & a few other things...

If you do eat beans you should soak them overnight & then drain off that water & then cook them on top of the stove because that heat destroys some of the harmful lectins, unlike cooking them in a crock pot. I suggest the you read the book "eat Right for your Blood Type" to see which type of legumes you Should be able to eat... IMO you should not eat beans out of a can...

you should eat nuts raw, like walnuts are about the best, you need about 4 walnut halves each day, you can get poisoned if you eat too many filberts, which would be more than 1 a day. Pecans are also good, I think cashews are about the least healthful...

basically you have to do your own research & find out what works for you. I have my doubts that a nutritionist is going to be all that helpful. For nutrition I recommend the book Super Foods, not a gluten-free book but you can just ignore the gluten & diary parts... You should also read up on the nightshade foods, high lectin foods, & someone has also been posting about foods high in oxalates, like spinach, which I do not eat. Because for one thing I think that Kale is better for you. I love to get organic kale each week. You can eat it raw, cook in stir frys, or use as a lettuce in a wrap or in a spring roll. If you have not tried kale you are missing one of the greatest foods there are - & it actually tastes great. & this is coming from a Southerner that used to love iceberg lettuce. Now I prefer kale!!!

[dinali63]

If you can eat salads it is a good idea to have one meal a day with a salad. & fresh fruit because the uncooked foods help keep your gut with the right balance of things to digest your food...

But if your system cannot tolerate uncooked foods, then cook them & go from there.

I would say homemade soups, chicken, carrots, cabbage, maybe tomato paste - if you can do tomatoes. Very simple soups, cooked carrots, white rice, baked chicken, jello, 100% juice, steamed broccoli, jicama - usually eaten raw, baked sweet potatoes, cooked squash, pot roast, pork roast, baked salmon, boiled eggs, coleslaw, or sauerkraut which I have recently read is good for the gut...

try your spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash...

You will have to make a list of the things that you can eat & that makes you feel good, when you get those foods down, then add one food at a time.

I eat Paleo, which is no grains, no dairy, no legumes, no potatoes. It works for me but might not work for you. I switched from peanut butter to almond butter. I do eat the corn tortillas about every other weekend as a treat... I eat more meat now, which is good for me.

I also do not eat corn syrup, beef, (would like to try some grass fed beef), colas, coffee, tea, mushrooms, peas, oats, chocolate (new one), soy, & a few other things...

If you do eat beans you should soak them overnight & then drain off that water & then cook them on top of the stove because that heat destroys some of the harmful lectins, unlike cooking them in a crock pot. I suggest the you read the book "eat Right for your Blood Type" to see which type of legumes you Should be able to eat... IMO you should not eat beans out of a can...

you should eat nuts raw, like walnuts are about the best, you need about 4 walnut halves each day, you can get poisoned if you eat too many filberts, which would be more than 1 a day. Pecans are also good, I think cashews are about the least healthful...

basically you have to do your own research & find out what works for you. I have my doubts that a nutritionist is going to be all that helpful. For nutrition I recommend the book Super Foods, not a gluten-free book but you can just ignore the gluten & diary parts... You should also read up on the nightshade foods, high lectin foods, & someone has also been posting about foods high in oxalates, like spinach, which I do not eat. Because for one thing I think that Kale is better for you. I love to get organic kale each week. You can eat it raw, cook in stir frys, or use as a lettuce in a wrap or in a spring roll. If you have not tried kale you are missing one of the greatest foods there are - & it actually tastes great. & this is coming from a Southerner that used to love iceberg lettuce. Now I prefer kale!!!

Wow! Why is it that doctor's give you this diagnosis and just send you out the door with no information?! This list has given me a good place to start.....a bit overwhelming, but I just want to get rid of this daily stomach pain. I guess I'm going to have to become very creative in the kitchen. My family has been really good about all this and we have become a gluten free household, but it's hard to make some of these dishes appealing to all of them

(gluten free pizza just doesn't inspire a rush on the kitchen)

I really appreciate the suggestions and I'm going over to the bookstore and will be doing a lot of reading this week!

[dinali63]

Are you just cutting out lactose or casein? You need to be casein free (the protein found in milk, etc. whereas lactose is just the sugar in milk products). This might make the difference for you. I don't know where a list is of names, but the good thing is that it is one of the top allergens which is mandated by the FDA to be listed on foods. So in that sense it is way easier to be dairy/casein free than gluten free as it MUST be listed. Also, becareful with replacing all your dairy products with soy products. This can cause an intolerance to soy if it is over-consumed. Just watch out for this. This happened to me and now I can't have any soy. I hope this helps and if not, I would look into candida.

Kassandra...keep us updated!

What about rice milk? Have you found that to be ok? I did have a reaction to soy......what a disappointment. I haven't looked at casein, but was just cutting out the lactose.

I'll try that too. I think that the answer will be to start out with a VERY limited diet and add in.

[confusedks]

I can't do ricemilk because the brand Rice Dream is the only one available and it's not gluten free. They recently changed their package to say gluten free, but didn't change their formula which they used to clearly state had barley malt in it. It was a small amount, but they felt that they no longer needed to list it as an ingredient!!! So, essentially it has gluten in it, but they don't label it and in fact tell you it's gluten free!!!!!!

I know some brands do make rice milk, but I'm not sure on their gluten free status. Also, if you're going to go dairy free, make sure you read labels of EVERYTHING!! For example, my gluten-free cousin brought bread to a family function, and I ate it then felt really sick. The bread was amazing, so I went to go but it from WHole Foods and realized the FIRST ingredient was milk!! So, it hides in places you would never think it would be! Also, french fries from a local hamburger place has dairy, wheat and soy in them!

Good Luck!

Kassandra

[ENF]

We use Vance's DariFree, which is a milk substitute made from potatoes.

[dinali63]

I can't do ricemilk because the brand Rice Dream is the only one available and it's not gluten free. They recently changed their package to say gluten free, but didn't change their formula which they used to clearly state had barley malt in it. It was a small amount, but they felt that they no longer needed to list it as an ingredient!!! So, essentially it has gluten in it, but they don't label it and in fact tell you it's gluten free!!!!!!

I know some brands do make rice milk, but I'm not sure on their gluten free status. Also, if you're going to go dairy free, make sure you read labels of EVERYTHING!! For example, my gluten-free cousin brought bread to a family function, and I ate it then felt really sick. The bread was amazing, so I went to go but it from WHole Foods and realized the FIRST ingredient was milk!! So, it hides in places you would never think it would be! Also, french fries from a local hamburger place has dairy, wheat and soy in them!

Good Luck!

Kassandra

Well, I went straight to the rice milk container and found it was labeled gluten free and enriched on the front (which is why I was so excited and picked it up), but I didn't look that closely at the other ingredients.........which included soy lecithin and natural flavors! I had tried soy milk before this, but ended up in the bathroom for two days.

When I was first diagnosed I went for a second opinion and also to a nutritionist in NYC that specializes in dealing with individuals diagnosed with celiac. She had told me to keep dairy in my diet and take enzymes to help digest the lactose. She even told me I could eat french fries! I cut out dairy and fries since I was still feeling bad. I replaced it with the enriched rice milk since she had scared me that I wouldn't be getting enough calcium even with a supplement. Anyway....I'm cutting out the ricemilk to see if my stomach's better! I'm learning slowly that the food I've been eating has lots of ingredients I shouldn't be eating. I'm buying less and less at the supermarket that's for sure!

Thanks for your help......I'm going to start out with very basic foods and slowly add items to see if I can tolerate them. What a learning process this will be. I hope it gets easier!

[dinali63]

We use Vance's DariFree, which is a milk substitute made from potatoes.

Just wondering where you can buy the item? I just checked the label of my ricemilk and I'm wondering if I'm reacting to the soy lecithin and Natural flavors listed. I had a severe GI reaction to soy milk in the past. It would be nice to find a milk substitute I can tolerate.

[Idiote Savante Goddess]

T'ain't cheap, but the King Arthur Flour people sell a soymilk making machine which can also be used for nut milks. I'm not sure if you can make ricemilk with it. Perhaps if one can "roll their own" the additives that cause problems could be avoided. It's called the Soybella Soymilk Maker.

[confusedks]

If you're looking for other milks, there is almond milk and hemp milk. They are enriched, etc. and most brands are dairy free, soy free AND gluten free. I use Hemp Milk from Whole Foods. Good luck! If you ever need support, etc. feel free to PM me.

It does get easier! I promise!

Kassandra

[missnbagels]

HERE'S A LINK TO SHOW YOU THINGS YOU CAN'T HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO GLUTEN FREE

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-19107615181.03

AND HERE IS A LINK FOR THINGS YOU CAN HAVE

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-37107508543.a7

Good Luck