Bad Potato Reaction For Really Confused Newbie

[utahlaura]

I read on a gluten free foods/gluten containing foods website that "starch" is bad but that potatoes are gluten free. Thought that was strange because potatoes are very starchy, ya know? I've recently found out that I'm gluten intolerant, so I've been carefully testing tiny bits of foods at a time and have been learning a lot about what I can actually eat. I was having such terrible reations to foods and have worstened over the last year. This is possibly because I ruptured two disks last August and Celiac disease can start manifesting quickly after an injury ( so I've read) when you've had slight symtoms for years and didn't realize it yet.

Anyway..my reactions include ( and in sequence) very sleepy tired feeling, ruptured disc area pain and shoulder pain followed by serious weakness and fatigue and further joint and muscle pain. Then dizzyness and buzzing in the ears, disorientation, and overall "ill" feeling ( Yuck!!) Then foot neuralgia and terrible irritability. Even noises are "grating" Plus major gas! Geeze!!!

After discovering gluten intolerance symptoms on the net ( following a lot of research into all food intolerances and symptoms- and also being blood tested for everthing being normal resulting in mystified doctors) I began to carefully introduce (without a doubt -type) gluten free foods after about two weeks of no solid foods at all. ( I was a mess) My suspicions were confirmed and I was able to eat solid food again! Hurray..I was starving!!!

I have been pretty successful at this ( I ,of course, have a Gastroenterologist appointment in a couple of weeks from an ER referral) But I have made a few mistakes so far....non-dairy creamer from a cappachino machine at the 7-11 ( stupid of me) hamburger ( who knew? Butcher said they put MSG in it all the time) Juice from "concentrate" They never list what is in the "concentrate" those snakes!( whatever that had in it!)...but yesterday...fresh potatoes??? What's up with that? I also had a boiled egg, but have been fine with a boiled egg before. This was the first time I introduced potato again, though. Now I'm confused. It was a full blown reaction too. And I thought all veggies were OK.

I had had the fruit juice from "concentrate" reaction that same morning. Can an earlier reaction in the day "stir it up" again later even if the food you eat in the evening is gluten free???

I'm still really new to all this and am still learning and making mistakes. So what happened?? This one has me really confused.

[Rachel--24]

It sounds like you have additional food intolerances. It would be helpful for you to start a food journal......keep track of the foods you eat as well as any symptoms that you may have. When I did this I journaled everything...including any supplements I was taking.

Fresh fruits and veggies are gluten free....including potato. Some people reeact to certain natural food chemicals. For example potatoes contain salicylates (even moreso when unpeeled)...potatoes also contain oxalates. For some people they can cause symptoms.

Potatoes are also a nightshade food...

Potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce are classified as nightshade foods. A particular group of substances in these foods, called alkaloids, can impact nerve-muscle function and digestive function in animals and humans, and may also be able to compromise joint function. Because the amount of alkaloids is very low in nightshade foods when compared with other nightshade plants, health problems from nightshade foods may only occur in individuals who are especially sensitive to these alkaloid substances.

You can google any of these things to learn more.

[ShayFL]

If you are are a Celiac and it doesnt sound like you have had all of the testing yet. And BTW being gluten free will make your tests inaccurate for Celiac most likely.

But if you are....then it can take time for your villi to heal and during that time you can become more sensitive to foods. You may also have dysbiosis going on with too many bad bacteria/yeasts and this is making it hard for you to digest starches.

Do you have a doctor? Do you have Naturopaths where you live?

[pele]

Hey Shay

Looking at your new signature line, I would say you are free--free of processed food substitutes. I am on a similar diet and have never enjoyed food so much.

[beachbel]

I have had similar reactions to potato, so I no longer eat them. A dietician suggested to me to keep a food diary and only add a new food every 3-4 days. That way you can keep track of which foods cause symptoms in you. Good luck.

[utahlaura]

If you are are a Celiac and it doesnt sound like you have had all of the testing yet. And BTW being gluten free will make your tests inaccurate for Celiac most likely.

But if you are....then it can take time for your villi to heal and during that time you can become more sensitive to foods. You may also have dysbiosis going on with too many bad bacteria/yeasts and this is making it hard for you to digest starches.

Do you have a doctor? Do you have Naturopaths where you live?

Actually, now that you mention it, I have been 100% sure of being gluten intolerant for a couple of months now. Since three different doctors were clueless, I begain my own research on food intolerances. None matched my symtoms till I hit on gluten intolerance. It matched exactly!!! Finally!

So I began the very careful introduction of gluten free foods ( I had been fasting for two weeks because my food intake reaction was so severe!) The gluten free diet worked a tiny bit at a time. ( though dairy and protiens plus startchy veggies are still a no-go) My occasional reactions were way less severe, though Hurray!! I'd react sometimes in my experimentation ( like the potatoes and once non dairy creamer) but not so awful, except for the potato insident.

A week ago, however, I was finally blood tested for the antibodies ( IGA tests) and today I found out that they were normal! So you're definitely right about the gluten free diet making the tests inconclusive.

I have an appointment with a gastroenterologist in five days. I expect her to know a lot more about this, and be able to help me.( hopefully) I have a friend of a friend who told me that when she was first diagnosed ( six years ago) that she was first given a five day course of prednisone to "reboot" her immune system and it really helped her to be able to eat more than just a couple of forks of veggies at a time ( like I have to do now..about every two hours. What a pain!!)

So what do you guys think about that? I know it's not very homeopathic, but I'm desperate. What else may she do to me? If she suggests an endoscopy where you have to eat gluten for a week first, I'm sure it will be too intolerable. Can you eat gluten for like a few days and then get the antibody test again? Why anyway? I already know what I have, here...right? So I'm nervous about seeing her. Leaky gut doesn't fit my symptoms, by the way. It's all gluten intolerance al the way.

And thank you SO much for answering about the potatoes..it inadvertantly answered a question ( the test results) I was going to "topic on" today! You're great, ShayFL!