Can Gluten Intolerance Be Connected To Pancreatitis?

[lmrf]

I recently have discovered I have a gluten intolerance after suffering for many years and been mis-diagnosed with other ailments. I have been gluten free for about 6 months now. After a colonoscopy was told I have developed diverticula, but have not actually had any problems with that (not yet). This week I had an acute pancreatitis attack. A CT scan showed an enlarged pancrease. Can the pancreatitis and the diverticula be related to my gluten-free diet? I did not have these before. Now, I've been told to eat a high carbohydrate diet for my pancrease while staying on a seed and nut free diet for the diverticula. How can I manage this high carb diet while managing a gluten free diet? I though that gluten foods are carb foods. What choices do I have left? I'm confused!!

[MyMississippi]

Gluten FREE baked goods (bread, buns, pizza crusts, cookies, cakes, bagels, etc) are HIGH carb foods---- so are potatoes and rice, ice cream, etc. You will have NO trouble finding HIGH carb foods. They are everywhere !

But I don't know why high carbs are good for prancreatitis----- ???????? I'll have to look that one up .

[tiffjake]

I JUST read something about this....and now I can't remember where. I think it was in the GIG Quarterly magazine (put out by the Gluten Intolerance Group). I don't know if you can call them (or go to their website, www.gluten.net, and request a copy). I have a yearly membership, so I got it in the mail.

Anyway, if you are eating gluten-free pancakes, cake, cookies, bread, etc, you are probably getting a very high carb diet!

[ravenwoodglass]

Both diverticuli and pancreatitis are often seen in folks with celiac but not because of the diet. The diverticuli may resolve after you have been gluten-free for a while. I had them throughout my entire large intestine when I was diagnosed but a followup colonoscopy 5 years after diagnosis showed they were for the most part gone.

Could you have gotten glutened? I have had two bouts with pancreatitis since I was diagnosed one was caused by a severe glutening the other by a really bad reaction to a med. The gluten free diet is not going to 'cause' pancreatitis but a slip up while on it might. Do also be sure to avoid alcohol as this will cause the pancreas to flare right back up. It can also in itself cause pancreatitis especially if it is not a gluten safe beverage.

Do check also with a dietician about the nuts and seeds issue with the diverticuli. More current research does show that they can be safely consumed. Past thinking was that they could get 'caught' in the outpouches and cause an infection but that has not really been shown to be the case.

[nagual]

Actually it is very connected. 

Pancreas is very sensible and you need to have a diet that does not overcharge it.

Try to spent 1 month only eating *well cooked* vegetables and grilled meat.

Do not eat fresh fruits/vegetables

do not eat oil, nuts

do not eat milk/dairy foods

do not eat pepper, garlic, onion.

do not eat anything cold.

I know it may sound strange, because all those fresh fruits, olive and condiments are related to good heatlhy food. Adn they are, but first you need to put your pancreas on a calm state again.

I can assure you that after 1 month eating only well cooked vegetables, grilled/cooked meat, well cooked grains, without pepper/oil/ fried onion, you will fell a Lot better.

In fact many of the gluten bad reactions you used to feel are way more related to those foods that overcharge your pancreas than you reaction to gluten. The truth is if your pancreas is good, you can even tolerate a gluten pizza once in a month, belive me.

[plumbago]

On 8/23/2008 at 0:25 PM, lmrf said:

A CT scan showed an enlarged pancrease. Can the pancreatitis and the diverticula be related to my gluten-free diet?

At first, I thought you were asking if there is a connection between celiac disease and pancreatitis to which I was going to say the following-

The short answer is yes, there does seem to be an increased risk of pancreatitis among people with celiac disease. Short answers are so unsatisfactory, though. Is that only in untreated celiac disease? Is there less likelihood of pancreatitis in treated celiac disease? If so, for how long? And oh, just what is the pathophysiology behind all this?

Ah —

Sadr-Azodi et al overlooked earlier observations when they report that, '…the effect of celiac disease on pancreatic function is poorly understood'.
Open Original Shared Link

but
The association of EPI and chronic pancreatitis with celiac disease has been known for over 50 years. And 30 years ago, DiMagno et al.[11] determined the underlying pathophysiology of these associations. They demonstrated subnormal outputs of enzymes and failure of increasing bile outputs (lack of gallbladder contraction), following infusion of intraluminal essential amino acids or eating but normal outputs occurred after exogenous cholecystokinin (CCK), leading to the hypothesis that CCK secretion is lacking in celiac disease

Anyway, it’s enough to get started. There appears to be a three-fold increase of pancreatitis in celiac disease patients. Really, it’s all about the endocrine system, if we widen the scope out.

I would guess it is not about the gluten-free diet, but I suppose it could depend on just what that gluten-free diet is.

 

EDIT TO ADD: Postprandially, these abnormalities resulted in maldigestion of fat because of the asynchronization between transit of the meal and delayed and reduced secretion of pancreatic enzymes and bile into the small intestine that occurred during the first 30 min after eating. After the initial 30 min, postprandial dilution of intraluminal content secondary to abnormalities of fluid and electrolyte absorption/secretion also contributed to impaired fat digestion. Fat maldigestion was worse after a second meal. In a second study,^[12] they showed that in 31 celiac patients, CCK stimulated enzyme outputs were decreased in 42% and 3 (10%) had severe EPI contributing to malabsorption.

(FWIW, I would recommend not eating a gluten pizza if you have celiac disease.)

[artistsl]

On 8/23/2008 at 0:25 PM, lmrf said:

I recently have discovered I have a gluten intolerance after suffering for many years and been mis-diagnosed with other ailments. I have been gluten free for about 6 months now. After a colonoscopy was told I have developed diverticula, but have not actually had any problems with that (not yet). This week I had an acute pancreatitis attack. A CT scan showed an enlarged pancrease. Can the pancreatitis and the diverticula be related to my gluten-free diet? I did not have these before. Now, I've been told to eat a high carbohydrate diet for my pancrease while staying on a seed and nut free diet for the diverticula. How can I manage this high carb diet while managing a gluten free diet? I though that gluten foods are carb foods. What choices do I have left? I'm confused!!

My son is very gluten intolerant and we were referred to allergy. I read recently about Eosinophilic disease which is a food intolerance that causes inflammation in generalized areas of the body. I believe there is a condition called eosinophilic pancreatic disease. I read about a 6 food elimination diet to treat the disorder, which includes gluten, but also dairy, egg, peanut and shellfish. You may want to consider other possible food sensitivities.

[kareng]

5 hours ago, nagual said:

Actually it is very connected. 

Pancreas is very sensible and you need to have a diet that does not overcharge it.

Try to spent 1 month only eating *well cooked* vegetables and grilled meat.

Do not eat fresh fruits/vegetables

do not eat oil, nuts

do not eat milk/dairy foods

do not eat pepper, garlic, onion.

do not eat anything cold.

I know it may sound strange, because all those fresh fruits, olive and condiments are related to good heatlhy food. Adn they are, but first you need to put your pancreas on a calm state again.

I can assure you that after 1 month eating only well cooked vegetables, grilled/cooked meat, well cooked grains, without pepper/oil/ fried onion, you will fell a Lot better.

In fact many of the gluten bad reactions you used to feel are way more related to those foods that overcharge your pancreas than you reaction to gluten. The truth is if your pancreas is good, you can even tolerate a gluten pizza once in a month, belive me.

You are responding to someone from 2008.

"s if your pancreas is good, you can even tolerate a gluten pizza once in a month, belive me."  As this statement goes against what all the Celiac centers and doctors say, you need to provide your sources to this new and incredible  discovery.  Or at least give us your CV and some info about your clinical research that proves this.