Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Loose Stools After gluten-free Diet For 8 Months

conviviality

Recommended Posts

conviviality Newbie
conviviality
Posted

I have had my 2.5 year old on a strict gluten-free diet for 8 months. He has taken many different strains of probiotics during this time. Occasionally he will have a formed stool, but most of the time it is not what anyone would consider normal. It is sometimes very acidic and gives him a bad rash. Most of the acidity has subsided, but he doesn't seem to be healing completely. I am sure there are times when we've traveled or eaten out that he's gotten contamination. However, even when I have him on a strict diet at home, he goes through bouts of poor stools. So I have to wonder if there is something else going on. I don't give him much dairy, but he occasional eats a little cheese. That doesn't seem to be the problem. He does not eat soy or corn.

Does anyone have a clue? I was wondering if it was bananas. He has been on and off of them. He can eat 2 or 3 large ones at a time and it seemed like a weird addiction. He seems to be better the last few days off bananas but I have always read those are supposed to help diarrhea.

I am going kind of crazy here. So many people seem to report that their child shows drastic improvement in just a few weeks on gluten-free diet. Mine is still having problems after 8 months and we are getting to the point where we really need to get him potty trained.

Help!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

We need more information about what you mean by a strict gluten free diet. Many gluten free foods contain small amounts of gluten that are enough to cause a sensitive person to have a reaction. If you list what he eats people can tell you if it is a problem. Watch out for gluten free foods that are processed in a facility that also processes wheat. Most of them have small amounts of gluten in them from cross contamination. If he is still sick it is possible that he is one of the more sensitive celiacs and you have to be more careful about small concentrations of gluten.

You can get another blood test to see if it is still high. That would point to accidental gluten ingestion. You can also get him checked for other food sensitivities and lactose intolerance. I don't think that bananas are likely to be a problem. They are one of the few things I can eat when I am sick.

Nancym Enthusiast
Nancym
Posted

Are you breast feeding at all? If so, are you eating gluten? It does transmit in breast milk.

Ok, if it isn't that then look at other possible food intolerances. Dairy is very commonly an issue. Soy, nuts, many others. I'd keep him on a simple diet of just a few foods you think he's ok with and slowly test out adding new foods.

conviviality Newbie
conviviality
Posted
  • Author
We need more information about what you mean by a strict gluten free diet. Many gluten free foods contain small amounts of gluten that are enough to cause a sensitive person to have a reaction. If you list what he eats people can tell you if it is a problem. Watch out for gluten free foods that are processed in a facility that also processes wheat. Most of them have small amounts of gluten in them from cross contamination. If he is still sick it is possible that he is one of the more sensitive celiacs and you have to be more careful about small concentrations of gluten.

You can get another blood test to see if it is still high. That would point to accidental gluten ingestion. You can also get him checked for other food sensitivities and lactose intolerance. I don't think that bananas are likely to be a problem. They are one of the few things I can eat when I am sick.

Actually I think bananas are definitely creating a problem. It is the one food that makes a noticeable difference.

As for his general diet, he eats fruit, meat, rice, rice milk, vegetables, potatoes. I do not give him processed foods like crackers unless they say they are gluten free. He does not eat soy or corn and only occasionally some cheese and no other dairy. But that is minimal and his condition does not improve if he's off all dairy completely, so I don't think that's it.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

What kind of rice milk? I have read on this site that Rice Dream uses barley enzymes and although it says gluten free on the label, it contains enough gluten to bother all sorts of celiacs who come here.

teacherwheart Apprentice
teacherwheart
Posted

My 2 year old has been gluten free for 5 months and still has some loose stools. I asked his GI doctor a few days ago and she said its perfectly normal in toddlers. Hes thriving so she was not concerned. He gores for repeat bloodwork in a few days so Ill see then but He seems to be fine, never complains and I know hes not eating gluten since we are almost completely gluten free in the house.

Debbie16 Newbie
Debbie16
Posted

I Truly feel your pain. My son is the same age, he turned two in november, and we have been struggling with things for over a year. He had been basically gluten free since July and then diagnosed in December and is more strictly gluten free now. However, he still doesnt seem to be doing great. I can share with you what has happened here and maybe it will help.

My son began a rice-based diet mid July and beginning in December he started the loose stools and stuff (they never fully went away but were less) and became irritable etc. Turns out his body was fighting off the rice as an allergy because he had too much of it over the past 6 months or so. So that was one. 2nd, i went for another opinion since he wasnt doing great and was told that they thing he may have eosinophilia which is close to celiacs. This is also something detected through stool and then a biopsy. He had a biopsy at 16m and it was negative but apparently biopsies taken at a young age at the beginning of symptoms may be falsly negative. I dont want to do the biopsy again of course (poor guy) so i found a holistic pediatrician (who is an MD) who treats kids like this (does your kid have eczema and a distended belly??) and she is doing a stool test that shows the degree of inflammation of the gut (not what causes it, just the level) and how much yeast, fungus, parasites, good/bad bacteria...all that stuff. She said go 6 months on these homeopathic rememdies and obviously stay gluten free and free of his other allergens and we should see a difference....

so those are just suggestions. If you ever want to email me and compare notes, feel free. It is such a struggle. In december when the rice started to turn against him, he also wouldnt eat his normal foods he loves, chicken, meatballs, etc.... i thought "Oh my, he is allergic to chicken now". turns out it was garlic....kids are so smart, they know what thier sources of trouble are if we are perceptive enough to pick them out. you seem to be on top of it. good luck!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


conviviality Newbie
conviviality
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone for your responses! Yes, he does drink Rice Dream. I had heard that they weren't using the barley anymore, but I will investigate further!

It is good to know that there are others with similar challenges. Its hard for me to not blame myself, but I honestly just don't know for sure what the problem is and everything I try doesn't seem to leave me with a definitive answer!

B'sgirl Explorer
B'sgirl
Posted

I had a similar story. I took him off gluten, he did better. After a little while he had trouble again. I took him off milk, he did better. After awhile he had trouble again. I took him off soy and he did awesome. Now he's having trouble again. You may want to consider that your child has multiple allergies, leaky gut, or gall bladder problems. I won't bore you with my story here, but if you click on my profile there is a link to my blog with the full story. I don't know if I'm allowed to post a link here so that's all I'll say.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,857
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    LowellFrancis
    Newest Member
    LowellFrancis
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Rogol72
      Ibuprofen

      By Rogol72 · Posted

      Some interesting articles regarding the use of Zinc Carnosine to help heal gastric ulcers, gastritis and intestinal permeability. I would consult a medical professional about it's use. https://www.nature.com/articles/ncpgasthep0778 https://www.rupahealth.com/post/clinical-applications-of-zinc-carnosine---evidence-review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7146259/ https://www.fallbrookmedicalcenter.com/zinc-l-carnosine-benefits-dosage-and-safety/
    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      He is. Which makes everything even more difficult. I’m not a believer in “staying for the kids” but I have nowhere to go and it’s not just me, it’s me plus my babies. We live in a beautiful place, lots of land in the country and me and the kids love the place we’ve called home for their entire lives. But Im seeing that he’ll never change, that my kids deserve a happy healthy Momma, and that staying in this as is will be the early death of me. Then I look at the scars covering my entire body…this disease and the chronic stress I’ve been enduring for years that tell me I’m no longer beautiful and no one will ever look at me with interest again. I try self care, try to give myself grace so I can just start loving myself enough to gain strength but the slightest sparkle in my eye and skip in my step attracts his wrath and it all comes crashing ten fold. Life is just absolutely railing me from every single direction leaving me wanting to wave that white flag bc I don’t feel like there’s much hope no matter what happens. 
    • trents
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By trents · Posted

      Is this man the father of your children?
    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      Hi, I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis after years of suffering without answers. I lost my mind. I lost my job. I lost so much time. I lost Me. Conventional doctors are opulent come near me and the one who did sat across the room, misdiagnosed me, pumped me full of steroids which collapsed my entire hip for 6 months. So without answers I began my holistic journey. Fast forward a couple of years and still struggling with a mysterious whole body itchy, crawling “skin hell”, perfect teeth now deteriorating, thick hair now thinning rapidly and no more than a day or 2 at most relief….An acquaintance opened up a functional medicine practice. Cash only, I found a way. Within a month tests clearly showing my off the charts gluten allergy/sensitivity as well as the depletion of vital nutrients due to leaky gut and intestinal damage. dermatitis herpetiformis was more than likely what I was experiencing with my skin. I was happy. I thought this is easy, eat healthy Whole Foods, follow the diet restrictions and I finally get to heal and feel confident and like myself again very soon! 😔 Supplements are very pricey but I got them and began my healing. Which leads to the other major issue: not working, stay at home Mom of young kids, entirely financially dependent on my man of 7 plus years. He’s never been supportive of anything I’ve ever done or been thru. He controls everything. I’m not given much money ever at a time and when he does leave money it’s only enough to possibly get gas. His excuse is that I’ll spend it on other things. So my “allowance” is inconsistent and has conditions. He withholds money from me as punishment for anything he wants. Since being diagnosed, he’s gained a new control tactic to use as punishment. He now is in control of when I get to eat. He asked for proof of my diagnosis and diet bc he said I made it up just to be able to eat expensive organic foods. Then after I sent him my file from my doctor he then said she wasn’t a real doctor. 😡. I go days upon days starving, sometimes breaking down and eating things I shouldn’t bc I’m so sick then I pay horribly while he gets annoyed and angry bc I’m not keeping up with all the duties I’m supposed to be doing. His abuse turns full on when I’m down and it’s in these desperate times when I need his support and care the most that I’m punished with silence, being starved, ignored, belittled. He will create more of a mess just bc I’m unable to get up and clean so that when I am better, I’m so overwhelmed with chores to catch up that the stress causes me to go right back into a flare from hell and the cycle repeats. I’m punished for being sick. I’m belittled for starving and asking for healthy clean water. I’m purposely left out of his life. He won’t even tell me he’s going to the grocery or to get dinner bc he doesn’t want me to ask him for anything. I have no one. I have nothing. Im not better. My supplements ran out and I desperately need Vitamin D3 and a methylated B complex at the very minimal just to function….he stares at me blankly…no, a slight smirk, no words. He’s happiest when im miserable and I am miserable.  this is so long and im condensing as much as I can but this situation is so complicated and disgusting. And it’s currently my life. The “IT” girl, the healthy, beautiful, perfect skin, perfect teeth, thick and curly locks for days, creative and talented IT girl….now I won’t even leave this house bc Im ashamed of what this has dont to my body, my skin. Im disgusted. The stress is keeping me from healing and I think he knows that and that’s why he continues to keep me in that state. He doesn’t want me confident or successful. He doesn’t want me healed and healthy bc then how would he put the blame of all his problems on me? This journey has been hell and I’ve been in Hell before. I’ve been killed by an ex, I’ve been raped, robbed, held hostage, abused beyond nightmares but the cruelty I’ve experienced from him bc of this disease is the coldest I’ve ever experienced. I’ve wanted to give up. Starving and in tears, desperate…I found a local food pantry in our small town so I reached out just saying I had Celiac and was on hard times. This woman is blessing me daily with prepared gluten free meals, donations, educational info, people who know this disease and how they manage life and the blessings just keep coming. But it’s overwhelming and I feel like I don’t deserve it at all. He just glared and I know he’s going to sabotage it somehow. I don’t even know what to do anymore. I’m so broken and just want peace and healing. 
    • cristiana
      Ibuprofen

      By cristiana · Posted

      @Colleen H   I am just curious,  when you were tested for coeliac disease, did the doctors find out if you had any deficiencies? Sometimes muscle pain can be caused by certain deficiencies, for example, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium.   Might be worth looking into having some more tests.  Pins and needles can be neuropathy, again caused by deficiencies, such as iron and B12,  which can be reversed if these deficiencies are addressed. In the UK where I live we are usually only tested for iron, B12 and vitamin D deficiencies at diagnosis.   I was very iron anemic and supplementation made a big difference.  B12 was low normal, but in other countries the UK's low normal would be considered a deficiency.  My vitamin D was low normal, and I've been supplementing ever since (when I remember to take it!) My pins and needles definitely started to improve when my known deficiencies were addressed.  My nutritionist also gave me a broad spectrum supplement which really helped, because I suspect I wasn't just deficient in what I mention above but in many other vitamins and minerals.  But a word of warning, don't take iron unless blood tests reveal you actually need it, and if you are taking it your levels must be regularly monitored because too much can make you ill.  (And if you are currently taking iron, that might actually be making your stomach sore - it did mine, so my GP changed my iron supplementation to a gentler form, ferrous gluconate). Lastly, have you been trying to take anything to lessen the pain in your gut?  I get a sore stomach periodically, usually when I've had too much rich food, or when I have had to take an aspirin or certain antibiotics, or after glutening.  When this happens, I take for just a few days a small daily dose of OTC omeprazole.  I also follow a reflux or gastritis diet. There are lots online but the common denominators to these diets is you need to cut out caffeine, alcohol, rich, spicy, acidic food etc and eat small regularly spaced meals.   When I get a sore stomach, I also find it helpful to drink lots of water.  I also find hot water with a few slices of ginger very soothing to sip, or camomile tea.  A wedge pillow at night is good for reflux. Also,  best not to eat a meal 2-3 hours before going to bed. If the stomach pain is getting worse, though, it would be wise to see the doctor again. I hope some of this helps. Cristiana    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.