Am I Eating Gluten Or...?

[SteveW]

Hi

Finally after 3 months of tests and a positive Celiac diagnoses I've gone 100% gluten-free. For the past 3 weeks I have felt a little better. But this week I feel myself getting worse again ?

The only thing I've added to my very limited diet is 2 plain spices that are suppose to be gluten-free-and a calcium sup(Doctors orders).

I thinks it's the Calcium supplements that are the culprit. They are labeled Wheat,Rye,Oat and Gluten Free-but my stomach goes ballistic as soon as I swallow them(tried 3 kinds). I won't go into what happens next but let's ust say it was my worse bathroom issue ever. My intestinal attacks were never that bad before.

So do you think there

[tarnalberry]

well, after checking with both the spice companies and the calcium manufacturer, it could just be the calcium. it can be hard on your stomach - particularly if you take it on an empty one. you don't say which end of the spectrum the "worst bathroom issue ever" was, but even in healthy individuals, calcium supplements can be constipating. (ironically, magnesium has the opposite effect, and almost no calcium supplements have enough magnesium, which is a shame for celiacs, because one of the studies I came across recently showed that magnesium is even more important - bone density wise - than calcium for celiacs.)

just a couple thoughts...

tiffany

[SteveW]

you don't say which end of the spectrum the "worst bathroom issue ever" was,

It was diarrhea,stomach pains that went on for 4 hours.

There was no Magnesium listed in the Calcium sup.

Thanks for your reply

[dclark519]

Hi from what I understand, calcium citrate is supposed to be easy on the stomach rather than just calcium, and also the frustration of this diet and disease can cause anxiety which as you probably know, can make a serious bathroom trip. My dietician said this is the 2nd hardest diet in the world. It can take 6 mos. to a year to heal from the lifelong damage. Are you keeping a food diary? good luck!

[midnightjewel40]

Hi steve i have the same problems with certain vitamins maybe you should just increase you calcium intack by foods like sardines and tuna any fish with edable bones brocoli etc and make sure you have some dairy products like cheese i have these (i cant drink milk as it reacts with me) hope this helps

[natalieb]

That is so weird because I too just had a relapse with my celiac and I swear that the calcium was to blame. I have called the drug company to have them tell me if gluten is in it but gee...what a surprise...the girl on the other end didn't know, she would get back to me. It has been over a week. Needless to say, I have not taken the calcium and started taking the liquid coral calcium that has been in my firdge and I feel fine. I t also has all the magnesium you need. I read the label on the coral calcium and the ingredients are clear cut. That bottle of calcium had ingredients that confused me and obviously the company. Next time your in a healthfood store, (a good health food store), see if they have the liquid coral calcium. I'm not sick after going back on it and ditching the pills. It is very pricey though thats the only thing. I would ask my doc first before doing that however. Take care. I know how you feel.

[wildones]

Hi from what I understand, calcium citrate is supposed to be easy on the stomach rather than just calcium,  and also the frustration of this diet and disease can cause anxiety which as you probably know, can make a serious bathroom trip.

I don't think you were saying that the stress and anxiety could be causing/exaserbating his "bathroom problems" , but it sounded that way in your post. All of us know how frustrating that is to hear , when you know that it is a reaction to gluten or another food that is causing the problem !!!

Lorraine

[nthei]

Hello SteveW! I just want you to know you are not alone. I'm a newbee, two weeks in, I'm doing my very very best to be gluten-free. I believe I'm doing a good job. I felt better for the first week, then I have had small episodes(mostly flatulence(gee that is embarassing), nothing as compared to what I would get eating gluten, but I must say I do get frustrated, scared and confused and wonder, "am I getting cross contamination or something that I just don't realize contains gluten" or is it that it just takes some time for my body to completely (or as close to complete as I can get be symptom free). Seems like every time I turn around, oops that has gluten in it or it's cross contaminated. When I call manufactuterers, they swear up and down that their product, itself, is gluten-free, BUT they can't guarantee that their packing plant, shipping co., etc. doesn't have wheat flying around?????? VERY FRUSTRATING My doctor tells me that I'm may get that no matter what because they know I'm a paralegal (which I don't advertise, however I keep the same hours they do, so when they call me back, they get me at the firm). I guess it would make sense, seeing as how I'm 35 and have ate gluten all this time and had years upon years of the Oh, it's stress, IBS, ulcers, etc, etc., diagnoses. I guess I shouldn't be expecting too much for two weeks. I wish you good luck and hope for speedy relief of your symptoms. I know this isn't much in the way of advice, but know you are not alone. Your post actually helps me, because I have had these same thoughts.

We are going make it and feel better! Keep the faith!

Have a great day!

Christine

[SteveW]

Thanks Christine

Wow I forgot about this post

3 months go by fast!

Just to update I still can't take Cal sups in pill form. I taking Coral calcium and seem to be tolerating it.

I just found out that in addition to Celiac Sprue I also have a 90% chance I have Crohns

Blood work shows 85% chance of IBD-Crohns and that with a biopsy taken during my colonoscopy brings it around 90%.Lucky me.

This would explain not getting better on the diet alone. I