Boyfriend Is Having Reactions...

[leadmeastray88]

Just a quick question...

I've been noticing that my boyfriend has started having some kind of reaction...like frequent D, stomach aches, fatigue and whatnot.

He has been largely eating gluten-free because my house is completely gluten-free and his family is partially gluten-free because they do the "Eat Right For Your Blood Type" and 2 of them are O.

So, could he just be sensitive to gluten simply because he hasn't been eating a lot of it lately? Or do you think this is something he should look into as a possible intolerance?

I told him to go to the doc but he's completely doctor-phobic, and he says he'll only go once there's an "actual problem". He admires my health journey but for some reason doesn't seem to care about his own, and I'm concerned.

Any thoughts?

[Foxfire62]

He can get gene-tested, if he's that paranoid. Otherwise, remind him of the implications of having the disease and not doing anything about it. I was 45 when diagnosed, and lately, my recovery has been extremely difficult. In fact, I am hypoglycemic and need protein to cope, but I can't properly digest protein at this time because my intestines are not yet healed. Not only that, but I suffer from difficiencies because my intestines are not yet healed. I'm closing in on being a year diagnosed, and my intestinal villi went from severe blunting to mild blunting. Although I'm getting there, I'm still having problems. I'm currently on short-term disability because of recent problems, and this is costing me.

Let him know, should he, indeed, have it and wait until he is diagnosed with problems, the older you are, the harder it is to recover. I'm fortunate that I don't have refractory celiac sprue, but if he does nothing, he might end up that way.

Good luck convincing him.

[leadmeastray88]

Thanks for your reply.

I know getting him to go is going to be like pulling teeth. I know I'll have some convincing to do and perhaps telling him what the complications would be of anything undiagnosed would work.

What I really wanted to know though is if it's possible to develop an intolerance to something simply by not eating it for awhile?

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks for your reply.

I know getting him to go is going to be like pulling teeth. I know I'll have some convincing to do and perhaps telling him what the complications would be of anything undiagnosed would work.

What I really wanted to know though is if it's possible to develop an intolerance to something simply by not eating it for awhile?

It is quite likely that he does have an issue with gluten. Symptoms often become more pronounced upon exposure when we eliminate it. If he is really doctor phobic what he might consider doing is going strictly gluten free for a bit and then challenge gluten by eating a full gluten diet for at least a week, if he can last that long.

As far as I know, and I am not a medical professional, an intolerance is not going to be brought on by not eating something for a while and then having it again unless the intolerance was always there to begin with.