Started Gluten-free Diet, Now Can't Tolerate Any Alcohol

[theshadguy]

About 2 months ago I began a gluten-free diet, and I've mostly been "clean" since then. One thing I have noticed is whenever I drink alcohol now I get sharp pains and usually have to go to the bathroom quite suddenly.

This is new to me. Before, I could drink any alcohol (in moderation of course, I'm a slim person and it doesn't take too much for me) and be OK. 6 beers was about my limit, although the next day, due to the gluten content, I'd usually have the gurgles in my stomach, etc. This is not the same as I experience now.

Obviously going gluten free means no more beer, so I've been drinking different liquors (vodka, rum, whiskey) and making sure to check they are gluten free as well. And I'm also minding what I mix with (usually just soda or juice).

Anyway, this has been happening more and more lately (at first it wouldn't happen every weekend I drank, but usually now it happens every time I drink). Even just having one or two drinks will set it off. I'll have a drink or two, go to bed, and then about 2 hours later I'll wake up with the pains, and have to go to the bathroom quite urgently. It feels like it's not really my stomach, but further "along" if you know what I mean.

So I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. It kind of really sucks, as I'm a younger person who enjoys casually drinking. Not being able to drink beer when I went gluten free was a pain, but this makes things a lot worse. The only thing I can think of to be causing it is I've cut gluten out of my diet (although that doesn't really make sense to me, knowing what I do about Celiac and the intestines, etc).

Any help would be nice!

[JillianLindsay]

While healing a lot of people experience increased intolerances to other foods, alcohol, caffeine, etc. It's possible that if you give your body a break from alcohol while it heals, you will be able to consume it just fine in the future. I had to give up coffee for similar reasons and many people cut out dairy for a while and are able to add it back in later.

About 2 months ago I began a gluten-free diet, and I've mostly been "clean" since then. One thing I have noticed is whenever I drink alcohol now I get sharp pains and usually have to go to the bathroom quite suddenly.

This is new to me. Before, I could drink any alcohol (in moderation of course, I'm a slim person and it doesn't take too much for me) and be OK. 6 beers was about my limit, although the next day, due to the gluten content, I'd usually have the gurgles in my stomach, etc. This is not the same as I experience now.

Obviously going gluten free means no more beer, so I've been drinking different liquors (vodka, rum, whiskey) and making sure to check they are gluten free as well. And

[JillianLindsay]

Sorry, I hit my spacebar and it sent the message in the middle of it lol

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Welcome to the forum

While healing a lot of people experience increased intolerances to other foods, alcohol, caffeine, etc. It's possible that if you give your body a break from alcohol while it heals, you will be able to consume it just fine in the future. I had to give up coffee for similar reasons and many people cut out dairy for a while and are able to add it back in later.

As difficult as it may be, I would suggest (as a fellow celiac, not as an expert) giving up alcohol for 3-6 months (give it up for 3, try one drink and see how you react. If you react, go another 3 months, etc). Then try slowly adding it back in and see how you tolerate it. When I was sick (prior to diagnosis) I basically went 8 months without a single drink due to feeling so very ill.

If you're out clubbing and order a sprite or coke no one needs to know that it doesn't have alcohol in it. I'm only 26 myself and found it didn't actually make much of a difference to my social life to cut out alcohol

You can always talk to your DR about it, but s/he may just say "well if it makes you sick then stop drinking it" lol. The good news is you will probably be able to drink again in the future, the bad news is that it may be further in the future than you'd like.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

Jillian

About 2 months ago I began a gluten-free diet, and I've mostly been "clean" since then. One thing I have noticed is whenever I drink alcohol now I get sharp pains and usually have to go to the bathroom quite suddenly.

This is new to me. Before, I could drink any alcohol (in moderation of course, I'm a slim person and it doesn't take too much for me) and be OK. 6 beers was about my limit, although the next day, due to the gluten content, I'd usually have the gurgles in my stomach, etc. This is not the same as I experience now.

Obviously going gluten free means no more beer, so I've been drinking different liquors (vodka, rum, whiskey) and making sure to check they are gluten free as well. And I'm also minding what I mix with (usually just soda or juice).

Anyway, this has been happening more and more lately (at first it wouldn't happen every weekend I drank, but usually now it happens every time I drink). Even just having one or two drinks will set it off. I'll have a drink or two, go to bed, and then about 2 hours later I'll wake up with the pains, and have to go to the bathroom quite urgently. It feels like it's not really my stomach, but further "along" if you know what I mean.

So I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. It kind of really sucks, as I'm a younger person who enjoys casually drinking. Not being able to drink beer when I went gluten free was a pain, but this makes things a lot worse. The only thing I can think of to be causing it is I've cut gluten out of my diet (although that doesn't really make sense to me, knowing what I do about Celiac and the intestines, etc).

Any help would be nice!