Can I Have Fructose Intolerance Too?

[jasonD2]

Is it possible that I am intolerant to fructose? I am trying to treat gastritis now and fruits seem to be irritating it. I had no fruit today and feel a bit better. If I have to cut out fruits and sugar now what am I going to do? I cant have gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and now fruits? im really running out of things to eat and my mother is worried sick because i already lost so much weight

[jackay]

You sound like my sibling. I tested intolerant to fructose along with so many other things. I'm lucky though to not have gastritis. Right now it's mostly bouts with insomnia and headaches along with continual muscle pain.

I'm trying to figure out how not lose more weight when I can eat so few things. Dairy, sugars and starches are what add up calories. I do feel I'm lucky to not feel hungry. I'm eating healthy so would be on the perfect diet if I was trying to lose weight.

Right now I'm trying dairy every four days. Just started that yesterday. I slept decent last night but my muscle pain is worse today. Will have to try it a few more times to figure out if dairy is really making the muscle pain worse.

Hang in there. I hope you're feeling better soon.

[jerseyangel]

Jason,

Honestly, you could--anything's possible. I had much the same experience as you did.....I went gluten-free and felt better almost immediately. Within a few months, my symptoms began to return just as bad as before. I was very frustrated, sick, and most of all confused as to why this was happening.

I tried using remedies and supplements that I read about others using--I was tested for a myriad of other conditions and was about at the end of my rope with the whole thing. I'd been sick for about 20 years and now I had an answer, I stuck to the diet religiously, and I still didn't feel much better. It impacted my life in many different ways. I would read here and elsewhere about people who went gluten-free, improved, and continued to improve until they were fine as long as they stayed gluten-free. It's so hard when you do all the right things and still don't feel well.

What I did was drop all supplements/vitamins/herbs/etc. That helped somewhat and then I was able to do an elimination diet to figure out what was really causing what. It was a process--but I was able to identify several foods that caused symptoms.

I completely cut those out for close to a year. In the case of dairy, I was off that for 5 years since it pre-dated the Celiac. I stayed away from most processed foods and went back to basics. I tried to vary my diet as much as possible with the restrictions I had. I was able to eat quite well, actually. At the beginning, I would have bad days, but they gradually got less and less. There was a lot of trial and error, but eventually I got to a place where I had many more good days than bad. I stayed strict with my diet for another 2 years and this past summer I challenged a few things.

I can now tolerate dairy quite well. I still can not tolerate tapioca but have been able to add peanut butter back in. The point is that there is light at the end of the tunnel but you have to get to a "base" for yourself and I think that the first step is eliminating all of the supplements and things. (I'm not talking about any prescriptions from a doctor)

Sometimes it seems like everything you eat is causing problems and if you feel sick at a given time, it's natural to think that the last thing you ate is what is causing it but that's not always the case. I tend to suspect something that you are taking in every day.

[jasonD2]

Is it necessary to cut out all supplements? I feel that I need some to improve...i.e. probiotics, certain vitamins, etc. i was just tested for nutritional deficiencies and i suspect that i have quite a few- my doc will want to address those and even incorporate IV treatments into the mix. Glad you made progress..maybe theres hope for me too but i just dont want to suffer for another 10 yrs, did that already ..i want to salvage whats left of my life, heal (mentally & physically) and start living again

[sandsurfgirl]

I would drop supplements for awhile too and then add one at a time and see how you feel. Do one supplement for like 4 or 5 days before you try another one. Supplements can really mess you up if you are mixing too many of them and they can have side effects just like drugs can, especially if they contain herbs. You have to be very careful with them. For instance, I know you wanted to add enzymes to your program. Digestive enzymes sent me to the ER one time. They really caused me major stomache problems. When my doc looked them up in his big giant pharmaceuticals book, every enzyme had the EXACT possible side effect of gastric distress that it's supposed to cure. Herbs, vitamins and supplements are drugs just like a medication. Some vitamins can be poisonous if you get too much of them.

Also, I've been reading your posts and I'm concerned that when you feel something is hard to digest or you get an upset stomache you think that you are intolerant of that food. You have cut down your diet so drastically that maybe you aren't getting enough nutrients from the food you are consuming.

With the damage we have to our intestines from celiac, I think that sometimes things might be just difficult to digest at times. People who don't have celiac disease or food intolerances get indigestion, gas pains, etc. so it's important to be careful and realize when you are really having a reaction to a food, repeatedly with the same food and when you are just having normal discomforts.

I only know what I've read from some of your posts and I may be totally wrong, but it's a thought that has occurred to me. Please know that I'm trying to be helpful and not critical here. It's very hard to get tone across in a written message. I feel very bad that you are having such a hard time.

[jasonD2]

Thanks for the input

what about supplements like probiotics? i feel like I really need them. only other supplements im on now are licorice for the indigestion, also taking a supplement called IgG 2000 which is a non dairy version of colostrum. also drinking marshmallow root tea and milk thistle tea for liver support since one of my enzymes has been slightly elevated...aside from that just sublingual B12/folate and magnesium to prevent constipation

[sandsurfgirl]

Thanks for the input

what about supplements like probiotics? i feel like I really need them. only other supplements im on now are licorice for the indigestion, also taking a supplement called IgG 2000 which is a non dairy version of colostrum. also drinking marshmallow root tea and milk thistle tea for liver support since one of my enzymes has been slightly elevated...aside from that just sublingual B12/folate and magnesium to prevent constipation

I pulled this off of WebMD.

"Milk thistle is LIKELY SAFE for most adults. Milk thistle sometimes causes a laxative effect. Other less common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, intestinal gas, bloating, fullness or pain, and loss of appetite."

I got this on Licorice

"The side effects associated with licorice use include water retention, stomach pain, headache, shortness of breath and joint stiffness. Hypertension (high blood pressure) has also been associated with long term use of licorice at higher doses. The side effects do seem to be dose dependent, with smaller doses having less, or no, side effects. Licorice should not be used in conjunction with diuretics or digitalis glycoside heart medications. Due to the tendency to raise blood pressure and blood glucose levels, this herb should not be used by those with diabetes or hypertension. Persons with cirrhosis of the liver or impaired liver function should also avoid this herb."

You just can't decipher what is causing you problems at this point. Maybe you can find a diary free probiotic and ONLY do that one for now. If the doc wants you to do the sublingual B vitamin then stay with that too.

Have you done a true elimination diet yet where you go down to a very simple diet free of major allergens. Then after about 2 weeks you start challenging one food at a time every 4 days?

I think that you are reading so much information and your head is swimming. I've been there where you are and tried many things at once and gotten sick from it. I had no idea what was making me worse and I had to back off and start fresh. Clear your mind of all the confusing info and just make it simple.

I truly believe that you are not getting enough nutrition from your food because your diet is not varied enough at this point. I would focus on finding foods that cause you the LEAST discomfort. At this point some discomfort might be a factor for awhile until you get healing.

You have been gluten light for 2 years, but only truly gluten free for 3 months right? If you have been experimenting with herbs and supplements it's really tough to tell what's going on with you. Your docs most likely won't know about those things, so it's up to you to cut it all out and then slowly slowly try one thing at a time and decipher what is happening.

It's a starting place at least.

[jasonD2]

Thanks

My probiotics are dairy and gluten free

As for the foods I basically eat the same thing over and over again w/ little variety..mainly because all the foods i dont eat give me some kind of problem. I would like to mix it up a bit, but really need to find out why im not healing and tackle that. my doc wants to give me IV nutrients so hopefully that will jump start the healing process. i know im not getting enough vitamin C...when i try to supplement or eat fruits it upsets my GI

[jerseyangel]

Glad you made progress..maybe theres hope for me too but i just dont want to suffer for another 10 yrs, did that already

This is why I said what I did. Yes, I did make progress--after 20 years of trying to figure it out and the better part of another 5 getting to this point. I hate to see you taking remedies that, while perfectly good and helpful for some, are very possibly the things that are still irritating and upsetting you.

To this day I have yet to find a probiotic that agrees with me--they all cause some degree of nausea. That's one example--just because a supplement is touted as being helpful, it does not mean that 1) you need it and 2) it will agree with you. Maybe at some point in the future it may but right now if I were you I would begin by stopping them all.

I worry that you have whittled your diet down to so few foods--instead of relying on pills to help you absorb, digest, etc--why not give your system a chance do what it is supposed to do--gluten-free and from the get-go. I also have a problem with elevated liver enzymes, I have answered your other threads on that subject. Instead of giving your liver more to deal with, why not try more nutritious foods instead? Try one new thing at a time, simple well cooked whole foods.

As sandsurfgirl has very accurately pointed out, there are always side effects--even to supposedly healthy herbs and supplements. Please don't think that I'm anti-supplement--I now take a good multi vitamin, vitamin D, and calcium. It took a while for me to get to the point where I felt I could tolerate them--and certainly not before I was on an even keel with the diet.

[jasonD2]

Didnt even occur to me but is it possible the probiotics ive been taking are whats causing me to not feel well? they are supposed to help but is it possible they are causing harm?

[Maggie Mermaid]

It's possible to have Fructose Intolerance although you could just be reacting because your digestive system is extremely sensitive right now. In Janice Vickerstaff Joneja's book "Dealing with Food Allergies", the fruits allowed in the Disaccharide-free diet are: Berries (fresh or frozen in their own juice); cherry, currants, damson plums, raw figs, guava, grapes, grape juice, kiwi fruit, lemon, lime & passion fruit. Maybe try blueberries every other day for a week and see how your body reacts.

My husband initially couldn't eat certain fruits and over time, as his gut healed, he was able to eat fruits he couldn't eat earlier.

Also, as for probiotics, there is definitely coconut milk (which non-dairy) kefir (and maybe goat milk) available if you can tolerate coconut or goat milk. I switched to the coconut milk kefir from regular (cow's milk) kefir and noticed a difference. I'm starting to think I might have a casein sensitivity or allergy too.

Temporarily giving up the supplements and adding them back in one at a time could be helpful in pin-pointing possible interactions. It's also possible if your supplements have a corn-starch or rice-starch component as a filler, that you could be reacting to that as well.

Good luck, it takes time to find our way.

[sandsurfgirl]

Didnt even occur to me but is it possible the probiotics ive been taking are whats causing me to not feel well? they are supposed to help but is it possible they are causing harm?

It's totally pausible. There is also a condition you can get from too many probiotics called bacteremia where the probiotics become toxic because you have overpopulated your system. I'm not saying you have that at all, just sharing that even probiotics can cause you troubles.

Honestly I am not a believer in self medicating with herbs. I've hurt myself too many times and seen others hurt themselves too. I only take herbs under the direction of my acupuncturist and I'm really picky about who I will go to. The guy I see is like 4th generation, trained in China and has a full herbal pharmacy. I won't even take vitamins that have herbs in them. Too many chances for problems and you don't need to take any herbs everyday for months or years on end in a vitamin.

Your struggles and symptoms aren't adding up so you have to start at square one.

I am really amazed at your diligence and your ability to cut down on all these foods and things. Now take that diligence and be slow and patient with your body.

The IV nutrients from the doc sounds like a very good idea. Cut everything else and just do that. Eat the foods you know don't bother you for a few days. Then when you are ready introduce ONE new food. ONE easy to digest vegetable. Then 2 or 3 or 4 days later do ONE more new vegetable.

Good ones to start with if you are avoiding any of these would be zucchini squash or any sort of squash, carrots, sweet potatoes. Those are packed with nutrients and are generally not allergenic.

Funny thing, when my son was a baby I had to do this for breastfeeding him. He was very ill, so I cut out all supplements and went down to basic foods and did this elimination diet for him. I was so focused on his symptoms and reactions to nursing that I wasn't paying any attention to myself and my own reactions to things. I wish I had been able to make the gluten connection back then.

[mushroom]

The only thing I would add is that this is a very individual journey you are taking. No one can take it for you or even travel the same path, because we all react so totally differently to different things. You alone will have to experiment and discover for yourself what YOUR body likes and dislikes, and this may change over time. You have to be in tune with your body, and you can't get that way by throwing dozens of different things at it and hoping. You have to be systematic, log it in, see if it works, if it doesn't ditch it and cross it off (for now). It can maybe be added back in later. Get to the point where you are consuming ONLY those things that work before you start adding anything in, and then ONLY ONE at a time.

And by the way, 15 lbs is not to fret over. If it were 50 I would be more concerned, but you could gain that back in a month with a healed gut. So worry about the gut and not the pounds. And it's your body, nor your mom's. So even though she's concerned, do what you have to do and tell her to be patient, that it will happen in its own good time.

[jackay]

JasonD2,

I agree that you need to listen to your body. I'm still trying to figure mine out. I do know that I have had very negative reaction to herbal supplements. I cannot tolerate licorie. Milk thistle makes me nauseous.

Even with basic foods that are suppose to be easy to digest, you have to be careful. Zucchini is one that I'm extremely intolerant to. There really seems to be no rhyme or reason with me. I am thinking of starting with just one food for a day and ever few days add another one. I'm going to discuss this with my doctor before trying it.

I currently take probiotics and never thought I could be over using them. That's something for me to think about, too.

Good luck! I know it's hard to not get concerned about every little thing when you are feeling miserable and losing weight.

Keep us posted with the IV nutrients.

[jasonD2]

Out of curiosity what actually happens when you eat zucchini and other foods you are intolerant to?

[mushroom]

Out of curiosity what actually happens when you eat zucchini and other foods you are intolerant to?

I know I'm butting into a private conversation here, but what is important is what happens to your body when you eat zucchini

[jerseyangel]

Didnt even occur to me but is it possible the probiotics ive been taking are whats causing me to not feel well? they are supposed to help but is it possible they are causing harm?

It is entirely possible. The only way to tell for sure is to omit and start from scratch. A simple food log is very helpful for begining to recognize a pattern and to pinpoint any reactions.

[woodnewt]

Is it possible that I am intolerant to fructose? I am trying to treat gastritis now and fruits seem to be irritating it. I had no fruit today and feel a bit better. If I have to cut out fruits and sugar now what am I going to do? I cant have gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and now fruits? im really running out of things to eat and my mother is worried sick because i already lost so much weight

It is more likely the gastritis is causing your gut to be irritated by fruit. You may just be having a hard time with fruit right now and your gut needs some time to heal. When your gut's inflamed almost anything, even things you should be able to tolerate it, can agitate it.

I couldn't eat any fruit (and a lot of other food) for several months without getting sick and even what I could eat was making me sick. Now my gut has healed to the point where I am fine with fruit and many other foods.

Were you eating a lot of fruit? I really don't think too much fruit is good for anyone, celiac disease or no.

[jasonD2]

How did you heal your gut?

Also this may sound nuts, but I did a very light workout today which included some weight lifting and for the rest of the day I have had bad heartburn and indigestion. I havent worked out in months because of this, but thought i would try again today. could gastritis cause this as well? Lifting weights is my only chance at putting on some weight now and I feel like i cant even do that

[woodnewt]

How did you heal your gut?

Time, I suppose. I am still not totally well but I feel so much better than I did several months ago. My entire lifestyle has changed: I removed all gluten cross-contaminated products (and there were a lot I was using/eating), turned our household completely gluten free, no more canned, frozen, packaged or processed foods, no eating out, everything cooked from scratch.

[jasonD2]

So you never eat out? I haven't eaten in a restaurant in months but I will probably have to in February. My company is having their annual sales meeting and they all go out to dinner every night. If I don't go with them it won't look good and people are going to make fun of me

[jackay]

So you never eat out? I haven't eaten in a restaurant in months but I will probably have to in February. My company is having their annual sales meeting and they all go out to dinner every night. If I don't go with them it won't look good and people are going to make fun of me

If people make fun of you for not eating with them, that is their problem, not yours. Hopefully you can arrange ahead of time for gluten free meals.

I have not eaten out since I have gone gluten free. When I eat at someone elses house, I take with my own precooked foods. It is a hassle but necessary. I will be traveling to my brother's house for two days this week. Tommorrow I will be planning and cooking what I will be taking with.

I haven't heard yet that others don't accept what I am doing. It isn't hurting them any.

[woodnewt]

So you never eat out? I haven't eaten in a restaurant in months but I will probably have to in February. My company is having their annual sales meeting and they all go out to dinner every night. If I don't go with them it won't look good and people are going to make fun of me

That is correct. I do not eat out.

[sandsurfgirl]

If people make fun of you for not eating with them, that is their problem, not yours. Hopefully you can arrange ahead of time for gluten free meals.

I have not eaten out since I have gone gluten free. When I eat at someone elses house, I take with my own precooked foods. It is a hassle but necessary. I will be traveling to my brother's house for two days this week. Tommorrow I will be planning and cooking what I will be taking with.

I haven't heard yet that others don't accept what I am doing. It isn't hurting them any.

In an ideal world that's true, but sadly depending on the business you are in, it's not always the case. The culture of the company and the business can often dictate that you must dine out and that's the way it is. You can complain all you want, but it won't get you ahead in your job.

I'm sure that if you arrange ahead you will find things to eat.

[lynnelise]

I agree it's probably the gastritis/duodenitis that is causing fruit to hurt your stomach. I've suffered from both and 90% of the time it felt like boiling acid was going to explode out of my stomach! I mentioned before my doctor gave me Carafate which helped to heal my stomach lining. I started feeling better within a couple of weeks.

I also wanted to mention I was taking milk thistle to help me recover from mono and it was causing me terrible pains in my right side. I went on vacation and forgot to take it while I was gone and the pain went away. Started back at home and the pain started back. I might eliminate it for now just to be safe!