Gluten Free Food Making Me Worse

[Apache]

I'm new here and I'm glad I found this site. This is going to be lengthy, but I think I need to give some history before getting to my question.

I was diagnosed with intestinal candida about a year ago and I was able to self diagnose leaky gut syndrome from there. I went on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for about four months and found some relief from my digestive issues, except that my lower abdomen always seemed to hurt from all the meat that I was eating. I have an intolerance to eggs, gluten, and casein/whey. The egg intolerance limited me even more on this diet and I was always having to eat lunch/dinner type food for breakfast. That usually ment a chicken breast or even a small steak. All this meat seemed to always sit in my gut and cause mild pain around my colon area. The whole time I was taking Nystatin, anti-fungal herbs, and probiotics. It was around last Thanksgiving(U.S. holiday) that I decided to try some normal food and I did fine with it. I slowly started coming off the Specific Carb diet by eating regular food, but still avoiding eggs, dairy, and sweets. I was doing fairly well, but my loose, fatty stools came back. My doctor said a my pancreatic surgery that I had twenty-two years ago may have left me with pancreatic insufficiency. He tried me on digestive enzymes and they caused a bad inflammation reaction. Then he gave me some antibiotics to take just to see if I had bacteria in my gut. I didn't take them because I didn't like the idea of doing so without knowing if it was necessary. I should mention that I have been underweight and unable to gain weight for years. I would like to do a hydrogen breath test, but I can't afford it right now.

Now that I've given some history I can get to my question. In an attempt to hopefully put on some weight and correct my loose stools, I recently started on a gluten/dairy/egg free diet. I'm eating carbs that don't contain any of these ingredients. I've been eating quinoa for breakfast and my stomache has been bloated from the first bowl. There is pain in both my right and left lower abdomen, just like I was getting from all the meat on the Specific Carb diet. I don't know if the other things I've been eating are causing this as well and I'm going to stop eating quinoa to find out. It also seems that my hairloss has increased as if I'm having an immune system reaction to something.

Can anybody suggest why I was handling bread and spaghetti better than I'm handling quinoa? It's supposed to be super healthy and allergen free.

[Wolicki]

I had a very similar reaction to all gluten free grains. It was secondary intolerances that were temporary while my intestines were healing. Perhaps this is your problem, too? I couldn't tolerate any grains without a lot of pain and bloat.

As for the problem with meats, maybe it is low stomach acid? I had that problem too. Just a thought.

[soblessed128]

Thank you for this post. I have been having issues with candida for months now. The only thing I seem to be able to tolerate is Rice and high carbs and I certains carbs I always wondered why. I recently had blood in my stool. after eating some meat and salad. It did not stop until I ate some carbs. Thank you. I will try the specific carb diet. It is nice to know others are like me.

[Apache]

Thank you for this post. I have been having issues with candida for months now. The only thing I seem to be able to tolerate is Rice and high carbs and I certains carbs I always wondered why. I recently had blood in my stool. after eating some meat and salad. It did not stop until I ate some carbs. Thank you. I will try the specific carb diet. It is nice to know others are like me.

It seems like I don't do well with food and supplements that are supposed to help. I once tried Perfect Food from Garden of Life and had a terrible reaction to it. My hair-eyebrows, facial hair, and head hair-was falling out like crazy for two weeks after taking this supplement. Probiotics have caused me to have gallbladder inflammation that no doctors have been able to figure out why. Meat has never caused me to have blood in my stool, but recently quinoa has, where as bread, potatoes, pasta, etc. have not.

I hate being me!

[mushroom]

It seems like I don't do well with food and supplements that are supposed to help. I once tried Perfect Food from Garden of Life and had a terrible reaction to it. My hair-eyebrows, facial hair, and head hair-was falling out like crazy for two weeks after taking this supplement. Probiotics have caused me to have gallbladder inflammation that no doctors have been able to figure out why. Meat has never caused me to have blood in my stool, but recently quinoa has, where as bread, potatoes, pasta, etc. have not.

I hate being me!

Don't hate being you Just accept that your body reacts differently from other peoples' and that what applies to them does not necessarily apply to you. I have had adverse reactions to things that were supposed to help me too. Like sublingual B12 - it made me break out in acne which I had never had in my life before. Another supplement I took gave me this humungous rash on my forehead the next day. I reached the point where I reduced my supplements to the minimum I needed to get well. If I was tested as being low in something I found a way to take it; if it was just someone's bright idea, I said "No thanks".

We all get to know our own bodies pretty well after a while, well.... sometimes it takes a year or two of trial and error, but we get there. Don't give in because you are probably on the right path; it's just those little forks in the path along the way where sometimes we don't know which one to take. But we can always backtrack

[Apache]

Don't hate being you Just accept that your body reacts differently from other peoples' and that what applies to them does not necessarily apply to you. I have had adverse reactions to things that were supposed to help me too. Like sublingual B12 - it made me break out in acne which I had never had in my life before. Another supplement I took gave me this humungous rash on my forehead the next day. I reached the point where I reduced my supplements to the minimum I needed to get well. If I was tested as being low in something I found a way to take it; if it was just someone's bright idea, I said "No thanks".

We all get to know our own bodies pretty well after a while, well.... sometimes it takes a year or two of trial and error, but we get there. Don't give in because you are probably on the right path; it's just those little forks in the path along the way where sometimes we don't know which one to take. But we can always backtrack

It's just so frustrating because the things that are supposed to make me better don't, and often just make me worse. This leaves me not knowing where to turn. Nobody can give me answers on how to get better because I react poorly to things that work for other people. I haven't been able to work in nearly a year and I need to get well.

[mushroom]

It's just so frustrating because the things that are supposed to make me better don't, and often just make me worse. This leaves me not knowing where to turn. Nobody can give me answers on how to get better because I react poorly to things that work for other people. I haven't been able to work in nearly a year and I need to get well.

I know, honey, I know!. It is so frustrating having to figure things out for yourself, especially when you are not feeling your best.

Can you go back to a really, really basic diet, excluding any grains for now, especially the gluten substitute grains because a lot of us have problems when we start subbing in these different grains. Without having your previous posts in front of me, I am having trouble remembering what you said you were eating - no gluten, eggs, dairy, having trouble with quinoa?? Can you do a rice, applesauce, banana, veggie (no nightshades - peppers, tomatoes, potatoes), fish, turkey, root vegetable (carrots, turnips, rutabagas, etc.) type diet and see if you feel all right with that? If you do, then you can add things back in one at a time and see what happens. Avoid the hard to digest things like broccoli, cauliflower, apple skins, etc.

Have you had any follow-up candida testing to be sure that you are rid of it? I recall you said you reacted badly to digestive enzymes. have you been taking dairy free probiotics or are those a problem for you too? (I hate this new forum format where I can't go back and look this up myself:() We have to get you on a stable diet where you are comfortable before you are going to make any progress (and at this point it doesn't matter for now if it is not totally dietary complete - just that you don't react to it). Root vegetable stews are very nourishing and quite yummy, especially with some parsnips thrown in, and the white fish would give you good protein. Are you able to handle some ground flaxseed to give you some omega 3's? Just thinking out loud here. Get back to us with some answers and we can go from there.

[mushroom]

After I went back and reread your initial post, I see that you were handling breads and spaghetti quite well; it was the introduction of quinoa that precipitated the problem. I would definitely advise eliminating that and avoiding as many grains as you can except for rice and whatever else is in your basic bread recipe. Gluten free grains are known to be hard on damaged digestive tracts and best avoided for the first few months (like six). It does not matter if you eat breakfast for lunch, or dinner for breakfast, just so long as you get good nutrition. Toast and fruit for breakfast is just fine. So is a ham sandwich . I often used to eat cold pizza for breakfast way back when. Just eat what makes you feel good and quit eating anything that makes you feel bad. Keep a food diary so you can keep track of how you are reacting to foods, if you can find a pattern, because sometimes the reaction is not immediate.

Keep coming back with questions and we will keep trying to find answers.

[Apache]

After I went back and reread your initial post, I see that you were handling breads and spaghetti quite well; it was the introduction of quinoa that precipitated the problem. I would definitely advise eliminating that and avoiding as many grains as you can except for rice and whatever else is in your basic bread recipe. Gluten free grains are known to be hard on damaged digestive tracts and best avoided for the first few months (like six). It does not matter if you eat breakfast for lunch, or dinner for breakfast, just so long as you get good nutrition. Toast and fruit for breakfast is just fine. So is a ham sandwich . I often used to eat cold pizza for breakfast way back when. Just eat what makes you feel good and quit eating anything that makes you feel bad. Keep a food diary so you can keep track of how you are reacting to foods, if you can find a pattern, because sometimes the reaction is not immediate.

Keep coming back with questions and we will keep trying to find answers.

You're right. I should just eat things that don't cause a bad reaction. I'm going to do that. Maybe my damaged digestive tract is the reason I couldn't tolerate Perfect Food. Ezekial bread is also a major problem for me. Maybe it's all the sprouted grains that I have a problem with. I want to get better so badly. I've had digestive problems since I was a kid and I'm now 33. The problems have gotten worse in the last two years or so. I've been trying to get it all figured out for about ten years. I feel that whatever is preventing me gaining weight is also what is causing so many other issues for me. I'm a male at 5'9" and only weight 135 pounds. When I was 14 years old I was about 5'6" and weight a healthy 145. When I was in my twenties I was eating fast food all the time and getting about 4,000 calories a day, but I couldn't gain a single pound. I know some people may think that's a blessing, but us men want to have a strong looking physique.

I've tried other probiotics. Sometimes I do okay with the old formula from Garden of Life. I can't remember what it's called now. It's non dairy, but the Specific Carb diet warns of certain probiotic strains as well as FOS, and this particular brand has all those things. PB8 was the brand that caused me to have gallbladder inflammation, and that one is derived from dairy. One problem I have is that everything I take causes me to get liver conjestion rather quickly and I never can keep going with anything. Maybe if I find the right things to eat it will help with that. My liver tests always come back normal, but I think it's very sluggish.

I do need to have another candida test done, but I can't afford it right now. I've been out of work for a long time and my savings are just about gone. Hopefully I can get back to work and get tested again. I want to do a comprehensive digestive stool analysis which will check for candida, bacteria, and digestive efficiency. I am concerned that I may have SIBO, but I usually tolerate fiber fairly well, so that may not be the case.

So you think it's okay for me to have regular bread? I'll have to look into the gluten free one that was mentioned in a different reply. I've been eating peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast for months now. That's one of my favorite things to eat.

Thank you.

[Apache]

I understand your situation and its really hard coping with those allergies and illness for eating specific foods. I only am intolerant to gluten and since you mentioned that so far you're ok with gluten-free bread, let me share you my favorite gluten-free bread (its katz gluten free) so that you can have different varieties of gluten-free bread while you find out what is the cause of your body's reaction to the food you are eating. Best regards, Dany

Thank you. I'll have to look for that. I've actually been eating regular wheat bread. I tried Ezekial bread once and didn't do so well with that. It's made from sprouted grains and I don't think I'm able to digest them. I'll look for the one you mentioned, though.

[psawyer]

Thank you. I'll have to look for that. I've actually been eating regular wheat bread. I tried Ezekial bread once and didn't do so well with that. It's made from sprouted grains and I don't think I'm able to digest them. I'll look for the one you mentioned, though.

Sprouted grains still contain lots of gluten. They are not safe for us.

[grainfree]

"I was eating fast food all the time and getting about 4,000 calories a day, but I couldn't gain a single pound. "

Apache, the above sounds a little worrying. Consider thyroid as a culprit.

I agree with all the other posters suggestions, and also, a back to basics type diet with whole foods might aid your digestive system. I hope you feel better.

[Apache]

"I was eating fast food all the time and getting about 4,000 calories a day, but I couldn't gain a single pound. "

Apache, the above sounds a little worrying. Consider thyroid as a culprit.

I agree with all the other posters suggestions, and also, a back to basics type diet with whole foods might aid your digestive system. I hope you feel better.

My thyroid checks out fine, but I appreciate the suggestion.

When I was eleven years old I had a major gastric surgery. My pancreas had overgrown and wrapped itself around my small intestine, close to where it meets my stomache. For about six months I vomitted everything I ate and test after test didn't show why. My stomache was full of ulcers. I was getting close to death when I was finally taken to a surgeon who decided to do exploritory surgery. He had to cut away the part of my pancreas that had overgrown, as well as about four inches of my small intestine and some of my stomache where the two meet. I got back to a healthy, normal weight within about a year after the surgery. About three years later, however, I started losing weight for no explained reason. Being a kid I didn't think anything of it, and my parents never took me to a doctor to find out why.

My gastrologist suspects pancreatic insufficiency, but I can't tolerate the enzymes. I tried over-the-counter enzymes, but I have the same reaction to those as I do the pharcaceutical ones. He also wanted me to take a ten day course of Xifaxan(antibiotic for the gut only) to clear out any bacteria that may still be present after that surgery. I don't want to take them because I fear I may still have candida and I don't want it to get out of control. From what I've read, small intestine bacteria overgrowth can cause malabsorption. My stools are always fatty and loose, so I'm definitley not absorbing fats. The question is, "why?" I really need to do a comprehensive stool analysis as soon as I can afford it.

One thing that's kind of interesting, I have dark hair, but the hair on my chin and mustache has always been mostly blonde. It doesn't seem to be anything genetic because none of the other men in my family have this. I've always wondered if that could indicate something, but no doctor has ever mentioned it and I always keep some form of goatee or beard. That may sound like I'm reaching for something, but sometimes I'll see a hair that is black on the end half, and blonde on the newer half. As if to say it grew in black and then changed to blonde. I hope I don't sound ridiculous, but maybe somebody has an idea about this.

[mushroom]

So you think it's okay for me to have regular bread? I'll have to look into the gluten free one that was mentioned in a different reply. I've been eating peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast for months now. That's one of my favorite things to eat.

No, it is definitely not okay for you to eat regular, gluten-containing bread. Why don't you look for some Udi's bread? I haven't eaten any personally, but most folks here rave about it as a gluten free bread, and you can continue your peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast

Do you think you could go back and find that Garden of Life probiotic and try it again? I really do think you need some probiotics at this point. And since you seem to have a lot of fecal fat, maybe you could try to find a single ingredient enzyme containing lipase only, and see if you can tolerate that?

It would be good if you could somehow wangle some insurance coverage to get the stool testing done so you know where you stand. Are you familiar with the Enterolab testing? I am not sure how much it costs but if you google it you should find it. You don't have to have a doctor order it.

[Apache]

No, it is definitely not okay for you to eat regular, gluten-containing bread. Why don't you look for some Udi's bread? I haven't eaten any personally, but most folks here rave about it as a gluten free bread, and you can continue your peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast

Do you think you could go back and find that Garden of Life probiotic and try it again? I really do think you need some probiotics at this point. And since you seem to have a lot of fecal fat, maybe you could try to find a single ingredient enzyme containing lipase only, and see if you can tolerate that?

It would be good if you could somehow wangle some insurance coverage to get the stool testing done so you know where you stand. Are you familiar with the Enterolab testing? I am not sure how much it costs but if you google it you should find it. You don't have to have a doctor order it.

I'll look for that bread and the other one that was mentioned in another reply.

Garden of Life actually changed their formula on that probiotic and it now has alot of the same ingredients as Perfect Food, so I'll have to try to find another one.

I am familiar with Enterolab. I think they have a CDSA for about two hundred dollars American. Maybe I can get it through my insurance like you suggested.

This is an excellent forum! I appreciate everybodies help and advice.

[Korwyn]

Apache,

Have you considered the GAPS diet? It is an alternative to the SCD, but even stricter in some ways. I wound up having to go on the strictest form for about 2 months but my intestinal healing improved SO much during that time. Also, because it completely eliminates ALL grains and most non-veggie and certain fruit carbs it has the side effect of starving the candida out. Though to really completely treat candida can take some people up to a year of a candida hostile (no grains or sugars) diet plus anti-candida enzymes.

[Apache]

I haven't heard of that one. I'll look it up.

Thanks.

[Apache]

Well, it looks like the candida is probably still present. Rice has been making my stomache bloat and I have abdominal pain. I woke up the last two mornings with a bread taste in my mouth. Looks like it's back on the diet. I think I'm going to make some revisions this time, though. Since my digestion is so compromised, I'm going to try eating only one type of food at a time. Protein by itself, soft vegetables by themselves, etc. I'm also going to stay away from some of the things I was eating. I'll only go with things that are very easy to digest. No baked chicken breast or broccoli this time. I plan to get my protein from non mercury containing fish and I'll have only soft, easily digested vegetables.

[Wolicki]

I got fed up trying to figure out what the problem was, so I did a pretty drastic diet for a week. Nothing but homemade chicken soup. I make pretty good chicken soup, so it wasn't so bad. Chicken, carrots, onions, celery, pepper, salt, parsley and tumeric. Nothing else for one week.

Then I added things in one by one. It made a huge difference, because I felt wonderful for one week,and knew what wonderful felt like (it had been a while!) HTH

[Apache]

I got fed up trying to figure out what the problem was, so I did a pretty drastic diet for a week. Nothing but homemade chicken soup. I make pretty good chicken soup, so it wasn't so bad. Chicken, carrots, onions, celery, pepper, salt, parsley and tumeric. Nothing else for one week.

Then I added things in one by one. It made a huge difference, because I felt wonderful for one week,and knew what wonderful felt like (it had been a while!) HTH

That's a good idea. I just have to make sure to get enough calories. I'm so skinny and my blood pressure gets low. I'm going to try my revised SC Diet and see how it works. If it doesn't work, I may have to go with something similar to what you did.

Thanks

[Katie B]

I'm on my third bout of SIBO (unfortunately). I'm on antibiotics but know that they don't always do the trick.

My last bout cleared up with the SCD diet and so I'm back on that diet - again - and will stay on it for a longer period of time this time around. When I started feeling better I ate a lot of simple carbs and it came back. It sounds extreme but it basically starves off the bacteria in your small intestine. The diet is gluten-free and most of the foods should be tolerated easily (I can't tolerate eggs though). The only issue may be getting enough calories but avocados are great for this. I was feeling so good and now I'm back where I started! I can vouch for this diet and while it's restrictive it's very healthy.

[Apache]

Getting enough calories was a major issue for me on that diet. I like avacadoes, but not every day. I may have to go with spoonfulls of coconut oil. I have leaky gut as well and I think all the hard to digest foods I was eating was preventing recovery. It's a good diet, but I'm going to have to make some revisions to it. Breakfast is kind of tricky since I can't have eggs or dairy. The latter ruling out the SCD yogurt. My thought is to get some almond flour and make the pancake bread with almond milk and an egg substitute made from potatoe flour. Then I can make my peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast using natural pb. I know potatoe flour is against the diet, but hopefully the small amount wont be an issue. I just can't go back to heavy foods with little calories for breakfast.

[Katie B]

Getting enough calories was a major issue for me on that diet. I like avacadoes, but not every day. I may have to go with spoonfulls of coconut oil. I have leaky gut as well and I think all the hard to digest foods I was eating was preventing recovery. It's a good diet, but I'm going to have to make some revisions to it. Breakfast is kind of tricky since I can't have eggs or dairy. The latter ruling out the SCD yogurt. My thought is to get some almond flour and make the pancake bread with almond milk and an egg substitute made from potatoe flour. Then I can make my peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast using natural pb. I know potatoe flour is against the diet, but hopefully the small amount wont be an issue. I just can't go back to heavy foods with little calories for breakfast.

I know what you mean Apache. I've been eating a ton of avocados. I was doing so well and feel so terrible at the moment but am hoping to get past it soon. I tried the diet before and then reintroduced rice, quinoa and gluten-free oatmeal. Then I was feeling so great that I started eating a whole bunch of gluten-free sweets that are probably the simplest carbs around. On top of that my doctor recommended I use lactulose for my chronic constipation and this only added fuel to the fire. So I'm back at square one and eating very basic things. I'm now taking milk of magnesia without any additives and that's been working well for the constipation.

I can't have eggs either but can tolerate the lactose free yogurt. I've been making almond flour muffins for breakfast along with avocados and yogurt. Good luck with your diet. I found that with the SIBO that I became intolerant to so many foods and once it settled down I could eat them again. Very frustrating but hoping to get better soon!