Gluten Free Pulling A Bait And Switch

[kimann79]

I'm a bit frustrated. I've been gluten free for about 2.5 weeks. Within days of starting I began to have normal BM's for the first time in years. That lasted about three or four days and now I'm am severely constipated- worse than before! I'm tempted to make a loaf of whole wheat bread to see if it helps me go to the bathroom. I wonder if it is because:

A. I don't have a problem with gluten (even though initially I showed some pretty significant improvements)

B. I'm not getting enough fiber now. I eat a whole foods diet- full of produce and whole grains (now limited to quionoa, millet, gluten-free oats, amaranthe etc.) but I'm used to eating baked goods made with freshly milled whole wheat flour.

A lot of the gluten-free baked goods I've been making have a lot of arrowroot and tapioca starch in them (I stay away from corn starch) and those things have NO fiber and very little nutritive value.

My appetite has diminished significantly and I've begun skipping meals (which I've never done before!)

I wonder if that is because I'm so constipated.

I'm not sure what to do.

Any advice?

[dilettantesteph]

Try prunes or dried figs. Hope it works.

[Gemini]

I'm a bit frustrated. I've been gluten free for about 2.5 weeks. Within days of starting I began to have normal BM's for the first time in years. That lasted about three or four days and now I'm am severely constipated- worse than before! I'm tempted to make a loaf of whole wheat bread to see if it helps me go to the bathroom. I wonder if it is because:

A. I don't have a problem with gluten (even though initially I showed some pretty significant improvements)

B. I'm not getting enough fiber now. I eat a whole foods diet- full of produce and whole grains (now limited to quionoa, millet, gluten-free oats, amaranthe etc.) but I'm used to eating baked goods made with freshly milled whole wheat flour.

A lot of the gluten-free baked goods I've been making have a lot of arrowroot and tapioca starch in them (I stay away from corn starch) and those things have NO fiber and very little nutritive value.

My appetite has diminished significantly and I've begun skipping meals (which I've never done before!)

I wonder if that is because I'm so constipated.

I'm not sure what to do.

Any advice?

Most of the fiber a person needs to go to the bathroom regularly can be obtained in fruits and veggies. I'm not big into grains no matter what the gluten content and derive my fiber from large salads and fruit for snacking. The other major component to going normally is water. Very simple yet something most people forget. If you drink diet soda or ice tea/coffee, that will constipate you. Only water will give you the necessary ratio, along with the fiber, for producing normal bowel habits. If the color of your urine is darker yellow or you have trouble having BM's, then you may be dehydrated and need to drink more. The formula for water consumption is half your body weight, in ounces. Try that and see if it helps!

[RiceGuy]

I'd recommend skipping the starchy gluten-free breads for now. Also, just because the oats are certified gluten-free, doesn't mean you're able to tolerate them. Some folks can, while others cannot. Try eliminating those for awhile too. If you want a bread recipe higher in fiber, you may wish to try the one I posted here.

However, many nutritional deficiencies often show up during the initial stages of healing. You may therefore find it helpful to take some supplements. Magnesium is not only a common deficiency amongst those with Celiac, but the lack of this nutrient is characterized by constipation, among other things. The usual suggestion is to start with about 400mg, and increase the dosage by 200mg every few days, until you find a level that you're comfortable with. Too much will result in loose stools.

[kimann79]

Hmmm...I only drink water and raw milk- sometimes herbal tea. I'm not dehydrated. No caffeine. I've been making all my own gluten free breads from scratch- so no processed foods. Lots of veggies and fruits (I used to be vegan and I eat a huge salad at least once a day.)

I already take magnesium for a heart murmur and it's never once helped the constipation. I took major doses when I was on iron supplements and it still didn't help. I really need to start taking the iron again but I've stopped because I thought it was making things worse. However my ferritin levels are really low so I need to take care of that.

I'll give up the oats (though I've only had them once since going gluten-free) and the starches and see what happens.

It's frustrating when you eat a really clean diet and still have problems with this.

I have friends that eat like crap (chicken nuggets and processed cereal) and never deal with this.

[kimann79]

I'd recommend skipping the starchy gluten-free breads for now. Also, just because the oats are certified gluten-free, doesn't mean you're able to tolerate them. Some folks can, while others cannot. Try eliminating those for awhile too. If you want a bread recipe higher in fiber, you may wish to try the one I posted here.

However, many nutritional deficiencies often show up during the initial stages of healing. You may therefore find it helpful to take some supplements. Magnesium is not only a common deficiency amongst those with Celiac, but the lack of this nutrient is characterized by constipation, among other things. The usual suggestion is to start with about 400mg, and increase the dosage by 200mg every few days, until you find a level that you're comfortable with. Too much will result in loose stools.

I'm going to try your bread recipe out. I really like that it uses no starches and is high in fiber. If that doesn't work I'm considering going grain free altogether and seeing if that helps.

[knittingmonkey]

...I already take magnesium for a heart murmur and it's never once helped the constipation...

Magnesium should be taken in a 2/1 ratio with calcium. Most supplements are at best 1/1. It's also every difficult to absorb by the body, especially when stomach acids aren't optimal. My personal choice for magnesium supplementation is topical "Magnesium Gel with Seaweed" from health-and-wisdom.com. It's a simple magnesium chloride, which is much more absorbable for the boday than magnesium sulphate (epsom salts).

I brush my teeth with it and they are less transluscent now, like the enamel is becomng denser. I dress my hair with it and it's becoming thicker. I rub it in my spasmatic muscles and they relax, I paint my toenails with it and toenail fungus has disappeared, I put about an ounce is my foot bath and I sleep like a baby. It's an excellent facial treatment, like as a moisturizer, and it's (ahem) the most superior personal lubricant on the planet. Since I started supplementation I have never experienced constipation.

[torimuse]

This happened to me. I was gluten free for 2 weeks, was on the verge of feeling better, then BAM, back to what it was before. Granted, I also reacted to milk just after symptoms started coming back. Maybe you have a secondary intolerance for milk or soy?

Everyone's different, but I went and stuck it out, chalking it up to Gluten Withdrawal and some other intolerance. Your body can become addicted to gluten, so when it gets removed, you just don't feel well for a while. It takes people different amounts of time to get over it, but I'm about a week in from that and I feel like I'm getting better again. Good luck to you on feeling better soon!

[bridgetm]

Same story here. I felt great for about two weeks, then stalled out. I cut dairy and felt great for another 2 weeks. Stalled again. Then I cut soy. That was about 2 months ago. For the past few weeks, the inflammation has been slowly increasing again so I'm in the process of cutting some forms of fructose and artificial sugars. My BMs are slowly balancing out again. My diet is constantly changing; I think it's driving my family crazy... but I feel better