Opening Up A Can Of Worms

[Momto2Boys]

Hello all!

Well, I got my IGG Food testing results (from Immuno Laboratories). Here are the results:

Cashew (+1)

Cheese (+1)

Cranberry (+1)

Milk, Cow's (+2)

Milk, Goat's (+1)

Sesame (+2)

Wheat (+1)

Yeast, Baker's (+1)

Yeast, Brewer's (+2)

Candida albicans: Results are positive: Weakly Positive (1:3000)

Anti-Gliadin Antibody

IGG - 8 units (< 20 is negative)

IGA - 5 units (< 20 is negative)

Trying to be thankful for things I'm not allergic to - corn, peanuts, strawberries, rice, eggs.

SO I guess my biggest question is: Do I really have Celiac or just a wheat allergy/sensitivity? My only other positive test was a weakly positive test for TTG-IGG (here is my original post about all of this:

)

I guess the answer to that question is - does it really matter? I can't eat gluten. If it were a sensitivity I could eventually try to reintroduce. If Celiac would need to stay off forever. I guess that is the difference and reason I'd like an answer eventually.

She told me not to worry about Candida right now as I'm having to deal with a lot of changes already. She said we would revisit in a month.

I have an appt with a GI doc who specializes in Celiac. I guess I should still keep my appt though I don't know what further info he would give me.

Anyone get other allergies tested and cut them out and reintroduce them? Any input on that or any of this is much appreciated! I'm saddest about cashews, cranberries, and cow's milk - I don't drink a lot of milk, but I LOVE my Haagen Dazs! I'm also sad that I can eat the really good gluten free bread I found - Udi's! I feel like I've opened a can of worms and don't want to know these things - cutting out gluten was enough stress. I guess if it helps with my stomach issues, fatigue, etc. then it is worth it. Rice cakes, anyone? Thanks for listening!

[kayo]

It's disappointing when we discover we have more intolerances than just gluten but in the end it's so worth it to know and cut those foods out to heal and feel better. I learned I'm allergic to oats (and rye but I don't eat rye anyways) which was mind boggling. I had to give up my fave gluten-free cookies - Lucy's.

I have a good alternative Haagen Daaz for you - Coconut Bliss icecream. Dairy, soy and gluten free. Their coffee ice cream reminds me SO much of Haagen Daaz.

For my 'milk' I like hemp milk.

I'm sure someone will come along with a good bread substitute.

[Jestgar]

Food testing is not reliable. You may be better served by eliminating each of these foods from your diet one at a time and looking for changes, then reintroducing and looking for changes. There is no evidence that a + IgG response correlates to a physiological reaction.

[Looking for answers]

I used to be allergic to nuts - eating them would make my eyes swell the next day. I've cut them out for about a year now and began experimenting last week with success.

[Momto2Boys]

Thanks, everyone!

I don't know if I can cut everything out at once. I've been gluten free for 2 weeks. That has been stressful enough. Cutting out milk and yeast is very overwhelming I just found out at the grocery store. I wish I could just cook all day, but I have a family and jobs and it's not feasible. Feeling really overwhelmed. Think it's OK to just focus on the gluten for a while and then start the dairy and then the yeast? Cashews and cranberries are easier definitely. I can cut those out now. I also will not drink milk, eat ice cream - the major things, but every little tiny ingredient everywhere?? Apparently I eat a lot of milk and yeast products! What do ya'll think?

Thanks!

[GFinDC]

If you are eating many processed foods it is hard to avoid dairy. Lots of processed foods have casein or whey or lactose added, and may not even list is as a dairy ingredient. So life can be simpler by just not eating the processed foods. There are some processed foods that are safe for me, like Mission corn tortillas, Enjoy Life brown rice wraps, Enjoy Life breads, Larabars, some Planters nuts. Just some ideas. You can also make big batches of food on the weekends and freeze portions. If you do this every weekend you can have your own frozen food assortments for the week and not have to do much more than nuke them. I used to do this all the time when I first went gluten-free.

[Momto2Boys]

gluten-free - that is a good idea about making big batches. I have a hard time with food in general and probably eat more processed foods than I should so it's been a struggle. That being said - I got super sick after cutting everything out of diet so I put everything but the gluten back in and feel better.

And now I've had an appt with the GI doc and he thinks it unlikely to be Celiac. . .maybe still an intolerance to gluten but he did more blood work and I have a HIDA scan and plain film xray of my abdomen on Friday. We will go from there.

Still in the waiting time to see what is going on with me. . .

Thanks for the replies!

[ravenwoodglass]

gluten-free - that is a good idea about making big batches. I have a hard time with food in general and probably eat more processed foods than I should so it's been a struggle. That being said - I got super sick after cutting everything out of diet so I put everything but the gluten back in and feel better.

And now I've had an appt with the GI doc and he thinks it unlikely to be Celiac. . .maybe still an intolerance to gluten but he did more blood work and I have a HIDA scan and plain film xray of my abdomen on Friday. We will go from there.

Still in the waiting time to see what is going on with me. . .

Thanks for the replies!

When we have celiac sometimes our immune systems will be so far in hyperdrive that we seem to react to everything. I couldn't even list everything I showed allergies to both food and nonfood stuff was 98 out of the 99 tested for. Within a relatively short time the only true allergies or intolerances I had left were soy and 3 nonfood items. Hopefully once you have been gluten free for a while your intolerances to other stuff will resolve also. The elimination diet mentioned was also a good idea. An allergist can set you up with a starting point that will ensure you have the nutrients and calories your body needs while things get figured out.

[Momto2Boys]

Thanks, Raven!! I appreciate your input and insight!

[sb2178]

I reacted more on the IGG testing to some things (+2 and +3s on a 0-3 scale). Eliminating yeast, peanuts and dairy recently did help cut down lingering pain. I did eliminate dairy at the same time as gluten and then reintroduced with negligible differences in symptoms about 6 months ago. I've sort of accidentally reintroduced dairy (eating elsewhere and forgetting that I shouldn't be) and small amounts seem to be fine. I'll get around to peanuts at some point. yeast... probably.

It's worth trying eliminating at some point not too far away. But, it's not a terribly clear test and your reactions aren't all that high... your intestines may just need time to stop leaking.