Day 6 With Questions

[buzzkiss]

I've been having stomach cramps, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, bruising easy, lower back pain, etc. for about 6 years. I went to several doctors and lots of tests later no help. I was told I had chronic constipation...but every time I took the miralax, senna, or whatever else they told me to take it would just make things worse. Finally I went to get tested for food allergies, they said I didn't have any allergies and my blood test for celiac came back normal.

I finally went to my family doctor for something else and told him about my frustration with my stomach problems. He thought it was a gluten intolerance or celiac. He told me sometimes the blood test will show a negative result even if you have an intolerance. So he suggested I go on a gluten free diet.

After I started the diet my stomach cramps stopped immediately. I had a little diarrhea on day 3 but then I've been feeling fine until tonight (day 6). I went out to dinner with some friends and ordered from the gluten free menu. But one of the side dishes wasn't on the menu, the waitress said it came with all the meals. It had sausage in it and I told her I didn't think I could have it, but she said it was gluten free. But 30 minutes after dinner I started having stomach cramps and diarrhea.

So my question is....was it due to dinner or is this normal during the first few weeks? Did I just get glutened??? This is so confusing.....

[eatmeat4good]

It could be either one.

My first few weeks were up and down a few days of each.

I tried eating in restaurants and ordering gluten free but inevitably I got ill right after.

So finally no more restaurants.

Then I started to heal.

It has been 4 months and those ups and downs with unexplained D might be due to other food intolerances as well.

Dairy, soy, corn, fructose, nightshades...any of these can become an issue shortly after going gluten free.

I dropped soy, then nightshades, then very reluctantly dairy.

It depends on the person. Very few of us have just gluten to avoid. Sorry but it seems true.

Congratulations on being 6 days gluten free. It has made a world of difference to me. I hope it will for you too. Sometimes we have to be patient with the "episodes"

[heatherjane]

I've been having stomach cramps, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, bruising easy, lower back pain, etc. for about 6 years. I went to several doctors and lots of tests later no help. I was told I had chronic constipation...but every time I took the miralax, senna, or whatever else they told me to take it would just make things worse. Finally I went to get tested for food allergies, they said I didn't have any allergies and my blood test for celiac came back normal.

I finally went to my family doctor for something else and told him about my frustration with my stomach problems. He thought it was a gluten intolerance or celiac. He told me sometimes the blood test will show a negative result even if you have an intolerance. So he suggested I go on a gluten free diet.

After I started the diet my stomach cramps stopped immediately. I had a little diarrhea on day 3 but then I've been feeling fine until tonight (day 6). I went out to dinner with some friends and ordered from the gluten free menu. But one of the side dishes wasn't on the menu, the waitress said it came with all the meals. It had sausage in it and I told her I didn't think I could have it, but she said it was gluten free. But 30 minutes after dinner I started having stomach cramps and diarrhea.

So my question is....was it due to dinner or is this normal during the first few weeks? Did I just get glutened??? This is so confusing.....

I would guess it was the restaurant. You'll find restaurants can be hit or miss, even if they have the gluten free menus and appear to take precautions. Sometimes the staff is uneducated, and sometimes they have bad prep practices in the kitchen.

My advice would be to take a break from restaurants for a while until you get the hang of things and understand how your body reacts to gluten. The healing process can take a while, and it's normal to feel bad before you feel better (as may on this board can attest). This diet, and learning how to maneuver through a gluteny world, has a steep learning curve. Don't let it stress you out; just take each day as it comes.

[buzzkiss]

Thank you both for your comments. I feel much better today and hope I won't have another episode but who knows. Again thank you.