Still Bloating After 2 Months?

[Jamie-S]

Hi everyone, I am new to this site and I have a question. I have a gluten intolerance and went on a gluten free diet. I was on my diet for 9 months. When I got married I moved to a new area and gluten free items were very hard to find so I started cheating on my diet, and went off my diet for about 6months. Starting Jan 1, 2011 I decided to start back up on my gluten free diet and have not cheated once. However I have noticed a few things. When I first originally went gluten free I felt better within a couple weeks (no fatigue, bloating, stomach pain, etc) and felt great. But now that I am back on a gluten free diet after being off it for 6 months I am really not feeling any better. I still have stomach pain at least every other day, and my bloating has remained consistent. As soon as I eat something , I bloat right back up. I look like I am 5 months pregnant. Just wondering if anyone had any idea why the first time I went on the diet I felt amazing, and now the second time, I am 2 months in and do not really feel any change, esp. the bloating. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

[jenngolightly]

  On 2/23/2011 at 9:07 PM, Jamie_S said:

Hi everyone, I am new to this site and I have a question. I have a gluten intolerance and went on a gluten free diet. I was on my diet for 9 months. When I got married I moved to a new area and gluten free items were very hard to find so I started cheating on my diet, and went off my diet for about 6months. Starting Jan 1, 2011 I decided to start back up on my gluten free diet and have not cheated once. However I have noticed a few things. When I first originally went gluten free I felt better within a couple weeks (no fatigue, bloating, stomach pain, etc) and felt great. But now that I am back on a gluten free diet after being off it for 6 months I am really not feeling any better. I still have stomach pain at least every other day, and my bloating has remained consistent. As soon as I eat something , I bloat right back up. I look like I am 5 months pregnant. Just wondering if anyone had any idea why the first time I went on the diet I felt amazing, and now the second time, I am 2 months in and do not really feel any change, esp. the bloating. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

I'm confused that you couldn't find gluten free items where you live now since most foods are naturally gluten-free. What have you been eating since January 1st that you weren't eating before? Did you add something new or dramatically increase the intake of a certain food?

Do you keep a food diary? That will help you pinpoint which food is giving you trouble. Off hand, most people have problems with dairy at the start of the diet. Try removing dairy first and see if your bloating stops.

[Jamie-S]

Hi thanks for your reply. To clear some things up that you ask....I was still eating naturally gluten free items when we moved, but could not find gluten free flours, processed foods, snacks etc, which made it easy to cheat on my diet and eventually stop completely. SO it was more a cheating on my diet then stopping completely. Stupid I know.

I have not added anything new or dramatically increased any foods in my diet.... I have simply been eating naturally gluten foods as well as prepackaged gluten free foods that I did the first time I went gluten free.

I do not believe CC is an issue either despite the fact that my husband is a gluten eater. When I lived with my parents and was gluten free they both were gluten eaters. Everyone, including myself are very careful with food preparation.

I actually do not keep a food diary. I started one once, and just found I did not have the time to do it every day and/or forgot to do it every time I ate something. However, what I eat remains pretty the same, so I generally remember what I ate and if I felt sick afterward.

As for the dairy, I was thinking about doing that...but what I was unsure of is why the first time I went gluten free, and was gluten free for 9mths did I feel so great, and this time I still feel like crap? I was consuming dairy then as well as now, so not sure if that is an issue.

Just tired of always looking bloated. Thanks for your help though

[nuttmegs17]

  On 2/24/2011 at 2:27 AM, Jamie_S said:

Hi thanks for your reply. To clear some things up that you ask....I was still eating naturally gluten free items when we moved, but could not find gluten free flours, processed foods, snacks etc, which made it easy to cheat on my diet and eventually stop completely. SO it was more a cheating on my diet then stopping completely. Stupid I know.

I have not added anything new or dramatically increased any foods in my diet.... I have simply been eating naturally gluten foods as well as prepackaged gluten free foods that I did the first time I went gluten free.

I do not believe CC is an issue either despite the fact that my husband is a gluten eater. When I lived with my parents and was gluten free they both were gluten eaters. Everyone, including myself are very careful with food preparation.

I actually do not keep a food diary. I started one once, and just found I did not have the time to do it every day and/or forgot to do it every time I ate something. However, what I eat remains pretty the same, so I generally remember what I ate and if I felt sick afterward.

As for the dairy, I was thinking about doing that...but what I was unsure of is why the first time I went gluten free, and was gluten free for 9mths did I feel so great, and this time I still feel like crap? I was consuming dairy then as well as now, so not sure if that is an issue.

Just tired of always looking bloated. Thanks for your help though

Could you have developed an allergy to soy? I have noticed it used in many gluten free items (so my beloved kind bars are now off limits to me, sniff sniff!) Or Diary? Try as hard as it is, to remove those 2 from your diet as well and see if you get any relief....soy and dairy are in pretty much everything as well so you'll have to be extra careful when you read labels...

[Mari]

What causes the bloating and gas is the bacteria and yeasts in the intestine over-growing on undigested and partly digested food eaten. When the small intestine is reacting to gluten or other foods it becomes inflamed and food passes through more slowly giving these organisms a longer time to grow and produce more gas. Many of these organisms also produce toxins which make you feel ill often with anxiety and depression. Some of these organisms are difficult to get rid of or control. This is called a dysbiosis. Drs have diagnostic tools and treatments and often use antibiotics. I usually treat these episodes with herbs and supplements. The B vitamins are important to intestinal health, especially B12 and taking a sublingual B12 may help with this problem as it did with me as will taking a magnesium supplement daily. Other helpful things - Turmeric (see recipes online), Cayenne or other hot peppers, Cinnamon, all work to reduce inflammation. Don't forget to take VitD and Calcium for bone health.

If you have an autoimmune reaction to gluten the antibodies will persist for 3 to 5 months as I found out when I was glutened and still had itchy skin 5 months later.

Hope this helps.