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Came So Close To Thinking I'd Found The Answer

NancyL

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NancyL Explorer
NancyL
Posted

Ok, so my reasons for suspecting gluten were chronic daily diarrhea for 2 years and occasional (up to a couple of times per month) stomach pain (below my belly button) that was so bad that several times my doctors and I thought it was my appendix and went to the E.R. After I suspected gluten, I started discovering a lot of other things that going gluten-free could help with, such as scatter brain (you guys call it "brain fog") and joint pain.

I'd been doing so well, my Big D had almost disappeared and had not had the stomach pain since going gluten free 2/11 but it's disappeared for months before. Saturday, I had some mild stomach cramping but knew my monthly cycle was due so attributed it to that. I was craving Hot Wings like a fiend. Our local chain of hot wings is called Plucker's and they swear and advertise they're gluten free. I got my hot wings and an hour later had horrible stomach cramping and the Big D. Now I know you might think I'm not used to spicy food, but even though I'm doing gluten-free, I have migas most mornings with my gluten-free HOT sauce and chicken enchiladas with spicy sauce (on corn tortillas). I LOVE spicy food. And my migas and enchiladas were not bothering me a bit and my diarrhea was almost non-existent.

Later Saturday evening, my monthly cycle started. I've been keeping a diary of my stomach pains, monthly menstrual cycles, food changes and such since January and this is the first time that my menstrual cycle coincided with my appendix pain". My OB is next stop, she was planning on checking to see if I have scar tissue that is causing intestinal blockage as the next step for my "appendix pain" diagnosis. My appointment is Thursday.

So gluten-free, seems to have helped with the Big D TREMENDOUSLY but not the stomach pain... or should I consider myself "gluttoned" from the chicken wings and still hope for gluten-free to also help with future stomach pain? Or can I rule gluten-free out as helping my appendix like pain?

What do you guys think? I'm not sure to tell my doc on Thursday that the gluten-free was helping both things or just the one.

Have I confused everyone?

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

It is possible the wings were cross contaminated if the place also serves gluten food. I hope you are feeling better soon, hang in there and don't give up on the diet yet.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

It could certainly be cross contamination--but when you check in with your OB, you may want to ask about the possibility of endometriosis. I had similar symptoms for years until the pain got so bad I almost passed out. By that time I was 49 and underwent a hysterectomy. It was only through the pathology report that they found out I had it.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

If your Dr. listens, I would tell her all of it just like you said it above!

It is a puzzle. Could have been CC or glutening, but you never know. It is worth following up with whatever you can. Sometimes you just can't know if you have been glutened. But if it is something else, you will definitely need to know.

Good luck at the Dr.

NancyL Explorer
NancyL
Posted
  • Author

OH, I'm DEFINETLY staying gluten-free! First time of no Big D in 2 years! That reason enough not to eat gluten ever, ever again! :D

It could certainly be cross contamination--but when you check in with your OB, you may want to ask about the possibility of endometriosis. I had similar symptoms for years until the pain got so bad I almost passed out. By that time I was 49 and underwent a hysterectomy. It was only through the pathology report that they found out I had it.

Cross Contamination is possible. I know for their kids meals, they serve battered chicken tenders and they serve burgers on buns, etc... As for endometriosis, I have it and have had it since I was a teen. In order to have my babies, I had to get my uterus (sorry guys!) scraped. I've now had ablation done (as well as tubes tied) a couple of years back to reduce my monthly bleeding down to almost nothing (but it's picking up speed again). When she did the ablation she mentioned that I did have uterine adhesion's (both my sons had to be emergency c-section)and I called her after my last E.R. trip, she mentioned these adhesions and wondered if they were twisting my intestines or causing an obstruction.

btw... ALL of you Rock! Thank you SO much for all of the support you give!

edited to fix all of my typos!

hnybny91 Rookie
hnybny91
Posted

I don't trust any place to be "Gluten Free". I always know I am taking my chances when I eat out. I vote for CC.

MsCurious Enthusiast
MsCurious
Posted

OH, I'm DEFINETLY staying gluten-free! First time of no Big D in 2 years! That reason enough not to eat gluten ever, ever again! :D

Hey NancyL! Glad to see you're still here... I sort of lost track of you for a while and was wondering how you're doing with going gluten-free. We both posted for the first time on the same day, I think... so I sort of feel like your battle is my battle. So happy to hear you're feeling better with gluten-free! That gives me hope for the future. ;) You asked if you should tell your OBGYN that gluten-free helped one or both ... and to that I would say, tell her that you "thought" it was helping both until your recent pain, but that you're definitely sure it DOES help with the "D", so now you're not sure. That might help her figure things out to... just be as honest and detailed as you can with her. Hope she can put an end to the pain for you. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress! It's really good to see progress by people on here.. gives the rest of us hope!

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NancyL Explorer
NancyL
Posted
  • Author

Hey NancyL! Glad to see you're still here... I sort of lost track of you for a while and was wondering how you're doing with going gluten-free. We both posted for the first time on the same day, I think... so I sort of feel like your battle is my battle. So happy to hear you're feeling better with gluten-free! That gives me hope for the future. ;)

Hey Ms.Curious! I've been MIA because my 3 yo had pneumonia (AGAIN! 2 times since Jan 30th!) and my oldest son got suspended from school AND my mom has a possible breast cancer recurrence scare so I've been going to her dr.s appts. It's been VERY challenging over here. :) But yes, I've stayed gluten free and don't really miss it! I hope you're seeing some good results now? I'll try to find some of your posts so I can catch back up. :D

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

Maybe you're also intolerant of something else--I would guess soy....and there may have been soy in those chicken wings. In the past, the very few times I ate soy, I ended up in the hospital thinking that I had appendicitis. The pain and subsequent D were horrible! Just a thought...

MsCurious Enthusiast
MsCurious
Posted

Hey Ms.Curious! I've been MIA because my 3 yo had pneumonia (AGAIN! 2 times since Jan 30th!) and my oldest son got suspended from school AND my mom has a possible breast cancer recurrence scare so I've been going to her dr.s appts. It's been VERY challenging over here. :) But yes, I've stayed gluten free and don't really miss it! I hope you're seeing some good results now? I'll try to find some of your posts so I can catch back up. :D

OMG... they never told us at birth being female meant becoming grand-master juggler, did they? You poor dear! Just having a child with pneumonia is bad in itself, but you've really got a plateful! I'm sorry... let me know what I can do to help....which isn't much from here, but I'm a good listener if you need an ear. ;) Just shoot me a msg. Hang in there!

I still haven't gotten to the gluten free diet yet!!! I postponed my biopsy with "G I Jerk" as my husband calls him. :P Because my regular Dr sent me off to the allergist first... which confirmed that I'm not allergic to much other than mildly to shrimp and oak trees, and strongly allergic to birch trees.. but like I said before... not planning on eating a tree anytime soon. :lol:

I'm actually sitting on pins and needles ... expecting a call from my DR any minute now (its 5:15 pm here) regarding the results of my EMA. Something else occurred to me last night though... when I was thinking through the years, and my medical history...which has been relatively complaint free (except for the chronic digestive stuff that I thought was hereditary...and fatigue and headaches..and lol all the stuff I put up with cuz I'm not a whiner). Anyway, I'll investigate that tomorrow, but in the mean time... hoping to find out what the next step is today.

Keep smiling... even though at times its hard... it does help. ;) Wishing the best for your mom and kiddlings..and YOU!

Update: 10:15PM Doctor never called :( And the wait continues...

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