Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    GliadinX



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):
    GliadinX


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Constipation!


missj

Recommended Posts

missj Rookie

I'm wondering how common constipation is instead of the "D". That is my primary symptom along with nausea. My doc said that it is not a "classic" symptom but from what I have read on here, constipation is super common. Is this more common with gluten sensitivity than with actual Celiacs? How many of you have the big "C" and instead of the big "D" as the primary symptom? Sorry if it's TMI or you don't want to share. I'm just super curious about all of this and how others presented in the beginning. The two people I know with Celiac had the more classic symptoms and have severe reactions to being glutened.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Little Northern Bakehouse
Little Northern Bakehouse



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):
Authentic Foods


etta694 Explorer

I'd like to know this too, since I get the big D that practically does me in. When it hits - not a gurgle, not a cramp, not a toot - ZERO movement :blink: and then I start to turn grey. It took 3 weeks last time to get things moving again. :) There... how that for TMI. But I am curious because it seems most people have C.. I meant D.. it seems most people have D.

Here's a C thread

ladymiss Rookie

I've had 'C' most of my life. I just thought it was 'normal' for my body to only have a BM every 4 days or so.... My naturopath was aghast to find this out. This was the case even when I was a vegetarian for 15 years.

Only in the last three to four years have I had monthly rotating bouts of C and D. And finally as my health came crashing in me, mostly D.

I recently received the diagnosis of gluten intolerant.

TMI TMI :rolleyes: but an interesting thread.... :)

mushroom Proficient

Your doc was wrong. Constipation and diarrhea are each classic symptoms of gluten intolerance, or alternating between the two. However, he was not taught that in medical school :P

Igg postive Rookie

I'm wondering how common constipation is instead of the "D".

Missj,- I primary have C with bouts of D. The thing is I have hypothyroidism. The one main symptom of hypothyrodism can be C. So that may be causing it or gluten. I was positive to the IGG test so I am at least have gluten Intolerance but will know more after my biopsy. Its best to have a proven celiac doctor check you out.

ElseB Contributor

I have diagnosed Celiac, and I've never ever have D, only C.

Emma-Lee Rookie

"C"!!!!!!!!!! This is why I did not think I could have Celiac. But now I know that I do....so I think either


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
NutHouse! Granola Co.
Food for Life



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):
NutHouse! Granola Co.


cassP Contributor

oh boy..... yes- C is extremely extremely CLASSIC... C was my biggest problem... the D usually came with lactose. and then i went thru phases where it was all malabsorption bms... fatty, floating... lymphatic material.. (SORRY TMI)

but ya, C was the most common for me

salexander421 Enthusiast

Still going through the testing process but I definitely already know I have some form of gluten intolerance and my problem is mostly constipation. It seems like I'll be constipated for a week or so and then it's the cramping and having to rush to the potty, but not necessarily D just having to go all of a sudden. This is probably TMI but there's also times when all that comes out is gas and mucous...gross :P

Constipation has also been both my girl's main problem, they're still in the testing process also.

shopgirl Contributor

It was my symptom too for a couple years before I was diagnosed. But I think there were some other issues going on there too

etta694 Explorer
:lol:
nuttmegs17 Apprentice

I'm C for the records - every 3 days about :)

Is there a test to determine malabsorption...I have floating stools but my puffy face and lightheadedness/dizziness (despite balanced diet) is making me think it is all catching up with me.

catarific Contributor

Prior to September 2010, I had always been constipated. Then all of a sudden I had this terrible flare up (or food poisoing, whatever) and then I had been D since until very recently. I came down with a sinus infection and my doctor prescribed ampicillin (small doses - 250 mg) because of my D. But now - the D has totally stopped - how weird - and I am back to C again after 6 months suffering with D. And the malabsorption issues seems to have stopped and the other food tolerances have too (fruit, corn, rice). Yesterday I had a fruit salad with banana and pineapple and the day before strawberries! It is definitely in the C phase again - after the antibiotic. Is this normal?

shopgirl Contributor

Prior to September 2010, I had always been constipated. Then all of a sudden I had this terrible flare up (or food poisoing, whatever) and then I had been D since until very recently. I came down with a sinus infection and my doctor prescribed ampicillin (small doses - 250 mg) because of my D. But now - the D has totally stopped - how weird - and I am back to C again after 6 months suffering with D. And the malabsorption issues seems to have stopped and the other food tolerances have too (fruit, corn, rice). Yesterday I had a fruit salad with banana and pineapple and the day before strawberries! It is definitely in the C phase again - after the antibiotic. Is this normal?

Hmm. Have you tried probiotics? Maybe you have some kind of intestinal flora imbalance from the D and the antibiotics.

txplowgirl Enthusiast

Hah! I got everyone beat I think. Before I went gluten free I had a BM maybe once ever 4 to 6 weeks, for me that was normal. I was like that as far back as I can remember.

I can remmeber fighting with my mother and grandmother when I was 9, the were trying to give me an enema.

The dr's kept telling me to eat more fiber, kept giving me rx's for differnt laxatives. Nothing ever worked, just made me sick.

Now. regular like clockwork.

ladymiss Rookie

hey, i just thought to share something interesting i learned today.

i spoke with my naturopath about recent health screen results (from a health fair includes blood test). my cholesterol levels have gone up significantly from last year. it's only been in the last few months that i've gone gluten free. but i have been eating a diet high in animal proteins- as i couldn't tolerate legumes for a while. she knows that i've had ongoing bouts of constipation. she said when constipated the body reabsorbs the cholesterol from the waste left in the gut. yikes! she also mentioned that if eating animal proteins, to pay attention if they seem to be related to bouts of C. and something else to consider, the more fiber/ veggies and fruits one is eating, the more water you need to drink to help with C and moving things through.

goodnews Apprentice

This is a great thread to see...I haven't been diagnosed yet, but I have C as well and was reluctant to purse Celiac testing because of that. But I have read a lot more about it and see how common it is. I am waiting on the genetic test to come back and my dr. may want to do another endoscopy to get more samples if I have the genetic markers for it (he only took ONE of my small intestine and said that it was inflamed and the report said it could be indicative of celiac). He recently told me to start miralax to help with the constipation. It is worth a shot. Sometimes I do go once a day, but it is typically hard to go and sometimes I only go a couple times a week.

cap6 Enthusiast

My C just keeps getting worse. I thought I was getting well but now with the C I feel crummy more days than not. If C is a symptom of celiac why do I still have it? Makes no sense. I have been gluten-free for a year, don't cheat, am not tempted to cheat and have been glutened very few times. I am so frustrated. :angry:

missj Rookie

My C just keeps getting worse. I thought I was getting well but now with the C I feel crummy more days than not. If C is a symptom of celiac why do I still have it? Makes no sense. I have been gluten-free for a year, don't cheat, am not tempted to cheat and have been glutened very few times. I am so frustrated. :angry:

When I tried my first 100% gluten free diet my constipation got worse because I wasn't getting enough fiber. I have heard FiberCon is the best supplement to try. Anything with that cilium husk stuff will bloat you up more before working. You can also try some magnesium oxide supplements as well, as they draw water into your colon. Just play with the dose until you find one that works well for you.

Also, I have done a mag citrate clense (2 bucks at the drug store)a few times and it usually helps a bit. Then you can start with a nice fresh colon! I hope this helps a little! Good luck!

  • 1 month later...
Lalama Apprentice

Just reading all these posts about C. I have been having this issue for the last two months. And with it-my periods have been extremely painful. My naturopathic doctor put me on these physilium husks capsules (which also have some other natural ingredients) and I have been taking them for about 6 weeks now. They helped me to go-but I was having D instead of a normal bm-and felt kind of bloated from them. But I have been doing a lot of research and I don't think it's good to take them for as long as I have been. Not sure if that's the case? But since stopping them I am now feeling backed up again and really bloated. Very frustrating...

Whatnext? Rookie

Yes constipation is definitely a symptom. My symptoms were constipation, gas and bloating. Oh and excruciating stomach aches every so often.

My blood tests recently came back positive for Celiac. I just had a biopsy (to confirm and check the extent of damage) on Tuesday but the results are back yet.

hsmomof6 Rookie

As a kid I would be very irregular, only once every 3 to 4 days, but then I'd get bouts of D. As an adult, I would be mostly C and then 10 months ago everything went crazy and I was mostly D alternating with extreme C. I started losing weight like crazy and that's when we started looking for a cause. They checked everything. I've had scopes from both ends, CTs of my abdomen and small bowel, blood tests for all sorts of things. It took them 10 long months to finally check me for Celiac. I've been gluten-free for almost 4 weeks now (other than a few accidental glutenings in the early weeks) and I am now regular for the first time in my life. What a difference.

deaja Rookie

For years I've had C then D then a few days of C, etc. I always thought it was just me. I was either C or going multiple times a day. My docs never thought that was enough reason to test me for gluten/celiac until I specifically asked for it.

Now that I'm going gluten-free, I've been C, but I think my system will stabilize and just needs a little time. (It hasn't even been 3 weeks.)

Speaking of the first paragraph, can I say that I'm kind of annoyed with the GI doctor (not so much my general practicioner) who in January kind of acted like everything must be in my head since all tests came back fine and never even brought up gluten!

BeckyMR Newbie

Hah! I got everyone beat I think. Before I went gluten free I had a BM maybe once ever 4 to 6 weeks, for me that was normal. I was like that as far back as I can remember.

I can remmeber fighting with my mother and grandmother when I was 9, the were trying to give me an enema.

The dr's kept telling me to eat more fiber, kept giving me rx's for differnt laxatives. Nothing ever worked, just made me sick.

Now. regular like clockwork.

I haven't posted on here much, but have learned so much from everyone on here :-) I am not officially diagnosed, but know that I am at least gluten intolerant. I too have always had SEVERE "C" since I was a child. I have been to the Dr. numerous times and told that I need to eat more fiber and drink more water. We have been working on our diet as a family for the last few years and getting more and more educated on what is healthy etc. We have eaten a limited gluten diet during this time. I just put together about a month ago that I was gluten intolerant so I have been 100% gluten free for about a month (to my knowledge at least). I am also working with a doctor to get my adrenals, thyroid and hormones back in balance. Even doing all that, I am still taking 2 doses of Miralax a day to go to the bathroom once daily. The first week I was gluten free I went 2X a day, but then it went back to just the one time. How long before I can expect to start going on my own without aid??? I would love to hear other peoples experience on this.

  • 4 months later...
gailc Newbie

The big 'C'? 12 days for me, laxatives and stool softeners did not work. Doctors said over a period of about 30 years, 'what was normal for me was normal', but then they shut me off before i was able to say 12 days, so they never heard that. 5 laxatives, one a day on day 7 thru 11 worked, or did it? It was day 12. First I ever heard of 'normal' numbers was on the Dr. Oz show, he got concernecd if less than 3 a week. I yelled at the TV 'HOW ABOUT ZERO!!!'.

on the gluten-free diet after two weeks, every day and stool softeners when gluten-free, just one on one day worked for 14 days(it was an experiment).

My worst was about 6 weeks--miserable, then I went cross-country skiing for about 8 hours, very strenuous. that worked.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
    Little Northern Bakehouse



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      129,765
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    LisaMarie39475
    Newest Member
    LisaMarie39475
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
    NutHouse! Granola Co.


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.2k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
    GliadinX




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
    GliadinX



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • lizzie42
      I'm looking for bars or non perishable snacks for my 2 kids. They are 5 and 3. The 3 year old seems sensitive to oats also. We do a lot of long hikes and bike rides. They eat mostly fresh foods but for these rides and hikes we need easy and non perishable. Also that taste good! We do a lot of larabars and freeze dried apples but those are getting old. Any ideas? 
    • knitty kitty
      Oh, @MagsM, Sorry you had that happen with Niacin.  500mg is the maximum amount of Niacin one should take.  Niacin works hand in hand with Thiamine, so a big influx like that can imbalance thiamine if not supplemented at the same time.  All the B vitamins work together in concert.  Niacin in doses at 500 mg or above have been used by doctors to lower triglycerides levels and raise HDL, the good cholesterol.  Pharmaceuticals to do the same thing are more expensive and thus more profitable for physicians. Has your doctor tested you for H. Pylori?  An infection by H. Pylori can be tested for by your doctor.  H. Pylori can cause low tTg IgA results, too.   I would hold off on the microbiome test for now.  Your microbiome is going to change when you go gluten free.  Your microbiome will change when you start taking Thiamine.  Thiamine supplementation influences which microbes grow in the intestines, encouraging beneficial bacteria and getting rid of the bad ones.  Thiamine in the form Benfothiamine promotes intestinal healing, too.  Adopting the Autoimmune Protocol Diet (by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, a Celiac herself) after diagnosis will also change your microbiome.  This is the best diet to heal and recover, IMO.   If you're going to have more testing done for vitamin deficiencies, don't take vitamin supplements beforehand, otherwise the tests will measure the vitamin supplements in your bloodstream and give false results.  Same thing will happen if you take B vitamin shots.  The supplements you mentioned (Arterosil HP and Vascanox HP) are herbal support and do not contain all eight B vitamins.  There's no harm in taking them, but I prefer a B Complex that contains all the B vitamins in activated forms like Life Extension's Bioactive Complete B Complex.  All the B vitamins work together in concert.  Magnesium is important to supplement as thiamine and magnesium make life sustaining enzymes together.  Do not buy supplements containing Thiamine Mononitrate because it is not biologically active.  It is very hard for the body to utilize.  Most of it (70%) passes out unused.    Yes, my Meniere's disease has not returned.  I was deficient in Vitamin D.  I took high doses of Vitamin D 3 to correct the deficiency quickly.  I also took TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) which is a form of thiamine different from Benfotiamine.  TTFD can cross the blood brain barrier without a carrier, so it can get into the brain very easily.  TTFD helps the Vagus nerve function.  The Vagus nerve regulates the ears and balance, and also the digestive system.  I like Allithiamine by Ecological Formulas.  I also like Thiamax by Objective Nutrients.  You should have improvements within a hour with TTFD.  TTFD is much stronger, so lower doses will give amazing benefits (50-200 mg).   I hope this helps give you some direction to take on your journey!
    • MagsM
      Thank you so much for this in depth analysis. I am currently taking Vit D3/K2 5000IU daily.i started taking a flushing Niacin but foolishly took a 500mg tab and nearly passed out! I have just ordered a gut microbiome genome test and it will be interesting to see what my current balance of microbes are. After I finish diagnosis I will definitely go gluten free. Diagnosis will inform exactly how strict I’ll need to be regarding cross contamination etc. my focus will be on healing the gut. I have also been focusing on the oral microbiome - cutting out FL and using more natural products as well as daily oil pulling. I read from some of your other forum entries about Benfothiamine and I’ll definitely order that. I’ll make sure my doc orders more detailed vitamin and mineral panel plus total IGA as well as the DGP-IGA and DGP-IGG tests. We will see if I can get the endoscopic biopsy done. Do you think I should request Vitamin B shots to get me started?  My daily vitamin protocol will likely be VitD/K2 5000IU, Benfothiamin 300x2, Niacin (flushing) 50mg working up to 300mg. I also take a EPA/DHA as well as some vascular support (Arterosil HP and Vascanox HP) as well as Magnesium at night. Which B complex brand do you like? I will see what the gut microbiome test comes back with. I’m sure they will try to sell me pre/probiotics and maybe some digestive enzymes. What are you thought on those? I’m curious if you managed to go into full remission from your Ménière’s disease? Thank you so much for your thoughtful insight. I know that building back up my gut health and immune health will help in so many ways as well as protecting me from many other major diseases as I go into my 60s and beyond. 
    • Scott Adams
      You are right! The logo the have on their packages got me confused--it looks like they are less than 20ppm, not certified GF. Thanks for catching that! My brain also zeroed in on this "less than 10ppm" but I should have seen the rest...
    • Wheatwacked
      Zinc glyconate lozenges (Cold Eeze) helps fight off viral respiratory infections by coating the mucous membrane cells to protect them from virus.  Zinc is an antiviral essential mineral. Choline deficieicy can be the cause of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.  It is estimated by some experts that less than 10% eat the minimum RDA of around 450 mg.  It has also been connected to gallbladder disease.  Brain fog and high homosystein blood level is an independant indicator of cardiovascular disease. Eggs and red meat are the primary sources.  Three eggs or 10 cups of cooked brocolli a day.  Low vitamin D is a common denominator of autoimmune disease.  Is it a contributing factor or a result? I think that low vitamin D is maybe the main contributing factor.  Low vitamin D allows the immune system to run amuck. I would like to point out the many diagnosed with Celiac Disease went through several misdiagnoses, like gall bladder disease, and were repeatedly tested negative and then one day tested positive. Regardless of your diagnosis, you should avoid gluten, you mention it in your first post : "When I eat gluten I get a lot of mucus with my stool and most of the times it’s quite thin. As soon as I take gluten away from my diet my stool becomes normal". It can take six months to several years to heal completely.  How long I believe is directly related to how quickly you identify deficiencies and correct. Essential to my recovery:  Thiamine, 10,000 IU vitamin D3 a day, maintaining 25(OH)D at 80 ng/dl (200 nmole/L), 600 mcg Liquid Iodine, Phosphatidyl Choline.  And of course: Gluten Free.
×
×
  • Create New...