One Year gluten-free; Gi Issues Starting All Over Again

[quincy]

This is my one year anniversary since dx in April 2010. Everything has been going well, my antibodies are negative, my bm normal. THen I ate this easter candy I thought was ok but I misread the label and the one I ate was made on equipment with wheat.

woke up next morning with "stitches" on my lower left abdomen. something I have never had before. it was sore and tender. Doc said its sounded like diverticulitis and put me on Levaquin and Flagyl. Now the D has started and yuck, I thought I was over all of this.

so could it be the popcorn I started eating again which caused the abscess or glutening. If anyone reading has gone through celiac and diverticulitis please chime in. I gotta go for a ct scan now...

[ravenwoodglass]

It is quite possible it was a glutening. Your doctor could tell you with a colonoscopy if you have diverticulitis. That usually presents with a high fever and many have to be hospitalized with it as the symptoms are severe. He gave you some pretty heavy antibiotics so do be sure to get some probiotics in you if you tolerate them.

I have both celiac and had extensive diverticulosis (GI said it was the most extensive he had ever seen) but after being gluten free for a couple years the diverticuli had mostly disappeared when they did my routine over 50 scope. My doctor told me they no longer feel we need to avoid seeds and such but other doctors may still feel differently.

[quincy]

It is quite possible it was a glutening. Your doctor could tell you with a colonoscopy if you have diverticulitis. That usually presents with a high fever and many have to be hospitalized with it as the symptoms are severe. He gave you some pretty heavy antibiotics so do be sure to get some probiotics in you if you tolerate them.

I have both celiac and had extensive diverticulosis (GI said it was the most extensive he had ever seen) but after being gluten free for a couple years the diverticuli had mostly disappeared when they did my routine over 50 scope. My doctor told me they no longer feel we need to avoid seeds and such but other doctors may still feel differently.

thanks so much for that response. The reason I was alarmed was that the pain was lower left and usually my glutening results in the typical (for me) ache on my right side. But funny the pain on the left is gone and now I have the tell-tale ache on the right.

it is amazing that you say the diverticuli went away! I am supposed to go for a ct scan and then my first colonoscopy at 50 in a few weeks. I must admit I am a bit nervous about that event.... any comforting words of wisdom on that? thanks

[CarolinaKip]

thanks so much for that response. The reason I was alarmed was that the pain was lower left and usually my glutening results in the typical (for me) ache on my right side. But funny the pain on the left is gone and now I have the tell-tale ache on the right.

it is amazing that you say the diverticuli went away! I am supposed to go for a ct scan and then my first colonoscopy at 50 in a few weeks. I must admit I am a bit nervous about that event.... any comforting words of wisdom on that? thanks

I'm going to be 45 and had a colonoscopy when trying to figure out what was wrong with me. To me, the worst thing was not eating solids the day before, even the prep wasn't bad to me. I got there and they gave me the "happy juice" next thing I know I'm waking up. You'll wake up with some gas. The nurse told me it was okay to pass it...and I suggest you do so. Sorry for the TMI. I had already been put through so many test, some painful. Meds and scans, that having this was no big deal. Don't be afraid, it's a good thing

[ravenwoodglass]

thanks so much for that response. The reason I was alarmed was that the pain was lower left and usually my glutening results in the typical (for me) ache on my right side. But funny the pain on the left is gone and now I have the tell-tale ache on the right.

it is amazing that you say the diverticuli went away! I am supposed to go for a ct scan and then my first colonoscopy at 50 in a few weeks. I must admit I am a bit nervous about that event.... any comforting words of wisdom on that? thanks

Yea my doctor was really amazed also. With the first scope they were throughout my entire large intestine but the scope I had done a couple of years after diagnosis showed only a few in the normal area on the left.

Do make sure to have the lab check and make sure that anything they give you for the CT is gluten-free. The liquid you drink will have a thin consistency most times if it is. It helps if the doctor writes gluten-free contrast on the lab slip. As for the scope also check with the maker to insure that the prep is gluten-free. With the one I used the maker told me not to use the flavoring. Usually the prep isn't painful but you will be spending a lot of time in the bathroom that day so have lots of reading material available. I have twisted intestines, likely from the force of my gluten reactions during a challenge prediagnosis, so they do now put me out completely for scopes. The one I had before my intestines twisted was not difficult at all though. It is likely that you will not remember anything about it as even without full anesthesia you will be quite 'out' from the twilight drugs. As the other poster said you will be encouraged to pass gas in the recovery room. They wouldn't let me go home until the nurses heard me pass so don't be embarrassed if tell you that. Almost everyone has a really easy time with the scope although the prep is a bit time consuming.

[quincy]

Yea my doctor was really amazed also. With the first scope they were throughout my entire large intestine but the scope I had done a couple of years after diagnosis showed only a few in the normal area on the left.

Do make sure to have the lab check and make sure that anything they give you for the CT is gluten-free. The liquid you drink will have a thin consistency most times if it is. It helps if the doctor writes gluten-free contrast on the lab slip. As for the scope also check with the maker to insure that the prep is gluten-free. With the one I used the maker told me not to use the flavoring. Usually the prep isn't painful but you will be spending a lot of time in the bathroom that day so have lots of reading material available. I have twisted intestines, likely from the force of my gluten reactions during a challenge prediagnosis, so they do now put me out completely for scopes. The one I had before my intestines twisted was not difficult at all though. It is likely that you will not remember anything about it as even without full anesthesia you will be quite 'out' from the twilight drugs. As the other poster said you will be encouraged to pass gas in the recovery room. They wouldn't let me go home until the nurses heard me pass so don't be embarrassed if tell you that. Almost everyone has a really easy time with the scope although the prep is a bit time consuming.

OMG the watery D is awful. They gave me the drink and I specified that I had to be gluten free but now I dont know if it was or not! THe watery d started yesterday though, but today its worse.

now the doc wants to check for c diff? after all my posts on here I am still a newbie when it comes to all these tests!! I am praying the ct scan doesnt show something awful. oh man my anxiety has been through the roof.

so it sounds like major d is normal after the ct scan?

[sa1937]

OMG the watery D is awful. They gave me the drink and I specified that I had to be gluten free but now I dont know if it was or not! THe watery d started yesterday though, but today its worse.

now the doc wants to check for c diff? after all my posts on here I am still a newbie when it comes to all these tests!! I am praying the ct scan doesnt show something awful. oh man my anxiety has been through the roof.

so it sounds like major d is normal after the ct scan?

The contrast I had for my abdominal CT scan was Volumen and it is gluten-free (it was nasty stuff though and I was basically choking it down by the time I got to the last bottle). I lived in the bathroom the rest of the day so I think that's pretty normal. I don't recall if the D continued the next day. Hope you feel better soon and that the results of your scan are good, too.

[quincy]

The contrast I had for my abdominal CT scan was Volumen and it is gluten-free (it was nasty stuff though and I was basically choking it down by the time I got to the last bottle). I lived in the bathroom the rest of the day so I think that's pretty normal. I don't recall if the D continued the next day. Hope you feel better soon and that the results of your scan are good, too.

thanks Sylvia, that ct scan drink was rough and I will have to call them back to find out it was gluten free. the woman said it was crystal light mixed with whatever they use.....so not sure.

I had to have a c diff test also to rule that out. I think I am being glutened without knowing. I have canker sore in mouth right now.

new products using are: Silk Vanilla Almond drink, Sensodyne Pro Namel toothepast, and Food Should Taste So Good chips... any thoughts on these items?

[sa1937]

thanks Sylvia, that ct scan drink was rough and I will have to call them back to find out it was gluten free. the woman said it was crystal light mixed with whatever they use.....so not sure.

I had to have a c diff test also to rule that out. I think I am being glutened without knowing. I have canker sore in mouth right now.

new products using are: Silk Vanilla Almond drink, Sensodyne Pro Namel toothepast, and Food Should Taste So Good chips... any thoughts on these items?

I also had a liver scan six months after the abdominal CT scan and I had a different contrast (can't remember the name) but it was gluten-free. And yes, they did add Crystal Light to it. Yuck! I hate Crystal Light on a good day. Do you have a problem with artificial sweetners? I just intensely dislike the taste of them but don't have a problem otherwise.

I've not used Silk almond milk or Food Should Taste Good chips so can't answer that. My dental hygientist gave me a sample of Sensodyne ProNamel toothpaste, which I googled and it is gluten-free (might have a CYA statement). I tried the sample but then went back to my usual Colgate. You might want to drop it and the new foods for a bit to see if that helps. Sorry I can't be of more help.

[quincy]

I also had a liver scan six months after the abdominal CT scan and I had a different contrast (can't remember the name) but it was gluten-free. And yes, they did add Crystal Light to it. Yuck! I hate Crystal Light on a good day. Do you have a problem with artificial sweetners? I just intensely dislike the taste of them but don't have a problem otherwise.

I've not used Silk almond milk or Food Should Taste Good chips so can't answer that. My dental hygientist gave me a sample of Sensodyne ProNamel toothpaste, which I googled and it is gluten-free (might have a CYA statement). I tried the sample but then went back to my usual Colgate. You might want to drop it and the new foods for a bit to see if that helps. Sorry I can't be of more help.

I cant stand artificial sweeteners no. and that drink was awful and it came out awful too! TMI sorry.

I stopped the silk drink and the toothpaste for now.

thanks so much for your feedback.

[GFinDC]

I eat the Food Should Taste Good chips and have no problem with them. But they do make some chips that are not gluten-free, so watch the ingredients. I only eat the olive chip and sweet potato chips myself, because they are GFCFSF. I think the multigrain chips are just that, and not safe for us. But I avoid soy so may have excluded them for that.

Otherwise the colonoscopy prep sounds like so much fun!

[quincy]

I eat the Food Should Taste Good chips and have no problem with them. But they do make some chips that are not gluten-free, so watch the ingredients. I only eat the olive chip and sweet potato chips myself, because they are GFCFSF. I think the multigrain chips are just that, and not safe for us. But I avoid soy so may have excluded them for that.

Otherwise the colonoscopy prep sounds like so much fun!

thanks Paul, I was just eating some of the sweet potato chips last night, despite going through D from hell all day yesterday. by the way, i notice in your profile you mention the garbanzo beans of pain. may I ask why? I was practically living on my homemade hummus recently, but wasn't feeling so great after a while with it. any reasons why?

[GFinDC]

Hi Quincy,

I used to eat a lot of hummus myself. I have dome several elimination diets over the years and the garbanzo beans were a problem for me. I have tried them a few times since then but no go. Actually I don't eat any kind of beans very often anymore. I always consider beans an experiment now, not something that I expect will be ok for sure.

[quincy]

Hi Quincy,

I used to eat a lot of hummus myself. I have dome several elimination diets over the years and the garbanzo beans were a problem for me. I have tried them a few times since then but no go. Actually I don't eat any kind of beans very often anymore. I always consider beans an experiment now, not something that I expect will be ok for sure.

My CT scan showed "thickening" of the large intestine? this is the first time I have had a ct scan performed since being diagnosed so this might not be something new but was there all along? I have been gluten-free for year w gut pain on and off but lately off until I started adding some new things to my diet and new products. so perhaps I was gluten'ed. have an outbreak of canker sores right now too..... hmmmm. anyone have a ct scan that said 'thickening" of large colon without it being something horrible to deal with? maybe I should introduce it as new thread....

[ravenwoodglass]

anyone have a ct scan that said 'thickening" of large colon without it being something horrible to deal with? maybe I should introduce it as new thread....

Yea, the doctors never said what it was from but my doctor didn't seem concerned. If your doctor enlightens you as to what it is from let us know as I have always been curious what caused it. I suspect it was from years of inflammation but that is just a guess as they found the same thing with my heart scan.

[quincy]

Yea, the doctors never said what it was from but my doctor didn't seem concerned. If your doctor enlightens you as to what it is from let us know as I have always been curious what caused it. I suspect it was from years of inflammation but that is just a guess as they found the same thing with my heart scan.

so your scan, Ravenwood, showed a thickening of the large bowel as well? if you look at a posting by dennis429(??) in the post diagnosis section of the forum he has a topic called 'pain in lower left.' It caught my eye cause I was having same thing and he also was told his ct scan showed thickening but when they did follow up biopsy there was no indication of colitis etc. read his thread if you get a chance. the doc says it is prob due to the celiac.

[ravenwoodglass]

so your scan, Ravenwood, showed a thickening of the large bowel as well? if you look at a posting by dennis429(??) in the post diagnosis section of the forum he has a topic called 'pain in lower left.' It caught my eye cause I was having same thing and he also was told his ct scan showed thickening but when they did follow up biopsy there was no indication of colitis etc. read his thread if you get a chance. the doc says it is prob due to the celiac.

Yes I did have the thickening. I also think it is due to the inflammation from the celiac, as I was told the thickening of my heart walls was due to inflammation.

[GFinDC]

Hi John,

I used to have pain in my left side also, left and somewhat lower than the belly button area. I actually had that for years before going gluten-free. Then it took a while after going gluten-free for it to clear up. I figure that is part of the small intestine.

I never had an endoscopy or colonoscopy so hard to say what they would have told me about it. Probably to take some aspirin!

Anyhow, celiac damages the villi lining the small intestine so pain/inflamation in the gut is not a surprising thing IMHO. If you are getting canker sores there may be something in your diet going wrong.

[quincy]

Hi John,

I used to have pain in my left side also, left and somewhat lower than the belly button area. I actually had that for years before going gluten-free. Then it took a while after going gluten-free for it to clear up. I figure that is part of the small intestine.

I never had an endoscopy or colonoscopy so hard to say what they would have told me about it. Probably to take some aspirin!

Anyhow, celiac damages the villi lining the small intestine so pain/inflamation in the gut is not a surprising thing IMHO. If you are getting canker sores there may be something in your diet going wrong.

yes I have a canker sore now but its not too bad. I was drinking red wine and eating cheese lately, I don't know what I was thinking!! I just wanted to feel "normal" for awhile and hang out with my gluten-eating friends I guess.

I also went back to caffein and was using lactaid milk. had some yogurt to see if I would get sick... all of the above have made me sick I guess. I got a vita mix and had made some raw veggie smoothies, so maybe I didnt wash the veggies as well as I should have. eating popcorn again.... just a big ole mess I made of myself after being on a simple diet that my body could handle....

time to go back to basics. I think I got out too far ahead of myself.......

Do you mind sharing Paul what your diet consists of? I have been reading about the Specific Carb diet and I like alot of what Elaine is saying about eating too many carbs that turn our guts into fermentation labs rather than an absorption/elimination system. If I am eating too many carbs and then adding pro biotics into the mix I think it is a recipe for way too much bacterial overgrowth. perhaps my thinking is wrong here. I would like to get the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle to read up on this more.

thanks for your concern!

[GFinDC]

Hi John,

I have to admit I have been experimenting with dairy a little lately too. Turns out it was a mistake for me too. Usually I eat only Daiya GFCFSF cheese shreds. But I went and got some real cheese last weekend and ate it one day. Not a great idea, I hardly slept for 2 days. Finally got some sleep last night though. That's what dairy does to me if my gut is at all messed up, it wakes me up like I am on speed or something. And my gut was somewhat messed up because I sat in a pizza place with some friends while they ate pizza a weekend before. Got me good and sick too. All I ate was a pear.

Well, other than that, I eat mostly meat and veggies, nuts (except walnuts) and fruit. No dairy other than my recent experiment. I don't drink coffee or tea. I do drink Pepsi sometimes. I eat brown rice tortillas from Food for Life or Trader Joes. I do eat Larabars, and Food should Taste Good chips. I make guacamole with Hellman's canola oil cholesterol free mayo too. It is soy free.

Lately I have been frying onions and mushrooms and then adding some okra pods and brussel sprouts. I add some garlic powder, iodized salt, pepper, and some dried herbs. Add some meat or eggs and good to go. The same thing works good with green beans and peas.

I also have a pile of pre-cooked hamburger patties in the fridge and I eat those plain and cold with just some salt on them. I also eat eggs with veggies or in wraps with lettuce, mayo or guacamole etc.

I eat peanuts including peanut butter as long as it is natural or an organic soy-free version. And I eat Corn Thins and Lundberg rice cakes (with peanut butter ).

I usually have apples, oranges, and bananas around to eat.

I like sweet potatos in soups or nuked for 10 minutes. A little olive oil and some brown sugar on them and they are quite a treat. I have been trying to think of other veggies that would be ok for me lately. I am considering chopping up sweet potatos in little chunks and frying them with the green beans and peas. I also got some Bob's Red Mill buckwheat groats recently and am thinking of trying them in a veggie mixture.

I get canned fish sometimes because its cheaper and use it in veggie mixtures or wraps. Lots of canned fish has soy tho so watch out for that.

I do use Tempt hemp milk sometimes. I sometimes make hot cereal or corn grits and add it to that. Sometimes I make Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty gluten-free Hot Cereal too. I drink mostly plain water.

I drink wine but I avoid chardonays. Chardonays are sometimes given added flavor by throwing in staves from used whiskey barrels. Rum is generally ok and potato vodka.

I have made microwave peanut brittle in the past, you might like to try that. You can make lots of versions by adding all kinds of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, whatever your thinker can figure to it instead of just peanuts. You can actually make it a healthy snack. Spread it out on a flat pan with parchment paper then cut into chunks when cooled. Some people make pumpkin bars and such. I have to admit I am a lazy cook and haven't tried this in a while.

Lonewolf posted a recipe for microwave rolls a few years ago. I couldn't find the thread but seems like it was:

3 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free flours

1 egg

a pinch of salt

a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

a 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate powder or molasses (for color)

Nuke till it glows or preferably 90 seconds in a tall cup or bowl.

When I was making these I would cut them in half horizontally and then toast each half on the gas burner. Been quite a while since I did these tho. Something to try?

I work at home but if I go to a meeting I take a Larabar and a banana and orange or apple. I buy Planters peanuts sometimes in those little bags they sell too. The honey roasted or the plain salted kinds.

Ok, so I bought some prickly pears last weekend and am going to try them too. They say you should burn the thorns off in a flame. Sounds fun! My sister in New Mexico sent me this link about how to eat them.

Open Original Shared Link

[quincy]

Hi John,

I have to admit I have been experimenting with dairy a little lately too. Turns out it was a mistake for me too. Usually I eat only Daiya GFCFSF cheese shreds. But I went and got some real cheese last weekend and ate it one day. Not a great idea, I hardly slept for 2 days. Finally got some sleep last night though. That's what dairy does to me if my gut is at all messed up, it wakes me up like I am on speed or something. And my gut was somewhat messed up because I sat in a pizza place with some friends while they ate pizza a weekend before. Got me good and sick too. All I ate was a pear.

Well, other than that, I eat mostly meat and veggies, nuts (except walnuts) and fruit. No dairy other than my recent experiment. I don't drink coffee or tea. I do drink Pepsi sometimes. I eat brown rice tortillas from Food for Life or Trader Joes. I do eat Larabars, and Food should Taste Good chips. I make guacamole with Hellman's canola oil cholesterol free mayo too. It is soy free.

Lately I have been frying onions and mushrooms and then adding some okra pods and brussel sprouts. I add some garlic powder, iodized salt, pepper, and some dried herbs. Add some meat or eggs and good to go. The same thing works good with green beans and peas.

I also have a pile of pre-cooked hamburger patties in the fridge and I eat those plain and cold with just some salt on them. I also eat eggs with veggies or in wraps with lettuce, mayo or guacamole etc.

I eat peanuts including peanut butter as long as it is natural or an organic soy-free version. And I eat Corn Thins and Lundberg rice cakes (with peanut butter ).

I usually have apples, oranges, and bananas around to eat.

I like sweet potatos in soups or nuked for 10 minutes. A little olive oil and some brown sugar on them and they are quite a treat. I have been trying to think of other veggies that would be ok for me lately. I am considering chopping up sweet potatos in little chunks and frying them with the green beans and peas. I also got some Bob's Red Mill buckwheat groats recently and am thinking of trying them in a veggie mixture.

I get canned fish sometimes because its cheaper and use it in veggie mixtures or wraps. Lots of canned fish has soy tho so watch out for that.

I do use Tempt hemp milk sometimes. I sometimes make hot cereal or corn grits and add it to that. Sometimes I make Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty gluten-free Hot Cereal too. I drink mostly plain water.

I drink wine but I avoid chardonays. Chardonays are sometimes given added flavor by throwing in staves from used whiskey barrels. Rum is generally ok and potato vodka.

I have made microwave peanut brittle in the past, you might like to try that. You can make lots of versions by adding all kinds of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, whatever your thinker can figure to it instead of just peanuts. You can actually make it a healthy snack. Spread it out on a flat pan with parchment paper then cut into chunks when cooled. Some people make pumpkin bars and such. I have to admit I am a lazy cook and haven't tried this in a while.

Lonewolf posted a recipe for microwave rolls a few years ago. I couldn't find the thread but seems like it was:

3 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free flours

1 egg

a pinch of salt

a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

a 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate powder or molasses (for color)

Nuke till it glows or preferably 90 seconds in a tall cup or bowl.

When I was making these I would cut them in half horizontally and then toast each half on the gas burner. Been quite a while since I did these tho. Something to try?

I work at home but if I go to a meeting I take a Larabar and a banana and orange or apple. I buy Planters peanuts sometimes in those little bags they sell too. The honey roasted or the plain salted kinds.

Ok, so I bought some prickly pears last weekend and am going to try them too. They say you should burn the thorns off in a flame. Sounds fun! My sister in New Mexico sent me this link about how to eat them.

Open Original Shared Link

I am going to try some of your recommendations. thank you. I like the idea of the cold burgers with salt. I would imagine you use at least 85% or better for the ground beef. I really empathize with you about the cheese and watching friends eat pizza. I live vicariously alot when I watch people eat chocolate layer cake and pizza etc.

let us know how the prickly pear dish goes. sounds dangerous to me haha but you can be the test case....