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Stress Making Things Worse - Ibs

GFreeMO

By GFreeMO
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted

I was just wondering if anyone has gluten like bowel symptoms when stressed. I have been gluten free for 2 years. I don't ever eat out and am very careful at home. I have a gluten free kitchen etc. With that being said, when I am really stressed out or if I eat spicy foods, I get diarrhea for a few days. I know that they can't be related to gluten b/c I dont get any other symptoms like I do when I eaten gluten in the past. I guess it is possible to have both celiac and IBS. Can anxiety or nerves and spicy foods cause diarrhea?

Thanks!

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GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

First, let me preface this by saying I don't believe IBS is a real diagnosis. IMO IBS is what they tell you when they don't know what is making your bowels irritable. Now that said, when I get glutened I FEEL more stressed even if there is nothing to be stressed about. However, if you are sure that you are not getting glutened then your should see your dr about other possible causes of the D. If I were you I would get tested for Crohns or Colitis as both of those conditions can be flared by stress and can be relieved somewhat by a gluten free diet. Don't let the dr write you off as having "IBS" without at least doing some testing. I hope you can figure it out!

smc Rookie
smc
Posted

Hi there, I would say yes. I have been gluten free for 2 years as well and lately have been going through a ton of stress. At the same time as the stress and anxiety started I began having some reflux and indigestion and even stomach pain. I have a gluten free kitchen too. Spicy foods cause D for many people including me even though that is not a typical celiac symptom for me. I have noticed as my stress is easing a little so are my symptoms. I have read that our stomachs have a little nervous system of their own and when we have stress our digestion is the first to be disrupted.

lynnelise Apprentice
lynnelise
Posted

My sister-in-law does not have celiac or any other bowel disorders and she gets extreme GI issues when stressed. She is undergoing a divorce and for over a month had constant puking and diarrhea. In high school when her parents were divorcing she had the same issue and actually underwent testing for celiac, colitis, crohn's and other issues at Duke and it was confirmed to be due to anxiety.

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the advice! I don't have crohns or colitis. My sister has colitis so I would know if I had that..I just have celiac and when I get stressed or if I eat pizza or mexican or salsa or a bunch of acidy tomato or orange juice etc. or if I am really stressed or anxious about something, I get D.

I was just wondering if anyone else still has occasional D with being on the gluten free diet.

:)

concernedmamma Explorer
concernedmamma
Posted

I am interested to hear more about this-Both my son's (6 yr old non-identical twins) have Celiac and with one of them, we are sure he is reacting to 'something' but can't figure out what it is. We were thinking his 'bathroom episodes' and complaints of tummy cramps were related to cross contamination (about 1-5X/month). Well, last month, accidentally, we served him a regular pizza rather than the gluten-free one......... a week later......... NO reaction!!! So, my thought process is, if there is no reaction to an entire pizza, then these episodes are not related to gluten!

IBS has been suggested to us, but, like a previous poster, I don't really believe in that diagnosis- it seems to get handed out simply because the medical professionals don't know what else it could be!

We started a food journal to try to figure this out, but perhaps we need a stress/activity journal too.

Do you all see any correlation with heat? He had quite a few D episodes on the hottest days this summer. Just wondering......... (they also tended to be our busiest, least healthy-eating days-although always gluten free)

Kim

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted
  • Author

Now that I think of it, it was really hot here. That could have something to do with it. I also think that it may be related to coffeemate coffee creamer. Not that it contains gluten, I dont think it agrees with me.

Kim, maybe it is the heat with your son and like you said, the busiest least healthiest eating days. It could simply be just that. I hope you get it figured out soon! :)

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GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

Now that I think of it, it was really hot here. That could have something to do with it. I also think that it may be related to coffeemate coffee creamer. Not that it contains gluten, I dont think it agrees with me.

Kim, maybe it is the heat with your son and like you said, the busiest least healthiest eating days. It could simply be just that. I hope you get it figured out soon! :)

Could you have a secondary intolerance to dairy or soy? These intolerance can be mild and only act up when you eat a lot those items so that could be why you only notice when you are stressed. For example: do you drink more coffee when stressed? or eat more of a certain gluten-free convienence item because you don't have time to cook?

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

Thanks for the advice! I don't have crohns or colitis. My sister has colitis so I would know if I had that..I just have celiac and when I get stressed or if I eat pizza or mexican or salsa or a bunch of acidy tomato or orange juice etc. or if I am really stressed or anxious about something, I get D.

I was just wondering if anyone else still has occasional D with being on the gluten free diet.

:)

Double check your brand of orange juice. Most are fine but I have seen one that had barley in the flavoring before. You could have trouble with the tomatoes or you could have trouble with the cheese since pizza and and mexican food have both usually. What brand of pizza/pizza crust are you eating? Many people have a gluten reaction to Amy's which I think is made on shared lines. Are you making your own Mexican and what are the brands of shells and seasonings you use? Corn is another intolerance you might consider since Mexican definitely has corn, gluten-free pizza crust mixes might have corn in them and tomato products (sauce, ketchup, etc) often have corn syrup in them.

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted
  • Author

Thanks so much for the advice everyone! I appreciate it. I am going to recheck my things and throw away my coffeemate creamer. I am convinced that it made me sick. Better to stick with all natural ingredients anyway.

notme Experienced
notme
Posted

when i get stressed it throws my whole entire digestive system off. if i eat a tiny (like 1/4 or 1/8) of a xanax when i feel it start, it wards off the days of D. and i am definitely celiac (endoscopy dx positive also tested for crohns negative) my prescription for xanax is for when i travel i take 1/2 a pill and it will make me two dwarves: sleepy and dopey. a tiny bit of it just settles everything down without knocking me on my butt. if i don't, then i stress about not eating!! just my personal experience. also, certain acidic foods will do this as well and not in any particular category also the skins of certain fruits and veggies. i had to keep a food journal and pinpoint the culprits. sometimes raw vs cooked was the difference. good luck :)

  • 3 months later...
crampy girl Apprentice
crampy girl
Posted

I have D when I am not stressed sometimes, but Once the D starts, usually around the third episode I start having that weird sensation in my gut as if I were stressed or having some kind of anxiety melt down. I get really fatigued feeling and this usually goes on for 2-3 days. I can never figure out the cause. It's as if my body just discharges some kind of anxiety attack without me being conscience aware of stress. Then I am fine again, sometimes for months.

The Xanax pill idea may be worthwhile for me to try, never even thought of it until it was mentioned in the post above.

But....that is usually after a week of cheating here and there. So I don't know if it's the gluten or if it's in my head,ie an anxiety disorder that results in GI symptoms.

I am also sensitive to a few foods I didn't even suspect until I kept a food journal and noticed a direct correlation. A lot of Celiacs have mult food intolerances. Casein,lactose,nuts,soy are mine.

All this being said, I am just as confused. But maybe aside from Celiac and food intolerances, if that's not the cause for D and cramps, there may be some kind of neural hormonal trigger kind of like a panic attack that come on out of the blue and manifests in D...?.

Anyone else's input would be great!

jswog Contributor
jswog
Posted

But....that is usually after a week of cheating here and there. So I don't know if it's the gluten or if it's in my head,ie an anxiety disorder that results in GI symptoms.

IMHO, it is directly from the cheating.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Not everything is food related. I think back to my teenage years when I was waiting for a date to pick me up.... and he was late.... and I was worried that I was all dressed up with no place to go, that I would be STOOD UP!!! In the bathroom with diarrhea every time. Very stressful :D

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