Getting Enough Calcium & Vitamins

[squirmingitch]

I had a bone scan last year (before I knew I had celiac)& it showed I had very mild osteopenia. Over the years I had tried every type of calcium supplement imaginable & they ALL gave me bad indigestion. Oyster calcium, the chocolate chews, liquid calcium gelcaps, & all the normal calcium pills. In order to increase my calcium intake I began drinking soy milk as it has more calcium than milk or yogurt. Now, since the soy milk has so much iodine in the form of carageenan that's out. And since dairy is to be in limited quantities (if at all) then the calcium from that is not a factor.

I had also tried B vitamins for years but they gave me indigestion also.

So how do you guys make sure you get enough calcium? And for that matter all the other vitamins especially the B's?

[Marilyn R]

I

I had a bone scan last year (before I knew I had celiac)& it showed I had very mild osteopenia. Over the years I had tried every type of calcium supplement imaginable & they ALL gave me bad indigestion. Oyster calcium, the chocolate chews, liquid calcium gelcaps, & all the normal calcium pills. In order to increase my calcium intake I began drinking soy milk as it has more calcium than milk or yogurt. Now, since the soy milk has so much iodine in the form of carageenan that's out. And since dairy is to be in limited quantities (if at all) then the calcium from that is not a factor.

I had also tried B vitamins for years but they gave me indigestion also.

So how do you guys make sure you get enough calcium? And for that matter all the other vitamins especially the B's?

I'm just doing a multi-vitamin. I supplement that with a Calcium tab and D-3 drops. I make my own soup stocks in the pressure cooker or slow cooker. I have a weird craving for marrow bone. I think it's good for us.

[Jestgar]

Green leafy vegetables.

[itchy]

Why do you feel you have to avoid iodine?

Preventing bone disease seems a higher priority than preventing DH. In theory DH will go away on its own once you get the gluten out of your diet and leave enough time.

Calcium and iodine are both essential to health, wheat gluten is not.

Also, I'm curious why you eliminate dairy? I still can't tolerate raw milk, but I eat loads of yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, frozen yogurt, and cheese without apparent ill effect.

Finally, are you sure that you are free enough of gluten? Many digestive problems will go away once the guts get a chance to heal. Maybe as you have gluten out of the diet you are not as senstive to those supplements as you once were? Just checking.

[itchy]

Hi squirmingitch

Just checked a couple earlier posts, where you mention you eat hash browns and don't eat oatmeal.

Personally I consider hash browns a high risk due to browning agents containing wheat that are used to make them look nice fried up. Without checking labels I wouldn't know, however.

Where I live it is easy to buy wheat free oatmeal. I eat loads of oatmeal without any problems. Others may not be able to tolerate oat products, but most of the literature suggests oatmeal is okay for celiacs, at least most of us. Actually I ate regular oatmeal without any problems previously, suggesting that most commercial oatmeal has quite low contamination with wheat. I prefer not to trust that theory however, now that wheat free oatmeal is easy to find (at least in Canada).

Finally, I have the same reaction to baked goods that you seem to have. I still get indigestion from gluten free baked goods. I prefer to limit these, which is a problem because well meaning friends seem to think that because I eat gluten free that I therefore must want to eat a lot of gluten free baked goods.

[pricklypear1971]

Why do you feel you have to avoid iodine?

Preventing bone disease seems a higher priority than preventing DH. In theory DH will go away on its own once you get the gluten out of your diet and leave enough time.

Calcium and iodine are both essential to health, wheat gluten is not.

Also, I'm curious why you eliminate dairy? I still can't tolerate raw milk, but I eat loads of yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, frozen yogurt, and cheese without apparent ill effect.

Finally, are you sure that you are free enough of gluten? Many digestive problems will go away once the guts get a chance to heal. Maybe as you have gluten out of the diet you are not as senstive to those supplements as you once were? Just checking.

The OP can answer for herself but I will chime in on the desperation to alleviate DH....

Uhm.....when I am in the middle of a DH episode there is absolutely NOTHING more important than making the itching, pain and burning stop. Not to mention the longing to have your brain not constantly occupied by the mental challenge of stopping your hands from scratching. Makes the thrill of shopping for "the perfect" clothes that don't touch or irritate the lesions (btw, such clothes don't exist) even better....

I'm serious when I say this...

If the devil appeared in front of me at 8 pm as those damn sores were filling, when that insatiable itching starts, when I am seriously in danger of losing it....I'd probably agree to any terms offered for a cure. Especially after almost 3 years of incessant torture.

Did I mention the part about cringing when people touch you, especially your excited child? The inability to fully extend your arms because the scabs rip open? What about the wet spots on your clothes where the sores weep?

Dairy is high in iodone. Iodine withdrawal is temporary.

[itchy]

Prickly Pear: I didn't mean to minimise the suffering. I've certainly experienced excruciating symptoms of DH and I can well imagine that there are others that have it much, much worse than me, especially judging from the photos on the internet.

Perhaps my observations are coloured by the fact I've never been able to detect a strong response to iodine containing food. I vary my diet quite a lot over time, and one would think that if I got a strong response from iodine containing foods, it would be noticeable. I continue to watch for it.

Which leads to my point that perhaps not everyone should assume they have to get rid of iodine, if it means not dealing with other health issues. I think people should check it out for themselves for their own response.

I don't know that squirmingitch hasn't done that.

[pricklypear1971]

The only way to know is to try...

[squirmingitch]

Itchy, ---- What pricklypear said. I couldn't have stated it better myself!

The iodine withdrawal is temporary. And it is in line of a test to see how I react. One has to do these things sometimes. AND I was suffering so badly --- well --- that ole devil prickly mentioned? We would be fast friends that devil & me. I have considered the filet knife at times to peel my skin off. Surely the pain of that would be better than the itching. At least it would be different.

BTW, the hash browns are potatoes. No other ingredients. No browning agents. Nothing but potatoes (peeled of course).

[tarnalberry]

Studies have shown that supplementing magnesium, necessary for the use of calcium to build bone, is even more important in celiacs than calcium. Make sure you're getting ample D as well.

[tarnalberry]

Oh, and weight bearing exercise, and lots of it!

[squirmingitch]

Thank you everyone! Ah yes, the leafy greens of course. I did know that but couldn't think of it. Chalk it up to temporary insanity due to intense itching & hunger. This stuff is making me stupid. But I know you've all been there, done that & it's nice to have you to turn to to keep me straight. And I do hope to discover down the road that I can take supplements because the problem with them stemmed from the celiac disease.

The magnesium is a good tip. I didn't know that.

I have long been a fan of weight bearing exercise. Tarnalberry, I see you teach yoga --- I taught ballet & practice the exercises throughout the day in the way I move doing anything around the house. Also love to walk with the dog which is a great weight bearing exercise.

I made a run to the store this morning & couldn't find cream of buckwheat so will have to order it online. Picked up some refried beans, stocked up on more fruit & fruit juices, unsalted nuts ( not many unsalted choices there) & picked up 6 Larabars, 2 of which went into the glove compartment for those desperate snacks away from home. Was getting shaky so I inhaled one while putting away groceries & YUM, YUM, YUM!!!!!! They are GOOOOOOD!

Threw myself a fine pity party last week at one point but I suppose you guys are familiar with that too. Got that over with & am ready to move forward with renewed strength.

Will have to get the Udi's bread online too as locally only Schar is available.

I think I'll be able to make the next few days without getting hungry. Wooooooo Hoooooo!!!!

[pricklypear1971]

If you can find Kind+ bars try one.

IMO better than Lara.

[squirmingitch]

I'll look for them online with everything else on my list. Thanks!