Newbie Here

[Kitagrl28]

Hi all! I found this board tonight while doing a Google search.

I've had something like IBS ever since I was in college (am 36 now). It comes and goes, sometimes worse, sometimes better. I also have lactose intolerace to a greater or less degree (sometimes I can handle it, sometimes not). Stress also plays a part.

Well for the past 4 months or so I've had worsening symptoms PLUS actual stomach pain (ulcer?) which I never had before. Also way too much bloating and gas and discomfort. Its difficult to even want to eat in public or at somebody's house for fear I'll feel sick, or else be too bloated and no where safe to go, if you know what I mean. haha.

I have been slowly losing weight over the past 3 years or so and am down to a healthy weight, although I'd like to lose about 15 more pounds. I've had four kids. One reason that even got me to the dr is that lately I've lost a few more pounds but my bloating is such that I cannot feel the weight loss in my waistbands like I used to.... So, anyhow...

Went to a GI doctor this past week for the first time ever. He was very very nice and will be checking several things over the next month or so. I gave about five tubes of blood the other day. I'll be getting a gall bladder ultrasound this week (gall bladder removal runs in my family). Then next month I'm getting a stomach scope done (as well as something else checked, but probably not really related.)

He did give me an IBS diet which includes gluten free, and did tell me that its *possible* my "IBS" all this time could actually be a form of Celiac, so my blood testing did include some sort of tests for that. He also said whatever he's doing in my stomach will be able to tell as well. I don't remember being sick as a child though, although I was extremely skinny and very picky. *shrug* As a teen, though, I don't remember being sick too much having to do with eating, and ate plenty of junk of course.

I'm reading now on the forum, though, that if I go gluten free NOW, my tests will come back inconclusive. Now, I did try to reduce my gluten like the day before my blood test, I guess probably like 24 hours before...that probably would not have affected the blood test much, right, since I've been totally on gluten all my life?

Should I also stay on gluten until my stomach scope? I have a baking business (haha ironic!) and make a lot of gluten-full stuff for my family so it would be easy to eat it. On the other hand, the past two days I've been somewhat "gluten free" and also bought Lactaid milk for cooking with. I did have small amounts of gluten but any bread or pasta I ate was gluten free. Tonight I was like, eh what the hey, and ate pizza with my family. Now about 3 hours later my gut is really cramping up and VERY gassy and bloated, and my stomach kind of burns.

Is two days gluten free enough to see a difference or is it all in my head? How much gluten should I eat each day in order to have good test results for my scope? And the blood test I had done will probably be accurate, correct...? Since I'd never even tried gluten free until the evening/morning before my bloodwork was done?

Thanks!!!!

[mushroom]

Welcome to the board.

Yes, you should keep eating gluten until after your endo, the equivalent of 3-4 slices of bread a day. The 24 hrs of gluten free prior to your blood testing would have no effect, however.

In your baking business do you wear a mask to avoid inhaling the flour? You will need to do this if you go gluten free, and also wash your hands obsessively Or else convert to a gluten free bakery????

[Kitagrl28]

Welcome to the board.

Yes, you should keep eating gluten until after your endo, the equivalent of 3-4 slices of bread a day. The 24 hrs of gluten free prior to your blood testing would have no effect, however.

In your baking business do you wear a mask to avoid inhaling the flour? You will need to do this if you go gluten free, and also wash your hands obsessively Or else convert to a gluten free bakery????

The ironic thing was that I was filling an order (as a favor, its not my usual thing) for a past customer for whom I did her wedding cake...but she is now gluten free and she wanted me to try to replicate her wedding cake in a small version, gluten free. So I did...and the day the cake was picked up is the day I went to the dr and found out I would be tested for Celiac, among other things. Whoa. haha. Its just myself, not really a bakery...maybe I won't actually have *celiac* and I won't be so sensitive that I can't breathe it in or something like that. Anyway I'm not sure I can afford to go gluten free for a family of 6..so flour will have to be around somehow! One day at a time. haha.

[maramelia]

kitagrl28, if there is some chance in your case to be celiac, you must do, in the future, what mushroom said, to wear some sort of mask and individual protection, when your dealing with flour...

In the case of doing a gluten free diet in your house, keep in mind it is common that someone of your family (some of your children) to have what you have. If this is Celiac disease.

What mushroom said is true, the celiacs do not tolerate even very small amounts of gluten. so, even little crackles of biscuits or bread, that contaminate a pack of cream cheese in your house, for example, simply starts all the imune response of your body to the gluten.

That's why the recommendation of have - for example, in my house, the creamcheese of the celiacs (my son and husband) and the cream cheese for me and my other child (non-celiacs) - to avoid this " cross-contamination".

Do not use the same spoon, for example, doing a gluten food and a gluten free one...

its hard to do, but we take the way for this with the time...

good luck with your tests...

mara

[Kitagrl28]

kitagrl28, if there is some chance in your case to be celiac, you must do, in the future, what mushroom said, to wear some sort of mask and individual protection, when your dealing with flour...

In the case of doing a gluten free diet in your house, keep in mind it is common that someone of your family (some of your children) to have what you have. If this is Celiac disease.

What mushroom said is true, the celiacs do not tolerate even very small amounts of gluten. so, even little crackles of biscuits or bread, that contaminate a pack of cream cheese in your house, for example, simply starts all the imune response of your body to the gluten.

That's why the recommendation of have - for example, in my house, the creamcheese of the celiacs (my son and husband) and the cream cheese for me and my other child (non-celiacs) - to avoid this " cross-contamination".

Do not use the same spoon, for example, doing a gluten food and a gluten free one...

its hard to do, but we take the way for this with the time...

good luck with your tests...

mara

Wow, really? My reactions don't seem THAT bad....I doubt I have true Celiac. Maybe a mild intolerance???? I can't see needing facial protection against flour..... I don't feel sick enough to need THAT...