Gluten Free Didn't Solve All My Issues

[Nadia2009]

Hello Gluten-Free friends,

I haven't been here often lately. I even missed celebrating with you my second anniversary of going gluten free (Sept 21). I have been gluten free for 2 years and 3 months exactly. Yes! Thanks for the congrats

About 6 months ago, I had a colonscopy and the results were good according to the GI doctor. I was still having D and hoping my intestins weren't too damaged. I almost got used to to having loose stools of pale color (sorry for talking about this) but I want to know if others have had the same issue. My stools are either mustard yellow color or green yellow to green color.

Eating rice does help me but I am trying my own version of the paleo diet...a modified paleo diet. For the last 3 days, I have been eating vegetable soups with lots of green and roots sweet potatoes parsnips + very little potatoes. I am trying to avoid most grains...rice is probably I will keep using more than others.

I just researched a bit on the topic of stools and learned pale stools mean the bile isnt working properly and that my transit is too fast. Does it mean I am not absorbing nutrients? I like good vitamins and supplements but if I am not absorbing then maybe I shouldn't bother buying them?

Another thing I read is my symptoms could indicate gallstones. I am getting scared.

I am going to see a doctor tomorrow and I am not asking you to give me a diagnostic but I still want to add some other symptoms I am having for the last 2 months. My skin is itchy and sore to touch mostly the skin in the upper body around chest and upper abs. The itching is not so bad and the pain has diminished greatly but from time to time I feel it when I press somewhere. Last but not least, I am experiencing pain in the breast...this problem is also diminishing. It was almost gone I thought but this morning I woke up with that pain.

I was going to visit a naturopathic doctor but I have to wait the holidays are over. And I don't really enjoy seeing MDs (but I will tomorrow) as they dont know anything about health issues I bring to them. It confuses them when I show up with symptoms that are going all directions and not specific to a known disease.

[gluten free overseas]

It would not be a bad idea to have your gallbladder checked out--either for stones or for how it is functioning even if there are no stones. I know a lot of people who were undiagnosed gluten intolerant for years on years have had their gallbladders out--and there is some research that says that food sensitivities can cause gallstones.

I just had my gallbladder out. If you have a good general surgeon, it's low risk. I was back at work in one week. But if it's not necessary, of course don't do it. Explore your options--maybe there is an enzyme you can take to help you with digestion? I don't know, I'm not a doctor. But I think it might be wise to get it checked out. If you've had a lot of gallbladder infections without knowing it, the gallbladder starts to adhere to other tissue, and then it gets to be a real problem surgery-wise (which I just only managed to avoid, mine was doing that... it was kind of a close call). Information is a good thing, look into it.

Take care of yourself!

[domesticactivist]

I get the light yellow stools and have found digestive enzymes help. You might look into gaps as well. It is similar to paleo but includes more probiotic foods and has a set progression of introducing foods, and is all about healing the gut. There are lots of posts here and on my blog about it.

[Nadia2009]

It would not be a bad idea to have your gallbladder checked out--either for stones or for how it is functioning even if there are no stones. I know a lot of people who were undiagnosed gluten intolerant for years on years have had their gallbladders out--and there is some research that says that food sensitivities can cause gallstones.

I just had my gallbladder out. If you have a good general surgeon, it's low risk. I was back at work in one week. But if it's not necessary, of course don't do it. Explore your options--maybe there is an enzyme you can take to help you with digestion? I don't know, I'm not a doctor. But I think it might be wise to get it checked out. If you've had a lot of gallbladder infections without knowing it, the gallbladder starts to adhere to other tissue, and then it gets to be a real problem surgery-wise (which I just only managed to avoid, mine was doing that... it was kind of a close call). Information is a good thing, look into it.

Take care of yourself!

Thank you very much gluten-free free overseas.

I just got back from the doctor and he sent me for a GB ultrasound. But as soon as he knew I was gluten intolerant, he told me I should consult a GI and that my case is too complicated...he meant stool and other things. He also said that stool color doesn't mean anything but that doctors look for other signs. It is just too bad I have so many symptoms and it is confusing.

Tell me about your gallbladder...what happens after the romoval? Do you need medications and a certain diet?

[Nadia2009]

I get the light yellow stools and have found digestive enzymes help. You might look into gaps as well. It is similar to paleo but includes more probiotic foods and has a set progression of introducing foods, and is all about healing the gut. There are lots of posts here and on my blog about it.

Thanks Domesticactivist,

I will look into the gaps diet. I have never heard of it before but it makes sense to include a diet rich in probiotics. I bought some probiotics int he health food store and after taking 2-3 days I got sick...it was the peak of my fatigue everything even normal tasks was a big effort. I stopped taking the probiotics thinking I will get back to them.

I use apple cider vinegar and it is very helpful...maybe I talked about it above.

Which enzymes helped you?

[mushroom]

And I don't really enjoy seeing MDs (but I will tomorrow) as they dont know anything about health issues I bring to them. It confuses them when I show up with symptoms that are going all directions and not specific to a known disease.{/quote]

This is a fine indictment of our medical specialists. They can't walk and chew gum at the same time Give them more than one symptom and they freak out. I guess nobody ever told them in medical school that things weren't going to be black or white. I have a medical problem that I have a pretty good handle on in my own mind, but the "experts" keep buzzing around the hive and can't seem to get a handle on anything. I have found, (OFTEN), that we have to research and present a scenario to them, present it in a linear form on a piece of paper, with appropriate documentation, and sometimes, somebody will say, yes, that makes sense, and take the matter from there. In fact, I am going through it at the moment

[gluten free overseas]

Thank you very much gluten-free free overseas.

I just got back from the doctor and he sent me for a GB ultrasound. But as soon as he knew I was gluten intolerant, he told me I should consult a GI and that my case is too complicated...he meant stool and other things. He also said that stool color doesn't mean anything but that doctors look for other signs. It is just too bad I have so many symptoms and it is confusing.

Tell me about your gallbladder...what happens after the romoval? Do you need medications and a certain diet?

I had very few complications. Everyone is different. I can actually eat MORE things now that my gallbladder is out (I was completely off corn, and now I can eat it again). Some people, it's different; a person I know can't have anything with onions or green peppers now that her gallbladder is out, someone else I know can't eat desserts with cream. I do have a little trouble with real fatty foods like a really greasy hamburger... but I don't really eat that sort of thing anyway. For me, it must have been that my gallbladder wasn't really working hardly at all because my body had adjusted and my liver was picking up the slack because I didn't have any of those issues--I actually just felt a TON better to not have to live with an infected gallbladder all the time.

However, I have heard of cases where people go on a gluten free diet, and their gallbladder recovers. Mine was too far gone for that, but you know, every case is different.

I do not need medicine or anything. I am right as rain after a couple of weeks after surgery. However, I know a person who has had to take an enzyme every day now that her gallbladder is out--I think everyone is different. I was scared about having surgery, but if you have a reputable general surgeon, it's very low risk. You just have to lay around for a couple days and don't lift anything heavy for about 2 weeks.

[HollyH]

I just posted a new topic on this, then I saw your post. I'm experiencing a very similar problem to what you are experiencing. I also had a pale stool yesterday, it was light yellow or clay colored. I too went to the internet for answers, and as usual scared myself. The only thing I can think of it that when I went out to eat Friday that I was glutened, or theres another problem. When they say liver I get very nervous.

Could it be that you are inadvertently getting glutened? I'm wondering this about myself. However I am also sore under the ribs so I am wondering if its gallbladder. Do you have any symptoms of reflux? One of the signs is yellow stool. Do post and let us know what the doc says, if they are able to help. That's been one of my biggest struggles with Celiac, finding a competent doc.

[Nadia2009]

This is a fine indictment of our medical specialists. They can't walk and chew gum at the same time Give them more than one symptom and they freak out. I guess nobody ever told them in medical school that things weren't going to be black or white. I have a medical problem that I have a pretty good handle on in my own mind, but the "experts" keep buzzing around the hive and can't seem to get a handle on anything. I have found, (OFTEN), that we have to research and present a scenario to them, present it in a linear form on a piece of paper, with appropriate documentation, and sometimes, somebody will say, yes, that makes sense, and take the matter from there. In fact, I am going through it at the moment

[Nadia2009]

I had very few complications. Everyone is different. I can actually eat MORE things now that my gallbladder is out (I was completely off corn, and now I can eat it again). Some people, it's different; a person I know can't have anything with onions or green peppers now that her gallbladder is out, someone else I know can't eat desserts with cream. I do have a little trouble with real fatty foods like a really greasy hamburger... but I don't really eat that sort of thing anyway. For me, it must have been that my gallbladder wasn't really working hardly at all because my body had adjusted and my liver was picking up the slack because I didn't have any of those issues--I actually just felt a TON better to not have to live with an infected gallbladder all the time.

However, I have heard of cases where people go on a gluten free diet, and their gallbladder recovers. Mine was too far gone for that, but you know, every case is different.

I do not need medicine or anything. I am right as rain after a couple of weeks after surgery. However, I know a person who has had to take an enzyme every day now that her gallbladder is out--I think everyone is different. I was scared about having surgery, but if you have a reputable general surgeon, it's very low risk. You just have to lay around for a couple days and don't lift anything heavy for about 2 weeks.

Thats great you feel better and can eat more things now. But I am wondering why so many people have gallbladder problems now or was it always like that? I just learned my cousin had it out too and another person I know went to the emergency room due to pain this week but she was told she has gallstones.

[Nadia2009]

I just posted a new topic on this, then I saw your post. I'm experiencing a very similar problem to what you are experiencing. I also had a pale stool yesterday, it was light yellow or clay colored. I too went to the internet for answers, and as usual scared myself. The only thing I can think of it that when I went out to eat Friday that I was glutened, or theres another problem. When they say liver I get very nervous.

Could it be that you are inadvertently getting glutened? I'm wondering this about myself. However I am also sore under the ribs so I am wondering if its gallbladder. Do you have any symptoms of reflux? One of the signs is yellow stool. Do post and let us know what the doc says, if they are able to help. That's been one of my biggest struggles with Celiac, finding a competent doc.

I do have acid reflux but wasn't ever told I had something like GERD...although I did complain it to the doctor about it many times. Then considered it more like a nuisance than an illness. I just keep a good dental hygiene to avoid more damage my oral health. But are you saying that acid reflux will have to do with the mustard colored rocky stool I have? I watched doctor Oz show "Are your pee and poo normal?" this summer and I discovered I was far from normal.

Wait...I just googled reflux and yellow stools and you may be right! I had reflux for years but working around my diet, taking green teas and apple cider vinegar has helped a lot.

For me, I am sure pale stools aren't due to gluten as it is not a one time issue.

[Nadia2009]

I have been pouring posts in the forum these days but forgot about this one. It took me some time but found an MD who also believes in alternative medecine and now I have my results.

I did a saliva, stool and IgG Elisa tests. The later one with US biotek and I am hearing good things about that lab so I am glad I did it.

The doctor suspected adrenal fatigue, parasites, food allergies and heavy metal. I choose to take only 3 tests and left the test for heavy metal for another time.

My adrenal is OK all in normal range except the night one due to some insomnia and lack of melatonin.

For my GI symptoms, I have two things: H pylori and many food allergies. I will come back to them.

I have no parasites that were detected and only traces of candida albicans.

I still don't know if all my symptoms were due to H pylori and allergies but I read another post here from someone with HP complaining about skin sensitivities.

I always know I digested meat better and I did so well with the blood type diet (for 3 months) but I am not enough disciplined and never diet...even the paleo diet, I dropped it after a few weeks. But that I have the test confirmation, I have no choice I guess.

I have no allergy to fruits and veggies other than crannebery. I am allergic to crab that I hate mutually. I show a strong allergy to beans nuts seeds and dairy. I rarely have dairy for the last two years and know it makes me sick. Last ones is a moderate egg yolk and white reaction and strong reaction to amaranth that I dont even know what it looks like.

Funny that this week, I had cheese coffee cream, eggs, nuts and beans and I am all stiff and tired with body aches.

I guess my diet will be meat, rice, sweet potato, greens, a bit of fish but I dont know how much I can cheat on nuts and beans or dairy (not all at the same time)...cashews were not tested but I am guessing they will same reaction than almonds.

[Watson]

Hi Nadia. Any change in stool colour since your last post? Or any other news? After quitting gluten (due to intolerance) and then dairy (as part of elimination diet) shortly afterwards, my stools have been much like yours - yellow, clay coloured, yellow/green and always floating. This has been going for 2 months now with other symptoms that are more sporadic - fatigue, light headed, mild nausea. Have you got any of these symptoms too?