Fructose Malabsorbtion?

[kevinmiller]

Hello everyone, My name is Kevin and I'm 21 and I was diagnosed with Celiac sprue last spring. I thought I was lactose intolerant (Now I think it's something else because Lactaid products make me gassy too... casein?) so I started to avoid dairy products, but I was still having weird stomach/bowel problems. I had a stomach biopsy and I was confirmed for Celiac sprue. I have only been making a serious effort to avoid gluten over the past 6 or so months, mainly because I didn't know how to go about avoiding dairy and gluten. I am not very good at cooking and I live with the messiest college-age guys, so our kitchen is disgusting and they won't clean it so I never ever want to cook in it. So I a very limited diet right now. I basically eat the following

Ener G White Rice Loaf bread

Whole Food's Gluten-Free Dairy-Free bread

JIF extra crunchy peanut butter

Smuckers grape/strawberry jelly

Whole Soy and Co. soy yogurts

Bio-naturae gluten-free pastas

Pasta sauce (I used to eat Organicville but Whole Foods is really far away and I heard that Ragu is gluten-free so now I use that)

Chex

Silk

Eggs (made on skillet using Pam)

Bananas

so for a while I was eating these foods and feeling good. I wasn't having stomach pain or gas, and my stool was solid. but over the past week I have been having really bad bloating and gas every day! It's really embarrassing and it smells disgusting, and it makes me not want to hang out with people. it's been causing me a lot of mental strain. and last night I was having a reaction where (sorry to be disgusting) my stool is kind of an orange color and it seems kind of oily and paste-like and I feel like I need to keep pooping even though I cant. I normally associate this with eating gluten, but I can't think of how my diet had changed or how this could happen!

so I was thinking that maybe I also have trouble absorbing fructose because I eat PB&J (jelly had high fructose corn syrup), bananas, and fruit flavored yogurts. and I read that fructose malabsorbtion makes those who suffer from it bloated and gassy. Also, my gastroentrailologist initially thought I had fructose malabsorbtion when I saw her (not sure if that is relevant because I definitely don't think I had it at the time). I'm going to visit her again as soon as possible, but I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on my problem? or give me advice in general? I would really appreciate it.

[rosetapper23]

Um...it's probably most definitely the soy and Silk products. Many celiacs cannot tolerate soy, and your symptoms match mine when I eat it. Otherwise, your diet sounds fine.

[Adalaide]

Out of curiosity, do you have your peanut butter and jelly locked up where only you can get them? If you're living with a bunch of college slobs who are averse to kitchen cleanliness I wouldn't put it past them to be using one or both. All it takes is putting knife to bread and back in the jar and next thing you know you're locking the bathroom door and praying you have enough reading material. The idea of CC from that never occurred to me until the first time I wanted butter. Popped open the container and it was littered with bread crumbs.

I've never had an issue with the symptoms you describe but then again just the smell of soy milk is enough to have me praying to the porcelain gods. So I can't really speak for any sort of reaction I'd be familiar with from soy, but if you say that it's a usual reaction from gluten you may want to make sure you don't have any roomies double dipping in your PB&J.

And just as a side note, Classico pasta sauce is about a million times tastier than Ragu (which I wouldn't eat with a gun to my head) and isn't much more expensive at most stores. Also, I don't know if you're referring to brand name Pam or some random off brand, but I found a few cans that say they "may" contain "some" wheat. Just one more entirely stupid thing that doesn't make sense to have to check on.

[Skylark]

I don't understand how you could have fructose malabsorption, be doing OK, and then have a flare-up on the same foods? Also fructose malabsorption causes diarrhea, not oily stools. I bet you got into some gluten somehow.

By the way, have you considered eating those funny green things called vegetables? You can make dairy-free dip with plain soy yogurt and McCormick Ranch Dip Mix (check the label - it was gluten-free last time I got it) and have some raw veggies like carrots, celery, cauliflower and sugar snap peas if the kitchen is too nasty to cook. Vegetables are great for you and they are naturally gluten-free. There are also frozen vegetables in steamer bags you can put directly into the microwave.

[Sharlie2455]

Diet is fine? :S Where is all the healthy food? Did you just not mention that you eat fruit and vegetables because they are gluten free? If all you eat is pasta and pb jelly sandwiches no wonder you are sick and your poop is weird, you need fiber and vitamins and some substance in your food! Too much carbs and sugar. Also, sugar is a poison and fructose is the worst thing for you. Check this->

(it's long but really GOOD)

Try making a salad or a stir fry, just as much work as pb and jelly or pasta. You can buy vegetables pre cut up an then all you have to do is throw them together. And YES I agree with the cross contamination thing!! Make sure your roommates can't get into your stuff.

[IrishHeart]

My bet is rampant cross- contamination (CC) with gluten eaters.

I noticed you wrote you only started "taking it seriously" 6 months ago--which means you still consumed gluten for many months after a Celiac DX. Not wise, kiddo.

You need some veggies in your diet and you really need to avoid CC.

Hopefully, you have your own containers of foods, spreads, cutting boards, colanders, etc.?

Time to read up on some healthier ways to eat gluten-free. Take some PROBIOTICS for your gut (go buy yourself some Culturelle (dairy free) at Walmart's or the nearest pharmacy and see if that helps with the bowel issues. Take 1 first thing in the AM with a huge glass of water.It usually does the trick.

Drink water and avoid soft drinks with HFCS (hgh fructose corn syrup).

Best wishes!