Newbie On A Rollercoaster

[jigsawfallingintoplace]

Hi Everyone

I have been on a high the past 5 weeks since commmitting fully to gluten-free (as long as I can get my head around the labelling).

I crashed this morning with sore tummy (pinching and injured feeling)and a return of gas although nothing like it was before gluten-free.

There are 2 things that I figure may have caused it and would appreciate your input - firstly I had some essential waitrose mint sauce on my home cooked roast lamb last night - on the label it didn't mention gluten but it did say thickeners and spirit vinegar. Could it be the vinegar and also what thickener may have been in it that may cause a reaction?

I am eating a little grated cheese on a baked potato most days and wondering if it is a delayed sort of catch up reaction to that?

The tummy discomfort is about 3/10 on my pain scale and nowhere like a full blown reaction but enough to make me feel pretty crabby and lousy. BM have remained pretty much normal.

pain is like a mild menstrual cramp but is kind of numb and removed if you can possibly understand what I mean?

I am self diagnosed with back up in principal from my GP due to going gluten light before blood test(neg), no biopsy, positive DQ2 gene, symptoms and removal (until today) of symptoms after going gluten-free. Had the classic journey to here after 20 years of misdiagnosis of IBS etc. All other symptoms are clear at present including edema which I had not attributed to celiac but have noticed that for the first time in years I hav no swelling.

Any input gratefully received x

[Lisa]

Hi Everyone

I have been on a high the past 5 weeks since commmitting fully to gluten-free (as long as I can get my head around the labelling).

I crashed this morning with sore tummy (pinching and injured feeling)and a return of gas although nothing like it was before gluten-free.

There are 2 things that I figure may have caused it and would appreciate your input - firstly I had some essential waitrose mint sauce on my home cooked roast lamb last night - on the label it didn't mention gluten but it did say thickeners and spirit vinegar. Could it be the vinegar and also what thickener may have been in it that may cause a reaction?

I am eating a little grated cheese on a baked potato most days and wondering if it is a delayed sort of catch up reaction to that?

The tummy discomfort is about 3/10 on my pain scale and nowhere like a full blown reaction but enough to make me feel pretty crabby and lousy. BM have remained pretty much normal.

pain is like a mild menstrual cramp but is kind of numb and removed if you can possibly understand what I mean?

I am self diagnosed with back up in principal from my GP due to going gluten light before blood test(neg), no biopsy, positive DQ2 gene, symptoms and removal (until today) of symptoms after going gluten-free. Had the classic journey to here after 20 years of misdiagnosis of IBS etc. All other symptoms are clear at present including edema which I had not attributed to celiac but have noticed that for the first time in years I hav no swelling.

Any input gratefully received x

Welcome Jig!

First of all I would recommend keeping a food journal, to include vitamins, meds, lotions or anything that could pass your mouth.

Let me suggest that you give up all dairy products for at least 30 days. Sometimes, when you remove one element, you hear other voices.

And many times you can add dairy products into your diet successfully after your "gut" heals a bit.

And we can do a tutorial on label reading.

So glad that you have found a remedy to some of your past ills. And, welcome again to our club.

[Mateto]

Waitrose? They have good customer service so try giving them a call to see what's in the mint sauce....it could very well be a wheat thickener. But I hope you're feeling well now!

[jigsawfallingintoplace]

Thanks for your replies - I called waitrose and they confirm it is gluten free. The vinegar is spirit vinegar and because it is distilled it does not contain gluten.

It's hard to get my head around the laying off cheese thing - I just couldnt imagine it would cause such burning and pain in the lower part of my tummy but I know that there is likely to be a lot of damage over the past 20-30 years and maybe the cheese and the vinegar acid in itself was just too much for my healing gut to bear.

I am feeling markedly better today - Its hard though isnt it - especially when you know you havent eaten gluten and you still get pinched. I have thought to myself - maybe there is something sinister being uncovered here since i stopped the gluten but I am trying to have a positive mental attitude and say to myself that it is celiac and i will have some flare ups as I get to grips with a new way of life no matter how strict I am trying to be.

Can a tiny bit of gluten make all the difference - to some it obviously can - it is an unbelievable disease isnt it. x

[Mateto]

Thanks for your replies - I called waitrose and they confirm it is gluten free. The vinegar is spirit vinegar and because it is distilled it does not contain gluten.

It's hard to get my head around the laying off cheese thing - I just couldnt imagine it would cause such burning and pain in the lower part of my tummy but I know that there is likely to be a lot of damage over the past 20-30 years and maybe the cheese and the vinegar acid in itself was just too much for my healing gut to bear.

I am feeling markedly better today - Its hard though isnt it - especially when you know you havent eaten gluten and you still get pinched. I have thought to myself - maybe there is something sinister being uncovered here since i stopped the gluten but I am trying to have a positive mental attitude and say to myself that it is celiac and i will have some flare ups as I get to grips with a new way of life no matter how strict I am trying to be.

Can a tiny bit of gluten make all the difference - to some it obviously can - it is an unbelievable disease isnt it. x

Maybe you are also lactose/casein intolerant? I know some people just can't eat cheese.

My grandmother, she can't drink milk. It makes her sick, yet she can have cheese and butter and biscuits and cookies no problem. She can also have it with cereal and porridge, but not on it's own