Poop

[Eliza13]

Hello everyone,

I feel kinda bad b/c I have been yo-yoing on the diet and even when I am "on" it I am taking risks (ie...I drink coffee without questioning whether it has gluten). I need help with this.... My b/f doesn't take it very seriously, which makes it hard (ie...he ordered Pitas for dinner the other night for the 2 of us....says stuff like "lots of people get diarrhea"....almost resents that I can't eat gluten).

How do you all stay so committed to the diet??? Any tips???

Second q relates to poop. When I eat gluten-free, my stools are "formed" and no longer float. What do the formed stools mean from a health perspective (ie...does this mean that I am absorbing more nutrients, or just that I no longer have diarrhea???)?

Toodles.

[Rachel--24]

#1

Does your bf understand the consequences of not staying on the diet? Does he really think you *only* get diarreah from gluten? I think you need to take it more serious yourself in order for him to be able to take *you* and your diet seriously. If he doesnt have a full understanding and the impression that you're giving him is that its not that big a deal then I think he will easily forget and assume you'll eat pita's since you're not consistent with the diet.

#2

I'm only starting out on the diet but I notice if I am totally gluten-free for more than 2 weeks my stools will look more solid and stop floating. If I have any slip-ups..they are floating, lighter in color, bulky and sometimes just crumble apart as I'm flushing. Also undigested food particles can be seen and the stool is sort of two/toned. Sorry so graphic. I think when the stools are looking like this after a glutening it means my body's not absorbing as well.

[Rachel--24]

How do you all stay so committed to the diet??? Any tips???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry missed this one...

Its easy for me to stay committed to the diet since my whole life fell apart while I was still eating gluten. Even though pre-diagnosis I lived off fast food and everything gluten my symptoms are bad enough that I have NO desire to eat any of that stuff again.

[KaitiUSA]

A guy thats worth your time will be considerate, want to know more about it and how he can help you feel better, and help you with it...maybe you need to have a serious talk with him. If he is not willing to support you and help you then maybe you should look at whether he is the right guy for you. I was in a relationship like that before and he was not too helpful and contributed to me being glutened and a guy that really cares about me would not do that. But how is he supposed to take it seriously if you don't take it seriously? If he sees you on and off the diet that will confuse the guy even more.

You need to be 100% gluten free including cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, lotion, and other stuff like that...accidents even as frequent as once a month are just like not following the diet.This is an all or nothing diet. Not following the diet can really damage your health. You would put yourself at 40-100 times more of a chance to develop intestinal cancer and other life threatening and disabling things. It is not something to mess around with. Symptoms or not you do damage.It also takes an average of 10 years off your life if you do not follow it.

That was enough to scare me at first to keep comitted to the diet...now I don't even crave it because I know how sick it will make me.

[skoki-mom]

Your BF's attitude is annoying at best, cruel at worst! Enough said about that!

How do I stick to the diet, well, it's only been a few weeks for me, and it is really hard but basically I do it because it's what my body needs. I just want to be around to enjoy a long and healthy life. I have no GI symptoms, so I have always felt great, so it would be easy for me to "cheat", but I remember the extent of the damage I have and it keeps me on track. Anything I can do to reduce the risk of cancer, in particular, is worth it to me!

<puts on nurses hat, lol>

Formed stool is normal, plain and simple. It means your body is absorbing the right amount of everything, nutrients and fluids. Stools that float are fatty and means you are not absorbing fats, or much of anything else either! Sure, we all get D sometimes (I last had it in January, but I also had Norwalk virus, yikes!), but it's just not a normal way to live and your BF just doesn't get it!

[ianm]

Your boyfriend sounds like my ex-wife. That is why she is an EX and NOT a wife anymore. I stay on the diet by sheer force of will. I NEVER want to be that sick or fat ever again. I eat only what I can safely eat and THAT IS IT! There will be no debate or discussion about it at all. If the other person has a problem with it then they are out of the picture. Wifes, girlfriends, husbands, boyfriends, etc. can all be replaced but you only get one body and that CANNOT be replaced.

[Eliza13]

Thank you to all who answered. Lots to think about here. Have to put my health first.