Now What's My Problem?

[livelifelarge24]

I would like to apologize in advance if this is a lot of info. I am SO frustrated and at my wits end and just need some educated ideas as to what is going on with me. As some pre-information, I do not have medical insurance and haven't for over a year but my new job will be providing me with some in about a month and a half.

After 22 years of absolute misery and torture, I finally found out I have Celiac a little over a year ago. I went completely gluten free at once and within 3 days felt as if I'd been given a brand new body to live in. EVERYTHING got better. It was like a miracle for me. I ate completely clean and bland for two months before reintroducing things like nuts, dairy, etc. Through the elimination diet and allergy testing I've learned that I also cannot have eggs and I"m allergic to peanuts. No big deal.

Over the past year I had a few accidental glutenings and some rough times but I eventually got to a place where I "got" it. I don't touch anything without washing my hands, all my beauty products are gluten free, I don't bother eating out most of the time, etc. I had a roommate that was baking bread and brewing beer in the house, that was an issue so he moved out. Seeing the drastic improvement in me has caused 5 people I know to get tested for Celiac, 4 of which do have it. So all in all its been an incredible year.

Here is the problem: I am completely miserable now with a different set of issues that are nothing like my reaction when I get glutened. My mom and counselor wholly believe that it is "just stress." My fiance thinks I don't eat regularly enough. One emergency room doctor told me that its endometriosis (which cannot actually be diagnosed without surgery). What happens is that I get incredibly constipated - for a week to two weeks at a time. This time around it was 2 1/2 weeks. Then, eventually, after I"ve been full and bloated and completely and totally miserable for a few days/week, I will wake up in the morning and go. And go and go and go. Usually it takes two hours of intense pain and cramping on the toilet before I'm done. Today it was 4! Talk about miserable! And it ALWAYS happens at the worst times. Like when I'm on vacation or have an important event to attend.

I am beyond frustrated. I don't believe myself to be constipated in the traditional manner. Without going into too much detail, my bowel movements themselves are not typical of constipated poo (they are not hard and dry). I feel like there is something inside of me that physically prevents me from going to the bathroom. And the excruciating pain is in my lower left abdomen. (I have had this pain my entire adult life, by the way).

I don't know what to think anymore. I am afraid its some major thing, like a tumor or something. But when I went to the emergency room for it a couple of months ago the doctor said there was absolutely nothing wrong with me and it must be endometriosis (the pain seemed to directly correlate with my monthly cycle. But now I"m on a birth control that stops my cycle so there's absolutely no predicting when this will happen). My mom pointed out the fact that this started 10 months ago and I sold my business 10 months ago... she thinks I'm bored and depressed and its all in my head. My therapist saw it happen every time I have a big trip or event so she is inclined to agree. I think it started about the time I widened my diet so I wonder if its because of the packaged foods I allow myself to eat now - like the gluten free bread for example. I keep trying to go back on the clean diet but working 4 jobs, commuting and being basically all over the place its SO HARD to not rely on packaged foods sometimes.

My other fear is that I have caused some sort of permanent damage from the years of imodium I took daily to deal with the problems that I didn't know where celiac disease. I haven't touched the stuff in a year and a half but I wonder if it caused some sort of lasting problem :/

When I first went gluten free this was not happening. I had regular bowel movements every day for three months until my first "glutening". I did hae the awful pelvic pain still that the doctor says is endometriosis.

Anyway, just looking for similar experiences or advice. I got a great new job with medical insurance but I"m afraid I will end up getting fired for missing half a day once a week or every other week while I"m glued to the toilet :/ I also have no energy ever. Any thoughts are welcome!

[livelifelarge24]

One more thing I forgot... At the same time that I expanded my diet and sold my business, I also got engaged. My fiance pointed out that part. He thinkts that it will get better after the wedding (the HUGE, HUGE wedding that I didn't want to have. I begged to elope!). The wedding will be in 3 weeks.

[rosetapper23]

Is there any possibility that you might be having thyroid issues? Hypothyroidism (also Hashimoto's) can cause both constipation and fatigue. I'm just throwing this out....

[livelifelarge24]

Although I have MANY symptoms common with thyroid issues, I have had it checked multiple times and its always come out fine.

[India]

Whether this problem is caused by physical or psychological factors or some combination of both, you do sound like you have a lot of stress to deal with. I hope you'll feel better once you're married but I'm not surprised you're so tired with all the different things you juggle. Is there a way your could make life easier or calmer? Even if this doesn't solve the problem you've described, being less stressed might make it easier to be with.

p.s. Have you tried taking milk of magnesia or other laxatives? MoM is very effective - best taken when you don't need to go out the next day! - but could help you avoid needing time off work.

[veruca]

I'm so sorry to hear about your struggle. Constipation and stress are a frustrating combination.

I went through some struggles with the constipation diarrhea cycle and I believe laxatives execerbated the situation.

I am sure you are eating a clean diet, but perhaps you could focus on keeping it as near to natural as possible and avoid processed foods. Have you tried prunes and senna tea?

Stress messes with my bowel movements and I try to keep a routine. I eat breakfast, wait and then go. If this doesn't happen my day is ruined.

[rosetapper23]

I thought I'd just ask, are you taking any vitamins or supplements at the moment? Sometimes multi-vitamins have caused constipation for me, especially if they contain iron. Just a thought...

[nvsmom]

I am one who always has C. I have since I was an infant and I have no idea if it will on this diet (I was Dx'd very recently). Unless I take extra fibre, I only go every few days. I do find that stress or excitement definitely mucks me up. If we travel, I don't go for days and days, and then I very the bathroom a lot but not quite to your extreme. And little things can mess with me too; yetserday we went to a parade which, being mom, I had to pack and prepare for and then get up at 4:30 to hold a spot for the family... even that has shut me down for a few days.

I hope it clears up for you soon. And congratulations; I hope the wedding is a wonderful time.

[ciamarie]

I read a comment on a wheat belly blog post about that topic that has helped me, and that is to eat more foods with soluble fiber, and less foods with insoluble fiber. From memory, soluble fiber foods are beans, peas, psyllium husk (powder), maybe carrots. Foods with insoluble fiber will apparently sometimes block absorbption of nutrients (sound familiar?) and are found in most grains, gluten and non-gluten grains.

[CVRupp]

A year after I found out I had Celiac with no help from my doctors, I started having issues again. It turned out that I was lactose intolerant as well. It is really common to have both and can develop any time. You may want to reevaluate your intolerance.

[Salax]

It could be thyroid. That you would need a doctor to test for. But in the interim, perhaps an elimination diet might be something you could try until you could test with a doc?

I would recommend removing dairy completely and see if that helps, if not then you know it's not dairy. But there are other foods that can give you grief, so maybe running through a challenge? It could be thyroid and food, or something else. But without insurance I think this would be the only thing you can do right now.

It does seem like your under a lot of pressure and it's possible your stressed as well but I think a spa day or something relaxing you enjoy might be in order

In fact I think I need one myself...lol. It's nice to just take a day off now and then...