lynnelise

Did the problems start before or after you began the digestive enzymes?

Do you take asprin or advil? I was told by my doctor that occassional use can cause traces of blood in your urine.

I do remember you being on the boards! Congrats on your pregnancy!

Sound crazy but try Citrucel. I know most people take it in order to go but it can help bulk up your stool if you are suffering from diarrhea. I've used it with good results. Also apple cider vinegar can help sooth your stomach during a virus. Not the tastiest though.

I eat at Chick-fil-a frequently and never have issues. I get the fries, the grilled nuggets, the honey roasted bbq sauce, the side or grilled salad, fruit cups, and ice dream cups. Sometimes in the mornings I get an egg and bacon with hashbrowns.

I do get bunless double cheeseburgers at McDonald's on occassion. So far no issues but locally the employees tend to be older and quite competent.

It's hard to tell if gluten was a factor, some people find that their stomach will be off in response to traveling alone. You are eating different foods than normal, possibly at different times than normal. Lots of factors can come into play. I would just go back to basics for a few weeks until everything feels normal again.

Good news! I love Savannah and I was sad I'd never get to eat at Lady & Sons' again! Thanks for the update!

BD's Mongolian BBQ can be done gluten free. Tell them it's an allergy bowl and they will cook your selection in the back and take extra precautions.

I wouldn't say your are crazy. All I can say is that I wouldn't worry too much about a blocked bile duct. Symptoms are usually pretty severe. My husband had one and he was doubled over in pain, the whites of his eyes started turning yellow, and his urine was day-glo orange!!!

Couldn't hurt to see your regular doctor and ask for some labs though!

I would probably just order a drink and sneak in something small like a Larabar or the gluten free Luna Protein bars. They are tasty and inconspicuous.

They do look a lot alike! I've never mixed them up but I find myself getting all OCD and checking them a couple of times before I check out. Then I check them again before I cook them because I fear this very thing happening!

I had a friend who is on the paleo diet send me a link to this article. She seemed kind of offended that I didn't trust it. Honestly the terms "functional neurologist and functional endocrinologist" immediately raised a red flag.

I used to think I had some sort of reaction to coffee, not at all similar to my gluten reaction though. I would get tingly lips, tongue, and gums! I was drinking coffee with almond milk daily at this time. I ditched the almond milk and have had no issues. I drink coffee with milk or soy frequently!

I wish I had advice for you. I have had chronic fatigue for 3 years. After extensive testing for EVERYTHING I've been diagnosed with chronic mono and found to have a chiari malformation.

Basically I have to work in order to have insurance so really going to work is all I get done and it easily overwhelms me. I do the minimum required at home in regards to cooking, dishes, cleaning the bathroom, and laundry. If I get a burst of energy and try vacuuming, mopping, ect. I pay for the next week or so.

I do hope you get some answers soon! Wish I was of more help!

As for the 20 minute fast and furious...not sure if it's normal but my reactions are always that fast.

Happy late Birthday! I love it when friends and coworkers surprise you with something gluten free!

Hope your glutening isn't too bad!

I hope you are able to get your MRI asap! You are so lucky to have such good friends! Don't hesitate to let them help! I know if I had a sick friend I would want to be able to ease their burden! Keep us posted!

Nature's Path Wildberry are my favorites!

I love Red Robin. I have been to several locations in various states and have always had good service. The manager always comes out when I ask for the gluten free menu and goes over everything with me. Also the manager has always personally brought my meal and stayed at the table for a moment to have me confirm that everything looks as I ordered it.

You can have a bad experience at any restaurant gluten free or not. I think everyone has experienced slow service from time to time and it's usually an isolated incident. I always give restaurants a second chance.

I've got to agree with the previous poster about the Applebee's "gluten free menu". I've given it 4 tries and have gotten hit 4 times. Last time I had a bunless burger on foil and a plain salad and STILL got glutened. They are definitely on my banned list.

I had one of those toasters that cooked an egg too, like for automatic egg mcmuffins. I miss it! Luckily you've found a place where it's normal to vent about a lost toaster!

I just had a caramel macchiato last night with no bad effects. I've read the ingredients before and didn't see a red flag. I wonder if it's just a cya thing.

I use Ragu and haven't had any bad effects. Not saying there isn't a chance of cross contamination but I'm fine with it.

Thanks for this thread....I'll be having an MRI in the coming months as MS has never been ruled out for me. Although your results are indeed very scary I imagine there is relief of getting some answers.

Hoping your health improves each day and thanks again for sharing

Good luck with your MRI and I hope you get some answers soon! While there is a bit of fear there is a lot of relief in being able to put a name on what is going on! I guess kind of like the struggle a lot of us go through in being diagnosed with celiac!

My mother, 2 cousins, and one of her daughters all have Arnold-Chiari Malformation. This is actually considered a rare malformation. My mother's is mild, manageable but occasionally gives her headaches. The child had surgery as a youngster and is free of symptoms.

I feared that I also had this because of my symptoms, but it was ruled out.

Rarely is surgery done, from what I understand, but if it will relieve those symptoms, then it will be worth having it done, so you can get out of this discomfort!

I am so glad you pursued this and got an ANSWER! Yes, I am with you---it seems ridiculous that we have to keep pressing until someone takes us seriously. Good thing you were relentless.

I hope you will get the relief you so deserve.

Keep us posted, please! Best wishes, hon.

It's nice to know other people have managed it without surgery. Stories I'm reading about the surgery seem very mixed. Some people had great success but many others had no relief! I'm a bit worried because it seems the neuro symptoms like I have are most likely to need surgery. I probably need to push to see a specialist. I'm in a rural area and the neurologist has little experience with this. I'll see how I feel after my 2nd MRI and that follow-up!

When the Dr.s find something that could be causing your symptoms, it's a little bit of relief knowing you're not just imagining things, which is followed by the shock of being DXed with such a thing!

Did your symptoms come on suddenly, or have you had them for some time? I'm curious because I've been having neuro symptoms too.

If you have to have the surgery it will be uncomfortable, but you will heal. I had a spinal surgery on the disks in my neck. Ruptured disks were causing pressure on my spinal cord. They removed two disks and put in a piece of bone to replace them, followed by a plate screwed into the bones to hold eveything in place. I had to wear a neckbrace at first, which was the hardest part of it all. Six weeks later I was doing great, with the nerve issues healing a bit slower.

I would think your surgery, if you have it, might be similar?

My symptoms came on gradually and at first were attributed to my B12 deficiency. Well I brought that up to normal levels and still had worsening issues. Then I got mono and shingles so that was blamed. Well three years later my hands and feet started going completely numb pretty much constantly and I started having burning sensations all over. I also kept getting daily "sinus" headaches, vertigo, and feeling like I was about to pass out. My regular doctor refered me to the neurologist because he thought the extreme fatigue coupled with neuro issues could indicate MS and the neurologist agreed and wanted an MRI. So honestly while I'm a little freaked out I am also enormously relieved. Once you go so long getting dismissed by doctors it almost feels like a victory to get a diagnoses and finally be acknowledged as telling the truth!

I've been keeping up with your thread and praying about your issues and your trip to Mayo! I hope you get answers soon! It's so scary to know something is wrong but not know what!