Jump to content

NoGlutenCooties

Advanced Members
  • Posts

    776
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    12

Everything posted by NoGlutenCooties

  1. Just wondering if anyone has heard of overactive bladder symptoms caused by Spina Bifida improving with a gluten-free diet? Background Info: I have always had an overactive bladder. If I keep coffee to a minimum and avoid soda and other irritants it isn't so bad. About 20 years ago I saw a urologist to try to get to the bottom of it and found out...
  2. Hi and Welcome to the Forum! I've never heard of a positive biopsy turning out to be anything other than Celiac - but if I'm wrong about this I'm sure someone will be quick to jump in and correct me. If you aren't 100% gluten-free (i.e. avoiding cross-contamination, etc.) then you can't expect all of your symptoms to go away. Not sure why you wouldn...
  3. I'm relatively new at this and am certainly no expert... but I don't think negative blood tests are all that uncommon, even when there is a positive biopsy that shows Celiac. Non-Celiac gluten intolerance is also a possibility. If it were me I think I would try a strict gluten-free diet (i.e. avoiding all cross-contamination too) for at least 2 - 3 months...
  4. While it is best to continue to eat gluten until after the endoscopy, and everyone is different, just wanted to share my experience. I was gluten-free for three weeks prior to the endoscopy and my biopsy still showed moderate to severe villi damage. And I didn't even have any obvious symptoms before my diagnosis. I'm not saying this is the case for everyone...
  5. Congratulations on doing so well with the diet and figuring out what works for you and what doesn't! I can definitely relate to the well-meaning, supportive friends and family who want to help. That's one thing I'm trying to deal with diplomatically without hurting anyone's feelings. They don't quite understand that cooking food in a gluten kitchen doesn...
  6. If you're open to trying natural remedies, this site explains how some foods act as natural anti-histamines: Open Original Shared Link
  7. Hi and Welcome to the Forum! I agree with Bartfull in that I think it would be a good idea to get the blood test done. At that age, your son can't tell you what's going on, where it hurts, how he feels, etc. It does sound to me like you both have Celiac, but if it were me I'd err on the side of caution and get him tested to make sure. I would be afraid...
  8. From what my friend told me, most people come in contact with the Epstein-Barr virus and never know it - they just get rid of it as their body would any other virus. But for some people, the virus continues to hang out and cause problems, especially fatigue over time - and it can stay in your body for decades. There is a bloodtest they can run for it. ...
  9. Hi Simplemom and Welcome to the Forum! It's hard to say how much gluten is enough... and I'm not very familiar with kids but I seem to recall that it can take awhile for kids to develop enough antibodies for it to show up in the tests and for them to develop the villi damage in the small intestine. I did find this article on potential causes for iron...
  10. I agree with nvsmom - sure looks like Celiac to me. Just wanted to add - please don't get discouraged because you ran into a clueless doctor or two... there are idiots in the doctor population just like everywhere else. And being that there is no prescription for them to write in response to Celiac I really think some of them just don't care to educate...
  11. Just a word of caution... not all Swanson chicken broth is gluten free either.
  12. In addition to the probiotic, digestive enzymes can be very helpful. Also, if you're eating gas-producing foods (beans, raw veggies, etc.) you can try Bean Zyme which is the gluten-free version of "Beano" - it's also cheaper than Beano, surprisingly enough. Works very well. I take 2, sometimes 3, right before I take the first bite of gas-producing food...
  13. Hi Corabelle and Welcome to the Forum! FWIW... the numbers do not have to be high to be positive, and low numbers that are in the positive range do not necessarily mean there is little or no damage to the villi. For example, my lab considers anything 11 or above on the ttG IgA to be positive. I was at 13. Some doctors would call this a "weak positive...
  14. Hi and Welcome to the Forum! Many newbies find the Newbie 101 thread to be very helpful (in the "Coping With" section). You are correct in that trace amounts of gluten are no good for you. In fact, they are poison. That may sound extreme to you right now... but once you've been gluten-free for awhile and start to feel better I think you'll see what...
  15. I agree with what others have posted and if it were me I would request the biopsy. Make sure they take at least 5 or 6 of them. Not only can this confirm the diagnosis, it can also rule out a few other more serious conditions.
  16. Hi HSRMom and Welcome to the Forum! In my opinion, if her bloodwork was positive for Celiac then she has Celiac. Many doctors will not confirm the diagnosis without a positive biopsy but from what I understand that can be even trickier in children than it is in adults because they haven't had the disease long enough for there to be enough damage to show...
  17. I dealt with hypoglycemia for years as an adolescent and into college - I still find that I feel better if I eat something with protein every 2 - 3 hours. And I never eat fruit all by itself - I always have some protein with it; cheese, cottage cheese, etc. Before my Celiac diagnosis I was also having symptoms of thyroid issues, hormonal imbalances, and...
  18. My GI doctor never even asked me if I knew what gluten was - she just said go gluten-free, retest your blood in 6 months, and go to celiac.com if you have any questions - and all of your symptoms should go away. (I had to remind her that I didn't have any symptoms in the first place.)
  19. I think this is fairly common and could have a few different causes. Your body is starting to heal and needs more nutrients - plus, you're starting to be able to absorb nutrients out of your food so your body wants more. Also, if you're not eating as many carbs you may get hungry more often. One thing I've always needed to do to avoid low blood-sugar and...
  20. Yes, you need to continue to consume gluten until testing is completed. In my opinion, if you explain your symptoms to your doctor and request the full Celiac panel of blood tests and they refuse (or don't know what that is) then it is time to find a new doctor. This site explains the usual panel of tests: Open Original Shared Link If consuming...
  21. I'm so sorry about the growth. Hopefully they caught it early (good for you to get the colonoscopy!) and once you get your villi healed from the Celiac you'll be able to absorb nutrients again and be healthy as a horse. As to your question about a nutritionist... as I'm sure you know, Celiac causes villi damage which keeps you from absorbing nutrients...
  22. For someone who has already gone gluten-free, they recommend eating the equivalent of 2 pieces of bread every day for at least 2 months. But it doesn't sound like you've been gluten-free, right? Why not get tested now and see how the tests come out? (Meaning the blood test.) You could also get your kids tested - or at least your oldest. If he has it...
  23. Hi Beth and Welcome to the Forum! Whether or not to get tested is a personal decision and one only you can make. That said, if you have not already been gluten-free for a significant amount of time (which you haven't) and you can tolerate eating gluten for a short while longer, in my opinion it is worth getting tested. For one, if your bloodtest shows...
  24. If your underlying issue is gluten, and you are completely 100% gluten-free, it WILL get better! Probiotics and digestive enzymes can help tremendously with the digestion and gas - the probiotics help restore your natural, good gut bacteria and the digestive enzymes help your body break down your food so that it can more easily be digested. A word of caution...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.