dlp252

  Floridian said:

Donna, I'm so very happy for you! I still have my struggles, don't get me wrong, but my life has improved 90%. For me it's a bit bitter sweet because I read everyone else on here who is still having trouble and it makes me feel bad. I wonder if the MSG thing is because it is already naturally in the food, so when they add it, it gives it over load so when we eat it (us all being of sensitive intestinal nature) we are over loading ourselves. Just a thought. So listen to this... my body lotion is olive oil and water and my perfume is pure vanilla extract for cooking... it's the only thing I can do right now... and the funny thing is the idea came from my brother, he's very, very into natural eating and so forth (which is probably why he's so freeking healthy) anyway, he's belief has always been... if you can not eat it DO NOT put in on your skin... everything is absorbed. My poor husband, he puts up with all of this and giggles through it, he loves my perfume tho...

I think the overload thing is probably right on the money. I don't think our bodies were meant to handle all the stuff they throw at us, lol. I like the idea of olive oil...my skin is so dry and I can't seem to find a lotion that doesn't make me itch more, so tonight I may slick on some olive oil, lol, and, I LOVE the smell of vanilla so that actually sounds good too.

Hi to Cheryl (Rachel's mom!)...thanks for posting!

Floridian - WOW, great you are feeling better! I also use Bare Escentuals makeup...almost all makeups will make my eyes burn eventually, but I don't notice it with this. I'm fortunate(??, lol) enough to live very close to several of their stores.

Julie - thanks for the tip on the mascara...it's getting time to buy new stuff anyway, so I'll see if my Whole Foods has it.

Well, I'm also feeling better girls. For two or three days I didn't eat my Bumble Bars and felt pretty darned good. I ate one yesterday and had bowel noises the rest of the evening...I also had one this morning and had lots of cramping and a nice visit to the ladies room afterwards, lol. So, there's my answer I think, lol. I seem to handle the MSG/Corn thing in small doses (like whatever might be in fresh produce) just fine, but just not processed stuff. I have to check the ingredients again to see exactly what it is that my system doesn't like. I also wasn't as hungry the last few days, so that's also a great sign.

  Rachel--24 said:

Hey, wheres the farmers market at? I wonder where the produce is coming from since there are like zero farms left in the area...except that Oleson cherry farm on El Camino. I bet they have a farmers market at that flea market area off Berryessa...is that where its at?

I think there used to be one at Berryessa...it's probably still there, but I haven't been over there in years. There's actually two others. The one closest to me is in downtown Campbell...they have that all year round from like 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every Sunday, rain or shine.

The other one is at the corner of Meridian and Blossom Hill in San Jose. I don't think this one runs all year, but it definitely goes through the summer--also on Sundays.

I'm sure most of the produce must come from your area...if I get my butt down there this weekend I'll ask someone, lol.

Oh, and I've recently seen signs of a Farmer's market on Wednesdays (afteroon or evening) at the corner of Camden and Union Ave...there's a shopping center (Cambrian Park) and I've seen the sign but not the market. I usually go by there on Thursdays so don't actually see the market.

They have a farmer's market just a couple of blocks away from me every Sunday...I think I need to get my lazy butt down there next week, lol.

Thanks Julie for trying to help me, lol. I did have eggs today, but I had to have something in them...today it was the Pancetta I was talking about. This brand doesn't have nitrates and isn't cured. The eggs sat well even though they were scrambled. I also had a little pineapple juice with it, so maybe that's the key, lol.

(Or maybe I just needed a little protein with my fruit fix!)

I do think Rachel should write a book...it's amazing what you've learned and retained.

I had a bag of romaine hearts that I bought last week. I turned it over and sure enough it was from Grimmway. I threw it out. MSG may not be my main problem, but I want to limit it as much as I can.

A lot of my reactions (to just about anything) are delayed! That's one of the reasons it so darned hard for me to figure out exactly what I'm reacting to sometimes.

Wow, lots of activity since I went shopping and had a massage, lol.

Rachel, I'm so happy you are making those connections left and right!

Hi Rachel's mom, thanks for taking such good care of her!

I like the idea of the mini fritata things....I may try it, although not sure if that would make me feel ill since it's so close to scrambled. Omelets also tend to turn my stomach. I also tested negative for eggs both on my allergy tests and through enterolab, so not sure why some forms of them make me feel ill...I still think I'm a mental case on that point, lol.

The fruit is almost out of control too. I went from having an apple a day to only wanting to eat fruit. I have a freezer full of veggies but yesterday all I wanted was fruit. So, I think just for a couple of weeks I need to get completely off it them, lol...cold turkey....do they have rehab for fruit addiction.

Speaking of fruit, I'm about to go make myself a fruit smoothie.

  juliem said:

Hi manja,

if it is a nut butter in a jar there might be suspicious added ingredients. Nuts, in general, just seem to be really hard to digest for some with a damaged intestinal lining, as well as being a top allergen for many as well.

Good morning dlp!

Could you try to do a 90%/10% plan to get you started? Maybe figure something else out for breakfast for 6 out of the 7 days in the week and then on 7th day, or once a week, allow yourself to have a Bumble Bar for breakfast. This way you won't be eating it every day, it will be in rotation. Just a thought.

I think I've tried the limiting, but for me, it's almost exactly what I would imagine an alcoholic goes through...and seems like if I have a little it triggers the "need" for more, lol. I have a definite problem with anything sweet even the good stuff like fruit. I did really well for two years while doing my lower carb diet and was able to have the ocassional sweet treat, but I got a taste of the sweet gluten-free stuff and now I cant' control it. I think cold-turkey for a week or two might get me back on track...just not sure what to eat in the morning--I have a really hard time in the morning..I'm hungry but stuff just doesn't sound good anymore.

I know that meats like bacon and ham are out because they are cured...Whole Foods sells a pancetta which is an Italian bacon, but it isn't cured...I wonder how bad that would be. I can stomach that in the mornings. I can also do egg salad or hard boiled eggs, but fried or scrambled eggs turn my stomach these days (that HAS to be mental, lol). So, other than cooking a full fledged dinner type meal, I'm running out of things to eat for breakfast if I don't eat nut butters, or my bumble bars. I also don't want to do a lot of cooking in the mornings since I have to get up really early for work.

  CarlaB said:

If you want a diagnosis, this is the way they do it. There is no reason to be scared, the worst part is the IV, not the procedure! If you've not been gluten-free for long, I'd do it now if you want a diagnosis. I was gluten-free for too long and it came back negative since my gluten challenge was too short with not enough gluten because it was making me sick (thinking back, just the fact that it made me sick should have been enough to convince me of my problem!!!).

Basically, it's up to you, but don't skip it for fear of it! It's not bad at all.

Yep, I tend to agree with this. If you've been gluten free for long, it probably won't show any damage though, but if it will give you peace of mind, do it before you've been gluten-free TOO long. TO show damage the doctor would need to take a biopsy...which isn't painful either.

I've had two endoscopes within one week of each other. The absolute worst part was the IV.

During the first scope they did a biopsy on my esophagus, a biopsy in my small intestine for celiac and removed a polyp in my stomach. I didn't feel any of that...was asleep during the whole thing and when I woke up the only thing I felt was a very slight sore throat. During teh second scope they took a biopsy of my bile duct...again didn't feel a thing and slept through the whole thing...didn't even have a sore throat afterward. I'm due to have a third scope in a month or so to do another biopsy on my duct...I feel like an old pro, lol.

  Floridian said:

Isn't that the truth!! I've been fantasying about a big 'ol chili dog!

Ha, I brought "chili" for lunch today...no dogs but close enough, lol.

  Fiddle-Faddle said:

Some green teas contain barley--read box carefully!!!!

YIKES!! Didn't know that! It's Bigelow I think...I thought I looked at the ingredients, but I guess we're finding out that THAT doesn't necessarily mean it isn't processed with something like that. Thanks...(had some yesterday though, so I guess I'll be finding out soon if that was it, lol).

  manja said:

I also had the knee issue when I was on gluten and dairy. It all went away.

Found out I am reacting to corn as well (drouzy, tired, flu like symptoms). Check your medication, vitamins, toothpast and so forth. Corn is in even more things than gluten.

What is the corn/MSG link with nuts and nut butter? I love those as well.

No link I think, but I'm so addicted to the nuts and nut butters, that I'm thinking it might be contributing a little to the current nagging symptoms. If I can stay away from any of them for a week or so, I can then test one at a time to see if they're causing problems....I just so darned addicted, lol.

Fortunately I don't have to take a lot of meds--just Zantac right now. I'm sure that has corn something in it, but my doctor wants me to take it until July or August. I have to have another endoscope/biopsy and after that is done I can stop the Zantac. We're trying to control the acids to see if they are affecting cell changes in my bile ducts, otherwise it's probably pre-cancer changes. I take a Zyrtek ocassionally for allergies, so I'm sure that has some corn/msg too. I did stop all vitamins and I think I felt a little better right away after doing that. I think half of them said no corn, but the others didn't.

My biggest problem right now is not being able to make myself start. I do okay for a couple of days then I just give in to my cravings for stuff. The two hardest things for me to give up are going to be my morning Bumble Bars with nut butter, lol. Gosh, the thought of going without makes me shiver, lol. THAT has to mean something...don't they say we're addicted to the things that give us problems.

  angel_jd1 said:

Thinking along a soap opera theme............"These are the poops of our Lives"

-Jessica

Or, As the Poop Turns.

My GERD also got worse after going gluten free, but I also think I have other intolerances I haven't singled out yet. I definitely have GERD--there is damage to my lower esophagus...funny thing is I never felt the reflux so not sure when the damage happened. The only sign I've ever had is an intense burning if I wake up in the middle of the night--the burning is in my stomach, not my esophagus. I'm on Zantac OTC right now, but not for that oddly enough (although it does seem to help). My GI wants me to take it for a couple of months to reduce acids so that when I have my 3rd endoscope in a month or so, we can be sure that acid isn't the reason we're seeing changes in the cells of my bile duct opening.

  tarnalberry said:

if only there was a 'scalding' setting for the kitchen towels. ;-)

I need one of those for my whole house, lol!

  tarnalberry said:

Companies will use the exact same fabric and put 'dry clean only' on the stuff that's made into women's clothes, and 'cold wash only, do not dry' on the stuff made into men's clothes. The dryer is torture on a lot of fabrics, of course, but I don't dry clean anything. Heck, I think I'll even be trying to manually wash my long wool winter coat.

Cold wash being the key apparently, lol. I once shrunk a dry clean only dress I owned by hand washing, but for some ridiculous reason I thought it would be a good idea to wash it in hot water, lol. I'm not wise in the ways of domesticity.

  Floridian said:

Making split pea soup with onions and ham bone.... wish me luck.

Ha, good luck. I burn mine half the time, the other half of the time it turns out pretty good. I've never tried it with a ham bone though.

  Quote

My depression comes from the pain. There hasnt been a day without pain since september 2005. Its wearing me down. I try not to think about it and block it out, and be a noraml 25 year old happy girl like I should be. But the pain is always there. Im scarred to be alone.

I dont know what to do somtimes, is this all that ive got?

Christine, I'm so sorry, I thought I had read this post but I completely missed this! You've described well how I feel sometimes too...worn down. It DOES wear you down. I have a friend who has fibromyalgia, very bad. On top of that she has migraines and tension headaches and carpel tunnel. She is in pain every day of her life. I know she gets down from time to time because we've talked about that. I can't give you an answer as to what to do, but I can see if she can offer any suggestions on how to cope. I know she relies on her faith a lot, but I also know she needs more than that. I DON'T believe it's all you've got. My friend and I have talked about that too because we've both just had enough of doctors, but yet can't seem to stop trying to find that one thing that will help. I think earlier this week I was feeling especially worn down...the health thing, work, my possible pre-cancer and the fact that that is still hanging over me head. I wish I could help more.

  Rachel--24 said:

Yeah...I love that!! Clothes are wrinkled...gotta buy new stuff. Uh-oh...stuff is dirty...no time to wash...gotta buy new ones. Ooops got a little stain...probably wont come out...can't have that...gotta go shopping.

Yeah...any excuse to get new clothes!!

I don't need much of an excuse to go shopping, lol.

  Floridian said:

I've been reading everyones posts and haven't laughed this hard in a long time! And all because I worshiped the porcelain God for three hours after my banana

Love you guys!!!!

Love you back, lol. Well, I did NOT inhale my banana before I ate it today, but I did eat FOUR eggs in my egg salad, so I may just be visiting your friend the porcelain god later, lol.

Okay, okay, I promise NOT to inhale my bananas and avocados...wafting is the key, I will waft. I'm another one who never dry cleans...heck I barely do the laundry anymore...just keep buying new stuff.

  ChelsE said:

I make a concerted effort

Bananas are rubber and carcinogenic! Milkshake, anyone?

Benzene is a carcinogen, a material known to cause cancer. But seriously, the amount naturally occurring in bananas is way way way under any amount that would make a difference.

I found this:

"HIGHLIGHTS: Benzene is a widely used chemical formed from both natural processes and human activities. Breathing benzene can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and unconsciousness; long-term benzene exposure causes effects on the bone marrow and can cause anemia and leukemia. Benzene has been found in at least 1,001 of the 1,662 National Priority List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)."

Except for the unconsciousness thing, I have the other symptoms, lol...maybe I've been inhaling to much of my bananas and avocados before eating them, lol. (I'm only half kidding on that, lol).

HA! Isn't it amazing how some people can just eat and do any darned thing to their bodies and they are as healthy as can be, lol! I DO eat a lot of fat, lol.

Thanks Julie! The onion analogy is a good one...there are several things I'm sure that contribute to all of us not feeling as well as we should...I think I'll keep thinking of it in that way...the gluten was one peel, the casein was another...corn/msg might be the next. One day we'll all get to the core if it all, lol.

  Floridian said:

Hi everyone!

Thank you for all the info on the banana thing! I also found out that bananas have the same protein as latex and I've been allergic to latex since as far back as I can remember, (you should see the signs and precautions when I need surgery) anyway.... I felt REALLY stupid after I read that! Oh well... again, live and learn. I've been doing a bit better but I've cut out so much.. sucks... the things I definitely can not have is: bananas , pears, watermellon, canalope, avacatos, ice cream, gluten (of course). And I've cut out all packaged, canned and processed everything. I have missed my diet coke SO MUCH!!!! Ohhhh and I have to tell you all that my eyes keep swelling... at first I thought it was the lotion I would take my make-up off with so I started using olive oil to do that... (I do very well with olive oil)... so now I know it's my brand of eye make-up... has anyone heard of the Aubrey brand of make-up? This is a biggie for me, I'm blond and without eye make-up I look even more sick then I am

I never knew latex had a protein, lol, much less the same as banana. Wow. Your no no list is what I've been living on (except the ice cream and gluten of course). Wow.

Thanks Rachel! I'm probably a little more down today than I normally would be because I didn't sleep much last night, but I'll snap out of it eventually, lol.

I am glad I bought the glucose monitor though. I'm going to check from time to time because there have been several times in the past where I've been working out and feel really dizzy, lightheaded, shakey and "out of it", and once that happened during a long grueling day of walking, so I'll keep it around to test at those times too to see if working out intensely has any affect.

Like you said..I've spent a lot of money on tests and equipment, etc. but I don't feel like it was wasted, so at least that's good, lol.

Sorry I haven't been posting much girls...I'm getting a bit down. I was so sure that blood sugar was one of my issues, but after testing for two days, it doesn't look like it. My blood sugar seemed pretty well within the ranges except for one reading which was a bit higher than the range...I didn't have a lot of symptoms the last two days, but did have some lightheadedness and the blood sugar level didn't reflect it. So, back to square one. I didn't notice any particular rapid drop or rise in the levels either. I just don't know anymore.

I'm beginning to think "they" (doctors, nurses, friends, family, flies on the wall) were right when "they" said it could be stress for me. Who knows...maybe I'm turning in the hypocondriach I was trying not to be, lol.

The one good thing that I decided to do in the last two days was to keep a better journal. I've been journalling for 4 years (every since I started working out)...I keep track of what I eat and the amounts of carbs/fats/protein, etc and the activity I do each day and noted a few general comments, usually about sleep, lol, but there isn't a lot of space for keeping track of symptoms and when they appear...so while I can look back over the last 4 years to get general trends for symptoms and what I ate, I don't have a detailed daily record. So, since Monday when I started my blood sugar testing, I've written down EVERYTHING, lol. I've been noting what time I did what, and what time symptoms appeared. I'm hoping I can get a clearer picture of what's going on.

So, to end on a more upbeat and less depressed note, lol, here are some improvements I've seen:

Dairy - I saw a lot of improvement once I cut out all dairy...my sinuses are MUCH clearer and don't feel NEARLY the congestion I used to feel in my chest and throat. I haven't had a sinus infection since October which is just unheard of--I was getting them every 6 weeks. For the first time in maybe 10 years or so, my sense of smell is coming back!

I don't know whether it was the dairy or the gluten, but the pain I felt in both knees went away after cutting out both of them. I actually had gone so far as to be referred to an orthopedic surgeon who did xrays, MRI, etc. He basically said there wasn't a good clear reason why they hurt so bad. Fortunately right after that is when I cut out the dairy and gluten, and the pain went away...I still get an ache ocassionally, but it was a daily, constant pain before that.

SCD - the major improvement I saw after doing this diet even for just a few weeks was that my diarrhea went away. I still have slightly soft stools, but usually just go once maybe twice a day.

So now, it's back to concentrating on eliminating corn and MSG. I may have to give up my beloved nuts and nut butters.

I just did a control on the Ultra (ran out of strips for the Freestyle), and it falls within the control range.

Danijela - I'm so sorry to have hijacked your thread...I think I should have started a new one!

  TCA said:

The monitors should have come with a test solution in a little bottle to test the accuracy of the meter. It looks like it's time to get it out!

I tested both last night...maybe I should have tested them this morning too. I just took my 4 hour reading and it actually went up! I took this last reading in my thumb, all the others were on one of the fingers on my left hand. I retested on another spot on one of the fingers on my left and and it came back down. The readings at the 4 hour mark were 93 Ultra and 91 Freestyle! After I retested (only the Ultra) the reading was 74.

So it looks like low blood sugar isn't really the problem, but I can tell you I am lightheaded now and my eyes feel weird in their sockets, lol.

Can an acid blocker affect results (hum, I think that might be a silly question now that I've asked it, lol). I perhaps shouldn't have taken my Zantac this morning--I took it around 30 minutes before I ate, and maybe 20 minutes before that first test.

Mine has always been on the low side, but since going gluten free, it's really low. I'm not much help either I guess...sorry! I do eat some convenience foods like frozen organic veggies and canned tomatoes, etc. but eat very little highly processed "packaged" foods.