Is it gluten?

[Fooze17]

Hey all, I’m new here but just trying to make sense of a few things. I’m fairly certain I don’t have celiac but am working on getting tested for it. Bloodwork is always normal. I was a really heavy alcoholic for about 6 years. Was eventually able to quit with a lot of help from God. Anyway after I quit drinking I started having really bad fatigue and gastric symptoms. Lasted years, my wife reccomended trying a gluten free diet as some alcoholics develop a gluten intolerance. It went great and most of my symptoms cleared up. I fell off the gluten free wagon a month or so ago and just ate whatever I wanted. And didn’t seem to have any issues, then I got back on my diet as my anxiety started spiking which seems to happen with gluten. It’s been 2 weeks and I am having nonstop nausea, heavy heavy fatigue (I slept 12 hours last night and woke up this morning feeling like I haven’t slept in days, it’s been like this every day) I keep getting intense hot flashes and am having deep left sided pain and tenderness. (Should mention I’m a 31 year old male) I’m also very shaky and weak, and my fingers now seem to not have all that much dexterity. I’m just curious if anyone else has experienced this. Is it a gluten reaction? Do they last this long? I’ve been to a doctor and everything checked out fine as far as blood work. I just don’t remember feeling like this when I quit the first time, or any time I “relapsed” and ate some pasta or a cheeseburger. Any input is appreciated. 
 

tldr; I ate a bunch of gluten over a month or two. I’ve been off for about 2 weeks. I’m exhausted, constantly nauseas weak and shaky. Is that normal with gluten intolerance/withdrawal?

[cristiana]

Hello Fooze

Welcome to the forum, but I am sorry you are feeling unwell.  The symptoms for coeliac disease/non-coeliac gluten intolerance are very varied, and I am sure that most those of us who suffer from one or other of the conditions would be able to identify with more than one of your symptoms.  If you are reacting to gluten it can take a while for the reaction to cease. 

I get intense hot flashes and chills, nausea and stomach pain as an immediate reaction to gluten - I just wondered are you sure gluten isn't sneaking in somewhere not too obvious, on a daily basis, such as in medication? 

A couple more questions:

Despite your blood tests being normal, were you ever offered an endoscopy?  Unfortunately a small number of coeliacs have normal blood tests, even with damage to the gut, which can make diagnosis difficult.  

Also, where is this pain exactly on your left side?

All good wishes

Cristiana

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by cristiana

[Fooze17]

1 minute ago, cristiana said:

Hello Fooze

Welcome to the forum, but I am sorry you are feeling unwell.  The symptoms for coeliac disease/non-coeliac gluten intolerance are very varied, and I am sure that most those of us who suffer from one or other of the conditions would be able to identify with more than one of your symptoms.  If you are reacting to gluten it can take a while for the reaction to cease. 

I get intense hot flashes and chills, nausea and stomach pain as an immediate reaction to gluten - I just wondered are you sure gluten isn't sneaking in somewhere not too obvious, on a daily basis, such as in medication? 

A couple more questions:

Despite your blood tests being normal, were you ever offered an endoscopy?  Unfortunately a small number of coeliacs have normal blood tests, even with damage to the gut, which can make diagnosis difficult.  

Also, where is this pain exactly on your left side?

I think in your shoes I'd make contact with my doctor as s/he might be able to run some blood tests just to make sure nothing else is upsetting your system.

All good wishes

Cristiana

 

Thanks cristiana, I actually just saw a doctor on Tuesday and all blood work was normal. I haven’t had an endoscopy. And I can look a little harder and my diet, I guess the thing I’m wondering about is whether symptoms post gluten can last this long. And the pain is directly on my left side, between my hip and ribs, fairly deep

[cristiana]

OK - well, it's good that your bloodwork is normal.

Is the pain in your left side constant, or do you notice relief when you go to the loo, etc?

(Sorry, you will get used to personal questions on this website!)

C

[Fooze17]

Just now, cristiana said:

OK - well, it's good that your bloodwork is normal.

Is the pain in your left side constant, or do you notice relief when you go to the loo, etc?

(Sorry, you will get used to personal questions on this website!)

C

No you’re just fine, it’s constant, and tender to touch

[cristiana]

I think in your shoes I would take this back to the doctor.  I had a friend with similar pain and she was offered an ultrasound scan.  Unhelpfully I cannot recall what the diagnosis was.   Have you ever had any issues with your kidneys?  Or diverticulitis?  

[trents]

Are your bowel movements regular? You mention nausea but is there also constipation or diarrhea? Is there any blood in the stool or color change? I'm wondering about either a partial blockage or an ulcer.

[Fooze17]

Just now, trents said:

Are your bowel movements regular? You mention nausea but is there also constipation or diarrhea? Is there any blood in the stool or color change? I'm wondering about either a partial blockage or an ulcer.

I’m moving things through a little bit, slight constipation not bad. No blood, color is all over the place and smell is intense

[knitty kitty]

That pain in the left side sounds similar to where I get pain with diverticulitis.  

I agree with @trents and @Christiana.  You need to go back to the doctor.  You also need to point out to your doctor your history of alcohol.  You may have gastrointestinal beriberi caused by a deficiency in thiamine.

Alcohol prevents the absorption of thiamine which can cause a subclinical deficiency which paired with a high carbohydrate diet while you were off the gluten wagon can result in thiamine deficiency.  

Ask the doctor for a erythrocyte transketolase test for thiamine deficiency.  This test is more accurate than a blood test.  

Run!

 

[Fooze17]

4 minutes ago, knitty kitty said:

That pain in the left side sounds similar to where I get pain with diverticulitis.  

I agree with @trents and @Christiana.  You need to go back to the doctor.  You also need to point out to your doctor your history of alcohol.  You may have gastrointestinal beriberi caused by a deficiency in thiamine.

Alcohol prevents the absorption of thiamine which can cause a subclinical deficiency which paired with a high carbohydrate diet while you were off the gluten wagon can result in thiamine deficiency.  

Ask the doctor for a erythrocyte transketolase test for thiamine deficiency.  This test is more accurate than a blood test.  

Run!

 

My doctor is very aware of my history of alcohol, saw him when I was still drinking.  I’ll make an appointment and ask for that test though, thanks!

[knitty kitty]

Some interesting reading...

Gastrointestinal Beriberi and Wernicke's Encephalopathy Triggered by One Session of Heavy Drinking

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6739701/

 

[Jackie Garrett]

On 7/17/2021 at 3:42 PM, Fooze17 said:

Hey all, I’m new here but just trying to make sense of a few things. I’m fairly certain I don’t have celiac but am working on getting tested for it. Bloodwork is always normal. I was a really heavy alcoholic for about 6 years. Was eventually able to quit with a lot of help from God. Anyway after I quit drinking I started having really bad fatigue and gastric symptoms. Lasted years, my wife reccomended trying a gluten free diet as some alcoholics develop a gluten intolerance. It went great and most of my symptoms cleared up. I fell off the gluten free wagon a month or so ago and just ate whatever I wanted. And didn’t seem to have any issues, then I got back on my diet as my anxiety started spiking which seems to happen with gluten. It’s been 2 weeks and I am having nonstop nausea, heavy heavy fatigue (I slept 12 hours last night and woke up this morning feeling like I haven’t slept in days, it’s been like this every day) I keep getting intense hot flashes and am having deep left sided pain and tenderness. (Should mention I’m a 31 year old male) I’m also very shaky and weak, and my fingers now seem to not have all that much dexterity. I’m just curious if anyone else has experienced this. Is it a gluten reaction? Do they last this long? I’ve been to a doctor and everything checked out fine as far as blood work. I just don’t remember feeling like this when I quit the first time, or any time I “relapsed” and ate some pasta or a cheeseburger. Any input is appreciated. 
 

tldr; I ate a bunch of gluten over a month or two. I’ve been off for about 2 weeks. I’m exhausted, constantly nauseas weak and shaky. Is that normal with gluten intolerance/withdrawal?

Hello Fooze

i think you have milk intolerance, try avoiding all Dairy for a month and see how you get on, there are many alternatives to try, they use Lactose from Dairy in a lot of medications so be aware of that, Lactose and Dairy products are used in so many products that is not listed on the labels so we are not realising what is causing the problems if you google what Lactose is in it may surprise you, it was what was causing all my problems, I strictly avoid it and I am now well after all these years. By the way it is used in many alcohol drinks and also as a preservative in some foods. If you eat well and avoid the Dairy I believe you may soon get better it’s worth a try !! 

Jackie

[trents]

And if milk is the problem, it may not be the lactose component of milk but the protein component called casein.

[Jackie Garrett]

1 hour ago, trents said:

And if milk is the problem, it may not be the lactose component of milk but the protein component called casein.

Hello Trents

i did think it could be Casein with me, but it’s the Lactose, I was bad on my meds and that had Lactose filler in and I hear they are going to put it in nearly all medication, we are doomed if they do this. I stay safe and leave out milk completely to stay well, sometimes I have something that they have sneaked it in and I get tingly fingers and a return of my other symptoms, they soon subside after it’s out of my system. The pharmaceutical industry use this because it’s cheap, they must stop, the human body does not like it, it make us ill in a number of ways. I fully believe that sadly and I mean sadly, milk is the underlying cause of Celiac Disease and many other Diseases and illness we are all getting and nothing will change my mind. I don’t know how we are going to stop the use of Lactose in medicine it worries me greatly for people’s health.

take care

Jackie