Let's Play "find The Cause"

[skinnyasparagus]

I've been gluten free for over six months and I have my good days and I have my bad days. Most days, I'm pretty energetic and feel absolutely wonderful but recently I've been feeling pretty crappy - descriptive and literally. I've had diarrhea symptoms off and on for the past couple weeks and I can't figure out the source. I know there isn't any gluten because most of the food I've been eating is cooked in my house where there isn't any gluten present in an open exposed contaminating possible location. Last night really took the cake. I made an awesome dinner without any traces of gluten, yet, I started to puff up like a balloon, get cramps, lightheaded, and diarrhea.

The only conclusions I could come up with are either a possible lactose intolerance or corn intolerance because I ate corn with dinner and I had, literally, 1 tbsp of feta cheese. I don't know if its corn because I had some popcorn after my stomach settled and I was okay but I've been eating a lot of corn lately and dairy too but the dairy has been in small amounts.

This morning I didn't have any dairy but I did have some gluten-free cornflakes with blueberries and almond milk and my stomach is the same..puffy crampy..etc. But those symptoms aren't a common corn allergic reaction since that's usually in skin reactions - or is it?

It gets so frustrating at times! Grr! Please someone shine light on my predicament because I do love my dairy and my corn but I rather go without than suffer from continual abdominal distress.

[ShayFL]

I would eliminate all of the usual suspects (on top of gluten) for a week and see: Dairy, Soy, Corn, Eggs, Peanuts, Yeast, Legumes-beans, Nightshades and Citrus

Eat a simple diet of: plain meats with spices, salt, veggies, fruit and nuts if you tolerate them.

If all better, then reintroduce those suspects one at a time. Wait a few days between challenges as some reactions can be delayed up to 72 hours.

Good luck!

[skinnyasparagus]

I would eliminate all of the usual suspects (on top of gluten) for a week and see: Dairy, Soy, Corn, Eggs, Peanuts, Yeast, Legumes-beans, Nightshades and Citrus

Eat a simple diet of: plain meats with spices, salt, veggies, fruit and nuts if you tolerate them.

If all better, then reintroduce those suspects one at a time. Wait a few days between challenges as some reactions can be delayed up to 72 hours.

Good luck!

If I do that, that's going to limit me severely since I hardly eat meat. I'm just off of a strict vegetarian diet and I'm still clinging to it dearly. So if I eliminate the nightshade family that excludes potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants - which I eat a lot of. Well not more so eggplants than potatoes and tomatoes. Potatoes I eat nearly every day but yesterday I ate a sweet potato instead which if I'm correct is part of the Morning Glory family, which is different all together. Tomatoes I didn't eat yesterday..neither legumes but I eat legumes on most days since that's my primary protein source and never had a reaction; same with tomatoes.

I haven't had citrus in a very very long while so I don't think that's the cause. Eggs I had yesterday too but I've eaten eggs on days when I was symptom free. Never had a problem with peanuts and I rarely, rarely eat them. Yeast isn't a problem since I tested myself on that one. Same with soy but that's a whole other subject since I can't consume large amounts as I carry a gene that reacts to it.

So the suspicious subjects are: Potatoes, corn, and dairy. God I hope its not potatoes, but, yams and sweets are always good. I'll cut out the corn and dairy as a start and go from there. Since I eat potatoes nearly regularly, I don't think I've reacted because there were days when I simply had a baked potato forn lunch with a salad and I was fine. I really think its corn or dairy.

[ShayFL]

I hated giving up potatoes...and tomatoes were even harder for me....but I did...and I am better for it.

Dont forget SOY. I would take that out for awhile too. Do what you can of course.

If you cut out all of those things, you will be on my diet...which isnt bad. I made grain free pound cake this morning. Yummy!!

Check out the SCD diet.

[home-based-mom]

I made an awesome dinner without any traces of gluten, yet, I started to puff up like a balloon, get cramps, lightheaded, and diarrhea.

This morning I didn't have any dairy but I did have some gluten-free cornflakes with blueberries and almond milk and my stomach is the same..puffy crampy..etc.

It would make sense to eliminate whatever you had for dinner and whatever you had for breakfast as those things caused problems for you. If you continue having problems, keep eliminating what caused the problems. Keep a detailed log and pay attention to whether or not problematic foods belong to the same family or not.

[skinnyasparagus]

I hated giving up potatoes...and tomatoes were even harder for me....but I did...and I am better for it.

Dont forget SOY. I would take that out for awhile too. Do what you can of course.

If you cut out all of those things, you will be on my diet...which isnt bad. I made grain free pound cake this morning. Yummy!!

Check out the SCD diet.

Meh, I eat a bare minimum of soy so that's not a problem to cut it out entirely. I glanced at the SCD diet which is restrictive for me but not entirely possible. I drink almond milk not soy milk. All my dairy is nonfat/low fat/ or without additives like vanilla flavored whatever. I eat nonfat yogurt with fruit - yum. However, I'm honestly thinking its dairy so I'm nicking that in the butt. I did have off and on days of tolerating dairy, so, I'm thinking maybe my intolerance just accelerated.

Potatoes..yeesh. It says no potatoes or yams...do sweet potatoes still count since they aren't from the nightshade family? Well! I do like rutabaga. That can be potato like..but I'll start with those two..and then work from there. If I must I will but if I don't have to I won't. I'm European..I love my potatoes..

[oceangirl]

Hi,

Sweet potatoes are a different family- leave them in for now. When I first went gluten-free (three years ago) I found other things were bothering me as well. For two years I was gluten, soy, corn, dairy,nightshade, legume and nut and egg free. Eventually, everything is back in with the exception of soy. I think you'll be okay with tomatoes eventually, just not right now. It's awful, but, pare your diet down to your "known" safe foods and then slowly (one at a time) add back. Keep a detailed food log (I've now kept one for three years- it's second nature)- it will be immensely valuable, really.

Hang i there- there can be a long learning curve but you will feel better more consistently eventually- really.

lisa

[oceangirl]

I just wanted to say that I wish I could've worked the word "eventually" a bit more into that reply.

sigh

lisa

[GFinDC]

You might want to double check all your regular items for hidden gluten also. Eventually you might find some. Or not.

(Just trying to get on the eventually train here).

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Have you recently had any prescription medications renewed? Or started a new medication, or bought a new bottle of a tried-and-true brand of vitamins? Perhaps someone has changed ingredients on you.

[April in KC]

I hate my corn intolerance. Sometimes I eat corn and it doesn't seem to bother me...other times I do and get full out Celiac-imitating symptoms. I know it's crazy, but I am starting to wonder with all the genetic modification they do to corn (it's one of the most modified foods), if they haven't introduced some strains that bother me, while others don't. I don't really know. The fact that I react "sometimes" has made it really difficult to stay 100% corn free.

I suppose it's possible that I'm not intolerant to corn at all, and that a dozen or so mystery reactions I have had were really accidental glutenings that coincided with corn (or corn starch) consumption. Both thoughts make me crazy--don't know which one I'd prefer. Because, if it's gluten, it's coming from really obscure sources, and in really tiny amounts.

Okay--a tiny thought about your almond milk. Most brands I know (with one exception) use SOY lecithin in the almond milk. I have a son who is soy allergic. The lecithin is supposed to be lower in the offending protein, but he once had a bad reaction when I gave him the type of almond milk WITH soy lecithin instead of the type without it. Also, I have noticed that the lecithin tends to separate out...meaning your first glass of milk might have very little lecithin, and the last glass might have a lot. So...if there is even a remote suspicion of soy intolerance, you might consider your almond milk. If you're looking for one that is soy-free, Pacific makes one type (unsweetened) that does not have soy.

I met a fellow Celiac whose secondary intolerance was to peanuts. When I was first diagnosed, I had secondary symptoms to coconut. If you decide you can't eliminate 10 foods, then pick 2 at a time and eliminate for a week or two. Then, when you reintroduce them, do it with a bang (have a fairly good portion, and don't confuse yourself by having them both at the same time).

Good luck. Getting the gluten out wasn't so bad...but figuring out why some other foods seem to bother me drives me crazy.

[georgie]

I have just had a huge reaction to Fructose after being gluten-free for 2 years. Now I am wondering if this is why I have had lingering fatigue problems despite being gluten-free, DF, SF etc. Check your labels. Lots of Fructose is disguised these days - fruit yoghurt for eg may have a heap of fructose added as well but not listed except as 'natural flavour'. From my early research its all about fructose needing to be balanced with glucose.... some foods are better than others at that.

[veggienft]

This morning I didn't have any dairy but I did have some gluten-free cornflakes with blueberries and almond milk and my stomach is the same..puffy crampy..etc.

Blueberries? I second the fructose advice which Georgie gave, and I'll add one more. .......Salicylates.

Blueberries have fructose and salicylates. Salicylates are dyes, like the violet dye in blueberries. I can't eat blueberries.

Here's the model. Celiac is the result of an immune attack against the fungus candida albicans. Fungus has the unique ability to present many DNA patterns to a host in hopes that one of them will give it a foothold. Candida presents a DNA pattern which mimics wheat gluten. Celiacs respond with antibodies and enzymes which react to both candida fungus and gluten.

Celiac disease is that response. You can't get rid of the response without getting rid of both candida and gluten.

Candida lives on mucous membranes, and thrives on sugar, including fructose. Salicylate dyes kill microorganisms in the gut, including beneficial microorganisms. Candida goes into a dormant "spore" state which allows it to survive salicylates as they kill off all the competition. Your blueberries are killing off the gut microorganisms competing with the candida. Then your blueberries are providing a rich suggary environment for the candida to flourish.

Start beefing up your beneficial bacteria by eating probiotics, like plain live yogurt. Stop eating sweets, including sweet colored fruits like blueberries.

You're welcome.

..

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Here's the model. Celiac is the result of an immune attack against the fungus candida albicans. Fungus has the unique ability to present many DNA patterns to a host in hopes that one of them will give it a foothold. Candida presents a DNA pattern which mimics wheat gluten. Celiacs respond with antibodies and enzymes which react to both candida fungus and gluten.

Celiac disease is that response. You can't get rid of the response without getting rid of both candida and gluten.

..

But if that were true, then none of us with celiac would be able to get rid of our symptoms without treating candida--what about those of us who were able to recover on gluten-free diet alone?

[veggienft]

But if that were true, then none of us with celiac would be able to get rid of our symptoms without treating candida--what about those of us who were able to recover on gluten-free diet alone?

You're correct. I should have stated "at least some" celiac reactions are reactions to candida. I represent one. The title poster, because of his/her symptoms, most likely represents another.

I suspect that all celiac reactions are reactions to candida, and that for some, removing gluten removes enough antigen to control the reaction ....at least for now. It's a critical mass issue.

..

[gfpaperdoll]

I am gluten-free, DF, SF & high fructose corn syrup free - been avoiding that stuff like the poison it is. Avoiding corn syrup is harder than avoiding gluten. Ever try to buy a juice or canned tomato product that does not have corn syrup?

But, to help the OP, be aware of food combinations. If you are going to eat a potato & you suspect that it might be a problem for you, do not eat corn at the same meal or maybe even the same day. I have done this so long, I am not even conscious of it any longer. Not that I can eat potatoes anyway! Also, if you eat a potato, I would not add another night shade like tomatoes & eggplant.

I would also encourage you to add chicken, & seafood to your diet, along with eggs...

for me kale & broccoli are my super foods, if I cheat & have dairy, I make sure that I also get kale & broccoli that day...