Newly Gluten Free-Blood In Stool

[detritus]

Hi, I've been off gluten for 5 days. Today I felt a little constipated for the first time in years. I actually had to think about what it was I was feeling! I had a firmer stool than in a long time, but with it there was a little bit of bright red blood. Is this just my passages getting scraped for the first time in a long time? I started taking the Pioneer digestive enzymes and herbs today-could it be a reaction? Has anyone experienced anything similar when they've recently gone off gluten?

[ravenwoodglass]

That product contains malt diatase. Here is what that is:

"Malt diastase is a light tan powder extracted from barley malts, soluble in ethanol. Malt diastase is active in the temperature range 20-50°C. Optimum pH range is 4-8. The product is standardized to 4000° Lintner. Malt diastase can be manufacturer as a custom blend at any strength below 40000° Lintner."

We can not do barley or barley malt so I would think that yes that could cause a reaction.

However I don't know if that would cause the blood. A little bit of blood is likely nothing to worry about. It could be from a hemmie, since you had a bit of C. I also became 'constipated' right after diagnosis. I didn't go for about 4 days. When we have daily D our intestines empty pretty completely every day. A normal intestine doesn't move that quick. My doctor told me that going without a BM for a couple days after going gluten free was not unusual and that it would resolve on it's own quickly. Like yours did. He told me to make sure that I was getting enough fiber from fruits and veggies etc but not to up my intake quickly.

If the bleeding continues or becomes worse you should of course contact your doctor. I would also drop that supplement. You can in some cases return it to the store for a refund.

[purple]

This subject is why I took my dd to the doc and found out she is gluten intolerant. He said if its bright red not to worry but monitor and if if its dark or looks like coffee grounds then it could be serious.

My dd has blood a couple of times a year and seems to come on when she is highly stressed.

Keep track of what you eat or do and the amount and frequency. Watch for changes and by all means see a doc if it gets worse.

Previously my dd was tested for parasites by another doc but he cant test all of them and results were negative.

[Reba32]

if it is bright red, it is likely a hemmoroid or a fissure, close to the exit area, and irritated by the constipation. If it is dark, almost black, I would suggest you get to a doctor fairly quickly, as it could be an internal bleed.

Ditch that supplement you're taking, that'll make you sick, as ravenwoodglass said. Watch for ingredients that are derrived from wheat, barley or rye on anything you eat or drink. Sometimes they are not as obvious as all that on the ingredients label, but you have ot learn to figure out what everything is. When in doubt, don't eat it!

For fibre, I eat flax meal regularly, and drink lots and lots of water, rather than take a supplement.

My Celiac has always caused constipation rather than diarrhea (oh how I wished for diarrhea on more than one occasion!) so I can understand the panic at seeing blood!

Try this recipe for a flax muffin. I have one of these at least every other day, with about 1 litre/32 oz of water for breakfast.

Muffin in a minute Serving Size: 1

1/4 cup flax meal (8.09 total carbs, 7.6 fiber) (30 g)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder (0.64 net carbs)

1 packet splenda or other sweetener. I use stevia. (0.9 net carbs)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (1.84 total carbs, 1.2 fiber)

1 large egg (0.6 net carbs)

1 teaspoon butter

(total carbs is 12.07, fiber is 8.8; net carbs is 3.27)

Put the dry ingredients in a coffee mug.

Stir.

Then add the egg and the butter. Mix.

Microwave 1 minute (or more). Take out. slice, butter, eat.

Cream cheese would go nicely, too.

The shape of this can be changed by making it in a bowl.

It can be "toasted" once it's cooked.

[detritus]

if it is bright red, it is likely a hemmoroid or a fissure, close to the exit area, and irritated by the constipation. If it is dark, almost black, I would suggest you get to a doctor fairly quickly, as it could be an internal bleed.

Ditch that supplement you're taking, that'll make you sick, as ravenwoodglass said. Watch for ingredients that are derrived from wheat, barley or rye on anything you eat or drink. Sometimes they are not as obvious as all that on the ingredients label, but you have ot learn to figure out what everything is. When in doubt, don't eat it!

For fibre, I eat flax meal regularly, and drink lots and lots of water, rather than take a supplement.

My Celiac has always caused constipation rather than diarrhea (oh how I wished for diarrhea on more than one occasion!) so I can understand the panic at seeing blood!

Try this recipe for a flax muffin. I have one of these at least every other day, with about 1 litre/32 oz of water for breakfast.

Muffin in a minute Serving Size: 1

1/4 cup flax meal (8.09 total carbs, 7.6 fiber) (30 g)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder (0.64 net carbs)

1 packet splenda or other sweetener. I use stevia. (0.9 net carbs)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (1.84 total carbs, 1.2 fiber)

1 large egg (0.6 net carbs)

1 teaspoon butter

(total carbs is 12.07, fiber is 8.8; net carbs is 3.27)

Put the dry ingredients in a coffee mug.

Stir.

Then add the egg and the butter. Mix.

Microwave 1 minute (or more). Take out. slice, butter, eat.

Cream cheese would go nicely, too.

The shape of this can be changed by making it in a bowl.

It can be "toasted" once it's cooked.

Thank you, everyone, for your answers. It is a little scary when it's all so new. I bought those enzymes from the gluten-free mall-do they carry products with hidden gluten in them?

[purple]

Here is a thread on it and you could google more:

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/index.php?showtopic=18189

[ravenwoodglass]

Thank you, everyone, for your answers. It is a little scary when it's all so new. I bought those enzymes from the gluten-free mall-do they carry products with hidden gluten in them?

The gluten wasn't really hidden it was written on the label just not in a form that was easily recognized. Some gluten grain derived 'ingredients' have been so heavily processed that the gluten is considered to have been 'processed out' of them. Unfortunately some of us we will still react. This can be seen in other countries also like the Codex wheat starch in Europe which is considered gluten-free but makes many of us ill. There are even less regs on supplements than on food where it comes to gluten. All we can do is read labels carefully and double check ingredients when something 'gets' us.

[detritus]

The gluten wasn't really hidden it was written on the label just not in a form that was easily recognized. Some gluten grain derived 'ingredients' have been so heavily processed that the gluten is considered to have been 'processed out' of them. Unfortunately some of us we will still react. This can be seen in other countries also like the Codex wheat starch in Europe which is considered gluten-free but makes many of us ill. There are even less regs on supplements than on food where it comes to gluten. All we can do is read labels carefully and double check ingredients when something 'gets' us.

I'm not seeing malt diatase on the label. The product is Pioneer Gluten Free digestive enzymes and herbs. If you know it to have gluten, then I won't take it. I'm just confused, because I bought it as a gluten free product on the gluten free website linked to this website, so I thought it would be safe. I appreciate your advice on this.

[Scott Adams]

The Pioneer Digestive Enzymes are gluten-free...give them a call to verify this if you like, but I know it to be gluten-free.

Take care,

Scott