Mayo Clinic -- Symptoms

[timothymichael]

Hi Everyone!

I am a 24 year old male:

1. Why are a large majority of people on this forum, or even people I personally know with food intolerances in general, women? Perhaps I am just simply basing that on skewed samples or whatever, but as a male with severe food intolerances, I feel a bit in the minority? Does anyone else notice this?

2. About 2-3 years ago, I was sitting at my house with my cousin who was cooking some chili. We had eaten a pizza the night before, and I remember laying on the couch as he was cooking one of my favorite meals ever, and having no desire to eat it. I had no appetite, and more acutely, I had sharp bloating pains in my small intestine area. I went thru the rest of the day with extreme fatigue and just an overall feeling of abnormality. I went to the ER, all tests were normal... that was my FIRST sign, and was about 3 summers ago.

3. About October of 2010, amidst my Senior year in college, I remember having chronic brain fog, malaise, overall sickness feeling going on. I had never really noticed any GI issues, and thought I had an STD. I got tested for EVERYTHING, like 20 times, and proved either A. I was a hypochondriac and psychosymatically creating my symptoms in my head OR B. there was something fundamentally wrong with my body. For an absolute fact, I know I am not a hypo. So....

4. I stayed home from work one day, feeling under the weather--which had at that time, become the absolute norm in my life--and cooked an open-faced egg sanwhich on whole-wheat bread. I had been eating Subway at work pretty much daily, and would get D and C on and off because of it... never making the connection. I laid on the couch and ate the egg sandwhich, a staple of my entire adolescence. As I sat there, I just remember having an, "AHA! moment!" I couldn't digest the food! I simply couldn't digest it, I got sick, I got cramped, I got a NASTY feeling. At that moment, I looked up food intolerances online.

5. My grandfather and his brother died at 59 and 62 respectively from esophageal cancer. One of the rarest forms of cancer, and didn't smoke or drink. My grandfather had chronic acid reflux daily, and ate tums and toughed it out.

6. My mother has for my ENTIRE life had digestive issues. Literally debilitating symptoms. She has been in and out of Drs. offices her entire life, and would always say, "I simply eat and get prepared to either vomit or have D or C." She just grew used to it and just didn't eat that much.

7. MY AUNT WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED (my mom's sister) THRU BIOPSY (twice) AT THE MAYO CLINIC IN MINNEAPOLIS, MN WITH CELIAC DISEASE. She has been actually diagnosed as having an allergic reaction to the protein, and has virtually no villi left in her digestive tract. The doctor was appauled at how the local clinic she attended failed to see the obvious symptoms.

So! I had my grandfather have digestive issues. My mother has extreme digestive issues, her sister has digestive issues, her other sister has chrones disease, her brother is now a vegetarian as the DR. said he'd die from esophageal cancer if he continued to have acid reflux like he did... I am NOT making this s$#& up! Its like the twilite zone because we are ALL now starting to make this connection. After decades of symptoms--clear and obvious ones--we have finally made a connection that is very very plausible, ESPECIALLY with a DIAGNOSED CELIAC in my immediate family.

Now...

My symptoms are off the chart. Literally, I have digestive issues from my throat to my anus. FOR INSTANCE, on FRIDAY 07/28/2011 I ate out at a restaurant:

The next day: I felt like the food had rotted in my stomach overnight. It felt like my digestive system had literally frozen stiff. It wasn't moving the food, it wasn't churning and making noise as if to digest it. It just sat there. When that happens, I feel a toxic fume in the throat and have sore throat. The worst part, I felt as if my body was floating... it felt like my body was completely out of control. I felt distanced from my body. I had the most immense brain fog, I had a feeling like my body was attacking itself...like I had been infected with a virus. I was functioning at work, but I literally could not focus on anything. I felt miserable for the ENTIRE weekend, and finally... on Monday now, I can at least feel my body is connected to my brain.

NOW... it seems like this community of food intolerance patients are labled as woossies, or people who just are whining. I have NEVER in my life been an excuse guy. I've worked my ass off for everything I have, and I have endured now 3 years of feeling ill. Within the past month my aunt was DIAGNOSED CELIAC THRU BIOPSY AT THE MAYO CLINIC. She then told me to get tested.

Question: DO I NEED TO GET TESTED? I am not looking for a pity party. But I am really looking to be able to say, "hey...boss... I ate something today that is literally making me unable to focus on a simple task. I can't help it, I am a CERTIFIED CELIAC!"

Because where I am at now, I just tell people I have intolerances... and I don't think they get how severe the reactions can be. Its like, Unless you are a person with food intolerances, you simply don't understand the TYPE of sickness that you feel. The brain fog, the disorientation, the floating, the drunken feeling, the nausea, the joint pain, the back pain... I don't think its relatable. But I also feel that even within this community, if you are not CELIAC THRU BIOPSY, you are not a true sufferer??? Maybe I'm wrong about that...

But.. If my aunt has it, and I feel better when I eat chicken, veggies, and light foods... DO I NEED TO GET TESTED???

DO I HAVE CELIAC DISEASE OR JUST A WHEAT INTOLERANCE (along with milk and sugar). AGAIN... I'm not looking for a pity party.. and nobody on here is. We are all real sufferes and are looking for the answer like any sane, healthy human would do.

I just find it odd that I went from a completely normal and healthy human being, to at a certain point in my history, being a COMPLETE WRECK when I eat certain foods. and I can't overstate how SEVERE my symptoms are... it is absurd!

Just looking for some opinions, some whatever... Just had to get that off my chest to people who can relate.

Love,

Tim

[organicmama]

I don't know why in the world you wouldn't get tested with all of the symptoms, especially before you stop eating the offending foods. I would test for casein, soy, and egg too.

[beachbirdie]

Testing might be very helpful. If nothing else, it will take away all hesitation about doing a serious dietary change. Some people need an "official" diagnosis to help keep them on track with good eating.

On the other hand, you could just do a trial (several weeks to a few months) of the diet and see how you feel. The "proof is in the pudding" so to speak. If you are improved, you know you need the change.

My son has suffered multiple symptoms for years, since he was a pre-teen (though some of it he never told me about!). He went gluten-free last year. It helped him immensely with his intestinal issues AND with the rash that we now guess to have been dermatitis herpetiformis.

Last night he was visiting for dinner, and we were talking about our latest diets. His wife started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet earlier this year, and my son is now following it too. He used to have terrible heartburn, he says since starting the SCD he hasn't had one attack!

So, yes, there are men with these problems, and, yes, a grain-free/sugar-free diet can help heartburn!

[ravenwoodglass]

If you are going to get tested do it now before you go gluten free. Whether to test or not is entirely up to you but if you have a diagnosis then in the future if you have children it will be easier to get their doctors to screen them for celiac periodically. It will also mean you have a preexisting condition for insurance purposes but it also means that insurance will cover vitamin and mineral panels that should be done.

If you go gluten free or gluten light before testing and you then decide you need a doctor's diagnosis that will require at least 2 to 3 months back on a gluten diet before you could be tested. That is not a pleasant experience for most of us and many don't make it more than a couple weeks.

Do be aware that false negative rates are as high as 20 to 30 percent so if you do decide to test try the diet no matter what those test results are.

[Bubba's Mom]

I think you really should be tested for Celiac. You'd be surprised how most Dr.s fail to "connect the dots" on symptoms and don't order a Celiac test for patients with very strong symptoms. A lot of them think it's a rare disease...but it's not! With the family history I'd say it would be wise to get tested. You need to know so you know how to treat your symptoms. If it's positive, you know you can never eat gluten again, and you will become healthy! On the average it takes 11 years from the start of symptoms to get a correct diagnosis. It's a topic that is barely covered in med school.

Many people here are self diagnosed after doing their own detective work. Some have had the blood test come back negative, but have the disease/or an intollerance anyway. I am one of those with a negative blood test. The endoscope with biopsy found mine. I have it. Push for answers.

Some think that an intollerance may be early stage Celiac?

The blood test can be wrong, or there may not be enough gluten in your system due to poor appetite/avoidance.

I say ask for the tests. Even if the results come back negative do a test on your own. Eat NO gluten for several weeks and see how you feel. Then eat some. If you get a bad reaction, you'll have your answer.

I think it's a good idea to get the tests if you've been eating gluten. You will know for sure and you will be less likely to "cheat". You will also have it on record so you can't be descriminated against in the work place.

As to why more women seem to have a problem? It may just be that we are more likely to keep pushing for answers? It may be that hormones play a role too? OR it may be that we are more likely to reach out for answers and companionship than men/males are, so it seems like there are more?

I can safely say it's been my experience here that everyone's intollerances/allergies/ sensitivities, whatever you call them, are taken just as seriously whether they are self diagnosed or by a medical person.

Good luck to you. I hope you get your answers so you can start feeling better!

[sa1937]

Welcome, Tim! So sorry you are having so many problems...a lot of us have been down that route. I don't know what the ratio is of men and women on this forum...maybe we women just express ourselves more freely and men tend to suck it up. I've never read any statistics that I can recall.

Getting tested for celiac will not get you a pity party around here. You really should be tested since celiac and other digestive disorders run rampant in your family. First degree relatives have a 1 in 22 chance of having it and second degree relatives 1 in 39. You might want to check these Open Original Shared Link from the U of Chicago Celiac Disease Center. Hope this helps.

[timothymichael]

Thanks everyone for your time and helpful responses. I really do appreciate it.

1. I've been "gluten-free" since March 2011. I've simply avoided eating anything that tastes good, essentially. Lol... its almost that basic. So yeah, I've been actively removing gluten from my diet for nearly 6 months now.

2. I am going to make a doctor's appointment for next week. I will show him the text message from my aunt that says, "doctors told me its genetic and to have family members tested." I will start with the blood test, and perhaps will eat some things I've wanted to eat for a long time leading up to that test. Maybe I should wait longer to get tested then??? Not sure if my body could handle it.

3. Thank you Sylvia for the U of Chi information. From that website, it seems that having symptoms are less typical than not having them. And this sort of worries me. Becuase honestly, my symptoms are pretty severe. I'm having esophageal pain symptoms and some motility disorders it seems... the food will just sit in my stomach and fester is the best way to describe it. And the mostover, my OVERALL malaise has remained chronic for nearly 3 years. Some days, I feel sore thruought my digestive tract (throat on down) and just like I have no energy, brain fog.. et cetera and literal pain in my digestive tract. Its pretty weird...

For instance: If i eat ground beef that is UNSEASONED in a taco or something, I have little digestive issues.

If I eat ground beef that is SEASONED with taco seasoning (just basic packaged stuff) I get a throat ache, almost a heart-burn like feeling, but more like my stomach is producing a toxic gas. Not a typical heartburn (which I no longer really get while avoiding gluten) but like a gas-induced throat pain. Its just like my digestive system from top to bottom just is painful when I eat seasoned beef. That's just one example, so I've found that I season things with natural stuff like garlic / onions / peppers... Is it normal for a digestive system to be THAT sensitive to a food? Just a little taco seasoning.. that's all it takes to mess me up?

The point is... I have symptoms. Really bad ones. And ones that are daily... some days worse than others. This makes me fear that what I've got going on is maybe even more fundamental than celiac. Again, obviously speculating is not healthy, and I will of course see my doctor asap.

Thanks for the information everyone, it is really nice to get it from people who understand what its like to have a really bad digestive issue, have little to no answers, and are trying to get ahold of the situation on their own time. I personally can relate to those who've dealt with that... and you certainly have my sincere support, understanding, and belief.

Thankfully... it could be worse. Thankfully, eating lightly and taking certain precautions can very well minimize any symptoms.

I'll post when I go to the doctor and let you know what he says, for what its worth.

[mommida]

The only thing that concerns me is your severe GERD symptoms "throughout" your digestive system.

Celiac testing.

You have to keep eating gluten for the regular testing. The genetic testing is not as accurate as 98%. Even the most reputable company back pedaled on the accuracy saying, human error can account for at least 30% error rate, genes mutate from family members, and an individual in the known 2% miss rate, just gets missed.

There are other disorders/diseases that have virtually the same symptoms and some that even have "trigger" foods.

Barret's esophagus, Eosinophilic disorders (I know 2 celiacs with these other 2 issues too)

Keep a food journal. It can help narrow down hidden gluten or other intolerances.

It has been a common asumption that female hormones tend to make auto-immen symptoms worse.

[sa1937]

Hi Tim, if you've been gluten-free since March, it might be difficult for you to do a gluten challenge in the hope that you get accurate test results from a celiac panel. That amounts to eating the equivalent of 3 to 4 pieces of bread for 3 months...and even then you might come up negative on a test. Ouch!

Since you are basically gluten-free, you might consider having an endoscopy with biopsies as it could reveal some other problems. Your best bet is to get an appt. with a GI doctor and see what he/she recommends (you'll probably need a referral from your PCP). Even then, not all of them are that knowledgeable of celiac.

Taco seasoning is not always gluten-free.

ETA: Hey, eating gluten-free is actually much better than a lot of people anticipate and nothing feels quite as good as feeling good!

[jcmi10236]

Gluten is in almost everything. Most taco seasoning also have MSG. That could be a problem for you. I am also watching soy.

[Takala]

I don't think its relatable. But I also feel that even within this community, if you are not CELIAC THRU BIOPSY, you are not a true sufferer??? Maybe I'm wrong about that...

No, not true. There may be a few here that harbor that suspicion, but whatever.

There are some in the media trying to push the food intolerance = woosies routine, or implying gluten intolerance, a real auto immune disease, is a passing fad or being adopted by the neurotic. I try to research what their "angle" is and where they are coming from, before deciding whether they can be educated, or are just being food trolls because it's something to do. I don't hesitate to skewer the really bad ones.

My standard advice: get tested, but if for some reason you are a negative, stick to the gluten free diet anyway if it makes you feel better and relieves your symptoms. What I call myself varies.... I call it gluten intolerance, but if others want to call it celiac, I don't have a problem with that, either. Sometimes in a social situation I will shorthand abbreviate it to "sorry, no thanks, allergic" so I don't have to go into a big long story- I use words that are the easiest to understand. They know "A L L E R G Y = Big No - No." If I feel punked, I call it an arthritic flare- they get that. I was told in one of my favorite restaurants to tell the order takers I had an "allergy" to x, y, z.... that's the way they code it, and I haven't had a problem there.... okay!

There are more females here than males. Women tend to get more auto immune issues.

Re: the seasoning mixes: most of them will contain modified food starch, and that stuff gives me a real problem, even if it is supposed to be from a non wheat family grain source. Especially when it is then fried.

[timothymichael]

Thank Everyone on here who is nice enough to give me some feedback.

I was just thinking to myself earlier today: its been now 3 years of my digestive chemistry being out of whack. I can think for now 3 full summers of turning down brats, hot dogs and burgers at family get-togethers. All I could eat was chicken or straight beef (unseasoned besides salt n pepper) and veggies and potatoes. Anything with a pre-packaged spice, anything with noodles, anything with mustard, anything with a sticky-consistency would just cause indigestion and pain.

Does anyone ever get the feeling that their body simply cannot digest food? Like if I eat a bratwurst (its so hard not to! Im a wisconsonite at heart), I can feel the meat being digested normally, but I can almost feel the bread just sit in chunks in my stomach... and then my digestive system gets paralyzed almost.

The other day (mind you, I am experimenting on myself to try and understand what's a culprit and what's not) I ate a breakfast sandwhich from burger king. I go on a jog pretty much daily, and that day, I felt like my digestive system was clogged while running, and moreover, I had a feeling like my body wasn't metabolizing any food and felt lke I had no fuel to use to exercise. I got done, and it just felt like a rock was in my stomach.

Can anyone relate to that feeling: feeling like the food is just festering in one's stomach and like its a rock??

That's really the main symptom I've been getting: just a feeling like certain foods are not digested, and thus, I feel malnourished.

If i eat plain food for a week, by the end of the week, my body feels like it is fully functioning almost. The obvious answer is to simply eat like that... but as you all know, in this society, that is easier said than done.

Thank you Takala for your advice on the social aspect. Oddly enough, even with the really nagging and chronic physical symptoms, I've been finding it just as difficult to adjust being a food-intolerant amongst my friends. The hardest part I have come to have to realize is that I am different! I feel like an outcast sometimes having to turn down normal things like burgers or cupcakes at birthdays and get togethers. Moreover, I find it extremely hard to eat out at ANY restaurant. It just seems like no matter what I try and eat, mainly mexican-oriented corn-based foods, I feel like garbage after eating out. And this is hard on me and my girlfriend, and mainly ME not being able to just at a whim be able to go out wi my friends.

And beer is an ABSOLUTE no-no. The only way I can drink is if I drink straight whiskey or rum with a bunch of water, and relegate the next day to feeling like a hangover x 2.

It just seems like all the enjoyable things in life have become off-limits to me. I know I sound like a complainer, but I can't overstate my reactions to food! If it is good, normal, processed food... I can't eat it without Constipation, indigestion, heartburn, brain-fog, fatigue, and just an overall crappy feeling.

But, I am pretty new at this, and find peace in the fact that I am not completely out of the norm. There are many of us who have bodies that crave simply, healthy foods... and I can dig that Its just hard sometimes to ALWAYS be on guard about what you are eating...

So, takala, thank you for your advice. I find it very helpful.

I'll get tested eventually... but with the specificity of the tests, I'm just going to do what my body is telling me, not the Drs, for now. Thanks everyone on here who is nice enough to share. Hopefully one day I'll have some good advice to provide to someone in my position.

[Bubba's Mom]

They make gluten free beer! I'm not a beer drinker, so I don't know the brands so do an online search?

You have so many symptoms that seem like they could be an intollerance to gluten if not Celiac?

Another thing to consider is soy. A lot of restaurants use soy oils and seasonings with soy.

[beachbirdie]

They make gluten free beer! I'm not a beer drinker, so I don't know the brands so do an online search?

You have so many symptoms that seem like they could be an intollerance to gluten if not Celiac?

Another thing to consider is soy. A lot of restaurants use soy oils and seasonings with soy.

Open Original Shared Link makes a good one, and Open Original Shared Link (by Anheuser-Busch) is another good one!

They are sorghum-based, and not at all bad. I enjoy a good beer once in a while, and these come so close to the wheat-based beers!

[Jenniferxgfx]

On the subject of gender, men in our culture are typically expected to buck up and suck it up, ignoring symptoms. My husband had terrible allergy and intestinal issues after eating dairy, and never made the connection until We met. He always thought it was normal or just something he had to live with. Now he can see he's having some soy issues too, so we can cut those out too. But really he'd just never been taught to listen to his body. Most people aren't. I'm still learning too.

I went through testing was negative but I'm like you-- taco seasoning or soy sauce will make me miserable but the bland equivalent was fine, and it helped me connect the dots. I had a salad from Subway a couple days ago (I've been gluten free for a month or so now) and the cross contamination really got me good. I don't care what those tests say, I'm convinced. I don't care if it's Celiac, gluten intolerance, or a wheat allergy, i just tell em whatever will sink in furthest depending on the situation. I wish I had medical confirmation (I totally want a celiac certification ) but it's not my fault there isn't a test as sensitive as I am.

[Jenniferxgfx]

Oh! And I do know what you mean about the food sitting like a rotten lump in your gut. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis and given Reglan (a drug with plenty of risks), Which helped enough to make me abandon my gluten theories a few years back. Eventually I realized this wasn't a good plan. So it turns out when I eat gluten free, my food doesn't sit in my gut like a brick! I dont have the reflux I've had for years either. (my reflux was worse with the brick in the gut feeling too. I've had reflux and no other GI symptoms for YEARS before things got real bad. NO ONE saw a gluten connection. Bleh.)

[timothymichael]

Hi everyone,

Yeah... stuff like seasonings are aweful on my system. I've also found out that if I eat imporoperly for a couple days, it will cause myself constipation and other digestive issues for a good week.

I am going to the Dr. next friday to get some tests done and will post my results once I get them in. Thanks for the replies everyone, I'll let you know what I find out and offer some advice to others going thru the process of figuring out their digestive issues related to gluten.

Cheers,

Tim

[timothymichael]

And Jennifer!

I didn't read your post until after I posted the one prior to this.

I am super glad (not glad for you of course) that you have had that similar symptom. I feel like that is one of the major ones that affects my body poorly. When I eat something that is not easily digestible within my system, it feels like that food just sits in my stomach, rots and festers, and produces a gas-like feeling in my throat. It literally feels like the food is just sitting there, I can feel it, and it produces a toxic-like gas that seeps into my throat that I can feel. I feel taht toxic gas when I get acid reflux, obviously its hard to differentiate between the two, but they seem to go hand in hand with the undigested food in my tummy for a while. This eventually leads to constipation in my lower colon area and it just screws up my entire system until its passed.

I find it amazing that if I just ate things like fish or veggies or steamed foods which are soft and natural, it just moves right thru my body, but once I put any sort of consistency-based (sticky sort of food) it just stops dead.

Thanks for sharing that bit of info! For real, its one of my main symptoms and one of the most debilitating, I'm glad to know im not the only one that got that feeling. As you know, it makes it less of a burden knowing ur not the only one!

Take care

[89Mirageman]

I feel your pain man, I have the exact same problem. When I eat its like my food gets to a certain point and just stops. Two or three days go by and I'm so miserable that I have to take laxitives or something to clean me out. I was also diagnosed with gastroparesis a few months ago and was told to take reglan, I flat out refused and never got the prescription filled. I have enough issues without medications causing me even more problems.

Are you avoiding soy and milk as well? I've been gluten free for about a week or so and really haven't noticed any difference. The pain and constipation are still there. Hopefully relief will come soon. How are you cooking your fish, baking it?

[AVR1962]

Like with your family, this runs in my family too. I had a grandfather who died from stomach cancer, aunt died from intestinal cancer, I have an aunt diagnosed with schizophrenia, my mom had Barret's disease which is a burned esophagus and is dairy intolerant, my adult daughters and their children are gluten and dairy intolerant. Recently was at a family reunion (our roots are Swedish) and as I watched the family dish up their plates of pasta and bread I was wondering how many more were killing themselves off silently witout even knowing what they were putting in their bodies could be killing them.

I'll tell what I have been thru with the hopes that just one more person will listen and maybe be helped. People look at me like I am nuts. I know though that more people have a gluten intolerance than realize it and it is very sad as this is all preventable.

[timothymichael]

AVR and MirageMan... Hola:

1. That's pretty much the main effect of my food intolerances. The food that I eat just gets clogged in my stomach first, then in my intestines second. I can feel my body moving it slowly, there is no mistaking it. Once that happens, it clogges up the rest of my body and it just feels like all my body's energy is being used to excrete the food. It is a bad feeling, and everything I eat after that just kind of backs up behind it.

The auxilary symptoms from the constipation / non-digestion are all the textbook ones: brain fog, allergy-like headache, floating / drunken feeling, nausea, gassy, irregular bowel movements (straining), overall malaise.

As everyone on here can relate, the hardest thing is that it is every day. And I know there are degrees of food allergies (Drew Breese for instance is "allergic" to wheat yet can eat gluten-free waffles and syrup. That, to me, would mess me up BAD). My degree of food allergy is pretty severe. If I slip up = no sleep, sick, tired, groggy, constipated, drunk, nasty, heavy, et cetera. You all know.

Still waiting to go see the DR. Ends up I can get in next friday (8/19). Can't wait!

2. The family thing is almost comforting at a certain level. My mom's side of the family has multiple osteochondromas (hereditary bone disease). AND, it is pretty darn clear that the entire side of that family has bad food allergies to wheat and milk. It was odd that we went so long without all conversing about it. My uncle started first (he's the oldest) to go vegetarian, I saw my mom her entire life not able to eat anything, then my aunt was diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic by biopsy as a celiac patient, and my other aunt is diagnosed Chrons. So... in a way... its nice knowing that A. Im not alone and B. there is an explination to my reactions.

It is a normal thing it seems for food intolerants to be labled as "crazy." I really really really hate that sort of label. BECAUSE... when I was younger, and could eat anything I wanted (and I did), I labeled my mother as "crazy" and someone who just complained about these strange symtoms. Funny how God can turn the tables.

With a new perspective, and a balanced approach to it both physically and spiritually, I know that I am not crazy... and I NOW know that my mother is not crazy, and I felt pretty guilty about that. I can feel my body reject food, plain and simple. That is not crazy... what's crazy is having to find the answer on your own whilst taking 20 credits during your senior year of college and being confused as hell as to why you can't read and comprehend anything anymore.. that was the crazy part.

But now I've seem to find the root cause of my problems, I am still having severe reactions to certin foods, but I can now understand it, internalize it, and react properly instead of over-reacting. That's the thing that got me labled as "crazy" (I even labeled myself crazy when I was goin thru it) was the over-reacting and blaming other things on my symptoms like STDs and other super rare diseases. In my defense, I was sick everyday! and just didn't know what had happened. After finding the cause, my demeanor is back to normal, thank God!

Talk to your family. They will listen.

And mirageman:

I usually bake all meats except beef. It keeps it moist and easier for my digestive system to break it down. The longer you cook something, the more it becomes dehydrated and harder for the body to break down. The rule of thumb I use is that if its sticky or has consistencey (bread, sauces, gravy, spices, anything in a package) I will be done-for.

If its clear, or wet, or slippery, or SOFT, then my body won't flip out.

[ArcticLotus]

wow, hindsight is always 20-20, right?

After reading so many people mention food felt like it sits in their stomach and just doesn't move on.. I remember eating at Perkins for dinner on more than one occasion. Huge breakfast platter, pancakes, toast. I would feel full past lunch the next day, then be sick on the toilet for 2 days following. I used to always think it was the eggs being undercooked, but everyone else was fine. And this happened every time. I think it was the dosage. In restrospect, pizza did it too, and i thought it was the grease.

I'm self-diagnosed, but I respect the concern and want for an official diagnosis. Personally though, the medical community has let me, my husband, and my family down too many times. I only go to a dr when I need something that I can't do for myself. My body tells me what it feels, i just have to listen. My husband suffered from severe dairy allergy for over 3 years, he's 6 ft tall and was down to 115 lbs, went through 3 painful throat stretching surgeries before we met a random ER dr for an unrelated problem that told him his throat issues were a food allergy. It took us about 3 minutes to figure it out from there. A year later, he got a prick test to see if he was allergic to anything else. Problem there is the doctor said it's not conclusive. "Then what's next" "Blood testing, and that's not conclusive either." So he stopped there.

Generally speaking, an "official" diagnosis is not necessary. There is no prescription to purchase, and you can do a diet on your own with a little research and careful label reading. There is also the issue of medical privacy. The only time your boss needs to see anything about your personal health is if it gets to be so severe that it is blatantly interfering with your work. Even then, most understanding bosses will accept a simple "I'm allergic to this and I'm feeling sick, I think I inadvertently ate some." Same thing with friends, family, and restaurant workers. Use the word "allergic" and everyone "gets" it.

If you have other reasons to feel you need or simply want an official diagnosis, then go for it, and best of luck with testing.

[timothymichael]

Ok... so I'm putting this back to the top of the forum.

I went to the doctor last friday (8/19) for a series of blood tests and a fecal testing. I am still waiting to get the tTga results back, along with everything else. The reason I am posting right now:

On Saturday night, I went to my cousin's wedding. My aunt -- who is Celiac thru biopsy at the Mayo Clinic -- made a gluten-free cake. I ate nearly the entire thing, I was having a good time. I ingested probably 100 grams of sugar that night, easy.

I woke up on Sunday morning with an extremely itchy groin area. Like intense itching. I scratched it vigerously and noticed a rash all over my penis. It was clearly disheartening as I get std testing done every 6 months.

I went to the Dr. and she looked at it and said NO STD... woof. Ok.. so she said maybe it was dermatitis, I said probably not. I told her I had eaten a bunch of sugar the night before and then this happend, I also told her that I was feelign very itchy all over my body and just overall fungaly. She obliged me and took a sample of the rash and left the office. 30 minutes later she came back and said, "yep that is definatly fungus."

Male yeast infections are very rare. And no, I don't have aids... and I am pretty sure I don't have diabetis.. although Im not 100% sure. Waiting to get tests back.

So I am thinking, wholeheartedly, that my symptoms with wheat and other carbs and processed foods is very much connected with a yeast infection. I told the doctor that I feel like its not just a skin infectino and that iit is more likely systemic and in my digestive tract. She agreed.

So I don't have any definitive results on my celiac panel yet, but I have a 100% diagnosis of male yeast infection. That can certainly cause brain fog, malaise, tiredness, itchy scalp, joint pain, and of course.. penile rash. So I am pretty at a loss right now, but also excited to have at least a diagnosis.

I did take a course of both amoxycilin and doxycycline about a year ago for a month. AND my ex-gluten-free had chronic yeast infections. AND i've had tinea versicolor on my entire upper body before... I am suseptibale--gentically--to fungal infections, and worse yet, yeast infections.

I just thought I'd share that diagnosis with everyone... maybe some can relate or have similar situations. BUT i truly feel that this yeast infection diagnosis along with my food intolerances are going hand-in-hand.

I will update everyone on my celiac panel next week. Anyways.. I am starting Diflucan and a strict sugar-free and obviously continuing my gluten-free diet. WHOA... could I possibly... possibly... possibly have some sort of diagnosis?!?!??! NOt counting my cards yet.

Take Care,

Tim

[timothymichael]

lol...

and by my "ex-gluten-free had chronic yeast infections..."

I mean my "ex-girlfriend had chornic yeast infections..."

Freud would be proud.

[Bubba's Mom]

I'm glad you're getting some answers Tim. That yeast can be pretty pesky!

Did your Dr. suggest taking pro-biotics? It's the healthy bacteria that should be in your digestive tract. If you've taken antibiotics in the past, it may have killed the good guys off? Replenishing them fills the area that the yeast took over and helps keep things in check.