Getting Sick On Weekends

[seigfriedj]

Hi everyone, I have a question that I am hoping someone can help answer. I have been gluten free for a couple of years now and I have felt so much better since going on the diet. However, recently, within the past 6 months or so I have been getting sick more and more frequent, especially on the weekends. I will be fine throughout the week, and then Saturday morning I wake up with a stomach ache and find myself in the bathroom the rest of the day. I am careful with what I eat, my diet has not changed any, and the only other change is I am now on birth control. Any reason as to why I would just be getting sick on the weekends and what I can do to fix this? I feel like I fix one thing with my body and then something else happens and it is getting frustrating.

Thanks

[Skylark]

Hi and welcome. You must be doing something different Friday!

Do you happen to have a drink Friday evening? I'm wondering because some celiacs are unlucky enough to be sensitive to the traces of gluten in distilled alcohol so they have to have something that isn't grain-derived. Wine, a gluten-free brand of hard cider, potato vodka, sugar cane rum, and agave tequilla are safe choices.

If not, think about what you do differently on Friday. Eating out for dinner maybe? Is there gluten around the office that could be cross-contaminating your lunch? My company had Bagel Friday and there were crumbs everywhere. Or is there something stressful at home that you are dreading Saturday morning and it's making you ill?

You could start a diet diary, write everything down, and look for patterns that are different Mon/Tues/Wed vs. Thurs/Fri. (Sometimes reactions are delayed.)

As I think about it, birth control pills can cause nausea. It is possible that you were iffy on a food before and now you notice it with the pills. The progesterone is the component that causes nausea and I had to work with my Dr. to find a pill that worked. I still get queasy thinking of Nordette. Thing is, the nausea was every day for me, not just on weekends. It didn't send me to the bathroom. It was just a queasy feeling in the morning. I still think you are doing something different Friday.

[seigfriedj]

Hi and welcome. You must be doing something different Friday!

Do you happen to have a drink Friday evening? I'm wondering because some celiacs are unlucky enough to be sensitive to the traces of gluten in distilled alcohol so they have to have something that isn't grain-derived. Wine, a gluten-free brand of hard cider, potato vodka, sugar cane rum, and agave tequilla are safe choices.

If not, think about what you do differently on Friday. Eating out for dinner maybe? Is there gluten around the office that could be cross-contaminating your lunch? My company had Bagel Friday and there were crumbs everywhere. Or is there something stressful at home that you are dreading Saturday morning and it's making you ill?

You could start a diet diary, write everything down, and look for patterns that are different Mon/Tues/Wed vs. Thurs/Fri. (Sometimes reactions are delayed.)

As I think about it, birth control pills can cause nausea. It is possible that you were iffy on a food before and now you notice it with the pills. The progesterone is the component that causes nausea and I had to work with my Dr. to find a pill that worked. I still get queasy thinking of Nordette. Thing is, the nausea was every day for me, not just on weekends. It didn't send me to the bathroom. It was just a queasy feeling in the morning. I still think you are doing something different Friday.

Skylark, thanks your your quick reply and welcoming message! As to the drinking, nope I am not a drinker at all, never have been. I don't really think I do anything different on Friday's compared to any other day, and no cross contamination for me, I am a stay at home wife, so no cross contamination at the workplace for me. Can't think of anything stressful on Saturday's. If anything I look forward to the weekends when my husband is home and we spend time together just lounging around watching movies and such. I have tried a food diary before but it never really did help much. As for the birth controls the only symptoms I had on them was a bit of nausea when I first started taking them 3 months ago, but after a week of being on them I felt fine, no symptoms, so I don't think that is the culprit but you never know. I may try and write down what I do on friday's just to see if I am doing something different, but thinking about it I don't see anything different at all. I still eat the same things I do during the week, etc. Hoping someone else has gone through this and can help me figure out what is up. Thank you so much for your response though

[Skylark]

Does your hubs eat gluten foods and kiss you more on Friday nights? A gluten kiss is enough for some of us to react to.

[seigfriedj]

Skylark,

My husband does eat gluten free foods, but they are minimal. He eats about 80% gluten free I would say. Any meal I cook for us is always gluten free, same with most snacks we have in the house. However, we do have gluten free processed foods in the freezer and he does have his bread. I do make him his lunch every day. I have never reacted after he has kissed me though, or at least as far as I know. I don't think we kiss anymore on Friday then any other day lol

[Skylark]

Well, I'm stumped then. Maybe someone else will help you figure it out!

[Jestgar]

Is there some treat your hubby gets himself on Fridays on the way home? Malted milk balls? Some fru-fru coffee drink? Company Friday cheese and crackers?

[seigfriedj]

Is there some treat your hubby gets himself on Fridays on the way home? Malted milk balls? Some fru-fru coffee drink? Company Friday cheese and crackers?

Jestgar,

No, we rarely eat out, so he does not get anything on the way home from work. He generally buys a pepsi at work and bring its home, but that is about it. As for company food, I pack his lunch for work everyday, so he only eats what I pack.

[Cathey]

What day of the week do you go to the Market? Is Friday your run around to several different stores? Does your market have a bakery in it? Hope you find out what bothering you.

[dilettantesteph]

Is it possible that your birth control pills have traces of gluten so you are more sensitive to traces elsewhere? I recently read a post from someone who thought that she reacted to her pills. She thought that she was reacting to all sorts of foods until she stopped the pills.

[seigfriedj]

What day of the week do you go to the Market? Is Friday your run around to several different stores? Does your market have a bakery in it? Hope you find out what bothering you.

Cathey,

The day I run to the market is generally Mondays and I only go to Kroger, Giant Eagle, and Aldis

[seigfriedj]

Is it possible that your birth control pills have traces of gluten so you are more sensitive to traces elsewhere? I recently read a post from someone who thought that she reacted to her pills. She thought that she was reacting to all sorts of foods until she stopped the pills.

I do not believe my birth control pills have traces of gluten. I am on lo-seasonique and from what my doctor told me and what I have read, that birth control is safe.

[deinanthe]

Are you sleeping in later on Saturday mornings? Perhaps your body is used to getting up and eating at a certain time during the week. The hormones in the birth control pills could make you feel queasy without food in your belly. I'd try getting up and eating at a normal work time next weekend and see if that cures it.

[kareng]

I'm trying to find a way to say this so it doesn't sound like I'm calling you a crazy, because that isn't my intent.

Sometimes, we have lots of responsibilities during the week like kids or a job. We can't be sick. We push it down. But, when the weekend comes, and the hub is home to help with the kids, the dog, etc we can relax. We then realize how bad we feel. Or somehow give our bodies permission to be sick. My hub does this. He only gets really sick on the weekends. He can't be sick during the week because of his job. If he is going to catch the flu, it's worse on Sat & Sun. Also, I think the lack of sleep all week & pressure add up to a big crash on Friday night for him. My boys are like this, too.

I have no scientific evidence for this, just my experiance. If this is the case, I imagine that once you are a bit more healed, this will go away.

[Jestgar]

I was thinking what Karen said. Sometimes we don't get sick because we can't. All during school I only got sick between quarters.

[seigfriedj]

Are you sleeping in later on Saturday mornings? Perhaps your body is used to getting up and eating at a certain time during the week. The hormones in the birth control pills could make you feel queasy without food in your belly. I'd try getting up and eating at a normal work time next weekend and see if that cures it.

I do sleep in later on saturday and sunday and I have noticed that as soon as I wake up I am really hungry. However, I generally do not eat breakfast until 11am or noon on weekdays and that is about the same time I wake up and then eat on the weekends. I do feel a bit better once I eat and usually by the afternoon I feel a bit better and then sometimes in the evening before sleep I start to feel sick again with an upset stomach and nausea.

[seigfriedj]

I'm trying to find a way to say this so it doesn't sound like I'm calling you a crazy, because that isn't my intent.

Sometimes, we have lots of responsibilities during the week like kids or a job. We can't be sick. We push it down. But, when the weekend comes, and the hub is home to help with the kids, the dog, etc we can relax. We then realize how bad we feel. Or somehow give our bodies permission to be sick. My hub does this. He only gets really sick on the weekends. He can't be sick during the week because of his job. If he is going to catch the flu, it's worse on Sat & Sun. Also, I think the lack of sleep all week & pressure add up to a big crash on Friday night for him. My boys are like this, too.

I have no scientific evidence for this, just my experiance. If this is the case, I imagine that once you are a bit more healed, this will go away.

LOL it is alright, I know you are not trying to call me crazy and I know what you mean. I found a similar theory to yours online when I was googling my symptoms. However, here is the thing..I do not work, I am a stay at home wife, we have no children, only a cat, so I am not holding back from being sick during the week, I have no reason to. I understand what you are saying but I can't really relate it to my life. I live a very stres-free relaxing life lol

[kareng]

LOL it is alright, I know you are not trying to call me crazy and I know what you mean. I found a similar theory to yours online when I was googling my symptoms. However, here is the thing..I do not work, I am a stay at home wife, we have no children, only a cat, so I am not holding back from being sick during the week, I have no reason to. I understand what you are saying but I can't really relate it to my life. I live a very stres-free relaxing life lol

Well....then maybe you are crazy?

I can't remember how long you have been doing the gluten-free thing but maybe it just needs time.

[seigfriedj]

Well....then maybe you are crazy?

I can't remember how long you have been doing the gluten-free thing but maybe it just needs time.

Lol Oh I am crazy in my own ways lol... I have been gluten free for about 3 years.

[kareng]

Ok....so you should have been healed by now and were doing well. Everything is exactly the same on the weekend except......Hub! More Hub! Possible he is doing something different? Using a new deodorant? Lotion? Shampoo? Might have nothing to do with gluten? Just the fragrance and spending more time with it is bothering you? Maybe a cologne he only puts on for a little romance? A new dry cleaner cleaned his favorite wool sweater he wears every weekend until you are sick of it! Maybe it's making you sick for real?

[seigfriedj]

Ok....so you should have been healed by now and were doing well. Everything is exactly the same on the weekend except......Hub! More Hub! Possible he is doing something different? Using a new deodorant? Lotion? Shampoo? Might have nothing to do with gluten? Just the fragrance and spending more time with it is bothering you? Maybe a cologne he only puts on for a little romance? A new dry cleaner cleaned his favorite wool sweater he wears every weekend until you are sick of it! Maybe it's making you sick for real?

Hmm I will have to think about if he uses anything new, I don't think so, but I will def. be keeping an eye out for anything out of the norm

[dani nero]

Do you think that maybe you accumulate some faint amounts of gluten each day of the week (when your husband gets home every day) until you finally feel bad on Saturday (which is when your husband stays at home) and then start feeling better on Monday, but then the slow accumulation starts over? I dunno just a thought!

[seigfriedj]

Do you think that maybe you accumulate some faint amounts of gluten each day of the week (when your husband gets home every day) until you finally feel bad on Saturday (which is when your husband stays at home) and then start feeling better on Monday, but then the slow accumulation starts over? I dunno just a thought!

Hmm maybe. I tend to feel fine during the week, though sometimes when I first wake up I feel a tad off. On the weekends I generally feel better in the afternoon after I have been up for awhile and had some breakfast/lunch. I am thinking that may have something to do with it. Though it is odd because I don't eat breakfast on the weekdays, and never feel as bad on those mornings compared to saturday and sunday.

[Skylark]

Maybe keeping a diet diary will help. It helped me figure out that I don't tolerate nightshades very well. Write down both the foods and how you feel and start looking for patterns. Maybe there is something you are consistently eating on the weekends that is different, perhaps something your husband likes for breakfast/lunch that you don't cook during the week.

[Marlie]

Is it possible the birth control pills change dosages each week? Some Birth Control Pills do not give a consistent dose through the month but change weekly. Just a thought.