Yenni

I haven't looked into any creams. I feel very clueless with this stuff some how. And I haven't been wanting to just starting something on my own, maybe making a misstake.

The thing is I have no decire to have kids now. We also live with my husbands folks and I am not feeling all that great yet, so I am thinking "later". Sometimes I am thinking "not at all" so it would be wrong to have a child now. If I can't have a child later on then I guess it wasn't meant to be, that is how we are thinking anyways. Maybe it sounds strange to others.

I have been so scared about this spotting. Thinking cancer and everything. When I went to this last doctor and she thought it was hormones and gave me pills I was relived. Thinking I'd get a break from my period and not having to worry about cancer.. Maybe I am just fooling myself.

I am gonna think about getting that ultrasound. I just wish there would be an end to being sick all the time. It's like I felt that I finally figured out my stomach/health problems and then my period starts messing with me big time this year.

Oh well.

Thanks you two. You are probably right, I should go back to the midwife.

Jenny,

It sounds to me like there is something going on with you that the exam didn't pick up. The symptoms you have are not normal, and as someone who 1) could not tolerate birth control pills and 2) had undiagnosed female problems for years until I had an ultrasound, I would urge you to investigate this further.

I also took vitamin B6 and calcium/magnesium for years along with a good B complex and a good multivitamin. For me, these did not help and I ended up having a hysterectomy last month due to a worsening of my issues. I also have avoided soy for several years--not really eating much of it in the first place.

I think your doctor should have ordered an ultrasound as a first step in figuring out the root cause of your symptoms. Abnormal growths and structural problems can be seen this way. If the ultrasound is normal, a laprosopy can be done to check to see if there is endometriosis. Did the doctor take blood to check your hormone levels? Abnormal bleeding can also be due to your hormones.

I've done a fair amount of research on endo since I was told by my surgeon that I had had a stage 4 case of it that was never detected until they did the pathology report after my surgery. I've learned that there may be an autoimmune link--I thought that was interesting. Women with endo have an increased risk of other autoimmune disease--sound familiar??

I don't want to alarm you, these diseases/conditions can be treated and controlled--but first they need to be identified.

I saw a midwife in December that did a check up and PAP. Everything was normal. I had an ultradound a year ago, so not this year.

The doctor I saw now was my regular doctor and she said I am young (33) and it is very rare to have serious problems at that age so she thought it was hormones. (She didn't check my hormones.)

Sigh, I hate doctors and we have like NO money right now.

These problems were happening when I had my ultrasound, not the bleeding inbetween periods so much though, just now and then for a day or two. Not like now.

So I should go to the midwife again then...

Over the internet it's hard to talk about it on a personal level rather than generalities! Did the magnesium cause the low blood sugar? Do you eat a clean diet of meats, eggs, veggies, fruit, rice, etc.? Diet has a huge effect on both your cycle and your blood sugar.

I think that the changes you're seeing with the diet are an indication that things are changing ... I'm sure it will eventually be for the better.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Yes, it was the Magnesium that caused the blood sugar to do that. I tried quitting and starting a couple of times and it happened every time. My blood sugar is low normally but it got really bad eating Magnesuim like that. I reda that Magnezium helps the body turning sugar into energy (or something similar like that) and apparently I didn't need that.

I ate Omega 3 and 6 back then, took B-complex vitamins... I can't remember what else was on that list. but it didn't do a thing for me.

My PMS has gotten better on this diest, I am still down and stuff, but I don't feel freaky (panik almost and dissy).

I eat organic fresh veggies, some brown rice, ham, chicken, fish, LOTS of Bananas, lots of Enjoy Life Very berry bars (has flax seeds and a bunch of B-vitamins, mineralts and Folate. Drink lots of water. Melon. I hardly eat any processed food at all. Potatoes.

(I am allegic to cherries, peaches, almonds, nuts, apples, pears, plums, strawberries, kiwi. And can't have any Legumes, Casein or Gluten (of course). I have tried Egg here lately and it doesn't land too well most of the times so I think that is a problem. I eat light-corn stuff. Can't have a lot of it.)

That is pretty much my diet. I haven't eaten chips, sweets or white rice in a long time. I avoid fast sugars.

Thanks for trying to help me.

I am thinking I'll try the BCP for a year or so. We might wanna try to have a child next year. I am not planning on eating these for many years. At least that I what I am hoping.

I taught natural family planning for 7 years. I worked with women who had period trouble with nutrition and supplements -- I'm not a nutritionist, I would refer them to articles and books.

Most women with painful periods feel better supplementing vitamin B6 (also take a B complex, B vitamins work together) and magnesium (500-1000 mg., this is why women crave chocolate, it's high in magnesium). Essential fatty acids are important, too -- Oil of Evening Primrose and flax oil (The hormones are fat soluble). Vitamin A is also essential to cycle health.

If it were me, I'd research natural cures for heavy, painful periods. I know it hurts, but it may be indicating an imbalance in your system that needs to be fixed. It can be a symptom of another problem, like a nutritional deficiency. Your body is designed to work right, I'd take the irregular cycle as a sign that there's some kind of a problem.

I tried taking Magnezuim like those doese you suggested. I was reading alot about this stuff two summers ago and followed some suggestions from Dr Phil's homepage about supplements and stuff. (Funny thing I never craved chocolate ;o) ) My blood sugar got really bad. It dropped like crazy and I gained 10 LBs that summer. I just had to stop. I felt like I had to eat ALL the time. I have been taking vitamins and nothing has changed my period. It has just got even more weird after I figured out what my body can't tolerate and eliminating that from my diet.

I have normal blood tests, PAP and check up was normal.

..so BCP was the only thing left it felt like. I really hate the idea but I feel my period has taken over. I get really bad PMS (which has gotten a tad beter since I stopped with gluten), I spott for 4-7 days before I get really bad cramps for 2 days and I have period with clots. It lasts up to two weeks almost all together with the spotting. And now the last 2 months I have spotted the hole month almost. A few days that was free only. I am pretty clueless.

Thanks for the suggestions though and I am with you on that it is probably not good. But I dunno what else to do now... I would love not to take these pills. I am all for natural.

I get nasueas very easily since this celiac thing started. I told my doctor this and she gave me a lowdose hormone pill even.

Why is nothing easy these days???

Yes, they just checked me when I was in 2 weeks ago and it was all fine.

I dunno what to do..

I am not fond of the idea of starting BCP either but the last two months I have been bleeding in inbetween my periods (the whole time, but very little) and also my period is 1

I just got some birth control pills to regulate my period. The doctor said it was gluten free, but I thought I'd ask here if anyone knows. Also it has a red/pink color to it and I was wondering if I need to worry about that dye?

I took one yesterday and feel nauseaus today. Could be just the hormones though. I was hoping I wouldn't feel nasueas.

I hope it doesn't have soy in it or corn..

Okay, here is the answer from Kimball's.

Hello Jenny,

Highly refined soybean oil is used in 3 of our ingredients. 2 of the ingredients are used in Raspberries & Blackberries & the other ingredient is used Spearmint Leaves A complete clean-up is done after running these products to prevent cross contamination. Please contact me if you have any further questions.

Thank You.

Thinking of you. Eat some Pizza for me too.

Are you possibly eating someting that has gluten in it that you have missed?

As I understand it, it is not required. I don't know if having such labels is a courtesy or an attempt to immunize themselves from lawsuits

Under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, any covered product labeled after January 1, 2006 must specify if it contains one or more of the major allergens. According to the FDA, any advisory statement is not supposed to be a substitute for good manufacturing practices and must be truthful. Further: "FALCPA's labeling requirements do not apply to major food allergens that are unintentionally added to a food as the result of cross-contact. In the context of food allergens, "cross-contact " occurs when a residue or other trace amount of an allergenic food is unintentionally incorporated into another food that is not intended to contain that allergenic food. Cross-contact may result from customary methods of growing and harvesting crops, as well as from the use of shared storage, transportation, or production equipment." Open Original Shared Link

Gee, I kind of wish you hadn't asked and caused me to research this. It makes me pretty scared about products that don't even bother with advisory statements. They could have all sorts of things in them "unintentionally."

Looks like possible cross contamination risks does NOT have to be labeled then.

Interesting and yucky. Thanks for posting.

I am not doing really great on corn either I have noticed. I do light corn for now. Haven't ruled it out yet.

I do not seem to do really good on any baked goods. I dunno if I am just sensitive to all grains right now or..what. We'll see.

Hello and welcome! This is a great board with lots of nice people.

I felt like you do. I didn't loose weight though. But I felt I almost didn't have the energy to live. It was freaky. I thought I was gonna die.

Have you thought about getting tests done at EnteroLab? www.enterolab.com

You can do that even being gluten free and it is very easy. Don't need a doctor to do it either. Maybe you'll get some answers through them.

I was gluten free when I had my blood tests done too and they came back negative. I then got tests done at EnteroLab and they were possitive. My dietary respons is possitive too, so now my regular doctors office accepted the EnteroLab results.

I seem to be very sensitive, so I stay away. I have gotten sick from both "Casein has been used on the same mashine" and " soy is used in the same facility".

I have even felt iffy on Bob's Mills stuff that is supposed to be tested.

When it comes to my allergies I have always been fine with "may contain nuts". Probably shouldn't keep non with that, not that it happens often.

Gosh, that is scary. Feel better soon.

I get their water too. But never the gallon.

I just wanted to say I hope it works out well. I have no good advice. Thinking of you.

I use Gluten-Free Savonnerie products. Open Original Shared Link I have used them for like 5 months now and really like them. They just changed owners and I sent an e-mail asking about possible cross contaminations (they make soy containing products under another brand), but they are very carefull with that stuff and make them at 3 different locations.

I use almost all of their products.

I use crest toothpast. Someone posted an e-mail sent to costumer service at Creset and they garanteed that their producs\ts are gluten free so I went for that.

I think EnteroLab does testing all over the world actually. So Canada would be fine I believe. They test for gluten, casein, soy, egg and yeast so far. I guess they are working on testing more in the future.

I read on here that 15% of the gluten used in Teflon and plastic stays after they are washed. It gets cooked into Teflon. Using the same Teflon pan kept on makiing me sick until I got a new one. The plastic cutting boards get cuts in the that gluten can hide in. I had no idea about wood being a problem too, but I don't have any so I have been safe there.

Don't use the toaster if you'va had gluten in it and I was told to always clean the microwave oven before use if it is used with gluten. I live in a family that eats a lot of gluten normally so I got my own microwave oven now.

In general glass is good to use. It gets clean.

Old pans in steel can also be bad if they have spots and are well used, so I have read anyways.

It is very common with wheat and soy in shampoo and conditioners. I have gotten sick from getting shampoo in my mouth when I rinsed it out so I use gluten and soy free shampoo and conditioner now.

Crest toothpast is supposed to be gluten free, I use it to be safe.

I kept on eating Vitamins with Soy for the longest time. I missed it completely. It made a big difference once I stopped. Crazy how sensitive one can be.

Yeah, so try eat things that are naturally gluten free like veggies and fruits. Unprocessed meat. Like CarlaB just mentioned above me here.

I am sorry you feel so bad.

Cross contamination comes to mind here. Are you using the same Teflon pans as before and plastic cutting board. What about shampoo, toothpaste, soaps? Are they gluten free? Are you eating any mediactions that has gluten in them? Maybe you are missing something.

Have you heard of EnteroLab? Maybe getting tests done by them would help you with possibly other intolerances that is a problem.

Just some thoughts.

I really hope you'll figure it out and get better soon.

Jeanne: I think this was a reference for people who have multiple food intolerances, that sometimes things like canola (and other oil sources) can cause problems. In terms of Celiac, it is safe. And to my knowledge, there is no link between Celiac and canola (i.e., like Celiac and lactose). I think it was just meant in terms of anecdotal evidence on the board.

Not Jeanne but...I had no idea about the Canola possebly beinga problem. What do you all use when making popcorn? Oil I mean.

That Ghee sounds interesting. "Free of Wheat, Gluten, Lactose, Casein, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Egg, Soy, Corn, Rice, Potato, Sugar, Yeast, Sesame" I wonder what is left in there... I migh have to try that.

I usually use Olive oil for cooking and I bought some Canola and Coconut oil to use for baking. I tried that Spectrum stuff too once. Maybe I should stop using the Canola oil. I had popcorn a couple of weeks ago and got nasueas after. Maybe it wasn't the corn but the Canola..

Thanks all. I'll take a look at your suggestions. Strange how many uses Soy. I almost find soy harder to avoid than gluten these days.

So I think I missunderstood this. I was thinking that she needed to get tested but those tests only pick up Celiac anyways. She could carry a celiac gene still though, getting it from a parent while you didn't get it. But maybe she should get tested by EnteroLab instead then maybe.

I think I am confused about the differences between Celiac and non-celiak gluten intolerance too. I know they are different and the non-celiac sometimes isn't as sever, but aren't there people with non-celiak gluten intolerance that has more syptoms and problems than some Celiacs?

Seems some people want to remove the differences and just look at these two as the same on a continum (sp?). Others think they are very different.

Oh well. I am just being slow.

Can anyone recommend a gluten free, legume free (not that I think they use that in there but I thought I'd mention it) and caffeine free green tea? Thanks.