sonja69

Hi everyone,

I am on gluten-free diet now for about 3 weeks now and I feel so much better. not everyday is fine, but I am pretty optimistic that all will be fine one day.

anyway, I am lactoseintolerant and I often use Lactaid ultra tablets (fast act, hihgest dosage) when I am not eating at home, e.g. for coffee or other gluten-free foods.

I read so much controverse thigs about Lactaid: is it gluten-free or not?

Ingredients are:

Microcrystalline Cellulose, Croscarmellose Sodium, Crospovidone, Magnesium Stearate, Colloidal Silicon Dioxide

how can one be really sure??

thanks in advance and have a nice New years eve and all good for glutenfree 2007!

Sonja

I used to have it too. since going gluten-free, its better. I read that intolerances/sensitivities come along with water retention in the intestines and the movement of the water inside is making these noises.

I think not only with celiac, doctors are disappointments....

however, I have been tested negative for celiac, but I am glutenfree now. my symptoms have gotten severe the last month so I had no choice, but try glutenfree.

I was also tested twice for lactoseintolerance, 1st was positive, 2nd was negative. the problem is that sometimes, if I eat dairy (party or of frustration), albeit rare, sometimes i have no problems, sometimes I have problems, but I am never sure if it's really the lactose or something else. so I strictly avoid lactose.

this may be explained (at least I believe it) that when your intestinal mucosa is damaged with celiac, it's quite often patchy, and in some healthy patches, lactase (the enzyme) is produced and can break down lactose, but when your food reaches a non-healthy patch, there's no lactase to break down the lactose.

sorry, cannot help you more, I am also very confused. I have very seldom diarrhea and no pain, though very weird stools and I am always bloated (sometimes I wish for diarrhea to get the 'stuff' out more quickly), a livelong pregnancy I have to carry...and just as Villanfam, I punch my stomach because I am so angry about my body making such trouble all the time. I cannot remember the last time I felt good, I have problems with my stomach for over 20 years now.

try gluten- and lactosefree, it cannot harm and hopefully you feel better!

good luck,

Sonja

(sorry for the language, I am german)

hi jebus,

before my tests I trifolded my gluten inake o get 'better' results, since I was not eating much gluten before. the 4 weeks with high glutenintake I had terrible headaches which I had never before in my life. I read about iron defiency and headaches. after 3 days glutenfree the headache was still therem but weaker. well, I took an iron supplement, though my blood work did not show iron deficiency.

the headache went away about 30 minutes after tking the pill. no aspirin had helped before, but the iron did. I tested it for some days, everytime with headaches, I took the iron pill, headaches were gone after short while.

you may try this and see if it works for you too.

good luck!

Sonja

hi nini,

thanks! yeah, I do not know, I am fine with oats, have no more problems with that and the oatmilk I always use in gluten-free mueli and porridge and thats okay. at least I think so, but I will definetly try this too.

I wonder if my liver can be damaged, that might be 'sausage' in my belly, although the liver parameters were fine.

Sonja

There is a disorder called non-Celiac gluten intolerance where the gluten isn't damaging your intestines, but it does make you feel just as sick.

Also they are finding that 40% of people diagnosed with IBS have fructose malabsorption and one of the highest foods with fructose is wheat. Therefore you may find it helpful to go wheat-free.

sorry, but I have other data.

rye flour (not whole grain) has 0.7g fructose in 100g. rice, buckwheat flour, wheat flour and barley have only 0.1g per 100g.

foods with high fructose content are of course fruits, veggies, sugar (sweets), honey and processed foods.

it's no wonder that people diagnosed with IBS have a malabsorption problem or are celiac, since IBS is a symptom or syndrome, not a desease, and sometimes just a diagnose from a either stupid, lazy or ignorant doctor.

hi everyone!

I am still waiting for better results although I feel better without gluten (at least the headache is gone).

I began to leave out any dairy and use oatmilk in the coffee, but that is not really good. and I am getting nausea afterwards (??)

I cleaned my flat from glutened foods at saturday, everything's fine until monday than its bad again. 2 days bloated like earlier with gluten. can one be so sensitive and then it comes 2 days later?

it comes and goes. it's so confusing. I am keeping a food diary since summer 04 (!!!) and still don't have a clue...

but since food intolerances can give symptoms up to 72 hours later and I am not eating the same food everyday, I will never really know.

what I am really concerned about or bothers me that my upper belly just above belly button always is 'bloated' looks like I had a big sausage hanging there and that is pushing against my lungs while sitting at work at the desktop and hangs over the (low-waisted) jeans like a tire. kind of really annoying because it lowers my concentration. rest of the belly below the belly button is fine most of the time, since gluten-free.

is this normal or what is this? does anyone have the same problem?

abdominal workouts do not help.

next year I will try an elimination diet. a lot work to do...

Sonja

you might be fructose intolerant. if you eat a lot of raw foods, it will consist of a lot of fruits and veggies, which are highest in fructose. you can test it with a appropriate diet.

not every bowel can have whole food, especially not raw, since plants have special defending mechanisms against predators. these might be irritating your digesting system.

you might consider trying a more cooked diet.

but you can always try a gluten-free or dairy or whatever free diet.

Sonja

thanx nini!

I am eating oats (pure, labeled as glutenfree) almost every day, on good and bad days. and I am not bloated directly hours after. no real problems with them on bad days.

but I can try this, though I love them.

oddly enough when I have good days, I ate mostly 'bad' food, more fatty, fastfood, no veggies, sweets.

It's really confusing...

I really have a problem with the biopsy, it will still be negative, I think the dr is kind of biased and will influence the result. Do not know if they really have specialists...

I think the dr took 2 from each 'end', since he went trough the colon to the 'door' to the small intestine (I felt it since there is my appendix surgery scar and saw it on the screen).

the dr wasn't really excited about all either. I had some cramps during colonoscopy which I think is normal, and he gave me pills for cramps although I never have some, and he thinks that will be the problem. haha

I think I am going to university again, studying medicine and become my own dr.

best wishes,

Sonja

thanx for answers again!

I read so much about all these intolerances I could write a book about it.

@nini

I am lactosefree for most of the time since summer 2004. if I am at some party I take Lactaid ultra. its just when I am really frustrated because nothing helps to keep this pregnant belly away then I give in to some milkchocolate because I think that problem will be with me forever.

I do not eat so much fructose food either, seldom fruits and high fructose vegetables. or sugared things...

I just eat gluten-free-oats, rice, some vegetables, eggs, chicken, fish, water, herbal tee, coffee and lactosefree milk. sometimes almonds, nuts and milkfree chocolate. thats my food, really plain also before the gluten-free diet.

I read in a book that if one eats the same foods every day, you are more prone to food allergies and intolerances, but I am afraid to try something new out.

yeah, feel poop today, maybe it was the 1/4 glass of fruitsmoothie yesterday, cannot figure it out, since 25g fructose on an empty stomach (selftest) did nothing to me, not even days after....

and cross contamination? was at home the whole weekend and I live alone (ok, my cat, but he is definitely gluten-free!

sorry about complaining! thanx for your help again...

thanx all for your answers!!

@happygirl

thanx for your encouraging words, I need them today. I recently ordered 5 books on food intolerances and allergies and I learned a lot. it's so frustatrating all.

every test is 'fine' (but I did not make a parasite stool test, but other stool tests are always fine).

since I ate more gluten the last 5 weeks to get 'better' test results I never felt so bad.

I was bloated 24h/7 though I ate much less than before and had terribly headaches 24/7.

since last tuesday I am glutenfree, the headaches got weaker especially after taking an iron supplement (???), though my iron levels were 'fine'. okay, that will speak for glutenfree.

last saturday I had my best day and I prayed it will last, but sure it did not. it's always the same, I try something out (e.g. being fructosefree) it works one- some days and then everything is back.

today I am bloated more than ever, constipated and feeling bad not only because things are bad again. can't I have more than one or two days?? that make me confused thinking that it is not the gluten (I am not in denial, bread and such things, I do not care, I can live without them) I am lactosefree for about two years now (though my lactosetests were fine) and I am still confused, since one day I can eat lactose (frustration, or some party), some day I cannot have a loctosereduced yoghurt.

I thought about a food intolerance test, but since my body will make any test looking 'fine' I am unsure about that too, it's a lot of money (around 400 euros = >500 USD) and everything will turn out 'fine' and I am as smart as before....

sorry for the long post, I am so frustrated and I do not really have someone to talk about that. maybe I have to accept that I am bloated forever, my body always works against me (its kind of takes the mickey out of me). I belive, 3 days with only water will get me bloated... this is not a live. maybe its all imagination, but I cannot live with this 30 more years....

sorry, but thanx for your support, I will keep this in mind and hope to get better one day....

Sonja

hallo Jess,

Iam from germany too, though living in sweden right now. if you want some exchange just feel free!!

you can send me a PN and we can exchange email-addresses.

have a nice time, Sonja

hi!

that's interesting, in a german forum of celiacs there was a similar discussion and also there people concluded that they're less tolerant to alcohol since being glutenfree.

I read that gluten can act like a drug and influences your dopamine system (right?), maybe there some connection with alcohol, gluten and the system?

Sonja

hi all!

thanks all for your encouraging and comforting answers!!!

I definitely will try glutenfree after xmas.

maybe my problem is that's all my problem alone, nobody (except you) really understand.

I have issues with my stomach over 20 years now leading into eating disorders and psychological problems. the last 4 years is has gotten worse and worse...but I kind of get used to it since I had never pain (only real heavy pain having the period). my lactoseintolerance test 2004 was positive so I cut out lactose, I was hours in a shop reading all labels (lactose can be in the weirdest thing, like normal salt). I never got really better, just D went away for now floating stool. Because of that I was dissappointed and thought I am nuts or I was imagining my pregnant stomach because I had problems with it. my food diary (keeping it for a long time: do you wanna know what I ate the 16th september 2004? I can tell you...) do not give me any clue. AND: sometimes I have no problems with lactose and sometimes I do (another lactose test was negative in august 06...he??).

every doctor said I am fine, but now I figured out that 99% of them have not a clue about gastroeneterologic issues. everybody has gasses sometimes, headaches, stomach grumbling or quit coffee, smoking, too much stress....they said, yeah you surely know...

this and other forums really helped me, because I did not really know or couldn't imagine that other people might have the same problems. I was just only me looking pregnant after dinner, wasn't it?? And for years it was the only symptom despite skin issues and occasionally headaches and depressions, so I did not go to a doctor because I was ashamed of this huge belly.

now, I know better, and I know that food allergies will not only give coughing and sneezing issues. I ordered some books on allergies/intolerances and I learned a lot the last weeks.

I have planned that I will figure out this 'life puzzle' by this time next year. I have other things to do in my life!!! it's so time consuming!

TAHNK YOU all for your advices & for listening.

Sonja

hi Ursula!

thanks for your really supporting and nice answer! feel immediatly better

but I am really sorry for you that your husband is not more supportive. you have been glutenfree quite long, why do you not feel better?

yeah, I know, negative tests do not say anything, but it would have make things easier...my husband is not very supportive or how can I say, rather indifferent, he's not very interested. he's never sick, he won't understand...my family has no idea about things, they just eat (even though my mother and sister have diabetes, even I eat less sweets).

but weird is that I do not have any iron deficiency according to the blood work, but I have had headaches now for more than three weeks and read that I could be due to iron deficiency. so, I took a supplementary and the headache is gone now (or much more weaker).

any experiences someone?

Sonja

hi all!

had my biopsies (gastroscopy, colonoscopy) yesterday and everything looks fine. the sample results will be coming in january, but my intestines look fine and the whole blood work panel said that I am the healthiest person on earth!!

except for some increased white blood corpuscles (??).

yeah, I am so fit and healthy and feeling great with

- gas (flatulence)

- distented abdomen/bloating

- headaches

- abnormal stools (fatty, floating, with air, sometimes watery)

- no energy

- eczema in the face

- hairloss

I am really devastated, I wish I had a diagnosis (on something, all test are always fine) since friends and family will think I am insane, when I will be glutenfree volontary out of the blue.

and I am so pessimistic about it, I doubt it will help. sorry, but I think it's kind of punishment and I am afraid I have to stick with this problem forever....

Sonja

hello all,

thanx for answers. I have this pregant look since over 20 years. I do a lot exercise, but it's not helping.

I am thin but not my belly. I am not eating many fruits and thought about fructose intolerance. I did some selftest, but that gave not really a result

food diary, I keep it now since 2003, canot figure something out though. hope that tests next week give me some answers otherwise I will try glutenfree after xmas, nad maybe diary and fruitfree.

but I have a difficult time to believe something is coming out from the test and that anything will help,but not eating. but thats not a real option.....

thanks again!!

Sonja

hi!

this is really interesting. I often have the feeling that something is in my, a sandcorn, dust, but there is nothing. I am not glutenfree, I am suspecting to be glutenintolerant, waiting for tests etc.

I would never relate it to this, but now when I think about it...it began approx. about the time my yearlong stomach/bowel problems became more severe...

best, Sonja

hi everyone!

I suspect to be intolerant to gluten and I had some blood test done last week and will have a colonoscopy and gastroscopy next week.

I have a lot of stomach/bowel issues for years now, but the last two month they really got worse.

anyway, the last days I constantly have a bloated abdomen, it looks like being pregnant which I am not. I always had a big belly like a beer gut, but I am thin and it was mostly after I ate something. usually it's acceptable (though not flat) in the morning after toilet visiting before breakfast.

but now it's 24 hours, although I am eating not much and nothing with gluten and lactose (was diagnosed once as positive, second test was negative...but I am confused and I can live without lactose).

BUT I have no pain.

does anyone have the same symptom, looking pregnant or lika a Biafra child (you know the african starving kids) almost constantly.

sometimes I feel so depressed as this is a punishment for something I might have done in another life and I cannot imagine someone can really look like this. I am just feeling being a freak and I am very ashamed of it. how are you coping with it?

I am pretty sure that my test will come out negative and after searching for answers the last years I do not have a clue what to do.

Iam really thankful for answers!!

thanx, best wishes, Sonja

hi!

I am stillin the pre-diagnosis phase but have been diagnosed as lactoseintolerant in summer 2004 and negative in summer 2006.

still confused, but sometimes I think I can eat dairy without problems, sometimes not...

maybe if one is not primarily (genetically) intolerant but secondarily through celiac, the amount and production of the enzymes vary and thus the consequences.

Sonja

darlindeb25 & Ursula,

thanks for your answers! this is really kind considering my long, neverending text...

I always doubted gluten intolerance because I had/have not the classic symptoms. And now I remembered a blood test in august 06 where I actually had high iron levels (?). and another blood test in 2004 where gliadin and entomysium (correct?) were not conspicuous. but now I know the problems associated with this. can't figure it out though. hope this test will be better (3 parameters tested), but unfortunately it's in my mind that they won't find anything again and I have to live with these problems forever. it's so confusing and I do not trust doctors anymore...

I kind of cannot imgagine that they will find something and that's finally the solution

don't understand why its getting worse now, since I kind of arranged me with my 'pregnant-look' and this always-being-sick-feeling since I saw/see no solution and I have to go on with my life (work etc.) sorry, I am really depressed since years and cannot really talk about with others because I do not want to bother them with my health problems. friends have it either really good or worse and in both cases it's not appropriate to complain about feeling little sick. and I always feel ashamed about my big tummy. I am sure that lots of you know what I mean.

thanks again and I will let you how its going.

I have planned to go glutenfree as soon the examination on the 6th is done, at least until xmas, which I'll spent in germany with family and friends and all this eating. but in january I will getting serious!!

thanks and all best too you too (alles gute!)

Sonja

Hi all!

I am from Germany, now living in Sweden, and I apologize in advance for my

language/spelling. and I apologize in advance for posting such a long text. but I hope you'll

understand me anyway. I have some questions hoping you might have some answers/suggestions since I do not know how to cope with it anymore.

sounds pretty serious, but I had have some bowel troubles for a long time.

at age 12/13 I got surgery and my inflamed appendix was taken out.

since then I had kind of extended tummy, looks like I am pregnant. this is more severe when

after eating, the tummy swells up.

first in my teenies, I thought it was fat (I was alittle plump) and I developed anorexia to get rid

of the fat stomach.

but it won't go away. after getting over anorexia I developed kind of slight bulimia, I ate nothing

when I knew I had to were tight clothes (summer etc.), and when I had to eat I would get rid of

it.

fortunately I overcame this problem in my mind and I tried to eat at least lunch and dinner, so

I would be flat in the morning, but only some hours in the afternoon before getting to my safe

home.

of course, this eating habit is not good and I tried to live as a normal person, thought that

swelled tummy will go away with exercise etc. and I began to eat normally.

about 3 years ago some more problems came along:

always bloated

gases in the morning and evening (thank god not at working hours)

liquid stool

sometimes (rare) diarrhea

always hungry

I ate more then and maybe thus I was always bloated and gassy etc.

I went to a doctor and I ended up being lactose intolerant. after almost 2.5 years eating

comletely lactosefree (which was not a problem) but without any healthproblems solved, I

went to another doctor, getting another test. (there I was not loactoseintolerant (!?!?!?)).

well, my stools improved a bit, now it's loose and filled with air, not liquid, but that's all.

the last 2 month however, everything has become worse. I feel dizzy, tired, my skin is itchy

(but always in the face, I had neurodermitis for a short time in my teenies), nausea (mostly

after real chocolate, so I cut it off), headaches, cold....these got even worse after increasing eating of bread etc.

anyway, I am searching for solutions for my problems for over 3 years now and I always find

an improvement by cutting out all carbohydrates (a la Atkins), but because I always gave in

for cravings for chocolate etc. I gave up this diet. so now I concentrated more on gluten,

because I notice in my diet diary (that I kept forever know and I am soooo tired of it), that I

instinctively had now bread for a few days and noted that I had more energy.

last week I went to another doctor again for blood test and I will have a gastroscopy and a

colonoscopy in two weeks. BUT and here's my question:

I was not glutenfree the last month, although I preferred rice, meat, veggies and fruits and did

not eat much bread, biscuits, cakes...but I did eat gluten and increased it after suspecting it and having the appointment.

but is this enough to see anything and should I eat as much gluten I can for this remaining

week? I have problems for over 20 years, one more week wouldn't kill me (or?)

and also what I find weird is that although I increased eating I do not get diarrhea, I have

one visit to the bathroom at the morning and then it's ok. but may people report that they have

diarrhea....but I also have to admit that I might eat not that much as other people over the day,

because also small portions make me feeling very full, like a had a whole horse or

something. maybe it is not gluten intolerance or celiac desease.

the bloated abdomen is the worse, I look always pregnant and when I sit at work it presses

to my chest and I feel like I swallowed a balloon although I did not anything.

sorry, this was really long. I very appreciate your comments on that, THANK YOU!!!!

Sonja