Struggling with what to eat.

[beaton]

I went g/f after years of problems with digestion and weight. I asked if the symptoms I had and the fact I looked ten months pregnant with triplets were likely to be gluten based  but he just shrugged. So for the last few years I have self monitored, knowing when gluten had seeked through. The last few weeks however I am getting symptoms whenever I eat g/f products i.e. Bread. Stomach pains a desire to go to the toilet, as if my body wants rid of what I've eaten but nothing happens for a few hours. I've tried drinking more water both before and while eating but according to my scales my water content is still only 37%

Should I go back to the doctors? will they listen now? will they insist I go back on gluten? Should I ask to see a dietitian?

I'm in my sixties and a lifelong vegetarian. (and I don't like eggs. )

[Penel]

Hi Beaton

I can't eat ready-made gf bread because of the additives, things like cellulose and various gums.  Perhaps this may be your problem too? 

[beaton in reply to Penel]

Thank you, good point.x

[Hidden]

Hi Beaton, I was thinking the same as Penel and as you've had your gallbladder out, fat is harder for you to digest and lots of free from foods are packed with fat and the gums that bind them can act like super roughage.  And psyllium husk which's often used as a binder is also used in colonic irrigation. I've found that foods with palm oil are like a laxative for me and I've still got my gallbladder, which just shows that some fats go straight through some of us.

So this is what I would try first and you might benefit from a paleo diet and I hope you feel better soon.

[beaton in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, made me feel sick just reading this :). Lots of good points.

[hathi999]

Maybe a bit out there and I am a coeliac so it might be different, but after going GF when I found out I was a coeliac I slowly became unable to tolerate any grains at all, I find corn to be a hellish ingredient and it is in everything (all gf foods are full of it).  In the end I have had to go grain free, and have been using a lot of paleo recipes with great success.  Also, I found that I was really low in vitamin B12, so get that tested (although the scale of blood serum B12 is incredibly low so don't rely on that to determine a deficiency).  I have written about my B12 journey here difficulty-swallowing.com/ B12 deficiency is a silent epidemic around the world now, and not just among vegetarians.  Medications, dietary intolerances, the MTHFR gene mutation (which 40% of us have) and the modern diet, all cause our bodies to struggle to absorb as much B12 as we need.  A bloated stomach and stomach pains are both symptoms of a deficiency, see this list here difficulty-swallowing.com/s....  All the best.

[beaton in reply to hathi999]

Thank you Hath, will read these.xx

[denvajade]

Hi there you could look up a condition called Dysbiosis, it is fermenting food in your gut that causes infection.

[beaton]

Thank you, will look into it.

[Marz in reply to beaton]

Try taking 2000 mcg of VitC before sleep.  It calms any gut fermentation.  Also if eating fruit late in the day - ensure it is on an empty stomach to prevent further fermentation.  Dr Sarah Myhill suggests increasing the VitC slowly until bowel tolerance ....

[beaton in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz.xx

[abibunny]

Not being able to digest fats is called Bile Acid Malabsorbtion and I suffer with it even though I'm gluten and dairy free. There is a test and a medicine that you can get on prescription. It might be worth looking into. Or have you thought about lactose intolerance? I suffer from all three! Joy!

[beaton in reply to abibunny]

Hi abibunny,Would bile acid malabsorption cause pain ? I often get pain in or around my liver. I've cut right down on g/f breads and pastry products. I've tried to reduce unnecessary fats but know I have to have some for fat soluble vitamins. I've noticed what I'm passing is often on the green side of brown. (sorry)

I'm concerned because of the pain and discomfort and also from a nutritional point, am I getting all the nutrients I need ?

The doctors here are not at all helpful. When last week about thyroid meds. he didn't have blood results but wanted to change my prescription and told me, at least I had a roof over my head and clean water to drink.

[abibunny in reply to beaton]

Jeepers he sounds a bit unsympathetic to say the least! At least you have the people here to moan to and most importantly get advice from. Do you have hypothyroidism too? I do as well. I'm sure any auto-immune disease increases your chances of having gut problems too so always a good idea to keep your thyroid in control too. I get my gp to do my bloods and check my meds every 6 months coz I know I go up and down so much. 

With regards to BAM yes I'm always in pain. Literally always. Part of this is undoubtedly down to my gastritis but I assumed that would get better after switching to gluten and dairy free but it hasn't. I get some pain just below my ribs centrally which is acid I think and I get a general stomach cramping when I'm having a bad flare up (have been having one for 3 days now and am still sore). I am taking digestive enzymes when I eat which is supposed to help you process fats better but I couldn't really tell if they're making a difference yet. People swear by them though so maybe look into them?

[beaton in reply to abibunny]

Thanks for that abibunny, will look into this.xx