New here digestive symptoms

[CaroS]

My daughter is 5 weeks into her gluten free diet [ to help Hashimotos Hypothyrodism ] and has been suffering with “offensive wind” since the first 1-2 weeks on the diet which she finds very distressing. She has low stomach acid due to B12 deficiency and takes acid tablets, digestive enzymes and probiotics but has been fine on this for the last 2 years before she went gluten free. Is this a common symptom on gluten free? Does it get better? Is it related to the gums added to the foods? Any suggestions to reduce it would be very welcome thank you. Sorry if post comes up twice - not sure I did it right lol!

[Hidden]

I would definitely recommend aviding the gums used in gf baked goods. I cannot tolerate them- they give me a lot of intestinal trouble. I suggest she eats simple foods - I heard advice once to eat foods with ingredients your grandmother would recognise. If she feels she needs a bready type food while she is getting used to this diet then I suggest making pancakes with a non-gummed flour. I use a mixture of urid lentil, tapioca and rice for everything, but I have to mix it myself, so just start with buckwheat- which is what the french use for gallete, or any flour that has simple food ingredients. Mix with egg/banana and whatever type of milk used and make pancakes. Very simple.

A pinch of asoefetida / hing in pulse based dishes can be very helpful too (it stinks when uncooked, its a resin from one of the fennel family plants). It is used in indian cookery as a digestive aid, but if buying it be careful as it is often mixed with wheat flour as a filler.

Later, add in some of the 'treat' foods, but just a little at a time to see if they are the cause of the problem. I can now eat a couple of slices of warburtons sourdough breads, since they dropped the gums, but wouldn't do that every day.

[CaroS in reply to Hidden]

Tx your buckwheat pancakes sound like a good substitute. I am amazed how frequently gums are added to GF foods!

[Penel in reply to CaroS]

You could also try chickpea or gram flour to make pancakes, known as 'socca' or ' farinata'.

[FFNick]

Gas may be an indication of something naughty eaten. By eliminating certain groups for several days, you should be able to work out what causes gas.

Two that take some finding are caramel and cooking oil. What is the caramel made from? Cooking oil is a blend of what?

[CaroS in reply to FFNick]

Good point, she's very good at avoiding too much sugar, will keep in mind tx.

[Marz]

Sorry - why is your daughter taking antacid tablets if she has low stomach acid ? Does she have Pernicous Anaemia ? - that is a condition which is the cause of Low B12 due to no stomach acid.

Maybe give things a little longer to settle. Have not had time to read your posts on Thyroid UK - but just wondering how your daughters levels are of Folate - Ferritin and VitD ?

Could it be dairy products causing the problem in addition to gluten .... ?

How is she treating the Low B12 ?

[CaroS in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz, she eats very little dairy and was fine pre gluten free at this level of dairy. Folate, ferritin and vit d are optimal. It is acid tablets she takes as per post. Best wishes

[Marz in reply to CaroS]

Sorry I am not familiar with tablets to create acid in the stomach - apologies for the confusion. What are the tablets ? - would be helpful to know so I can pass on the info

B12 treatment ? - what is your daughter taking ?

[CaroS in reply to Marz]

I meant she takes swansons hydrochloric acid with pepsin tabs with her main meal as many b12 def people do but was trying to précis for this forum. She self injects methyl cobalamin 1000mcg weekly.

[Marz in reply to CaroS]

Do hope your daughter is soon feeling better -especially as she is doing so many good things to help herself. I too have Hashimotos and self inject B12 weekly due to surgery ....

[CaroS in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz, we have decided to remove Xantham Gum from her diet and see if that improves things.

[Marz in reply to CaroS]

Sounds like a plan ! I think I reacted badly to MSG - I was diagnosed with Crohns at 27 - some 43 years ago and Hashimotos in 2005. It has been quite a journey but am so much better now - thanks to the internet

It is so good you are able to work as a team with your daughter ....

[CaroS in reply to Marz]

I agree without the help we received from the b12, thyroid and now this forum my daughter would have been in a much worse place.