Gluten challenge time...

[poing]

I had a gastroentrologist appointment today, and surprise, surprise, he would like me to have an endoscopy, and eat some gluten-containing foods in the meantime.

Part of me is going, yeay, christmas cake and mince pies.

The other part of me is very reluctant. You see, gluten foods make me bloated and constipated, and sometimes give me pain in the gallbladder area. I've tried reintroducing gluten a couple of times, and it didn't work out too well.

Has anyone got any tips for dealing with the digestive discomfort?

[Abby]

None exist really.

The pain will be there. Aloe vera drinks sometimes ease it and hot water bottles are safe. Pain killers- be wary of them, because your tummy may not be able to handle them properly when damaged and they may have gluten/lactose in, thus making it worse. Don't over-indulge, which will be easy to do whe you taste it again for the first time, I got the 'I'm going to be ill anyway, so I may as well have more' attitude- wrong attitude, the severity only worsens, so please only eat as much as you need to! Um, deep breaths, filling the diaphragm, if discomfort stops you sleeping, tucked position.

Oh and although it may go without saying, drink plenty of water, you will most probably feel competely exhausted and dehydrated.

Other than that, good luck from your fellow gluten challanger!

Sorry that there's not much help I can offer.

[poing in reply to Abby]

Thanks for the tip about the painkillers. I don't often take them, but I might have been tempted. And you're right, making previously forbidden foods available is seductive. I ate a small caramel wafer yesterday, and then immediately wanted more, but decided it's best to take it slow. I probably won't have any more gluten until Friday evening when I'm going out. I think I will wait until I get the appointment letter before going all out - just in case it turns out to be months away.

[Lynxcat]

I wish I could help you Poing .. but I was diagnosed about three years ago now and I only have to have a microscopic amount of gluten and it makes me violently sick for hour after hour. The least I have been affected and that was with maltodextrin was with a pounding headache, acute tiredness and drifting in and out of nausea.

I don't think that you need to eat much food containing gluten as small amounts eaten daily will cause damage that should be picked up by an endoscopy.

When I had my blood test I was only eating porridge oats and that was enough to trigger the antibodies within me.

I found the following quite a useful read - you may well have already come across it:

drrodneyford.com/faq/bloods...

Good luck with your endoscopy - and I hope that others may help you with some helpful information. I chose not to have the endoscopy, etc ..

[poing in reply to Lynxcat]

Thanks. My reaction to gluten is a delayed one and is mostly constipation and bloating, so it should be a little easier to deal with than what you have to suffer.

Interesting that Dr Ford reckons that AGAs are a marker for gluten sensitivity. That's the basis I'd been working on, as I have positive AGAs, but was negative in the tTG previously.

The DGP (gluten peptides) antibodies test is new to me, although funnily enough the consultant mentioned it yesterday and then in the next breath said it wasn't available in the UK.

[LHine]

Dried apricots are even more effective than prunes for constipation (so pace yourself!) and much yummier, IMHO.

Definitely wait for the appt. letter - you're right, it could be months away.

And remember you know how to get well again after the test.

Good luck and happy slightly-glutened Christmas :o).

[Hidden in reply to LHine]

Ooh, and the organic (brown) apricots are gorgeous - buttery and delish (though flax/linseed is the only thing which sorts out constipation for me). I've been known to throw a few prunes in the roasting pan with whatever meat is being roasted and blend them into the gravy with the stick blender. They thicken your gravy and add richness.

Good luck with your gluten challenge poing, and enjoy your mince pies while they're on the menu.

[poing]

Wow, just booked the appointment for Jan 11th. That's soon.

Croissants for lunch then. I used to like them. Wonder if I still do.