Gluten intolerance

[StumpyDave]

I used to be able to eat anything.  I love food. 
I love bread.  Great slabs of thick cut, crusty loaf loaded with fillings and slapped together into a monster sandwich.  Yum!!

Around 18 months ago I started to become concerned that all was not well with my digestive system.  I ate plain foods and avoided spicey stuff but it didn't seem to make a difference.  Life was literally a pain in the backside.
I went to my doctor and he was very little help, suggesting not much more than I'd already tried.  A while later I was getting more concerned so went back.
I had blood tests, stool samples analysed and objects stuck where objects should not go.
On one hand everything was negative so nothing serious was affecting me.  My doctor suggested that it was Irritable Bowel Syndrome and prescribed some tablets.  These helped with the stomach cramps but I was still spending more time sat on the throne than I really wanted to.

I decided that my problem was something in my diet so having spoken to my doctor I started cutting out items to find what the problem was.
I'm now avoiding wheat and things are much better. 
It is difficult to find snack food that I can eat but I'm getting by. 
Before the change to my diet I was running quite a bit (half marathons, cross country) but when I changed my diet I lost a lot of weight (not that I had too much to start with) and started getting problems with knees and ankles.  I'm not running now, but still doing the martial arts stuff, mountain biking and horse riding.

Big positive changes are no more stomach cramps and an acceptable time spent in the bathroom.
Every now and then I can't resist the urge and I'll have a pizza.  I normally regret it, but pills for the pain and a couple of Immodium the following day get me through it.  It's worth it for a decent pizza!


If you're getting bowel problems, get checked out by your doctor.  It isn't the most fun I've ever had and talking to stranggers about your poop may be a bit embarrassing, but to rule out bowel cancer and ulcers and other serious problems was a relief.  It may take a while to diagnose any food intolerances but I feel so much better after getting on top of this.

[Frontier Guy]

Good story Dave.

Food intolerances seem to be much more in evidence now than in the past (gluten, nuts, lactose, etc.). 

It's so different than when I was a kid (long ago) - I don't know whether the intolerances are more common now or just better reported.

I have none (yet) but am sympathetic to those who have to scrutinize foods for the problematic ingredients.

[Hingatao]

Sounds like it might be Celiac's disease. As I understand it, it's sort of an allergy to gluten. You might want to mention it to your doctors and see what he says. I know there are breads, cookies and pastas available that are gluten-free and made with rice or almond flour. All the ones I've tried are just as good as their wheat-based counterparts.

[StumpyDave]

Coeliac is a more dramatic reaction to gluten.  I was tested and returned negative.
There are alternatives but nothing really comes close.
It's been enlightening to find how much stuff I can't eat that I really like:
Bread, cakes, pasta and breakfast cereals are obvious.
Sausages and burgers (just the meat bit, not the bun) contain bread to bulk them out.
Oven chips are often coated to stop them sticking together.
I can't eat battered fish (torture to a Brit to deny them fish 'n' chips)
A few brands of potato chips (down to the coatings again)
Most sauces are thickened with flour.  Tinned soup likewise.
Cookies

I now spend ages in supermarkets studying the ingredients lists on packaging.

[Slyfive]

My mother is celiac so when I lived at home we had to do everything gluten free, some chippies do gluten free batter, and a few companies over here even do gluten free pizza. It's difficult at first, but you adapt fault quickly, eating out is the problem

[justtom]

Your story was taken right from my life for the last 6 months,4 different doctors I went thru at least 8-10 tests enough blood work to fill a bucket and no help,been out of work on short term disability for 18 weeks now,have you tried taking citracell at night ? I take 2 tabelspoons in a lrg glass of water nightly and it realy has helped I also take apple cider vinegar every morning pretty much cured my self,I plan on going back to work soon.

[Andrei]

Unfortunately more and more people develop a food intolerance or even an allergy.
Hope you will not have any problems controlling it with diet (and medication).

[StumpyDave]

Your story was taken right from my life for the last 6 months,4 different doctors I went thru at least 8-10 tests enough blood work to fill a bucket and no help,been out of work on short term disability for 18 weeks now,have you tried taking citracell at night ? I take 2 tabelspoons in a lrg glass of water nightly and it realy has helped I also take apple cider vinegar every morning pretty much cured my self,I plan on going back to work soon.

Good luck and hope that goes well. Determining what sets you off seems to be pretty much trial and error (in the UK at least).  I cut out food items until I was certain I knew what the problem was.  Unfortunately it can take weeks for your body to settle to the new diet so you have to be patient.

[Slyfive]

Also I think there's a website listing which manufactured foods are gluten free.