Well, I asked my GI to order the blood test done in Sept. when I was still not any better. It came back neg. However, I pointed out that can't you still be intolerant or allergic and it have not reached the point of serious damage of the small intestine? He said yes, but he thought that it was just IBS. Long story short, as I continued to be sicker, weaker and just plain desperate, I researched and google every possible digestive issue. I also sat down with my hubby and discussed all of the digestive issues that I've had in the last 1 1/2 years. I chose that length of time because that was when I noticed that my stomach hurt after I ate waffles, pancakes or bread. I just thought that I had an upset tummy. Then my stools started to change and I became C much more often.
That brings us to June 06 when I started LA Weight loss and started their program to lose 20lbs. for our vacation in Aug. Whole grains galore, IF all day 5 times a day. I kept waiting to feel this burst of energy that everyone talks about when you're eating healthier and it never came. I was feeling sluggish and when I would go into be measured for inches lost, they couldn't understand why my stomach was always so bloated. I also became very C which didn't make sense considering how much IF I was having every day. I kept asking them if it was normal to be so bloated all the time? They said that I was just retaining water.
Then comes Aug and the beach vac. from hell. I hadn't been feeling good for about a week, but I wasn't gonna cancel free condo at the beach with my family. The morning of the trip I was in agony with cramps and hadn't gone to the bathroom in 6 days. Things just got worse when we got there. I can't tell you how many enemas and suppos. I took. NOTHING. I called a close friend who is also my GYN and he prescribed Miralax and Dicyclomine. I spent the whole vac. in either bathroom floor or the bed. Then I started throwing up blood and we hightailed back to TN. I went straight to hospital and I had a massive bowel blockage. I was in the hospital for 4 days and then coming back for tests for 3 weeks. I had every test under the sun done for colon, blood, etc. you name it. I went to a diff. GI because the one on hospital staff said he couldn't help me. Then I had the small bowel test done. Have you had that done? It's where they make you drink "chalk" -barruim and test the motility of your small intestine. Most tests take 3 1/2 to 5 hrs. tops. They finally called it quits after waiting 8 1/2 hrs. for mine. So they put me on zelnorm and eurythmicin to stimulate motility and told me to go on a lo carb, lo fat and hardly any roughage. I didn't have to worry about that as I still couldn't eat hardly. This continued until Mar. when I came across GB. At this time I had been on a liquid diet for 3 weeks and couldn't keep ANYTHING down. I was searching the web and found this info. and asked my GI dr. to call me and explained how sick I was. He didn't call. I called again. He didn't call. I then had to be admitted to hospital for fluids as I was severly dehydrated. I asked my friend the doc to order a HIDA scan. He did and my GB was at less than 10%. I had it out on 3-14 and have been able to eat solid food ever since, even though it was only saltines, white bread, ck. noodle soup and applesauce. However, it did nothing to help with the terrible pain, cramping, bloating, you know the drill. I kept looking and after looking back over my digestive habits and the new info that I had, I had ALOT of Gluten Intolerance symptoms. Everything that I was eating before the surgery and after were full of gluten!! I had asked my GI every time I went to see him if it could be my GB or Gluten. He always said no, that I would just have to learn to manage the pain or go to MAYO.
I went GF on 3-8 and have been amazed a the diff. I wake up and I'm not in pain, I am now walking 35 min. on my treadmill a day and playing with my kids and able to enjoy spending time with my hubby. Everyone is like " you're glowing" or "you look so happy, did you find out what was wrong finally?'. On Sat. I ate some baked Lays plain and started feeling really sick again. I had checked their web and it said it was GF. However, I've already learned that unless it says it on the packaging, don't buy it. There are 2 ingredients, one in the seasoning and modified corn starch that are both made from gluten. My hubby said that was all the evidence that he needed. I started back on the right path on Sunday and have been feeling really great ever since Monday, after the gluten had worked it's way through my small intestine. I had breakfast for the first time today since Oct. I had tried Heather's diet before, but then the GI said lo carb so I stopped and it wasn't helping at all anyway. I hope to change out flours and such and still be able to keep to the basic principles. I'm eating - white rice, pureed lentils, gb, carrots, gf pasta, gf waffles, polaner all fruit jams (gf), cattleman's bbq sauce (gf), eggbeaters and of course ck., plain. I'm going to be working more IF into my diet this weekend. I just want to give my guts a little break and just stick with those few veggies and SF. I've been taking Acacia for 3 wks. I'm still having about 4 days in between BM's but I know that as my body starts to heal itself and the acaica gets going, that will improve.
I'm sorry this is so long, but I've read some of your other posts and really feel for you. Gluten intolerance and Celiac Dis. attack the small intestine and affects motility. I didn't know the signs and feel pretty stupid that all that I have gone through could've been avoided if I just trusted my "gut" instead of once again mistakenly trusting the dr. I'm now 40 lbs. lighter(125 lbs.)and I feel like I've missed almost a year that I can never get back. I had signs, but just didn't know it. I suggest that you check out some web info. Livingwithoutwheat.com and web md. I hope this has been of some help and again, sorry for the length. I just wanted you to understand how I came to this conclusion.
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Re: How did you decide you were glutent intolerant?
