Celiac and IBS

mikeanddenise · Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Posts: 2

Hi,
Before I was diagnosed with celiac I was aware that I couldn't eat whole wheat, barley, rye and oats without it affecting my IBS but I was always able to eat white bread, plain bagels and soft pretzels without any serious side affects. I ate them everyday for breakfast and lunch with no problem. Since my diagnosis of celiac in June I have been gluten-free and have noticed no lessening of my IBS symptoms so on three occasions I tried to eat white bread. Within two hours I was vomiting. The first two times I though it was because I wasn't used to fast food hamburgers anymore but the last time it was a chicken sandwich. Why am I now suddenly physically ill from white bread. Is this because my body is now more intollerant of any gluten at all? Any info helpful, thanks Denise

Deb · Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:05 am Post subject:

Can I ask WHY you would even try white bread when you know you have celiac disease? You have to give your body time to heal. Some people feel great relief in just a few weeks, some a few months, some take longer. There is no golden rule for healing.

When I was my sickest, I thought toast was my best friend..little did I know it was my worst enemy! We crave that which we can't have. A celiac must be gluten free, not gluten lite. For that matter, any one with any type of gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, or celiac, all must be gluten free for healing.

It may take more time for the symptoms (IBS) to stop, I'm thinking it's probably not as bad as it used to be. Many, many doctors feel IBS is just a label used for that which they can't figure out. I had several tell me, IBS stands for "I Be Stumped". As long as you continue to eat white bread, anything with gluten in it, you will not heal, and may be causing even further damage.
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You can't discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore!

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10601 Location: WI, USA

Hi Mike and/or Denise,

Welcome to the board!

Gluten is generic name for the proteins found is wheat, barley, rye and oats largely by cross contamination.

It's these proteins that you are reacting to when it comes to celiac disease and must be removed completely - forever - never to be eaten again.

It does not matter what form these proteins are in. Whole wheat or highly processed bleached white wheat flour - it'll affect you all the same. Wonder bread is just as evil as the 18 Whole Grain bread. It's all gotta go. I suspect once remove all gluten from your diet, you will start to feel better.

People do report becoming more sensitive to gluten after it's been removed.
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

jeant · Joined: 06 Apr 2008 Posts: 273

What was really happening before you went gluten free was that you were able to eat white bread, bagels, and soft pretzels without any noticeable side effects. Those foods were still damaging your intestines, even though you didn't experience symptoms at the time.

Now when you eat those foods, you are noticing the symptoms, probably because you have been gluten free most of the time. Your body is getting more sensitive to gluten, but not being allowed to heal because of the occasional consumption of gluten.

I really think that if you went 100% gluten free 100% of the time, you would eventually heal from all the damage that gluten has done and find relief in your symptoms.

nancw · Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 1182 Location: Denver, CO

Hi Denise, and welcome!

You will find good advice here on the board. The most important advice is that you must avoid all gluten all the time in order to treat your disease. Really, we are lucky (believe it or not) that Celiac requires no medications, just a lifetime of strict avoidance of gluten grains.

Yes, some become more sensitive after going GF, and some even notice or develop other food intolerances. If you are serious about preserving your health you need to be consistent and strong in your avoidance of gluten, forever. Fast food should not be on your list of acceptable food options for now, and possibly forever, The chance of cross contamination is HUGE and not worth it. Cross contamination is part of a dual-edged sword - GF food choices are the first, avoiding contamination in the home, eating out, and prepared foods from the grocery is the second, and I think, most challenging part of eating GF.

Do you have a trusted health professional who is knowlegeable about CD, and/or other resources to help you in your GF journey? You should talk with your doctor about the lack of improvement in your IBS symptoms. Healing can take quite a while, and your ingestion of gluten items will prevent healing and keep you from attaining a new level of health.

Let us help you understand and move on to a completely GF life. You can do it! We all have, and countless others as well.
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Nance

gluten, dairy, soy, rice, yeast and 99% grain-free

mikeanddenise · Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Posts: 2

Hi again,

Thank you all for your input. Before I tested positive for CD I tested intolerant to corn, rice, potato, chicken, beef, pork and several fruits and veggies at the allergists so it is almost impossible to find something that is not going to bother me. That is why I tried the white bread again since I thought it wasn't causing me any problems, at least externally. Will be more dilligent to be gluten free from now on. thanks Denise