ya'll, I need to bitch (TMI warning)

[dirtyred]

Eh, a colonoscopy is no big deal.  The prep is a bit of a pain, but when you wake up from your propofol nap, you'll know why Michael Jackson was begging for it.

[UnderProtest]

That really sucks. I cant imagine how frustrating and painful that is. I hope you can get it figured out. Hugs.

On a random note, do you have an IUD? When I had Mirena in, I had horrible GI issues. Since having it removed, it's pretty much cleared up.

[Deleted]

You deserve the blush and lip stain for sure. Keep asking for referrals and going to new dr's until you find answers. Don't give up.

[Deleted]

I'm really sorry.

I have had several friends who have gone GF for health reasons and if they have even a single crumb, they feel it (GI issues with one, migraines with another). Sometimes it does need to be 100% to be effective. I am not sure if you have an intolerance or an allergy; I have an egg allergy and even one tiny bit of egg in my food results in a reaction with severe GI issues. Fortunately it lasts for hours and not days but I have to eliminate egg from my diet 100%, no exceptions, to be healthy. It's easier for me because I've had the allergy since birth so I have never had to give anything up per se, but I know how annoying a major dietary restriction can be.

I would try to go 100% for a set span of time--say a month, just commit to it and see what happens. If you find your health is drastically improved you may find that it's worth the hardship to give it up 100%--and you may find after a time that you don't miss it at all.

Again I am so sorry you are going through this. It sucks.

[womet]

I'm sorry you're having GI issues still. I think you should try going GF completely to see if it has any impact on your symptoms. Check out Joelen's blog for food ideas. She's got a GF flour blend that she makes so that she isn't missing out on things that aren't normally GF.

Good luck!

ETA: And F this sequestration shit.

[Deleted]

By the way I have LOVED this cookbook: www.amazon.com/Healthy-Gluten-Free-Life-Delicious-Dairy-Free/dp/1936608715 It's free of other allergens (like eggs, which is why it's useful for me), but my neighbor's son is GF and she loved the cookbook so much when she borrowed it from me that she bought it herself. We are not 100% GF by a long shot but H is semi paleo so we use this book a ton.

[UnderProtest]

Feb 26, 2013 11:57:44 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Feb 26, 2013 11:34:24 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

That really sucks. I cant imagine how frustrating and painful that is. I hope you can get it figured out. Hugs.

On a random note, do you have an IUD? When I had Mirena in, I had horrible GI issues. Since having it removed, it's pretty much cleared up.

No IUD...on a BCP that I love

I really need the mourn the idea of all gluten for a day or two....and have my last Chick Fil A sandwich

Can you still eat Chick Fil A nuggets?  I know the bun is pretty yummy, but maybe you don't have to give it all up???  (trying to find a silver lining here). 

[Deleted]

You don't need to give up breads, sweets, and cereal to live gluten free.

I always see people in GF posts suggest that people not use gluten free substitutes for for things that really aren't all that healthy anyways. I think that's really great for people who want to take that route and live on their meat and vegetables and whatever, but I love desserts, and breads, and cooking (sometimes) and it will be a cold day in hell before I give up delicious food. Also, a lot of homemade gluten free versions of sweets and cereals can actually be pretty nutritious because they are often made out of real fruits and grains and not the pre-made crap you buy at the grocery store.

Being gluten free is much easier if you enjoy a GF cookie every now and then.

[mrshabious]

You definately need to mourn the possible loss of gluten, etc. You are going to have to sort out a new normal, and that is hard. I work with two GF folks and can testify that their resolve, even after 2-3 years of being GF, crumbles on occasion even as they know the consequences. It happens.

I hope your find a path that sorts this all out for you.

Definately don't stop searching for answers!

[bcv513]

I'm sorry carrots. Honestly, the colonoscopy was nothing. When you're already going this many times a day, the prep is no different from a normal day. It was easier for me than an MRI.

Sticking to the diet is SO hard. I slacked off a bit because I was feeling better. Then I got worse and now I'm on steroids. That scared me back into the diet. I never thought I would crave vegetables.

[Deleted]

Food restrictions suck, so I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I'm very new at the game, but I've realized that I feel so much better when I focus on the things I *can* enjoy rather than dwelling on all the things I can no longer have. Good luck, and definitely go in for the colonscopy - no reason to put that off!

[anna7602]

Hugs, carrots. It genuinely sucks to have to analyze every thing you eat. Feel free to join us over on the IBD board if you want to bitch to a bunch of people with digestive issues.

I just made gluten-free carrot "pancakes" for dinner. I wish I could Fedex you some.

[Deleted]

My dad has ulcer. colitis as well. He figured out that Sensodyne toothpaste was impacting him and eliminated that from use. It sounds dumb, but he mentioned it to his specialiat and the specialist indicated that he had seen related studies supporting dad's experience.

[Deleted]

Going completely gf really sucks at first and does require a mourning period IMO. The thing is, only partial is pretty worthless if your issues are severe. The way my sis put it, it's like an abused woman saying, well, just hit me with the bat one more time. The hit only takes a second, but the damage is severe and recovery takes a while.

[awkwardpenguin]

I'm sorry you're dealing with the prospect of going entirely gluten free. It certainly is easier psychologically when you feel like you are "allowed" to cheat. FWIW, I've been at this for a year now, and I cheat pretty rarely because it's just not worth it to feel like crap.

I have IBS, and when I have symptom flare ups, I basically go on a diet of "safe" foods until I am feeling better. If I'm feeling really crappy, that pretty much means I eat rice and broccoli and apples. But after a few days of that I'll actually want to eat again, and then I focus on avoiding all gluten, all dairy, alcohol, spicy foods (cry!), and fatty foods. After a while, it became much easier to know what I can and can't eat without problems. It sounds incredibly boring and can make eating out and socializing harder, but it makes such a difference in how I feel that it's worth it.

Once I'm over the symptom flare, I usually can go back to a relatively normal diet. Honestly, I feel a lot better when I'm eating clean and strictly gluten free, but I still don't maintain it all the time because it can be hard. But I would suggest trying to be strict until your symptoms improve.

[mskitkat]

When I go dairy free, it's completely dairy free. No lactaid, no cheating without dire consequences. It's so hard at first, but for me, the trick was to find food I liked that didn't have the offending ingredients instead of trying to substitute or leave out diary. It's brutal to get used to, but you will eventually.

[wanderlustmom]

I am so sorry! Vent away. It' sounds so stressful and we are here for you.

[AAM2012]

((hugs))

I'm sorry you going through this. I can tell you when I was diagnosed with celiac I did go through a period of mourning where I was sad, angry, jealous, depressed, etc. I've been GF for over a year and it still is hard for me mentally because I am constantly thinking about food and every bite that I take. It is a huge adjustment and not something that you can just switch to within 24 hours.

If you're still having symptoms I would cut it out of your diet 100% but know that it took me at least 3-4 months of going completely gluten free before I started to feel better. So just realize that you still may have some symptoms until your body heals. I recommend the book The G Free Diet by Elizabeth Hasselbeck. It was a good intro into what has gluten and what doesn't etc.

Also colonoscopies aren't a big deal. Have they checked you for hemorroids?

[SusanBAnthony]

No comments about gluten free, but colonoscopies aren't that bad. The worst part is the prep, and being hungry the day before. Rad the Dave Barry colonoscopy column (just google Dave Barry colonscopy), as it is a hilarious and very accurate description.