A Tough Week

[Kari]

Karen - I believe joint aches are quite a common experience among the members here in response to food sensitivities - for me, it's always the hips that ache. As far as D., I can tell you that it took several months for me to see firmer BM's after dropping gluten, dairy, yeast, and several other sensitive foods. However, the other symptoms started improving immediately, such as BM frequency, body aches, brain fog, etc. So the fact that you get better rest already is a very good sign. Lots of luck with your progress.

Maggie - sorry you got glutened (you too Gloria) - the fact that your reaction is so strong after all the years you've been gluten free speaks volumes for how powerful an allergen it is. It's quite a coincidence that Gloria, you and I all got glutened when ingesting tortilla chips around the same time. However, for you Gloria, it sounds like it was the pork seasoning rather than the chips that did it. I'm dreaming of a day when there are 100% gluten free Mexican restaurants :). My son thinks it's an easy cuisine to make gluten free.

I feel relieved to know that my bladder issue is not unusual, as much as I don't wish it on any of you :(. Hopefully, it will be contained to when I get accidentally "glutened", but it sure was a scary and painful experience.

Gabes - I'm so happy for you that you seem to have discovered non invasive therapies that help to control your symptoms. You certainly have had more than your share of them. It sounds like your move is working out very nicely for you - yeah!!!

Love,
Kari

P.S. I'm feeling much better in every way - thanks for helping through your kind notes and shared experiences.

[Kari]

Thanks for your note Denise - sorry you had to get back on entocort, but I'm sure it's the right thing to do if it can help you get through the stress with the wedding. It's amazing how much stress adds to the severity of MC symptoms. I know what you mean about your mom living longer if she had gone gluten free - I feel the same way about my mom. 3 of my 5 older sisters have had hip replacements , and they are all struggling with various health issues. Wish I could somehow convince them to drop the gluten from their diet!!!

Love,
Kari

[Polly]

Kari,

Glad to hear the flare is subsiding. Whenever I get glutened, it is always after eating out. Despite what the chef/waiter says, nothing is ever 100% safe. Sigh. And I have found that, once started, a flare can last days up to weeks even. It's like the process is set in motion and then just can't stop.
It's a case where the sum is definitely more than its parts, so to speak!

I haven't experienced bladder problems, but it makes sense to me that a bloated, inflamed colon could mechanically irritate nearby structures, including the bladder. Plus, we all know that inflammation from MC doesn't just affect the gut - it can appear almost anywhere in the body. The only time I get hip pains is when I go cold turkey with coffee and quit the caffeine without tapering off.

Hope the improvement continues.

Love,

Polly

[Kari]

Thanks Polly - your reasoning makes sense to me. I think my flare got prolonged due to the stress I felt from "getting glutened" along with the bladder problem I experienced. It's not easy to stay calm when you feel your body is "flipping out" on you, even though you know that your stress reaction will only make things worse - ommmmm :).

Love,
Kari

[hoosier1]

Thinking about you Kari. I also have bladder issues especially during a flare. A double whammy I call it. Take care of yourself, dear.

[Lesley]

WOW!
Every time I come in here I find an explanation for conditions from which I have suffered for years! Horrible brain fog, diagnosed fibromyalgia because of the aches, pains and so forth, multiple UTIs, on and on.

Sorry you were glutened. I hope you feel better soon. I empathize, sympathize and feel for you everywhere in my body!

[Sheila]

I somehow missed this is issue and wish I'd seen it earlier. By eating too much tofutti, beans, chocolate with soy lecithtin and much more, I got knocked down big time with a migraine, nausea, leg and hip pain. It is finally subsiding and I'm off soy permanently. What really gets my attention are the bladder issues you mention. For years I have been up and down all night running to pee. Once I went GF this slowed down significantly. But it has been very up and down. After the flare this past week, when I had a lot of soy, I had bladder problems again, feeling full up and having difficulty getting anything going. Now that the flare is subsiding, I'm getting back to normal. What has really helped me is taking 2 cranberry pills each day. It was kind of a last ditch effort weeks ago and, wonder of wonders, it started to help right away. I hope you continue to recover from being glutened. So far, I haven't been glutened but being soyed was bad enough.
Sheila