Enterolab results are in today!

kayare · Post by **kayare** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:00 pm

Hi all! I received my results today. I could use any and all advice! I'm ready for it!

Here's some background: I've had issues since childhood - C, growing pains, canker sores, infertility, endometriosis, joint problems. I believe things worsened after a weeklong flu about seven years ago. We all know the D, terrible body/joint pain/arthritis, bloating, gas, etc. My father has always had "stomach problems." My mother has always had generalized pain and arthritis. My sons have have canker sores, growing pains, and anxiety. My daughter has has the same but also trouble with stomach pains and noises. Her GI diagnosed lactose intolerance, and she has improved without dairy as has my father, the only other willing family participant so far.

My diagnosis came in August, 2011 after a colonoscopy following repeated D with bleeding. My joints have been terribly inflammed including a Baker's cyst in December when I struggled to walk and teach. I have eliminated gluten, dairy, soy and (mostly) eggs for at about a month. I have been on Budesonide (9mg) since May 20, 2012. It has helped a lot, but not eliminated the D completely. My joint pain is nearly gone. I was on Azathioprine for a month before this out of desperation because nothing else helped. It helped, but it's not a medicine I want to take.

I have been a vegetarian since childhood. About three years ago, I added shrimp, crab, salmon or tuna into my diet about once a month for some variety. I can't imagine eating it more than once per week, and I'm not willing/able to add other meats. Also breakfast is very important to me. I'm used to eating oatmeal with fruit and nuts, eggs/muffin, or cereal. I'm happy with almond or coconut milk. I can't imagine teaching for hours after eating food that isn't satisfying to me.

So here are my results and yes, you may post them...

Mean Value 11 Atigenic Foods 17 Units (normal range is less than 10 units)

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 27 Units (normal range is less than 10 units)

Fecal Anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA 5 Units (normal range is less than 10 units)

Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken's egg) IgA 14 Units (normal range is less than 10 units)

Fecal Anti-soy IgA 15 Units (normal range is less than 10 units)

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis Allele 1 0301

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis Allele 2 0602

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 3,1 (Subtype 7,6)

Food toward which you displayed most immunologic reactivity: Beef, Corn, Tuna, Pork
Food toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Oat, Rice, Walnut, White potato
Food toward which you displayed least immunologic reactivity: Chicken
Food for which there was no significant immunologic reactivity: Cashew, Almond

Grains:
Grain toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Corn
Grain toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Oat
Grain toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Rice

Meats:
Meat toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Beef
Meat toward which you displayed the next most immunologic reactivity: Tuna
Meat toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Pork
Meat toward which you displayed the least immunologic reactivity: Chicken

Nuts:
Nut toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Walnut

I'm so ready to feel better and reduce/avoid medicine. I appreciate all of the help and advice from everyone here. I would be at a loss without all of you!

Thank you for the support!

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:08 pm

Hi Kayare, I know others will chime in here but I find it interesting that you are so reactive to meats. I think in a lot of our cases we quit eating foods because they don't "feel good" to us. I don't think it's something we even consciously do. What I've found with the colitis is that I "listen" a lot more than I used to! Happy healing! Deb

Leah · Post by **Leah** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:12 pm

Hi K. Well,looks like you can have dairy! I would be so happy if I could eat cheese!
Being a vegetarian is very hard with this disease. Protein helps heal the lining of the intestines. From these reults, it looks like you should be eating chicken and rice. There are many rice products out there. Rice pasta. Rice crackers...etc. Since you don't eat much protein, you might consider taking L-glutamine. It is a fairly benign tasteless powder that you put in drinks. Body builders use it to repair muscle tissue. It has been known to help repair the intestines. There are people who have gotten better just using this product with diet changes. I use it myself.

Keep us posted on your plan of attack
Leah

Post by **tex** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:16 pm

I agree, it's unusual to see so many meat issues. And chicken (the most likely meat to be a problem for most of us) is OK.

Luckily, dairy products seem to be OK.

Thanks for posting these results -- I've added them to the list.

Tex

kayare · Post by **kayare** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:08 pm

Thanks for the tips so far! I think it does help to listen as we go through this. It should be easier now that I am GF, EF and SF. I will try the L-glutamine, Leah. I am thrilled to have dairy - cheese and greek yogurt really make me smile. I stopped on the way home from work to buy cheese and butter. Which foods do I need to completely eliminate? I know the most immunologic reactivity for sure, but what about the intermediate foods? Are oats, rice and potato, walnut okay? Are they alright in moderation or after healing? Are eggs ever okay in baked or cooked foods? That will make a big difference in my new diet. Thanks everyone!

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:18 pm

Hi Kayare,

Welcome! I can respond to your nuts question. Until you are better healed nuts are like raw lettuce....wait until you are healed. Nuts are kind of like shards of glass going thru our intestines and have an abrasive action. Nut butters should be fine like almond butter or walnut butter. Oats are somewhat controversial for us. Their composition I believe is similar to wheat and can be problematic. Some people are eating them. I'm taking the conservative approach and staying away from them. I think wikipedia has a good discussion about oats for us if you google celiac disease and oats you can learn about the issues re: oats and gluten sensitivity. Rice should be no problem. Two additional fish that I like are cod (mild and not fishy) and sea scallops (kind of buttery tasting.) Brandy

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:14 pm

Your results are the exact opposite of mine. I can eat oats, walnuts, beef and lamb, but no dairy, chicken or rice.

Do you eat fish? I made a really tasty fish soup that took 15 minutes, start to finish. I used potatoes, because they are virtually the only starch I can eat, but since you can eat corn you can use corn starch to thicken the broth and eat with rice.
I have used cod pieces or a fish mix from a local fish market.
1 lb of fish.
1 onion, sliced
one carrot, diced
2 cups coconut milk (or preferred milk)
1 bottle clam juice
1 can clams
1 large russet potato
tablespoon potato starch, corn starch, tapioca starch

saute onions and carrots in allowed oil
add starchy thickener and stir
add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until fish is cooked and potato (if used) is tender
season to taste
If you tolerate seaweed add a couple of sheets for flavor

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:28 pm

Hi Lesley,

This is a stupid question but where do you buy seaweed and what kind of flavor does it impart also does it melt away into the soup? I'm just curious as it sounds healthful. Brandy

Leah · Post by **Leah** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:40 pm

I would eliminate everything that is most reactive and stay away from any egg for now. Perhaps down the road,you will be able to get small amounts in baked products. Just an opinion :)

Leah

mzh · Post by **mzh** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:18 am

Lesley, what a yummy-sounding recipe!

kayare · Post by **kayare** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:05 pm

This is all helpful, and I really appreciate the recipe and a quick one, too. I haven't eaten much seafood, but I think it's something I could begin to eat more of especially since it is so fresh and plentiful here. Is salmon safe if tuna isn't? I guess everyone is different. I know I've eaten too many almonds and salads, and that isn't good. It's hard for me to give those up, but now I know that I must to feel better. They are easy when I'm at work or out to eat, and I don't eat meat. I'll have to find/make other choices. I know now how much corn and soy I was eating. That change should help a lot. Learning the connection with soy, peanuts, lentils, and peas was life changing for me since I've always known that peanuts were awful for me, but I didn't know about soy until I read those posts! Should I avoid all beans for now since I react so much to soy, peanuts, and lentils? Do you all feel that rice and potatoes are okay since they are on my intermediate list? What about tomatoes and green peppers? So many questions! Thanks everyone!

Post by **tex** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 5:00 pm

A food rated as "intermediate" should always be tested in the diet (one at a time) for a few days, before adopting it as a safe food. In general few members here are sensitive to rice and potatoes, but many more are sensitive to tomatoes and green peppers (they should be removed from the diet, and then tested, one at a time, also, if you want to include them in your diet).

Tex

Leah · Post by **Leah** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:07 pm

Like Tex said, test each thing separately. It's hard sometimes to tell until you start feeling a bit better though. Tomatoes and Peppers are not good for me. I haven't tested them yet ( after four months) because they had such an immediate effect before. There are a lot of spices that are made from peppers, so be very aware. I find rice to be great, as are sweet potatoes... but white potatoes are still a question mark for me. This process takes a while. All i can say is at the beginning, make it as simple as possible.

Leah