Doing great and then BAM!

[Ginny]

This is my first setback since going GF/DF in middle of Nov and SF/EF in Dec. I also was able to get off of Entocort and manage with diet alone for the last 7 weeks (I’ve had CC now for 16 months). During the last 3 ½ months I only had one day with diarrhea; my anniversary and I can contribute that to eating fresh pineapple on an empty stomach. Everything returned to normal within two days.

But this time I have all the old symptoms, explosive diarrhea, extreme nausea and intestines doing flip flops. Had to leave work yesterday and am attempting to hang in there today. I’m back to the BRAT diet with some chicken and baked potato. In the last couple of weeks I was able to add back into my diet more insoluble food with no problem and was feeling like my old self; that was good!

I can only attribute this upset to possibly some sausage and hash browns at IHOP that I ate on Sunday, because from then on I did not feel good. Monday morning BM indicated that there could be problems ahead and Tues brought it home.

I would like to fight this without going back to Entocort, however, because of my weight loss my GI has told me to get right back on it if I have a setback. I am 5’ 5” and I had finally gained 3 lbs (113). I am using Imodium right now to see if I can get it under control. I’ve read in past threads that seems to be a pattern of setbacks in the first year after going GF, so I am wondering is there some kind of timeline that you all have experienced in getting back to normal and do you attribute it to another intolerance or it just happens?? Or any other natural remedies?

I’m so thankful for this website and the invaluable information that it provides.
Ginny

[Rosie]

Ginny, that can be so discouraging. But what you are describing is so common! Your situation sounds a lot like me. I have been GF, DF, and SF since last September, and doing well without drugs. But I get impatient, and try to add back foods that I love that are a bit problematic. Like last night I made some chicken wings and ramped up the hot sauce in the glaze because I love the added "zip" and figured that I would be OK........not! And the urge to eat out can get so strong! I'll bet that the hash browns and/or sausage are to blame. Hash browns often contain flour to make them brown better, and sausage often contains milk or soy ingredients. And again, who knows what sort of cross-contamination might occur at a place like IPHOPS.........

I've also had a hard time adding weight back on. I'm 5'5'' and was 112 lbs at my lightest. I fought back up to 116 libs and had been stuck there for a number of months. I was wondering if I would ever put on more weight. However, in the past few months my appetite has improved and I'm now up to 120 lbs. It's just taking a lot longer than I thought to heal. I kept hearing that a full year wasn't uncommon to heal, but of course I thought that I would progress faster than others. It's been about 6 months for me.

Hopefully your going back to the basics with a bland diet will have you back on track in a few days. That's what I've found as the healing continues, that it doesn't take as long to recover from an issue.

Rosie

[Ginny]

Rosie, thanks for your encouragement and I know IHOP is not the place to eat! And to think I was going to try an egg substitute omlet because I was feeling so good! You are so right about being patient.

My appetitie is great; I just have a high rate of metabolism and weight does not come on very fast. I got as low as 103 lbs. Our retired priest friend who hadn't seen me for a month or so, first thing he said to me was "have you gotten annointed yet?" I told my DH, holy cow I must really look bad! But that was then and things had improved until Monday.

Ginny

[Gabes-Apg]

Ginny
from what i can tell from reading the posts, we all have different triggers. Yes some ingredients are triggers, i am finding that stress (namely work related stress) is just as bad as having one of my banned foods.

Natural remedy support, I use liquid zinc 1mm (it is a cell rebuilder) i use liquid golden seal (natural anti inflammatory)

[tex]

Ginny,

Sorry to hear of your setback. I agree that IHOP is a treacherous place to eat, for someone with food sensitivities. Are you aware that they put pancake batter in their omlets, in order to make them "fluffier"? There's no telling where else it ends up, sometimes.

Hopefully, you'll be back on track, soon.

Tex

[wonderwoman]

Gee, and I ate at I-Hop this noon. Had a wonderful meal. I gave the waiter a printed card. You can read about it in another one of my posts I did tonight. Hope I don't have a reaction.

[Bifcus16]

Hi Ginny,

When I was first diagnosed, I would find that an indiscretion in what I ate would take a day and a half to show up and then would cause me grief for three days straight.

Over time that improved significantly, so the D lasted just a few hours.

For me there was always a reason, even if I sometimes had trouble finding it. When I had a longer relapse it was caused by something I hadn't thought of (in my case hrt). Others find it can be caused by extra intolerances showing up after the worst one is under control.

Hang in there. You are still healing, and it takes as long as it takes.

Lyn

[Ginny]

Thanks for all your responses. Tex, I am well aware of the pancake mix in the omelets and honestly I am normally very careful. I have had bacan and hash browns at another restaurant without any problem. There is also some flu going around the office and my allergies are in full bloom so it could be a combination of things.

Gabes, thanks for the suggestions; I will search them out.

Charlotte, I always discuss my intolerances with the manager if the waitress doesn't have a clue. However, this one was really in the dark and could not guarantee anything other than what is printed on the back of their menu. IOW, they knew nothing.

Lyn, you are right about the timing and the healing process. I have gone over what I have been eating the few days prior and to be honest, I eat a very bland and consistent diet.

Thankfully the severe nausea is passing and we will just have to see about the bowels! Thanks for all your concerns, Ginny

[tex]

Ginny,

Another risk with potato products is due to the fact that most restaurants, cafes, institutions, etc., buy their potato products in processed form, from wholesale "food service" companies. Most food service French fries, for example, are soaked in a solution to enhance flavor, and crispness, and that solution usually contains gluten. I have no idea how food service hash browns are processed, but I would be very suspicious of them. Because of that, potato products present the possibility of a double whammy, for people who are gluten sensitive. IOW, not only are they at risk of cross-contamination when they are prepared at the restaurant, (such as French fries, that are fried in oil that was previously used to cook breaded onion rings, for example, or hash browns that are cooked on a contaminated grill), but many/most of them contain gluten before they even reach the restaurant.

The few restaurants that prepare their potato products from scratch, of course, may or may not use a gluten-containing soak, and may or may not use dedicated cooking vats, dedicated grills, etc., to prevent contamination. Some do, of course, and their potato products are quite safe for GF customers. Also, Ore-Ida, and possibly one or two other suppliers, sell GF potato products, to food service companies. McDonald's argued for years that their fries were GF, since they were cooked in dedicated deep fryers, but after the new labeling law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2006, they changed their claims on their website, due to certain ingredients in their fries, so that they no longer claim that the fries are GF. (Although it is true that most celiacs can eat McDonald's fries without adverse effects - many celiacs are sensitive enough to react to them). That implies that those who can eat the fries without symptoms, are still accruing small intestinal damage from them, it is just not enough damage to trigger a reaction, in most cases.

Anyway, the point is, potato products can be a mine field for gluten-sensitive individuals, who eat out. It can be done - it just requires a lot of caution, (or good luck). Baked potatoes are the safest, of course, except that butter is always a threat, with them.

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

Ginny glad to hear the nausea has gone.... the other end always takes it time!

as per the conversation in the other thread, we cant totally control how it is going to react. it is all part of the surprise of waking up.... we dont think about the weather we think what is my digestion going to do today?????