Gluten Free Diet - Helped Pouchitis!

I think this is way overlooked for digestive issues, and while I feel great with a jpouch and whatever diet, I always wonder if gluten exacerbated my colitis.   There is a neighbor teenager with bad Crones disease and I keep trying to get him to cut gluten to try.

 

My wife had chest pain and after a year, a doctor checked her for bacteria and lo and behold the Gluten "lite" diet has helped her tremendously.

 

I may be overstating, but not sure why this isn't a first course free "try" for anyone with digestive issues!

 

The biggest problem is EVERYTHING that is easy/quick to eat is Gluten.  Bravo, glad you feel better and hope we get lots of new gluten free testers from your post.  By the way, I LOVE spaghetti and we now eat gluten free and I am getting used to it and don't even really notice the difference.  (And as a very sick teenager with UC, I ate spaghetti ALL the time, loaded with gluten.)

 

Yeah, it definitely takes some dedication at first. I went gluten free cold turkey for 2 weeks, then I gradually introduced gluten back in my diet. When I tried gluten again, my head would get fuzzy and I would get a massive headache, along with stomach issues. Occasionally, I might get a craving for something with gluten, but for the most part my cravings have subsided. The side effects aren't worth it for me anymore. 

 

 I can see it being especially challenging for a teenager. When I was first diagnosed with UC when I was 19, I wasn't open to any alternative therapies. I sometimes wish I would have been more willing to try some alternatives before jumping in with my j-pouch surgery, but too late to dwell on that now. I really didn't have a choice at the time. My surgery saved my life. 

 

I completely agree with you! Doctors should at least mention to patients that some people with digestive disorders see improvement with a gluten free diet. I was completely in the dark about gluten causing issues. I thought it was a "fad diet". I didn't know it might actually help me. 

 

I'm not sure what type of pasta you've tried, but I really like Barilla gluten free pasta. It tastes basically the same as regular pasta. I also love using gluten free Bisquick! I make so many different recipes with it, including pizza! I've also found that I can substitute rice flour for all-purpose flour in pretty much every recipe I use to bake and I don't have to make any other modifications to the recipe. It is so true that everything quick and easy contains gluten! I've found that it works for me to do all my cooking for the week on Sundays (that way I'm not tempted to grab fast food or other gluten containing foods). 

 

I'm happy to hear that the gluten free diet helped your wife. I wish my Mom would try it for her migraines. 

I cannot wait to make a bisquick gluten free pizza!   Thanks for the tip.  I might see if I can perfect it, then make one for the neighbor teen.

 

Did not help me

 

I don't have Celiac nor a gluten alergy (that I know of) but I still feel better when I am off of the gluten (and sugar)...

I think that a lot of people do not realize how tired, bloaty, sluggish, sleepy etc that they can feel when they eat bread/Cake/pastries/pasta etc...

Once I have gone 3 days off of it I feel great but once I start eating it I become addicted and have problems cutting it out.

Sharon

 

I've had issues for years with regards to what I ate, taking everything out of my diet except for the gluten. Weekly doctor visits because we couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. Pills, pills and more pills is what I was handed. 

I heard about gluten free from a tv show and decided to try it, that was 7 years ago and still going strong. Not only am I gluten free I try to eat as fresh as possible, since chemicals in the processed foods bother me also.

 

I'm very happy that your husband convinced you to try, it makes a world of difference.

 

My doctor of 12yrs told me, he never thought of gluten with me. What I don't understand is why doctors don't think of gluten, with people like us. Gluten affects your small intestines, since that is all I have for the past 34yrs. It seems that doctors & nutrition don't mix very well.

 

I recently found a doctor from the celiac center at Columbia NYC. What a difference in the care I receive. 

http://celiacdiseasecenter.columbia.edu/

Crockpot,

One of my surgeons told me that "surgeons cut and doctors doctor"...meaning once he has finished cutting, sewing etc his job is over...you need a nutritionist if you want an answer about nutrition.

We have reached the point where we are so specialized that one of these days we are going to have specialists for the left foot or the right foot but never both! Do not expect a surgeon to talk to you about diet (although our old faithful ones did...they pretty much did it all including playing gastro, stoma nurse etc They were wonderful!!!).

These days tv, internet and any other media is your best bet to hearing about new things and old things that make sense.

Sharon

This doctor was not a surgeon, he was my gastro Doctor and new about gluten, just never informed me about it.
Just wish there was more research out there for people like us.

The knowledge base on gluten intolerance and celiac disease is a moving target. It was once thought that you could not develop it later in life, but it seems that "rule" was not true. It is now known it can be triggered by many things, including surgery or tramatic illness.

 

It does not help that it has become a fad diet either. Hard to tell the science from the junk.

 

Jan