I've been relatively (not 110%) GF on and off (usually about 2-10 months) for nearly a decade. I did not realize that it was Gluten that was causing the problems until recently. I just did Atkins diet, so I did not eat wheat, rye, barley or any other gluten foods frequently during those times.
In the last few years I developed severe gut pains that would wake me up in the middle of the night. I would wake up and want to scream but the pain was so bad I could not move or make a sound.... just curl up in a ball with my mouth hanging open. I had psychiatric, weight, and energy problems for YEARS prior to the pain, but never attributed anything to it. Well, that pain progressed through the last 4-5 years to the point where my bowel function is such where i strained and strained, KNOWING I had to go, and also NEVER being able to have a solid movement when I did. It was like constipation that, when it finally DID come out, LOOKED like diarrhea. I have not produced solid movements in years. It was also coming out blackish-grey, not good and my stomach burned and felt like it was "fermenting" and bubbling up after I ate. When I ate bread or wheat product my gut would feel like it was about to explode with gassy bloat about 5 or 6 hours later. It felt like I would have the runs but nothing would come out except gas. I switched to rye, and was puzzled to no end when the pain still occurred (now I know why).
I finally could not handle the arthritis, the "ulcer" (doctor had said that's what it *might* be), and the fatigue and moodiness. I went on the blood type/genotype diet. I still had no idea what celiac disease or, really, even gluten was. My issues mostly cleared up within a week. I stayed on it from October '09 to April '10 with very few cheats and was SUPER strict with no gluten.
Well, I still had problems so complained to my doctor again. Went through all the symptoms and complained about that dang wheat and rye and begged her to do something. She then suggested celiac and referred me to a gastro. Well. That day back in early April 2 months ago, I came home and looked it up. I then realized I would need to do a gluten challenge since I had been gluten free (mostly) for nearly 6 months. I went out within an hour and bought bread, flour, vital wheat gluten... etc. And have been eating all sorts of stuff (anywhere from 4 servings of bread a day to .25 lb (110g) day of pure seitan. Usually, though, I would have about 4-6 bread slice per day on average unless I could stomach the stuff (kind of gross). I am not feeling so hot. The pain is not as bad as it was prior, although the psych symptoms are back nearly full force). Lethargy is back too and significant digestive complaint (just not horrendously).
Tomorrow I see the gastroenterologist for a consultation. I want to ask him to schedule me for the tests (which my General Practicing Doc wants) in a month. This would give me 3 months on the diet.
Will this be enough? With the time (3 months at that point) eating anywhere from 4 slices bread per day to 110g of PURE gluten? How about if I mix bran with it? would the bran scratch up my gut easier so that the gluten could penetrate properly, or would I end up "wasting" the gluten before it did it's thing?
I am very concerned. I really need an answer to the last 17 years of misery (with the last 5 or so being the worst). Thanks
