Could I possibly be allergic to gluten?...
wisdomfromyou
Posts: 198 Member
I went on a relatively low calorie diet for about three months (1200-1400 or so) and lost about 30 lbs - until I recently decided to give it a break since many people were telling me I eat too little and that this is why my weight loss had stalled. I also read weight loss stalling can be "fixed" by going on a "break" period where you just eat whatever you want, as much as you want (of course, common sense dictates you would not drown yourself in disgusting fast foods, etc).
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Granted, my weight loss had stall so I said "hey, why not?". After all eating more is more fun.
My so called "diet" during those 3 months consisted of not just reducing calories, but also eating "clean" without any refined sugars and white flower. So basically I had eliminated sugar and white flower/bread but I would still have a very tiny amount of whole wheat bread here and there - but very little.
During the past ten days or so I slowly started to eat...hmmm...let's say "liberally", including bread and hard cheeses - and not little.
I should mention that my whole life I have been a major carb addict and that the smell of Heaven for me is the smell of bread fresh out of the oven.
In the past 10 days I have still been eating good foods, in general, but as soon as I let the rein "loose" there's this one thing I start to abuse: BREAD - often accompanied by all sorts of cheeses.
Well...I noticed I started feeling a bit worse overall - despite obviously eating more calories now, including my "fun foods" (bread and cheese).
Before that I was always a bit on the hungry side because I was eating little overall;
but now, my hunger, or rather cravings for more and more of the attractive thing (bread with cheese) is 3 times worse.
In addition, now I tend to be a little bloated, with a very slight sensation of burning/indigestion and an overall sluggish feeling.
I apologize for the hardly graceful TMI, but I have also noticed some flatulence over the past few days of "bread and cheese" partying, which I NEVER had during those 3months of "orthodox" eating.
For the first time in 3-4 months, I failed to stay through my yoga class and just left half-way through it.
I couldn't do it, I wasn't in the mood for it and my body was sluggish with an extremely slight sensation of burning in my stomach/esophagus.
Given that this was the first time in my life when I had almost eliminated bread for a significant amount of time (3 months) and I WAS feeling better (though always slightly hungry because of the low calorie thing), and given that as soon as I introduced bread back in a relatively large amount (4-5 slices a day+ cheese), I started feeling a little on the "not good" side...could this mean I am allergic to gluten?
Can something that I crave so badly be also something that I am allergic to?
Is it possible to clearly test for allergies to gluten?
How do I know if this slight sensation of "not well" is due to the bread or to the hard cheeses?
Thank you for any input you might have,
.
Granted, my weight loss had stall so I said "hey, why not?". After all eating more is more fun.
My so called "diet" during those 3 months consisted of not just reducing calories, but also eating "clean" without any refined sugars and white flower. So basically I had eliminated sugar and white flower/bread but I would still have a very tiny amount of whole wheat bread here and there - but very little.
During the past ten days or so I slowly started to eat...hmmm...let's say "liberally", including bread and hard cheeses - and not little.
I should mention that my whole life I have been a major carb addict and that the smell of Heaven for me is the smell of bread fresh out of the oven.
In the past 10 days I have still been eating good foods, in general, but as soon as I let the rein "loose" there's this one thing I start to abuse: BREAD - often accompanied by all sorts of cheeses.
Well...I noticed I started feeling a bit worse overall - despite obviously eating more calories now, including my "fun foods" (bread and cheese).
Before that I was always a bit on the hungry side because I was eating little overall;
but now, my hunger, or rather cravings for more and more of the attractive thing (bread with cheese) is 3 times worse.
In addition, now I tend to be a little bloated, with a very slight sensation of burning/indigestion and an overall sluggish feeling.
I apologize for the hardly graceful TMI, but I have also noticed some flatulence over the past few days of "bread and cheese" partying, which I NEVER had during those 3months of "orthodox" eating.
For the first time in 3-4 months, I failed to stay through my yoga class and just left half-way through it.
I couldn't do it, I wasn't in the mood for it and my body was sluggish with an extremely slight sensation of burning in my stomach/esophagus.
Given that this was the first time in my life when I had almost eliminated bread for a significant amount of time (3 months) and I WAS feeling better (though always slightly hungry because of the low calorie thing), and given that as soon as I introduced bread back in a relatively large amount (4-5 slices a day+ cheese), I started feeling a little on the "not good" side...could this mean I am allergic to gluten?
Can something that I crave so badly be also something that I am allergic to?
Is it possible to clearly test for allergies to gluten?
How do I know if this slight sensation of "not well" is due to the bread or to the hard cheeses?
Thank you for any input you might have,
0
Replies
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I've always struggled with bloating, constipation, gassiness after eating any kind of gluten - but apparently that's not necessarily an allergy. You may have a spastic colon or you may simply have become intolerant after not eating it for a whilst. Here is what helps me - and it actually helps you lose weight too: psyllium husks at least once a day and charcoal tablets. I'm not going to lie: the psyllium is awful. You have to pinch your nose shut and swallow it. But it takes away all the unpleasant symptoms.0
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Don't forget that with "careless" eating you are probably also getting more salt and sugar which play havoc with your metabolism and can leave you with that tired, bloated, yucky feeling (a technical term).
During your break times continue to eat good food just don't stress so much about calories, i.e. just stop counting. But maintain the other good habits. I recommend replacing meat with veggies in several meals each week. See http://www.meatlessmonday.com/ for some great ideas (I recommend the butternut squash and black bean chili).
That said, there is a scientific basis for the seaming increase in numbers of people with gluten intolerance. Our obsession with antibiotics and hand sanitizer may be having a negative impact on the good bacteria that makes our digestive system work. (ref Johns Hopkins studies somewhere).
As my grandmother used to say, "You have to eat a peck of dirt before your die.". My wife suggests licking more door knobs (disgusting!)
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Why is Gluten the latest whipping boy in nutrition?
Unless you have Celieac's or IBS, or have a family history of same, statistically speaking, the odds of it being a gluten intolerance are low but it is still possible. You may want to consider getting checked for these conditions. Allergy testing should be done by a reliable medical specialist, should you decided to go that way. It can be inconclusive, though, unless you start breaking out in hives or undergoing anaphylaxis.
If you don't otherwise have a known lactose intolerance, I wouldn't start blaming the cheese.0 -
I don't have anything blatantly allergic neither to gluten nor to lactose - definitely not that I know of.
After all, my whole life I have been stuffing myself with bread - hence the weight issues I have always had.
This is my comfort food and I can eat it in scary amounts, especially when fresh. (Lord, help me).
Over the past 3 months though I had reduced bread to almost none - and sure enough, I lost weight.
I was always feeling light and with no trace burning or indigestion in my stomach - but at the same time, I always had a slight sensation of hunger and was always more than ready to eat before meal time arrived.
Perhaps I have just been eating too much of these substantial foods since my "break" started - sometimes I would have 4-5 large slices of bread (throughout the day),topped with a substantial slice of blue cheese/Irish cheddar cheese (cheeses with VERY strong tastes) - this in addition to other regular foods. Who knows?
I think I will just have to go back to the more controlled, short-leash type of eating.
From the moment I had started this, I knew this was going to have to be for life (change in lifestyle), so I am ready to go back in the leash. :-))0 -
No, it does not sound like you have a gluten allergy. It sounds like you were overeating.0
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If you've been eating whole wheat carbs during the clean eating without a problem, then it is most likely NOT a gluten allergy. Gluten is wheat. Therefore whole wheat breads still have gluten. I would think the cheese would be more to blame than the bread if you are eating excessive quantities. That does bad things to stomachs...
Sluggish could just be a result of changing macros so much or not getting enough protein / water. Could be a lot of reasons.0 -
If you were allergic to gluten, even that little bit of whole wheat bread would have had you keeling over.0
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No, it does not sound like you have a gluten allergy. It sounds like you were overeating.
^^this. It's amazing how overeating can cause.. issues.0 -
You're probably just eating too much. That's how I feel when I overeat.0
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It sounds more like you're overindulging right now--been there...done that!
If it *is* something about the gluten, it's likely not an allergy, but you may have a slight sensitivity. This can result in some of the symptoms you mentioned--not everyone has violent reactions to it.
I'm gluten sensitive. And yes, when I eat gluten, I crave gluten. When I cut it out, I'm better. I'm not allergic, I don't have Celiacs, I just have a sensitivity. Yes, sensitivities like this exist!
Try cutting it out, if it helps, great. If not, it may just be overindulging.0 -
One of my children has a gluten sensitivity. Have you experimented with oats or other gluten free grains? That's where I'd start.
While you can be allergic to wheat, an allergy to gluten does not actually exist. If you ask an allergy doc for an gluten allergy test they may not take your problem seriously -- it seems to be a pet peeve among docs we've seen. Both reactions involve the immune system, but are very different medically. There are Celiac tests, but if I remember correctly the only way to confirm Celiac and know for sure is a biospy of the small intestine. There are blood tests you can do first to see if ou may fit the profile with antibodies, etc, but at least those for infants (no idea about adults) had high false results. You definitely want to study up on your options before going in.
Gluten is hidden in so many places, so check your labels. Some things I didn't think about until I started paying attention: tomato paste can contain wheat filler, extracts like vanilla that aren't pure contain grain alcohol, many soy sauces, fancy rice mixes with barley, smoothies/juices...
Good luck to you!0 -
I know two people who have Celiac disease and they describe the pain as razors blades or glass in their belly. Before they were diagnosed, they weren't just uncomfortably or bloated, they were hospitalized.If you were allergic to gluten, even that little bit of whole wheat bread would have had you keeling over.0 -
You can speak to your doctor about getting the Celiacs testing. Just don't stop eating gluten until you've had the testing, because you won't have accurate results then. Not everyone with Celiacs has the same intensity of symptoms.0
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I know two people who have Celiac disease and they describe the pain as razors blades or glass in their belly. Before they were diagnosed, they weren't just uncomfortably or bloated, they were hospitalized.If you were allergic to gluten, even that little bit of whole wheat bread would have had you keeling over.
Yep. Trust me, if it's gluten, you'll know. I've never spoken to anyone with gluten allergy/celiac who's reaction was simply bloating.0 -
I have not read the other comments, so excuse me if this is a repeat!
From all the reading/research I have done regarding gluten and other grains ... Yes, you could be "allergic" to gluten. gluten does not digest well in the body and makes you feel that sluggish/bloating feeling. When you are constantly eating those things you dont know anything is wrong because you dont know better. But when you come off of those foods that are not good for your body, your body gets a chance to reset, to be clean and work the way it was meant to work. Then when you add those foods back in .. your body rejects them, they dont want them because they arent good for you. but you shovel them in anyways and your body has to get rid of it somehow. It will make you sick so you dont eat the "poison" again. Its not just gluten that could do it to you either. Its any grains. If you want t know more about it all ... and the science behind it, read the paleo solution by robb wolfe0 -
I'm going to bet it's from the change in diet and the quantity most likely. I have been diagnosed with celiac and let me tell you...you would likely be reacting to even small amounts of gluten. Though all people are different. I've discovered I can have 2 servings of wheat before I get intensely ill.. Now should I ? no. But can I? sure now and then.
Try laying off all the bread and cheese and see what happens. Do you eat other gluten items? Pasta, cereal, bread, crackers, soup. Etc? Do you feel like that after eating any of those? If no then I'd blame that diet change. If yes... maybe see your dr about it. I hope its not as its frankly been a miserable few months before my diagnosis and I wouldnt wish it on anyone. Good luck!!0 -
I had that same bloated feeling, integestion and such and I got tested and found out I have a gluten intolerance. I wasnt diagnosed until I got older because no one in my family has a problem with gluten, go figure. Talk to your doctor, couldnt hurt. Also I have found that I have to limit my dairy intake, but that runs in my family.0
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I went on a relatively low calorie diet for about three months (1200-1400 or so) and lost about 30 lbs - until I recently decided to give it a break since many people were telling me I eat too little and that this is why my weight loss had stalled. I also read weight loss stalling can be "fixed" by going on a "break" period where you just eat whatever you want, as much as you want (of course, common sense dictates you would not drown yourself in disgusting fast foods, etc).
.
Granted, my weight loss had stall so I said "hey, why not?". After all eating more is more fun.
My so called "diet" during those 3 months consisted of not just reducing calories, but also eating "clean" without any refined sugars and white flower. So basically I had eliminated sugar and white flower/bread but I would still have a very tiny amount of whole wheat bread here and there - but very little.
During the past ten days or so I slowly started to eat...hmmm...let's say "liberally", including bread and hard cheeses - and not little.
I should mention that my whole life I have been a major carb addict and that the smell of Heaven for me is the smell of bread fresh out of the oven.
In the past 10 days I have still been eating good foods, in general, but as soon as I let the rein "loose" there's this one thing I start to abuse: BREAD - often accompanied by all sorts of cheeses.
Well...I noticed I started feeling a bit worse overall - despite obviously eating more calories now, including my "fun foods" (bread and cheese).
Before that I was always a bit on the hungry side because I was eating little overall;
but now, my hunger, or rather cravings for more and more of the attractive thing (bread with cheese) is 3 times worse.
In addition, now I tend to be a little bloated, with a very slight sensation of burning/indigestion and an overall sluggish feeling.
I apologize for the hardly graceful TMI, but I have also noticed some flatulence over the past few days of "bread and cheese" partying, which I NEVER had during those 3months of "orthodox" eating.
For the first time in 3-4 months, I failed to stay through my yoga class and just left half-way through it.
I couldn't do it, I wasn't in the mood for it and my body was sluggish with an extremely slight sensation of burning in my stomach/esophagus.
Given that this was the first time in my life when I had almost eliminated bread for a significant amount of time (3 months) and I WAS feeling better (though always slightly hungry because of the low calorie thing), and given that as soon as I introduced bread back in a relatively large amount (4-5 slices a day+ cheese), I started feeling a little on the "not good" side...could this mean I am allergic to gluten?
Can something that I crave so badly be also something that I am allergic to?
Is it possible to clearly test for allergies to gluten?
How do I know if this slight sensation of "not well" is due to the bread or to the hard cheeses?
Thank you for any input you might have,
USUALLY, allergy is accompanied by diarrhea and severe cramping... BUT, it is hypothesized that something like 75% of the population is actually "intolerant" to modern day wheat products (the wheat of today is a genetically modified version of the wheat our great grandparents used to bake with and is COMPLETELY different in structure - read Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis).
Intolerance has MANY MANY MANY symptoms and the issues you are complaining of fall in that category. An allergy test will likely come back negative as they have a significant failure rate for gluten intolerance (they're not even that accurate for people who actually have celiac).
If you felt better NOT eating wheat products, don't eat them. I don't eat them b/c I experience the same symptoms you do - bloating, gas, lethargy, general icky feeling. You can make up the lost so-called nutrients that come from wheat based products by eating more vegetables and fruits.0 -
I am beginning to see DavPal's point.0
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sounds like your over eating.. I would cut out all white breads and if your still feeling hungry increase your protein.. Protein will help with the hunger., Your protein intake should be around 120 to 150 grams per day for woman and even more for men..0
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You are probably just overeating mixed with some constipation. white bread and cheese can cause constipation if you are eating a diet mainly of that or eating much more than you normally do. 4 or 5 slices of bread with cheese is quite a bit of bread and cheese. Cut back on the bread and cheese and eat some veggies and high fiber things with plenty of fluids.0
-
Why is Gluten the latest whipping boy in nutrition?
Unless you have Celieac's or IBS, or have a family history of same, statistically speaking, the odds of it being a gluten intolerance are low but it is still possible. You may want to consider getting checked for these conditions. Allergy testing should be done by a reliable medical specialist, should you decided to go that way. It can be inconclusive, though, unless you start breaking out in hives or undergoing anaphylaxis.
If you don't otherwise have a known lactose intolerance, I wouldn't start blaming the cheese.
unfortunately gluten sensitivity allergies are becoming more and more common. Just like peanuts over the past 25 years.
Celiac's is an autoimmune disease that is passed hereditarily. If you have the genetic marker for it, Celiac's can flare up at any time. My mother has Celiac's, diagnosed less than 2 years ago and shes in her 60s. There is both a blood protein test and a genetic marker test that can be done. A lot of doctors still don't order tests for Celiac's very often, but if you are concerned just insist on having the test run. You have to load up on gluten the night before having your blood drawn for the protein test
An allergist can run a straight forward gluten allergy test. Most allergy tests are run on the skin, and gluten is less reactive than say strawberry juice. If the allergist is properly experienced, they can run the test properly.
A friend of mine has what is referred to as a gluten sensitivity. He is not allergic to it, but his body struggles to digest gluten and too much gluten for to long will cause damage to his intestines. It was the pain from that damage that caused him to go through a number of tests before figuring it out. A gluten free diet for several months allowed the damage to heal, but he now needs to limit how much gluten he eats. Bread now and then is ok, but not everyday.0 -
bloating after eating cheese = Lactose Intolerance0
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I have been diagnosed with IBS and get similar symptoms-really bad cramping, bloating and constipation, I am still in the stages of finding my triggers so I can avoid them, so maybe find what the triggers are i.e. white bread or wholemeal bread and try to limit it.0
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I wondered about some allergies myself, but I always figured that I didn't have any because non of my family members seemed to have any. I wanted some peace of mind, and I got it after I realized that I could order my own tests anytime.
Its crazy, because I didn't know that you don't have to have prescription to order blood tests for Diabetes, Heart conditions, Allergies and a tons of other things. It was so worth it to me. Good luck with your journey! I am pretty new, so I am just starting to enjoy the site!0 -
bloating after eating cheese = Lactose Intolerance
bloating after eating five slices of cheese a day also = water retention from all that sodium0 -
Like you, I absolutely love fresh-out-the-oven bread... I often used to eat half a loaf it on its own, no toppings, for a meal.
I suffered from various symptoms for years: continous almost hayfever-like symptoms of blocked nose (rhinitis), horrible claggy throat, especially at night which lead to me waking up 20-30 times some nights fighting for breath (sleep apnoea), general sluggish feeling, bad aches in knees and elbows, and various other things.
One day I just got sick of it all and started to read up on allergies, and discovered that most of the above are symptoms of a wheat allergy (as opposed to gluten allergy) - it is a particular protein in the wheat grain that isn't present in oats, barley, and other grains.
I didn't really believe it could be that simple to be honest, but thought it was worth a go, so decided to be very strict for a week and cut oout anything containing wheat...
That proved much harder than I thought - when you study ingedients lists of foods (I'm no cook so I tend to buy pre-prepared... yeh, I know, bad!!) - but the point is that almost everything you buy contaings wheat - because it is a cheap bulker. Things you'd never imagine contain wheat, do!
Anyway, literally within 2 days I felt a lot better, I was shocked by how quickly my symptoms went away, particularly the rhinitis and nasty throat mucus gunge...
I thought it must be coincidence, so after the week I went back to my "normal" diet - and I could literally feel the symptoms coming back within an hour of having a a big wheaty bread meal followed by cake, biscuits etc.
So, I stuck to wheat free - and the symtoms stayed away...
Six months or so later, I again tried going back to wheat, and again the symptoms came right back, and quickly too.
Now, getting on for 3 years later, I've kept away from wheat, and kept all the symptoms away... I have the occassional sandwich or bread or something maybe if out with people, or friends have made a meal or something, so as not to cause too much fuss and inconvenience... I can get away with one wheaty meal perhaps couple of times a week - but more than that and the wheat seems to "build up in the system" and I'm feeling yukky again.
So my advice is this: ignore other people's opinions on the wheat/gluten allergy debate, including your doctor's, and just try it out yourself properly, making sure to check all food for traces of wheat, and log the results objectively... if you feel better after a while, then go back on wheat again and see what happens to check it wasn't just conincidnce... if you have a reaction of some kind to foods containing wheat/gluten, then you ARE allergic to them, regardless of someone else's opinion on the matter!!!
At the end of the day the objective is to make you feel better and maintain a better quality of life - who gives a stuff whether other people think your allergy is "imagined" or not???? Screw them!
Hope that helps!0 -
It sounds like you're gluten intolerant, which I know has become a nutritional buzzword, but that doesn't mean it's not real. Some people develop an inflammatory response to gluten, which is not the same as celiac disease. There's no test for it, (unlike celiac), other than elimination, and see how you feel. good luck. The book Wheat Belly has tons of information on it.0
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See a doctor if you suspect you've got an intolerance.0
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So off the gluten subject... Your real question might be... how do I get my weight loss back on track? I suggest checking out "Zig-zag diet". Lots of people on MFP have turned plateaus around, or successfully lost weight with it. Sounds like you've already upped your calories a bit. Try going back to what you were doing a couple days a week, and upping the calories a couple days a week as well. Your metabolism may react well.0
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