Hi Cristi,
I see you found a thread from 2005. Glad you brought it back up.
You are wise to note the more subtle changes. I found that very encouraging, and of course, as it turned out, those were definitely signs that things were working toward solid, normal looking stools.
As Wayne would probably advise, don't be too concerned if the stools keep floating for a while. It took mine forever to begin to even occasionally sink, but I had long prior begun to feel ten or more years younger with the diet, even before I figured out that other allergens were causing the continued though lesser diarrheal episodes until I also got off the other allergens. Basically, I would look for baby steps right now, like improvement in color and consistency, for example.
Think you are already aware of the improvement in how you feel, and for me, THAT was the most encouraging thing of all.
I do remember after feeling so much better so quickly, asking Polly and the others how long the fatigue part would last. Fatigue takes much longer, but if you keep at it, one day you'll just realize that you feel your old self again in terms of energy level.
I forget, did you ever have your B-12/folate level checked? How long since you've had a bone density test, if you've had one, that is?
If you have signs of bone loss that shouldn't be there, then you need to get to work on a program to build them back up. Osteoporosis is a serious matter, so if you have it, it should be monitored closely, and steps taken to reverse it if at all possible.
I'm not sure this is true, but in another context, I heard or read one time that changing one's diet from the usual, just a bit, causes the bacteria to have an adjustment period that can lead to a little more gas than usual until you've eaten whatever you changed to a little longer, so don't be surprised if you have some days with more gas than others. Some foods cause gas in normal people, too. Ha!
Just thought I'd throw this in as it's not uncommon for us to add things to our diets that we didn't previously eat as much of, and sometimes, for variety's sake, we'll experiment with new and unusual foods if we know they are "free." If you continue to eat these foods regularly, your gf gut should be able to adjust, unless of course, these have to be added to your allergen list.
You are apparently doing all the right things, so continue your vigilence and hopefully, it won't be long til you have Mona Lisa's suitable for framing in your potty! Hahaha!
(I know, we are gross sometimes, but at least we have fun!)
Yours, Luce
Stool Color
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Luce,
You are funny! I am getting used to talking about poop and examining my toilet for any sign of improvement!
Before my surgery and LC, I was extremely anemic since my teens. I tried pills off and on for twenty years but could never tolerate them.....horrible stomach pains. About 5 years ago I discovered that my B12 was low and started getting monthly injections. Two years ago I found a doctor who started giving me iron intraveinously. I was getting that done 10 to 15 times a year. It did the trick...I never knew it was possible to breath so effortlessly as it had really given me shortness of breath that I had just gotten used to.
I did have a bone density test last summer before all this happened and it was okay. I don't know how fast that can deteriorate. My tests from Dr. Fine showed that I didn't have any absorption problems (strange given my anemia). I should get these all re tested to see how it's going.
My bacteria certainly did not like the piece of steak. It's going to be a long time before I try it again. I am looking forward to my energy level getting better. I think its improving but with baby steps...which is encouraging.
I notice your intolerences are similar to mine. How did you find out that it was only the yolks that bother you...trial and error ..or some kind of test?
Thanks for the advise, Luce,
Cristi
You are funny! I am getting used to talking about poop and examining my toilet for any sign of improvement!
Before my surgery and LC, I was extremely anemic since my teens. I tried pills off and on for twenty years but could never tolerate them.....horrible stomach pains. About 5 years ago I discovered that my B12 was low and started getting monthly injections. Two years ago I found a doctor who started giving me iron intraveinously. I was getting that done 10 to 15 times a year. It did the trick...I never knew it was possible to breath so effortlessly as it had really given me shortness of breath that I had just gotten used to.
I did have a bone density test last summer before all this happened and it was okay. I don't know how fast that can deteriorate. My tests from Dr. Fine showed that I didn't have any absorption problems (strange given my anemia). I should get these all re tested to see how it's going.
My bacteria certainly did not like the piece of steak. It's going to be a long time before I try it again. I am looking forward to my energy level getting better. I think its improving but with baby steps...which is encouraging.
I notice your intolerences are similar to mine. How did you find out that it was only the yolks that bother you...trial and error ..or some kind of test?
Thanks for the advise, Luce,
Cristi
Hi Cristi,
Actually, it's the egg WHITES that bother me. Enterolab just tests for ovalbumin, a protein in egg whites, so as far as I know, that's the only thing in the egg that gave me diarrhea. Now, if I eat something, like I did at PF Chang's a while back, that I don't realize has egg in it, I won't have diarrhea or even any noticeable sign of a reaction, because I've long since cleared out the antibodies as it's very easy to avoid eggs given my other food's to avoid.
I don't really have any way to know what would happen if I were to keep eating a food like that day after day as that would definitely mean an antigen-antibody reaction.
Back when I'd pretty successfully removed all gluten and dairy casein, I would basically just have major diarrheal episodes the day after eating eggs at a local dinner. At that time, I would just have the eggs fried with some plain white rice for the starch part.
Since you have to have B-12 injections, were you diagnosed then with pernicious anemia?
(I don't know that we've had anyone with both pernicious anemia and iron deficiency anemia in the same person before.)
Incidentally, my father had pernicious anemia.
Are you then, already taking folate? Your doc might need to be reminded that you're not eating foods fortified with folate anymore, like breads, and fortified flours, etc.
Also, off of dairy, you are probably not getting the same amounts of calcium and Vit D unless you are making up for the lack from dairy with fortified OJ. It could be that some people's bone loss to any significant degree could be from cutting so much of it from their diets.
Also, sometimes when we are sick and using the toilet quiet a bit, we might tend to stay out of the great outdoors, and not get the prior amount of Vit D that way. In other words, the diet itself COULD be partly responsible, unless you are eating an awful lot of broccoli! Hahaha! Maybe a truck load would have enough calcium! (Not quite, but you get my drift.)
Remember you HAVE to get adequate amounts of these nutrients one way or another.
It sounds as though you have some complicated things going on, medically, so I do hope your docs can get to the bottom of this.
Best wishes,
Luce
Actually, it's the egg WHITES that bother me. Enterolab just tests for ovalbumin, a protein in egg whites, so as far as I know, that's the only thing in the egg that gave me diarrhea. Now, if I eat something, like I did at PF Chang's a while back, that I don't realize has egg in it, I won't have diarrhea or even any noticeable sign of a reaction, because I've long since cleared out the antibodies as it's very easy to avoid eggs given my other food's to avoid.
I don't really have any way to know what would happen if I were to keep eating a food like that day after day as that would definitely mean an antigen-antibody reaction.
Back when I'd pretty successfully removed all gluten and dairy casein, I would basically just have major diarrheal episodes the day after eating eggs at a local dinner. At that time, I would just have the eggs fried with some plain white rice for the starch part.
Since you have to have B-12 injections, were you diagnosed then with pernicious anemia?
(I don't know that we've had anyone with both pernicious anemia and iron deficiency anemia in the same person before.)
Incidentally, my father had pernicious anemia.
Are you then, already taking folate? Your doc might need to be reminded that you're not eating foods fortified with folate anymore, like breads, and fortified flours, etc.
Also, off of dairy, you are probably not getting the same amounts of calcium and Vit D unless you are making up for the lack from dairy with fortified OJ. It could be that some people's bone loss to any significant degree could be from cutting so much of it from their diets.
Also, sometimes when we are sick and using the toilet quiet a bit, we might tend to stay out of the great outdoors, and not get the prior amount of Vit D that way. In other words, the diet itself COULD be partly responsible, unless you are eating an awful lot of broccoli! Hahaha! Maybe a truck load would have enough calcium! (Not quite, but you get my drift.)
Remember you HAVE to get adequate amounts of these nutrients one way or another.
It sounds as though you have some complicated things going on, medically, so I do hope your docs can get to the bottom of this.
Best wishes,
Luce
HI Luce,
I don't have pernicious anemia, just iron deficiency anemia. I've never taken vitamins because of stomach upset and I discovered I couldn' t handle milk in my twenties... but I was able to handle cheese. So I imagine I've been missing a lot of necessary nutrients...even more so now.
My naturopath gave me some liquid vitamins to try a month ago....but at that time it made the D worse. I'm hoping to try them again when things firm up a bit as they didn't hurt my stomach.
It's strange....like someone gave me a new body with a whole new set of rules. Before I was always constipated, couldn't eat anything 4 hours before bed....then needed to sleep with my head elevated.... it just seemed to take forever for me to digest my food.
Now I can eat right up until bedtime, my stomach feels better if I sleep flat, and a half hour after I eat... I feel like it's gone and I could eat again.
I get the impression that a lot of people here have a problem with fiber....so I've just been eating white rice.....but I.ve started adding a tablespoon of whole brown rice into my diet at every meal....I think my stools are getting firmer for it. Are most of the people here able to consume whole grain rice and higher fiber fruits (with the skin) and veggies like broccoli. If they are ...were they able to at first? I'm still cooking my veggies until they are soft, eating mashed potatoes, white rice, bananas, blueberries in a blender, and peeled apples.....chicken and cod. I put olive oil on everything....and i've been putting Flaxseed oil on my cereal....don't know if it's doing anything for my colon....but my skin is much softer than it ever was.
Sounds like the vitamins are going to be important because even if i heal from this , my diet will still be pretty restrictive, but I think I'll wait until things are more healed.
Good chatting with you Luce,
Cristi
I don't have pernicious anemia, just iron deficiency anemia. I've never taken vitamins because of stomach upset and I discovered I couldn' t handle milk in my twenties... but I was able to handle cheese. So I imagine I've been missing a lot of necessary nutrients...even more so now.
My naturopath gave me some liquid vitamins to try a month ago....but at that time it made the D worse. I'm hoping to try them again when things firm up a bit as they didn't hurt my stomach.
It's strange....like someone gave me a new body with a whole new set of rules. Before I was always constipated, couldn't eat anything 4 hours before bed....then needed to sleep with my head elevated.... it just seemed to take forever for me to digest my food.
Now I can eat right up until bedtime, my stomach feels better if I sleep flat, and a half hour after I eat... I feel like it's gone and I could eat again.
I get the impression that a lot of people here have a problem with fiber....so I've just been eating white rice.....but I.ve started adding a tablespoon of whole brown rice into my diet at every meal....I think my stools are getting firmer for it. Are most of the people here able to consume whole grain rice and higher fiber fruits (with the skin) and veggies like broccoli. If they are ...were they able to at first? I'm still cooking my veggies until they are soft, eating mashed potatoes, white rice, bananas, blueberries in a blender, and peeled apples.....chicken and cod. I put olive oil on everything....and i've been putting Flaxseed oil on my cereal....don't know if it's doing anything for my colon....but my skin is much softer than it ever was.
Sounds like the vitamins are going to be important because even if i heal from this , my diet will still be pretty restrictive, but I think I'll wait until things are more healed.
Good chatting with you Luce,
Cristi
Cristi,
Yes, I can eat everything, just as long as it's free of my allergens. I eat whole grain rice LOTS, and probably more of it than I should, but when I first started out, I felt that plain white rice was the easiest to digest.
In terms of sugar levels, the white rice has a higher glycemic index than the whole grain, so in that respect, it is better for you in limited quantities, of course.
Yours, Luce
Yes, I can eat everything, just as long as it's free of my allergens. I eat whole grain rice LOTS, and probably more of it than I should, but when I first started out, I felt that plain white rice was the easiest to digest.
In terms of sugar levels, the white rice has a higher glycemic index than the whole grain, so in that respect, it is better for you in limited quantities, of course.
Yours, Luce