# I went and gluten-free and feel worse



## Bingly (Mar 6, 2009)

My doctor has diagnosed me with low cortisol, IBS-D and has put me on a gluten free diet. I have been on the diet now for a week but my diarrhea has been worse since I started. I talked to my doctor yesterday and he was surprised I was actually having more D problems since going gluten free. I've never gone on a gluten free diet before so I'm not sure what to expect. Today marks the 7th day since I started the diet and overall my IBS seems to be acting up even more than before. Every morning I wake up, I have stomach rumbling and gurgling, I go to the bathroom and have loose stools/diarrhea. I feel relief afterwards but I am having 3-4 BM's per day.Does anyone else have experience with a gluten free diet and IBS-D? Does it help or hurt your symptoms? I'm a new member to these forums and was just curious. Btw, I am a 28 year old Male.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Is there anything new you are eating or at higher quantities.I mean some fruits can increase diarrhea, so it may be that when you took somethings away you added more of something that bothers you. Are you eating more meat or fat?While wheat can increase gas it really only increases diarrhea if you have celiac. Although some people do find low carb diets overall help with diarrhea. If you replaced the wheat with some other starch that bothers you like potatoes that could be part of the problem.


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## Bingly (Mar 6, 2009)

I don't think I'm eating anything in particular of abundance. In the morning, I usually have a gluten free cold cereal with milk. This morning I had scrambled eggs per my doctor's dietary suggestions. In the afternoon I may snack on gluten free pretzels or have a GF turkey sandwhich with cheese. In the evening my fiance makes a homemade meal, usually with a variety of cooked vegetables (soups, pastas, casseroles). Sometimes I have a banana in the afternoon but rarely do I eat fruit. I drink water almost exclusively. In fact, I never drink soda of any kind whatsoever and haven't done so in almost three years. Seldom do I drink caffeine or alcohol. I would say on average I have 1-2 alcoholic beverages in a week. Probably less for coffee.I have extremely bad anxiety and am constantly plagued with negative thoughts. I strongly believe this is the main culprit behind my IBS. On days when my anxiety is higher, my symptoms are worse. When I keep myself occupied, it is usually much better. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed every single day, I am consumed with thoughts of my well being. I frequently worry that I will contract some terrible disease and die before I turn 30. Part of this happens because my Father passed away from colon cancer at the age of 46. It's been almost two years since he died and I've never coped well with it.I am trying to turn that around with various stress management agents but I find my thoughts seem to take over and "rule the roost", so to speak. I have decided to start keeping a journal to track my daily eating habits, IBS symptoms and overall lifestyle since it seems to fluctuate so much day to day. Some days I feel great. Other days I feel terrible. The patterns suggest stress is the main ingredient and I have started some acupuncture treatments and alternative supplements in traditional chinese medicine to help with this. In addition, I try to keep my stress levels as low as possible and focus on things I enjoy doing in life. I think the biggest problem is my mind is so fixated on my IBS every day, I can never really get it off my mind unless I am both mentally and physically engaged in other activities.I have been tested for celiac disease and it was negative, by the way. I am wondering if I've developed some other food allergies perhaps I'm not aware of. My doctor mentioned I have an abundance of yeast, a type of yeast infection and I'm taking something for that, though I have no idea what role that plays in my IBS symptoms. I will ask him more about it at my next visit in two weeks, I guess.


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## Bingly (Mar 6, 2009)

I was curious if anyone has had success with a 24 hour fast and strict two week cleanse diet for their IBS? I've been reading about it lately and wanted to know if this has worked for anyone.


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## thinthighs (Mar 3, 2009)

ididnt do a fast but i cleansed my bowels with juices and water and fruits,i stopped eating/drinking ANYTHING that had high fructose corn syrup in it and i have done well..i also went gluten free for awhile but i have since put back cakes with unbromated wheat and have not had a problem-except for some weight gain.i used to be online as thickthighs


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## Bingly (Mar 6, 2009)

Is it normal for IBS sufferers out there have 3-4 BMs per day?


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## cherrypie09 (Jan 20, 2009)

I know exactly what you are going through, i too have ibs-D and go usually 3-4 times a day, i suffer with anxiety and stress, and worry about my ibs, its constantly on my mind. nothing seems to help it but taking 2-3 immodium tablets a daay. I have put my self on a lactose free diet to see if that helps, I have had endoscopies and gastroscopies, blood tests, nothing has shown up, i am at my wits end, doctors dont want to know, I cant go anywhere or do anything for frightend of an accident, i cant think positive no matter how much i tyr, and i have had a nervous breakdown because of it, Thinking positive and being busy is supposed to help, but i find that difficult, any ideas from any one, I feel so alone.


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

6...8...10There is no normal.(I'm wondering about the Chinese supplements. Could they have corresponded to the D?)Mark


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Cherrie Pie--Have you tried journaling? Some people find that a good do-it-yourse way to deal with the negative thoughts. There should be some websites that will help you find something that may work for you.If you have a set time of the day to get all the worry and anxiety out sometimes you can stop the negative thoughts (rather than trying to force the positive ones) or at least limit them. If you know you can get them all out later in the day it is easier to let them go. So when they start say to yourself that you will deal with that issue in your journal at 8 pm or whenever you do that.If you really cannot control your thoughts and are to the point of having breakdowns I would really suggest also seeing a therapist to get a handle on this. There are lots of techniques (both ones in the therapy session and ones they can teach you to do for yourself at home) to work on relaxation and taming negative thoughts.Bingly--3 BM's a day is in the normal range for people with no GI issues. So 3-4 is really common in IBSers. Most IBSers are closer to the normal range than people with other GI illnesses, but there is a lot of overlap so no clear cut off. If you have 10 BM's a day they will probably do more testing to make sure it is IBS than if you have 3-4 a day.


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## Bingly (Mar 6, 2009)

Probably the most annoying parts of my IBS are the subtle stomach cramping that comes and goes throughout the day and the gurgling/rumbling (particularly bad when I first wake up). Does anyone else have these? I only have 3-4 BMs per day, on average though I've had 5 in a day a few times. That is rare. Usually it is just 3-4. I'm starting to have firmer BMs the last couple days and only one episode of "D". I'm pretty thankful for that but like I said, I think the stomach cramping is probably the worst part. Things DO seem to be a little better since my acupuncture treatment. I am going back in for more acupuncture again in a couple of weeks. I will report my results.Cherrypie - I have started a journal and it really helps me not only write down negative thoughts and get them out, I track my eating habits and lifestyle changes. On the outside, it may not seem to do much, but it really can help! I sympathize with your anxiety. Negative thoughts seem to consume my mind, though my anxiety started LONG before I had IBS. I've learned keeping myself both PHYSICALLY and MENTALLY occupied helps both my anxiety and my IBS. If I sit and watch TV, it's not enough. I need to be actively engaged in moving in some way and thinking about something that interests me. This does bring some relief for me. I don't even notice the IBS symptoms. This is not always the case however. There are moments where stomach cramps and feelings of gas interfere with my activities. My discomfort seems to comes in waves throughout the day. I seem to feel the best in the middle of the day whereas the morning and evening times trigger more cramps/gas/discomfort. I'm sure it isn't coincidence my BMs follow shortly thereafter.


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## cherrypie09 (Jan 20, 2009)

Hi. i have ibs-d and have suffered for 10 years, the last 3 being really bad. i am so panicky and anxious and worried about it all the time, i cant think of anything else. its ruining my life. i have had lots of tests and nothing has shown up, i have 3-4 bowel movements aday, even when i have not eaten anything, lots of gurgling as well, i have put myself on a lactose free and gluten free diet, just started it , to see if it helps. I also take 3-4 immodium tablets daily, nothing else seems to help.I am a 49 year old woman from england. and would love some support and freinds who also suffer with IBS-D. I cant go anywhere or do anything, its ruins your life. Please, please please help and freinds would be much appreciated. I am keeping a journal of what i eat, and at the moment anything seems to trigger it, there does not seem to be a pattern. I am just starting to see a councellor for anxiety management, and i hope it works.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Vague stomach aches and discomfort as well as noises is common in IBS.The colon is most active in the morning so some people notice more then, some have more problems with the increased activity after meals.A lot of the times pain is the most problematic issue for IBSers, and sometimes we are just more sensitive so normal stuff that we shouldn't feel at all is transmitted up to the brain and the main way it has to interpret those signals is as pain.


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## cherrypie09 (Jan 20, 2009)

Yes thats true. I have found that once i have had my first cup of tea in the moring I then open my bowels 2-3 times and the rest of the day can then be sometimes managable, but not every day. The morning does seem worse, the evening is the best time of day for me, Why, any ideas.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

The colon is not equally active 24/7.It is most active around the time you get up in the morning and that time of day can be a problem for some people as when the colon is more active a lot of IBSers have more BM's and more pain.It isn't the only pattern, but is is a common one.


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## cherrypie09 (Jan 20, 2009)

thanks kathleen m. that helps a bit. its such a good feeling knowing you do not suffer alone. you think you are alone and feel helpless and worried, i wish there was a cure, but i have tried so many things and nothing works for me as yet. I hope something does soon.


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