Diagnosed with IBS - gluten and casein free diet Options

[gfcfMichigan]

For as long as I can remember, I've always had bowel issues. I'd either be constipated, or I'd have severe diarrhea. Over the last few years, the diarrhea has gotten worse and I've noticed that there are certain foods that trigger the attacks. The attack would be so painful; the best way to describe the pain is like contractions (severely debilitating). I finally broke down and decided to see my doctor about the issue. After many blood tests and a colonoscopy, everything like Chron's disease, celiac's disease, colon cancer, etc was ruled out. I am so happy to finally have a name for what I've been experiencing for years.

My doctor has me taking a pro-biotic to replace the good bacteria in my stomach/intestines and a Vitamin D supplement to help heal my colon (which is extremely inflamed). On top of that, I am on a gluten free AND casein free diet. Gluten (which is found in any product derived from wheat) and casein (derived from milk) tend to inflame my large intestine/colon, so I am on this diet for 3 months to help heal my colon/large intestine. I am keeping a log of what I eat every day along with and bowel changes and pain, so help me figure out what foods work for me and which ones are triggers.

I wanted to share with you some of the foods that are triggers for me and which ones work well for me. This gluten free and casein free diet is *working*! I have been trying to keep a lot of fiber in my diet by eating a lot of fruit and veggies (usually cooked because I don't like them raw). I'm noticing the more fresh food I eat or home-made meals (vs. processed), the better I feel. Anything that is processed tends to trigger my IBS. Now that I am living GFCF, I've noticed that a lot of the GFCF boxed/frozen food doesn't have a lot if any, preservatives in it. This may be because I am shopping at a health-food store (Foods for Living in Lansing, MI) and they have higher standards for their food, but I can't believe how much better I am feeling since I've been GFCF. I've also moved towards more organic food than I usually consume - which I also feel has been helping my digestion-tract.

I also felt very lost at the beginning of my GFCF diet, so I started a blog specifically for people that are on a GFCF diet in Michigan (and beyond) so that we can share our favorite GFCF brands, restaurants, stores (that carry GFCF foods), etc...
http://gfcfmichigan.wordpress.com


Has anyone else found that going GFCF has helped their IBS.. and focusing on organic and non-processed foods?

[gfcfMichigan]

Of course what works for me might not work for you, so it's best to talk with a doctor when starting a different diet. I am not over weight - I am actually quite petite weighing in at about 105 lbs. So when I refer to a "diet" it's not to lose weight, it's to get my IBS under control. The first doc that I went to didn't take me seriously. She thought I had some kind of virus in my stomach and she wasn't listening to all of my symptoms. I decided to get a second opinion and went to a doctor that's known for going above and beyond. Don't feel bad if you feel like you need a second opinion...

[lisaaanoel]

That's great that you're feeling better.
The only thing I wanted to mention was that A LOT of people who are tested for celiac recieve a false negative. (I'm obviously not saying this is 100% absolutely the case for you, I just wanted to point it out because you've recieved so much relief from the diet.) Either way-hope things continue to improve for you.

How long on the diet before you began to see such improvement?

[gfcfMichigan]

When I started the diet I felt better in literally 24-48 hours. I wonder why there are so many false negatives for celiac's disease!? I also started the GFCF diet after all of my blood work because I was told that could alter the test results...

[lisaaanoel]

Yes, it can definitely alter the results. Either way-glad you're feeling better.

I tried a GF diet for a couple of weeks but saw no improvement. Perhaps I should try again and wait it out a little longer. I do not have insurance, so I cannot be tested. (IMG:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)