Interesting Coincidence or Did Band Eating Contribute to Gluten Intolerance?

[stateofzen 46]

Let me start by saying-- I'm not complaining, just commenting and looking to see if other people have experienced this.

Through a painful and expensive (to my insurance company) process, I have discovered that I've developed an intolerance to gluten or a gluten by-product (unclear). I don't have Celiac's, but products that are wheat based (bread, flour, etc.) give me an unusual amount of extreme gas bloating, pain, and Constipation. I did not have this intolerance before I had my band and cut most wheat products out of my diet for almost two years while I followed my low-carb band diet. But I definitely have it now. I'm wondering if this is a coincidence, or if there is any anecdotal evidence that severely restricting wheat-based carbs for a couple of years could have triggered a digestion issue when I reintroduced them. Anyone else have problems?

A little more info: I am 3 years post-band and I've lost and maintained a 100lb+ loss. I spent the first year pretty hard-core low carb via doctor instruction, and the second year I slowly added carbs and non-band friendly foods back in until I was eating pretty much anything, including bread and (drinking) beer for a good portion of year 3. Over the year, I put on 10 lbs. I also had a consistent and really painful issue with bloating and gas. When I went to see an urgent care specialist for chest pain, he sent me for a CT scan of my chest and abdomen to check my lungs (pain consistent with a pulmonary embolism) but it came back clean, including no band issues and it was chalked up to referred diaghram pain from surgical adhesions. About 4 months later, I was in Asia and had to go to the emergency room for chest pain and severe abdominal pain that came on in the middle of the night, and they diagnosed it as gas/reflux. I thought, "huh". And also, "good, no surgery in Asia required!". Then, back at home 3 months later and I've been dealing with this horrible constant bloating and piercing gas pain that isn't responding to any otc medication, so I go to my pcp. She did an x-ray to check for an obstruction, given the degree of pain and bloating. Her words: "I have never seen someone's entire digestive track extended like that without being able to see an obvious large obstruction." So, worried that I had a small obstruction that an X-ray wasn't picking up, she sent me for my second CT scan in a year. Which again came back clean. So basically, it came down to testing reactions to various foods. Started with lactose, and didn't seem to be an issue. Then, just by happenstance, I decided to get those 10 lbs I'd gained back off by going back to low-carb. I cut out all carbs for a week, then added in just low-glycemic fruits and veggies. . . and, symptoms disappeared. Completely. No pain, no bloating, no gas. So we started "testing". I seem to be able to sometimes tolerate low amounts of gluten, as long as I don't overdo it but it's a bit of a gamble. Bread is a definite no-go. I'm not allergic, but wheat-based carbs digest a lot differently now than they did in the 34 years I lived before the band.

It is a relief to know what is going on because I can control it by diet, and heck, it's in my band's best interest to cut out the bread crap anyway

So, yeah. That's my story. What do you think?

[kll724 3,055]

I, also, have gluten intolerance. I have, always, liked bread, but when I stayed away, I was "better". But, when I started to eat them again, I was like, I can't get enough! Anyway, I am not allergic, but my son has celiac and my grandson has allergies. So, we try to stay away from gluten. Now, there are plenty of alternatives. My opinion, I think that a lot of people with IBS, are gluten intolerant! Best wishes, I hope that you can feel better, soon!

[Shazam 517]

Actually, I can't help but wonder if many individuals are Gluten Intolerant, and us before hand. Gluten is very difficult for our stomach to digest.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

It's an interesting thing to consider.

I can very much see where you can draw a connection between the two. I know logically the band can't cause gluten intolerance but I can't help but wonder if someone is already borderline, going low carb long term then introducing gluten again doesn't make it worse. Kinda like if you go low fat for a long time, then eat greasy fat food, it can make you really sick because your body it's no longer used to it. Perhaps gluten reacts similar in some people?

[Shazam 517]

It's an interesting thing to consider. I can very much see where you can draw a connection between the two. I know logically the band can't cause gluten intolerance but I can't help but wonder if someone is already borderline' date=' going low carb long term then introducing gluten again doesn't make it worse. Kinda like if you go low fat for a long time, then eat greasy fat food, it can make you really sick because your body it's no longer used to it. Perhaps gluten reacts similar in some people?[/quote']

You actually bring up something very interesting. Maybe when you remove all the bad out of your diet, whatever you do put back in which is bad, might cause your body to react. For me the same is true with regular pop. If I have that I get ill and this was before being banded. After being banded I don't drink pop at all, but I have tried diet drinks. All I can say is no thank you to that now too.

Or maybe now our tastes are more heightened? I dunno. Something to think about though!

[hiddnstar 167]

I had my band for a little over 3 years and noticed that I became dairy and gluten intollerant. First it was dairy and I thought it might have been because I flooded my system with dairy Protein Drinks and adding extra Protein with whey protein, etc.

With gluten, I developed a small rash on one hand. Someone pointed it out as something her mom had which had indicated she had gluten intollerence. Long story short, I went gluten free and within days my rash was gone. Now I find if I ingest gluten, my intestines cramp up. I also have gas and bloating.

I was told that the gluten in food these days is mostly from GMO wheat. Some people call it super-gluten. I have heard that is why so many people, banded or not, are becoming gluten intollerant.

So, who knows?

I've wondered how our body deals with the band. The pouch is a much smaller space to digest food.

I think its good for everyone to have a variety of colorful, fresh foods. I do much better gluten free, diary free, and sugar free. Gas is rare, Constipation is non-existent, my mood is good, my head is more clear, I don't have the fatigue I'd experienced for so long.

Anyone else heard the GMO connection to gluten intollerance?

~hiddn

[kll724 3,055]

You actually bring up something very interesting. Maybe when you remove all the bad out of your diet, whatever you do put back in which is bad, might cause your body to react. For me the same is true with regular pop. If I have that I get ill and this was before being banded. After being banded I don't drink pop at all, but I have tried diet drinks. All I can say is no thank you to that now too.

Or maybe now our tastes are more heightened? I dunno. Something to think about though!

Actually, my husband, who is also, wheat and corn intolerant, had an attack last week while he and my daughter had stopped for onion rings. He was having hot flashes, etc. We have been NOT eating wheat, corn, etc for months now.

[Bandista 7,466]

GF is epidemic at this point -- notice how many restaurants have GF menus, etc. We were in Italy a few years ago and the public education campaign for celiac awareness was very evident. Our modern-day wheat is not what wheat once was -- it is hybrid, disease-resistant and making many humans sick.

[hiddnstar 167]

I have also heard animals are getting sick from the GM wheat and corn, especially cows.

It is getting harder and harder for farmers and growers to keep their crops pure; winds blow across the invisible boundary lines of land and turn natural crops into GM crops.

It's a sad situation.

~hiddn

[B-52 7,113]

The band has changed my "tastes" 180 degrees...things that used to be appealing, I have lost all interest in...for instance, green leafy salads...now they simply do not appeal to me anymore...there are many other foods that are that way....I simply do not have an appeal for them anymore....

Having said that, I have found I consume less and less dairy products...with the exception of ice cream, hardly any at all...and I am even loosing interest in that....also, I do not ave a appetite for "wheat" products anymore....breads, Pasta, pastries...whatever....

It did not happen because of side effects for me, it was just that the closer I got to the Green Zone, the more I lost not tastes in certain foods, but interest and hunger also.

[kll724 3,055]

I really hate when I know that I am hungry, but nothing is appetizing! I am like b-52. There was a lot that I ate when I did not have the band, that I do not eat today. Most red meat doesn't appeal to me, and salads don't either. I eat very little bread, it doesn't say eat me anymore! And, the only dairy I have is butter because my hubby and I both test 4+ on dairy.

[much2gain 12]

Strange question... what does the gas and bloating feel like? I've had my band for about a year and a half and still not quite to the "green zone". My definition of "full" is not near the band since I can eat just about anything but in smaller quantities. Now, if I eat too much I get a pain in my side just under my port area and then it moves into my digestive track. Not to get to personal but it will then move into a tight abdomen feeling (bloating?) that can last up to 24 hours. I've tried gluten free and that didn't seem to make a difference. I'm generally not a big dairy eater either. It's just food in general. Anyone else get the pain in their side and then the bloating?

[SarahRN482 66]

Let me start by saying-- I'm not complaining, just commenting and looking to see if other people have experienced this.

Through a painful and expensive (to my insurance company) process, I have discovered that I've developed an intolerance to gluten or a gluten by-product (unclear). I don't have Celiac's, but products that are wheat based (bread, flour, etc.) give me an unusual amount of extreme gas bloating, pain, and Constipation. I did not have this intolerance before I had my band and cut most wheat products out of my diet for almost two years while I followed my low-carb band diet. But I definitely have it now. I'm wondering if this is a coincidence, or if there is any anecdotal evidence that severely restricting wheat-based carbs for a couple of years could have triggered a digestion issue when I reintroduced them. Anyone else have problems?

A little more info: I am 3 years post-band and I've lost and maintained a 100lb+ loss. I spent the first year pretty hard-core low carb via doctor instruction, and the second year I slowly added carbs and non-band friendly foods back in until I was eating pretty much anything, including bread and (drinking) beer for a good portion of year 3. Over the year, I put on 10 lbs. I also had a consistent and really painful issue with bloating and gas. When I went to see an urgent care specialist for chest pain, he sent me for a CT scan of my chest and abdomen to check my lungs (pain consistent with a pulmonary embolism) but it came back clean, including no band issues and it was chalked up to referred diaghram pain from surgical adhesions. About 4 months later, I was in Asia and had to go to the emergency room for chest pain and severe abdominal pain that came on in the middle of the night, and they diagnosed it as gas/reflux. I thought, "huh". And also, "good, no surgery in Asia required!". Then, back at home 3 months later and I've been dealing with this horrible constant bloating and piercing gas pain that isn't responding to any otc medication, so I go to my pcp. She did an x-ray to check for an obstruction, given the degree of pain and bloating. Her words: "I have never seen someone's entire digestive track extended like that without being able to see an obvious large obstruction." So, worried that I had a small obstruction that an X-ray wasn't picking up, she sent me for my second CT scan in a year. Which again came back clean. So basically, it came down to testing reactions to various foods. Started with lactose, and didn't seem to be an issue. Then, just by happenstance, I decided to get those 10 lbs I'd gained back off by going back to low-carb. I cut out all carbs for a week, then added in just low-glycemic fruits and veggies. . . and, symptoms disappeared. Completely. No pain, no bloating, no gas. So we started "testing". I seem to be able to sometimes tolerate low amounts of gluten, as long as I don't overdo it but it's a bit of a gamble. Bread is a definite no-go. I'm not allergic, but wheat-based carbs digest a lot differently now than they did in the 34 years I lived before the band.

It is a relief to know what is going on because I can control it by diet, and heck, it's in my band's best interest to cut out the bread crap anyway

So, yeah. That's my story. What do you think?

You took this question right out of my head! Since being banded in September of last year, I can not tolerate grains at all. Rice I can tolerate on occasion, and only in the former of a rice cake/chip, but as far as anything wheat based, no way. I tried to eat one pita cracker with my lunch and was writhing in pain in a matter of seconds as soon as I swallowed. I haven't talked to my doctor about this yet, but I definitely have the confidence to discuss this with the dietician at work (I'm a nurse), and I'm curious to hear her take on this!

Just know that you aren't alone!