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MichelleLee

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Hello! 

I am a 42 year old female who has had stomach issues since I was a little girl. I have had multiple tests done (several years ago) and ended up being told it was probably IBS. My symptoms seem to be escalating currently, and I am left wondering if it is IBS or if it could be celiac disease. Primarily, I am dealing with excessive gas, gas that often feels trapped inside my colon and/or bowel. I often feel like I have little "bombs" going off inside my stomach or intestinal tract. I get bloated and often have significant stomach pain. I have not been able to accurately identify which types of foods make this worse. Lately, I am also noticing what feels like more water retention in my hands, and my weight seems to be rising slightly. I am hypersensitive to weight gain and body image, so this concerns me. I am considering trying a gluten free diet to see if that helps, but also have read about the low FODMAP diet...some things coincide while others contradict one another in these two diets. Also, please note I have hypothyroidism as well that I have been taking both synthroid and cytomel for many years to control. My stools: sometimes I will be constipated, and other times (like currently), my stools will float and be difficult to flush with lots of gas.

So, my first question is: for those of you with similar symptoms, do mine sound more like IBS or more like celiac? Also, are there over the counter or even homeopathic medicines that you have found to help with these symptoms? Which diet would you recommend or how would you recommend I proceed at this point?

Thank you for any help/guidance you can offer.

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Jeffrey Roberts

Hello MichelleLee,

Your symptoms give me a feeling that you should have your gallbladder checked. Sometimes floating stools that are difficult to flush, could be related to a gallstone issue.

Celiac disease is more than just an intolerance to gluten. Gluten damages your small intestine leading to all sorts of issues. You could have symptoms of the following:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Bloating and gas
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Iron-deficiency anemia
  • Itchy, blistery skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis)
  • Joint pain
  • Missed periods
  • Mouth ulcers and canker sores
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Osteoporosis and osteomalacia
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Reduced functioning of the spleen (hyposplenism)
  • Weight loss

There is certainly an overlap of IBS, but many symptoms you never see with IBS like joint pain, unintentional weight loss, skin rash, etc.. If you fit the symptoms above then talk to your doctor. I don't recommend going gluten-free on it's own.

Your symptoms of trapped gas is quite common for someone with IBS. If this is IBS, a low FODMAP diet might help you identify foods which are contributing to your symptoms. It's best to for with a dietitian on this diet. It's not meant to be a permanent diet but a tool to help you find out which foods trouble you the most.

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Thank you for your thoughtful response. I didn't realize that I failed to include many of the symptoms you listed. I have plenty of abdominal discomfort and pain, vary between constipation and diarrhea/loose stools, struggle with fatigue (I am also hypothyroid, so I assumed it was from that), anxiety, more achiness in the joints/muscles, my periods last for a very short period of time (2 days usually), but the PMS leading up to it is getting worse. I have frequent headaches, the occasional migraine, and nausea at times. 

As for the gallbladder, would these types of symptoms be off and on? Is that consistent with gall stones? I had my gall bladder tested years ago, but not recently. I did begin a gluten free diet on Tuesday, and have to say that my stomach pain and trapped gas has not been present. It has been only a few days, but I am hopeful...


Thanks,

Michelle

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Jeffrey Roberts

I don't know enough about gallbladder issues or even celiac to really give you good advice.

I have read that the evidence is conflicting on whether gluten-free diets improve symptoms of IBS so maybe you do have something else going on.

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