December 04, 2014

The Latest Diagnosis

When I had my last colonoscopy, there were a couple of polyps.  So it was recommended I have another colonoscopy after five years.  I tried putting it off but even my internist started nagging, so two weeks ago, I finally had it done.  And today I got the results.

No polyps but diverticulosis and inflammation (I knew that right afterward though).  The results today were that biopsies were all negative (yay) but the inflammation and reflux is from celiac disease (boo).

I have suspected gluten intolerance from things friends have said before, but I never felt like I had an immediate bad reaction after eating something with gluten in it.  After the initial consult with the gastroenterologist where he prescribed cholestyramine, I started doing a little research and found that gallbladder disease is often caused by gluten intolerance.  I sooooo wish I had had a way to research before having my gallbladder removed but it wasn't as easy back then.  I absolutely wouldn't go that route now.  But it's done and now I have to live with the resulting problems.  But now I wonder if I haven't had celiac disease all along and that is what caused my gallstones.

Celiac disease can cause most of the problems attributed to candida, but then it also weakens the immune system so something like candida can take over.  Either way, it appears I will be on a diet that controls both.

So now the doctor wants to put me on a post gallbladder removal diet that will heal the gut and of course be gluten-free.  It sounds really restrictive for awhile.  And right before Christmas too.  Great timing.

After a while I hope to go back to a normal, or fairly normal paleo diet.  Hubby will eat most paleo recipes for meats and vegetables but he still craves his sweets, and quite frankly, so do I.  I've tried several paleo muffins and cookies that reviewers said were so good that non-paleo people didn't know they were paleo.  I beg to differ.  After 6 weeks with no sugar or fruit, even an apple tastes like quite a treat and a paleo cookie may be also, but to the tongue used to Nestle's chocolate chip cookies, a paleo cookie is pretty bad.  Since Hubby isn't going to go totally paleo, it would be nice to find a treat that would please both of us.  I know I don't have the will power to make his treats without tasting.  Maybe much, much later.

Another bump in the road for me is that coconut is one of the best things for healing the gut.  And I loathe coconut.  I hate the taste and the smell.  I can't even stand to be next to someone wearing coconut suntan oil.  So learning to tolerate coconut is going to be quite a challenge.

5 comments:

  1. Glad to hear of the negative results. I would miss sweets too, they are my favourites.

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  2. Hurrah for the good news and boo for the bad. Sometimes the cures seem worse than the disease. Hopefully you will respond really quickly and be able to moderate your diet. I share your pain with the coconut, it's my least favorite food (well it might be better than haggis).

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  3. I hope that you can get to grips with the diet and find a path that suits your body (and your taste buds) best. I have a friend with Diverticulitis and my sister is Gluten Intolerant so I know how ill they feel if they eat the wrong foods. My sister has become something of the 'find exciting substitutes' queen. She bakes all her own food using GF products. Let me know if you want a particular recipe, and I'll ask her for advice. Jx

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  4. Diet restrictions are the pits, but now you have a plan of attack for feeling better - go and conquer!

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  5. Diets are always the pits, But it could be worse. I know that doesn't help much but I will say a prayer for you to be able to stick to whatever your have to do through the Christmas season.

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