Help - are these intolerances, autoimmune, what???

[kavvLar]

I would love some advice please. I'm struggling like mad to work out how to manage what I think are food intolerances. GPs have been thorough but have ground to a halt and I hope that someone will recognise this.

I seem to have developed problems with certain foods in the last five years. If I eat any grains I end up fatigued, swollen, foggy headed and with very sore joints, as if I've been exercising and strained all my muscles. I've cut these out completely which is tricky but I feel better for it.

I'm also suspicious that dairy and sugar have a bad effect on me. I get a really loose tummy and severe fatigue if I eat chocolate or ice cream. I also felt better when cutting out the night shades - potato tomato and pepper.

I have had coeliac bloods and gut biopsy, both while I went back on grains for a month, both came back negative. I also have an underactive thyroid with auto immune markers, this is well controlled by thyroxine. I am low in vitamin D and am currently taking an eight week course of high grade supplements.

I saw a dietitian and a gut specialist both of whom said there's no test for food intolerance other than exclusion. Excluding all of these groups does make me feel better.

So what am I asking? Not sure myself really. DH has serious allergies and intolerances and I somehow assumed there was a bit more science to it than just cutting out huge swathes of food groups on a hunch. I'm also terrified that there will end up being more and more things I can't eat and I'll miss out on essential nutrients.

Has anyone else had any similar experiences? Is there something I'm missing? Any input very welcome.

[Pleasemrstweedie]

I'm in a similar position, hypothyroid, vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the past and mounting allergy/intolerance problems.

I'm currently eating gluten at two meals a day for a celiac screen. I had a slice of cake today and now have profuse diarrhoea again. However, I can eat my own cake and bread without any problems.

I also have problems with antibiotics, household cleaners, but the GP I saw last summer refused me a referral to an allergy clinic saying there was no evidence!

I just know I need to sort it out somehow, but the only way I can see is never to eat any food I have not prepared myself.

[ChalkHearts]

Google 'leaky gut' and see if that sounds like what you have.

[kavvLar]

Mother of god Chalkhearts I have every single symptom of leaky gut. Every. Single. One. How in heaven's name has no one mentioned this to me before now?

[sunnydayinmay]

I have had auto immune thyroid problems in the past (cleared up now), and am vitamin D deficient. I twstvnegative for celieac, but have serious problems with gluten. Dairy gives my a loose tummy and wind. Eggs make me constipated. I have a severe reaction to ginger.

In my case, it is almost certainly hereditary. Doctors could do nothing, so I just follow and exclusion diet.

[Minime85]

Sounds similar to me. I haven't eaten gluten for 15 years. Dietician just told me to eat more fibre including wheat. I can't eat oranges, too many tomatoes or tomato based products, too much cheese or cooked cheese, nothing fizzy or cold from fridge or freezer and no coffee for over 20 years. My list has gradually got longer. I find doctors think I'm making a fuss and following a fad but I know my health is better without these things and I can't function if I have them. I try now to eat small quantities of things now so not overdoing anything.

So don't have any helpful advice but just to embrace it I guess and there is so much more out there now then when I started to do this it at least makes it bareable

[kavvLar]

Minime that's exactly how the doctors make you feel, like you're being faddy. I am absolutely intrigued by this leaky gut thing though - I never looked at the food issues as a symptom of something bigger.