Is it normal to feel very tired after a poo if you have celiac or gluten sensitivity?

[ffswhat]

I have autoimmune conditions already, including type 1 diabetes and hypothyroidism which I believe have some sort of connection to celiac, and my doctor keeps encouraging me to try cutting out gluten for 6 to 89 weeks to see if it makes any difference in terms of energy levels and brain fogginess.

She told me yesterday there can be a form of non celiac gluten sensitivity, haven't read up on this yet. I do know however that you can indeed have celiac without it showing on blood tests, and that only a biopsy can confirm or rule out but definitely don't want to do this!

Could honestly just cry at the thoughts of going gluten free as my diet is quite complicated already and have no digestive symptoms, apart from some mild constipation (and then fast transit!) premenstrually/ on my period. But I always thought this was normal for periods. Bagels, which I eat the odd time, do make me feel like there's a rock in my stomach, but not other bread.

But. I do feel really, really tired after pooing on top of my normal poor energy. It used to be not often but more and more as I approach 40. Could that be a clue that my body can't cope with gluten as well as it used to?

Is this something others experience? Almost like your digestive system is exhausted from the effort of processing the gluten out of your system?

Is anyone else not celiac but gluten markedly affects them?

And finally if I am in fact merely gluten sensitive (but not celiac) is it ok to sometimes have gluten if I crumble and really NEED the sourdough bread etc?

This sounds quite familiar to me - not your specific auto immune but I do have other chronic stuff going on which is linked to immune system. Also IBS type symptoms certainly led to constipation then ‘fast transit’ when on period (now post menopausal).
Blood test negative for Coeliac but I do find gluten inflammatory and feel loads better when I don’t eat it (less bloating and joint pain).

I was told by my GP that therefore having gluten should be ok if I wanted to. Can you try cutting it out for a couple of weeks?

The thing about auto immune diseases is that your body is in a permanent state of inflammation. Gluten , like sugar, alcohol, dairy and caffeine are all inflammatory. So if you wanted to support your body and give your digestive system a break and chance to heal, then you need to cut down on the inflammatory elements.
The best way to make permanent changes is to do them gradually until they become the norm. And yes you can let go of these familiar comfort foods and embrace new ones, nothing terrible is going to happen. Give the good a chance.

I feel like I can't understand this thing about inflammation. Do you have any pointers to where I could start reading in a way that explains it?

And yes you can let go of these familiar comfort foods and embrace new ones, nothing terrible is going to happen

Well, that depends rather. I manage my type 1 diabetes with excellent control and that is no mean feat, but it does mean a lot of hard work around food already.

I rely a lot on cheese and other foods that have no impact on blood sugar to avoid stubborn highs, and then on quick snacks (like a piece of bread) that DO raise blood sugar, to stave off lows.

I rely on cups of tea for comfort when I can't eat anything because blood sugar isn't playing fairly.

Cutting out more foods and caffeine feels incredibly restrictive, which does actually sound pretty terrible

Coeliac disease is mainly diagnosed by blood test now rather than biopsy as it was on the past. They are able to get round the blood test issues nowadays.
I wouldn’t cut out gluten until you have been tested for Coeliac disease.
Otherwise you can just cut out gluten. There is nothing particular in gluten itself that you need. You can get your carbohydrates from other sources - rice, potatoes, GF bread/pasta.

I think I'd make my own wholemeal bread or sourdough and see if that helps. Certainly if you buy bread from a supermarket it's poor quality, whatever it is called.

I’m not coeliac but definitely gluten intolerant I also have a non specific connective tissue disorder
I avoid gluten because it makes my IBS uncontrollable - increases tiredness and bloating etc
once you get used to it - becomes much easier

It's not from a supermarket, but a local award winning bakery, and only contains 3 ingredients.

I think it would be worth mentioning that symptom to your GP or consultant, just in case its an issue with your vagus nerve.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22279-vagus-nerve

I held off cutting out gluten for years but it made such a difference, can’t really believe I thought I loved bread more than feeling well!
Trouble is, if you cut out gluten and it really helps, then you have to go back onto it quite intensively before testing. I think it’s a good idea to get the test before cutting it out.
I suspect feeling tired when you poo could be connected to feeling tired or a vagal/feeling faint type reaction though not sure. I find it exhausting but I’m often exhausted anyway. So might not be directly related. Also worth checking if your iron is low if you’re tired with tummy problems.
I found that a lot of the additives in gluten free products make me unwell, so it helps me to avoid the processed gluten free food most of the time. Could be worth avoiding the substitutes if you test whether gluten free suits you.
I have heard that some people tolerate sourdough better so hopefully that’s a thing!!

And finally if I am in fact merely gluten sensitive (but not celiac) is it ok to sometimes have gluten if I crumble and really NEED the sourdough bread etc?

I think the main difference between coeliac and non-coeliac intolerance is that gluten causes actual damage to the lining of the gut etc in coeliac. This can lead to long term problems like malabsorption of nutrients, or increased risk of cancer. If you're just sensitive to it, it's more the short term symptoms you have to worry about, upset stomach, fatigue etc. So you can sometimes accept these as the cost if you have occasional sourdough that simply must be eaten!