Wheat free diet and info for the in denial.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

For ages there has always been 'something' wrong that I can't put my finger on to do with my digestion and general sluggishness.

Now at 20 weeks pregnant it is in the extreme and my mw has suggested I cut out wheat for a month and see if things improve.

I don't even really know what wheat is, let alone what it is in. Would cutting out things like bread and pasta etc help even if I am unwittingly eating it in other ways that I don't know about?

Can anyone give me any clues as to how to go about it?

Many tia

I'm a bit concerned your MW has just suggested it off the cuff like that! Cutting a major part of a food group out of your diet in pregnancy should be done with the help of a dietician. Could you ask her to refer you?

I have coeliac disease and tbh cutting gluten (or wheat) out is no easy feat as it's in everything from stock, soya sauce, mayo to ribena and yogurts. If you are going to the trouble of substituting to rice etc, there's not much point if you then unintentionally add a sauce containing wheat (easily done).

I had the same digestive issues in pregnancy (despite being GF) and found lactose to be partially the cause, eps the fullness/hunger. I think pregnancy itself is a cause some people. My GP prescribed metoclopramide in the end which is an anti-emetic and a pro-kinetic & safe in pregnancy. It enables food pass through your digestive system faster which helped with the bloating/sugglishness. Made a massive difference.

Oats are ok btw as long as they special GF ones that have not been prepared on a wheat line. The whole thing is a faff & i would ask for a referral.

It does depend on your GP or midwife, though. I told mine how I felt, and they both told me it was fine to stop eating gluten, so long as I substituted with rice or potatoes, and took a Vit B supplement.

I was tested for coeliac, but was negative (as was my sister, brother, dad, grandma...), and GP said it was just one of those unknowns. Give it a few years, they will have a name for it and a test, but for now, if you are more comfortable avoiding gluten, then avoid it.

My brother went as far as a consultant, who said exactly the same thing.

If it makes you feel better, then it really isn't the end of the world, just a bit of a pain.

dh avoids wheat and his gut problems have now resolved. You can be sensitive to wheat/gluten without being coeliac. Coeliac is the most extreme form of gluten intolerance where it's actually led to a disease process, whereas an intolerance will cause uncomfortable symptoms.

"dh avoids wheat and his gut problems have now resolved. You can be sensitive to wheat/gluten without being coeliac."

Totally - i think many people aren't coeliacs but intolerant/allergic. I would imagine process of eliminating it from the diet are the same though or may be there's not the need to be so stringent. I'm not sure. Have been flamed for suggesting this in the past though!

dh isn't stringent. He still consumes gluten in gravy powder and sauces etc. It's mainly bread and pasta that causes him problems. It must be difficult being coeliac because gluten is in so many things.

Many, many people are intolerant to gluten and it often shows itself up as IBS ( was interviewing an expert dietician on this today.)

1:5 people can have IBS and the intolerance to gluten is because we have not evolved to have a grain-based diet.

You cannot do yourself much harm by leaving wheat/gluten out of a diet. Man survived for 1000s years without eating grains.

It IS a pain to avoid it completely which coeliacs have to, but TBH as someone who has been gluten free for almost 20 years, it's not that hard- in fact it has become much easier because all packaged food now shows the allergens on the packaging.

If you cook from scratch and avoid bottled suaces, gravy, and lots of other things in cans and cartons, then you will be fine.

I started with symptoms from bread and pasta but now can't tolerate oats either ( stomach cramp and evil farts), yet tested neg for coeliac. It's driving me mad as I go to the gym a fair bit and find I crave an easy carb snack- seeded bread or a hot x bun. The gluten free substitutes aren't awful, but arent substantial enough iyswim. Has anyone seen gluten free oatcakes anywhere?

Ameliagrey, it's good to hear from someone who knows a bit more detail. My mil thinks I'm being faddy, and my DH humours me but, because it doesn't have a "test", he is a bit sceptical.

In our family, it always shows as IBS, but with the added fun of sore throats and ulcers. It started in pregnancy with my sister and me, but my brother was set off by a bad gastro bug.

My dad, very sadly, had IBS symptoms all of his adult life, tested for everything imaginable, never found anything, until it turned nasty.

Late grandma and great uncle also never ate, as it hurt to eat. My aunt is currently being tested for exactly the same thing, being told it's IBS and is refusing point blank to try a gluten free diet because she tested negative for coeliac. She lives in sandwiches and cake, between hospital and doctors appointments!

Sorry, but it's such a sore point with us.

Crikey, I've been suspecting for years that IBS is wheat/gluten intolerance. One of my colleagues has this and she improved when she gave up wheat. I wish people would realise that you can still be gluten intolerant, but negative for coeliac (my colleague tested negative for coeliac too)

There is a new diet for IBS which is being tried by dieticians. It is an exclusion diet and wheat is one of the main causes of people's IBS along with caffeine and alcohol.

You have to avoid wheat ( and gluten ) for up to 8 weeks to see if it helps.

Let's hope that GPs are prepared to take this on board and recommend the diet to people then. I find they're very sceptical about things like this and a lot of people must be suffering unneccessarily

I've found Wagamamas to be very good for allergy and intolerance: if you ask, they always have a large book that they can produce which has a page for all of the major allergens. It lists which dishes on the menu are suitable for what allergy, and also any modifications that might be necessary to make the dish tolerable.

I do struggle in cafe's though. When everybody else just picks up a sandwich in Costa/Nero/Starbucks, what do you do? I know I should be more prepared but sometimes I forget to take a lunch to work, and need ideas of what you can just grab and go?

hiddenhome- I think GPs are often the last to know or suggest new treatments unless they are interested in the topic.

IMO it is best to do your own research, and try out things for yourself.

Most dieticians accept self-referrals without seeing a GP ( if they also work privately) so people have to take responsibility for their own health.

oxcat - Gourmet burger are also very good, as are nandos & carluccious. They first two have a book you can look through.

In terms of on the go food you just have to get to know who does what, bring your own or go without. I often end up without as the availability is so poor or i just don't fancy another salad.

Starbuck do a GF chicken pesto sandwich. Cafe nero does a nice GF brownie. M&S have the best options for lunch. Some of their salalds are GF/wheat free (crayfish, indian chicken, egg, ham & potato) and their labelling is clear & accurate.

If you are wheat rather than GF soups could be a good option.

waitrose now do a couple of gf sandwiches in their grab and go range - also the other bits in their lunch range, like falafels, or different veg sticks with houmous etc (NB check the allergens listings - I often eat these, but am ok with gluten). the sandwiches are the more boring end of the range (imo) - egg and cress etc, but at least they are making an appearance.

Agree, grabbing lunch is a problem. That, and Italian restaurants. I get a bit fed up if salads.

Still, it could be worse - my brother cannot eat gluten, has a severe lactose intolerance and also reacts to onions. Now, there's a challenge!

Have you ever had a blood test for coeliac disease ?

If not, it might be an idea to have one before launching yourself into a wheat free ( and therefore greatly reduced gluten intake ) world.

(For it to work you must for several weeks beforehand be on a diet which includes significant amounts of gluten.)

nutmeg - that's very sensible actually, although i was diagnosed by chance through a random biopsy. My blood subsequent test was negative.

"I am the opposite. I have to get up to eat or I feel sick. If I don't eat within 30 mins of getting up then I feel empty and sick."

I think that is unusual. I am never hungry when I wake up. I always have breakfast because I feel horrible by mid morning if I don't. So I have a small breakfast - either a small bowl of cereal, a slice of toast or a banana. That keeps me going until lunchtime.

If you can't face toast, cereal or something like that for breakfast, try having a fruit smoothie, either home made or bought. I can't either and yoghurt makes me feel ill (suspect I might be somewhat dairy intolerant) but smoothies are ok, and keep me going until 11am or so by which point I can cope with proper food.

Sadly I eat pretty much anything but can't stand fruit generally. I find it mostly too tart, except for bananas which I'm not overly keen on. Apples I can tolerate at lunch time but they are still forced. I doubt I could manage them for breakfast.

However, I did manage a natural yoghurt this morning and a forced apple and it was a pita to eat tbh but not horrid. I think I am better with savoury things though. What is there that is quick?

I coukd perhaps do a boiled egg and yoghurt. Would that work?

What coukd I spread cream cheese or marmite on?

I do buy gluten free stuff for breakfast - GF porridge is fine. If you have a Waitrose, they sell "breakfast rolls" which taste exactly like brioche and, if you're very lucky, their GF fruit loaf is really really good (have been known to eat half a loaf in one day ).

Otherwise, yoghurt with chopped bananas, or dried apricots is good.

Sorry, your mw suggested giving up wheat? And why, exactly? Is she a dietician? A doctor? Is this part of a mw's remit these days?

Lots of people feel lousy throughout pg, (myself included). But you would help yourself by trying a decent, balanced diet before you start cutting out a whole food group. Whether you eat wheat or not, it's glaringly obvious your body isn't nourished by having nothing but toast for half the day.
You need to eat some protein with every meal - that's a decent amount of eggs, cheese, meat, beans. This keeps blood sugar levels stable and keeps you full longer so you're less likely to have cravings for sweet things.
By all means replace the wasted calories scone with, say, dried apricots and nuts, but if you start the day running on empty you won't feel much better for it.

Yes, wheat can have a negative effect on people's general health, but if you just replace what you're having now with wheat-free alternatives you won't feel any better.

I think you'd benefit more from genning-up on what constitutes good nutrition thqn by blindly following the half-baked advice of your mw.

I know about good nutrition. I used to work for a body that had nutrition as a huge aspect of what they did - in their marketing department. I was forever creating questionnaire for people to analyse their diets.

It doesn't make eating breakfast any more palatable. If I eat it my productive day is over.

Having said that a protien for breakfast might be worth a try although I doubt I'll feel like it.

The pregnancy is only making worse something that I have had for years.