Is gluten the culprit?

I had RNY in August of 2008. Recently I've been having some odd symptoms and I'm not sure what the cause is but I'm leaning toward maybe a gluten intolerance. Some of the symptoms I've had for a couple of years, but others have started and gotten worse in the last month. Here's the list:

Really loud gurgly stomach after meals

ear aches

head and neck pain every day

dandruff

hypoglycemia

fatigue

dizziness

canker sores

nausea after eating

really smelly liquidy stools

I've developed an allergy to cats

I've gained about 15 pounds

constantly thirsty

muscle pain, especially in back shoulders and chest

itchy, runny nose with sores inside nose

for some reason I can no longer wear my contact lenses. my eyes get dry and itchy and uncomfortable

I'm almost always cold

my skin is itchy. No rashes, could just be dry from winter weather

My memory is terrible. I have trouble remembering things and conversations I had the day before. I'll walk from one room to another and completely forget what I was going to do. This happens justt about every day.

I know it could be lots of other things with all those symptoms, but I'm just about convinced it's something I'm eating. I see my doctor tomorrow and discussing all this with him. I just thought I'd see if anyone else has experienced anything similar. 

Thanks!

The first few things that pop into mind are hypothyroid, vitamin deficiency, extending allergy (yes, perhaps gluten). Lots on your plate...hope you feel better, soon! You can start with removing gluten and see how you do. Hopefully your doctor will have some good ideas, too. Good luck!

Thanks for responding. Had a total thyroidectomy in 2005 due to follicular thyroid cancer. Had thyroid labs done in Jan. and TSH was 0.3 so not hypo. 

After a terrible reaction yesterday morning, I decided to go gluten free. Don't really see a difference yet but I realize it could take a while to get out of my system. 

 

I was dealing with really bad RH.  I could not even eat fruits.  that also turned into Hypoglycemia. 

One day I decided to eliminate all starchy carbs. Including gluten.  after 3 weeks on that - I no longer had to deal with hypoglycemia. It has been longer now - and I still try to stay gluten free (and very low carb - specially starches ) diet. But now i can eat some fruits and I am fine.  I also no longer have low blood sugar if I don't eat.  I get hungry - but no longer my BS drops below 50 if I choose not to eat or can't eat.

As for other allergies - splenda and other artificial sweeteners - Splenda causes my skin to break out, and the diet drinks make me incontinent (worse than any UTI  I ever had) .  

I still have allergies but I am quite sure i developed allergy to dairy. But I am not ready to give that up.

Try to clean your diet. and see what happens. I had to be 2 weeks free from any splenda to see my skin cleared up completely.

do you have a dietician? if not get one it's worth the money and if you don't already get a diary and start writing your meals keep track to show the dietician  and you defintiely need blood work done that will show up where your deficient .  my dietician gives me requisition forms every 6 months  to go for lab workand keeps track of anything so far so good. that's what you need to do or go see your doc tell them your symptoms and  get them to do full blood work if you haven't already had it checked.

 

all the best of luck

Agree with Kim.  Some of those symptoms could also be vitamin deficiencies.  When were your last labs and was it detailed to include TBIC, Ferritin, Iron Saturation, Vitamin A, D, E, K, B-1, B-12 and PTH?

If you've had them done lately get a copy and look at the results and trends too.  Many doctors aren't worried until you become deficient when many deficiencies can be avoided by supplementing to stop the downward trends.

I haven't had labs like that done since I was one year out which would have been 2009. They didn't tell me to come back in a year or schedule another appt after that point. I wondered about that. 

Then PLEASE talk to your doctor about having them done.  Not to scare you but it's so important, some of your symptoms (memory and such) could be irreversible of you are experiencing B vitamin deficiencies.  Here is a detailed list of labs I suggest you get done.  I don't use these codes, just the names as my lab codes vary from these.  This is a DETAILED list suggested by Vitalady based on her years of experience of what post-ops deal with deficiency-wise.

 

Not to be construed as medical advice, this list includes labs we have had performed as gastric bypass patients

 

 *80053          Comprehensive metabolic profile (sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose,BUN, creatinine, calcium, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase)  (10231)

* 84134          Pre-albumin

* 7600             Lipid profile (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, chol/HDL ratio)

* 10256          Hep panel, includes ALT (SPGT) & GGT)

* 593               LDH

* 84100          Phosphorous - inorganic  (718)

* 83735          Magnesium

* 84550          Uric acid  (905)

* 7444             Thyroid panel (T3U, T4, FTI, TSH)  (84437; 84443; 84479; 84480)

* 85025          Hemogram with platelets  (1759)

* 7573             Iron, TIBC, % sat

* 83550          Ferritin  (457)

* 84630          Zinc  (945)

* 84446          Vitamin A  (921)

* 82306          Vitamin D (25-hydroxy)   (680)

* 84052          Vitamin B-1 (thiamin)  (4052)

* 84207          Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine)

* 7065             Vitamin B-12 & folate  (82607; 82746)

* 83970          Serum intact PTH

* 31789          Homocysteine, cardio

* 83921          MMA

* 367               Cortisol

* 84255          Selenium

* 83937          Osteocalcin

* 84597          Vitamin K

* 82525          Copper

* 84590          Vitamin E

 

For diabetics: *496 - HEMOGLOBIN A1C   

I agree - you definitely need blood work and levels checked.  Vitamins deficiencies are nothing to play around with.

Good luck at finding an answer.

I have 2 family members with celiac, and have been tested myself. If you go gluten free and symptoms resolve ( may take a while) you can assume you have gluten sensitivity issues. If you go to a gastroenterologist and ask for testing to see if you have celiac they will tell you you need to be consuming gluten routinely for a while (usually around a month) before they can do the blood tests. The tests look for specific markers of immune response. If the test is positive they then do a small bowel biopsy to see how bad it is and look for signs of malignancy.
Untreated celiac may cause a slew of nutritional deficiencies such as B12. D, anemia. etc. Lactose intolerance is common when the small intestine is inflamed.
Only way to know for sure is to get tested by someone that knows what to test and how to interpret the results...
If it was me I would start with routine post op labs looking for nutrient deficiencies and talk to someone knowledgeable in them (RD, nut, mid level practitioner from surgeons office, etc) Then proceed from there.