If the lo carb diet seems to improve your health...

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Lorenzo - 08 Mar 2004 14:31 GMT

Thought I would share a few points learned from hard experience.

If lo carb dieting makes your intestines perform more like you think they
should have been but weren't, then there is a possibility that you are
experiencing relief from an autoimmune condition known as "Gluten Sensitive
Enteropathy" (GSE). It has several other names such as Celiac Disease,
Celiac Sprue or just Sprue.

The Atkins Diet alone may not do it, but if you have eliminated all carbs,
and notice a major improvement, then you should consider medical testing for
the condition. The improvements depend on having eliminated a wheat, barley
and rye from your diet, and if that helps some, you also eliminate things
made from them as well.

There are seriously important medical consequences of having GSE and not
taking care of it. The tests are performed on samples of blood, and they
should use a test battery including both IgA as well as IgG, not just a
single IgA test. Unfortunately if you have been off those foodstuffs long
enough to notice some improvement you must use those foods for a couple of
weeks before the blood tests.

If you think you have GSE see alt.support.celiac

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Brigitte J. - 08 Mar 2004 15:35 GMT

> Thought I would share a few points learned from hard experience.
>
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> If you think you have GSE see alt.support.celiac

If someone did have this "GSE", and had changed their way of eating for a
lifetime, would diagnosis change anything?

From what you describe, it sounds as if my husband may have this "GSE". I
always suspected he had some sort of problem with gluten sensitivity, but
with the Atkins lifestyle, his symptoms are gone and don't see how an actual
diagnosis would change anything.

If I'm wrong, please correct me...

Brigitte J.

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Lorenzo - 08 Mar 2004 15:47 GMT

That was what I thought at first, too. After getting a gluten free cookbook
for Christmas I read the foreword by a gastroenterologist which got me
interested.

Then I started doing web-research in some medical journals and university
sites and the more I read the more alarmed I became. There are a number of
very serious potential problems that ensue from not carefully avoiding all
gluten, some of which you will want to have your doctors be aware of.

And doctors typically dismiss any notions about GSE if it hasn't been
confirmed by doctors.

The nastiest consequence of untreated GSE is a significantly elevated risk
of intestinal lymphoma - cancer. Other things that apparently go along with
it are Type I Diabetes, two different sorts of Thyroiditis, various neural
problems, more frequent sinus infections, and variously a lot of other
"autoimmune" problems.

If you get "diagnosed" then you can have your doctors be on the lookout for
these other problems, some of which go unnoticed until much suffering has
been ignored before the symptoms get bad enough to make it obvious that the
patient is having serious problems.

I can provide even more detail if you would like.

Does this help?

> > Thought I would share a few points learned from hard experience.
> >
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>
> Brigitte J.

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Sunshyne - 08 Mar 2004 20:59 GMT

> That was what I thought at first, too. After getting a gluten free cookbook
> for Christmas I read the foreword by a gastroenterologist which got me
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Does this help?

Your information helped alot. I did a quick research on it, and then
seen a picture of the rash involved with it. I have been having a rash
for over a month. The creams and ointments are not helping. The rash
is at its worse, worse than it ever has been. I have bone and joint
pain. Thats where Fibromyalgia comes in. The docs have thought I had
thyroid problems now for a couple years, but tests always come back
negative for that. I have had IBS for a time now. But still have
problmes with painful BM's. I have tests all the time to rule out
Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. The list could go on, I am a mess
physically. Depression has been a big problem for a couple years, the
low carb diet seems to have taken care of that.

Its something to bring up to my doctor. Again, thanks for sharing the
info.

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Bear - 08 Mar 2004 23:08 GMT

Hey Sunshyne - I think we are psychiclly *sp?* or something. I was just
thinking of pinging you because I haven't seen you post lately and here you
are! How's the weight loss going? Are you still trying to excercise or are
you giving yourself a break. Let us know.

Signature

Bear
Grrrrrrrrrrrr :o)
297/268.5/210
Highest weight 353
http://home.earthlink.net/~polarbear50/index.html

> > That was what I thought at first, too. After getting a gluten free cookbook
> > for Christmas I read the foreword by a gastroenterologist which got me
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
> Its something to bring up to my doctor. Again, thanks for sharing the
> info.

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Sunshyne - 09 Mar 2004 03:06 GMT

> Hey Sunshyne - I think we are psychiclly *sp?* or something. I was just
> thinking of pinging you because I haven't seen you post lately and here you
> are! How's the weight loss going? Are you still trying to excercise or are
> you giving yourself a break. Let us know.

Thanx for asking Bear, I think we are having the same wavelength too.

I wasn't feeling all too great to come online the last couple days.
Been resting, recuperating. I did pick up some books at the library on
exercising and also fibromyalgia, one in particular I really like is
Chi Fitness. I gave it a try and like it alot so far. I am starting a
aerobic class through my church later this week. Its directed by a
physical trainer. Will take it easy at first.

My starting weight on Jan. 17th was 267. I am weighing in at 237 now.
Nice even number. I look forward to going into the 220's. Taking it 10
pounds at a time I guess. When I drop below 200.. Which I havn't in 10
years, I will be so happy. I am still sticking to 20-25 carbs daily. I
have alot of weight to lose. I will then start adding in carbs to find
my level of carbs I can take in without gaining.. (Forgot the
abbreviation)

I was hard on myself lately. I expected a bigger inprovement with the
Fibro and all. Then the flare hit last week, with too much exercise. I
could have overdid it when the nice weather hit too.

I also am job searching. The job market sucks. In Ohio it really
sucks.

My 11 year old is so excited about his weight loss. We decided to stop
packing his lunch, and just eat at school. He started at 202. He
weighed himself tonight and he weighed in at 180. He also did a cheat
last weekend, with a large fry. So, not bad really.. considering. With
the nice weather last week, he was really active after school. He
played alot of football, and rode his bike alot. Now its cold, windy
and snowy again. But spring is right around the corner.

My 17 yr. old is losing weight still. Not as much, or as fast as he
would like. His weight started out around 250, he is around 230 right
now. He isn't as active in exercising as my 11 yr. old is. Trying to
find something for him to try, that will keep him interested.

How about you Bear? How have you been doing?

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Bear - 09 Mar 2004 03:57 GMT

30 pounds down! Woohoo! Way to go. It sounds like the whole families numbers
are on the way down. Hey even if it's slow its going down and not up!
I'm doing well. Got unstuck from my short stall. The scale keeps slowly
creeping down. I love this WOE. It's so easy to maintain. I just found a
store here that sells some great lo-carb stuff. I was finally able to get
some Mt. Olive bread and butter pickles. I was really missing sweet pickles.
Also got some thicknthin. Great stuff. I made stew over the weekend and it
was thick and delicious.
I've got 1-1/2 pounds to go to hit 30 down. I'm psyched. Having the littel
goals is great strategy.
Take it easy on the class at your church. Please don't overdo it again. OK?

Signature

Bear
Grrrrrrrrrrrr :o)
297/268.5/210
Highest weight 353
http://home.earthlink.net/~polarbear50/index.html

> > Hey Sunshyne - I think we are psychiclly *sp?* or something. I was just
> > thinking of pinging you because I haven't seen you post lately and here you
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
>
> How about you Bear? How have you been doing?

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PJx - 08 Mar 2004 16:57 GMT

I would suggest you NOT get the testing done if the symptoms are
gone. Just keep doing what you are doing. What a waste of time and
money....

Doctors kill more people than (fill in the blank... but they kill a
lot of people).
PJ

>> Thought I would share a few points learned from hard experience.
>>
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>
>Brigitte J.

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Laurence - 08 Mar 2004 19:35 GMT

That is certainly an option, but in these days of "managed care" it could be
difficult to get insurance to pay for some of the other testing you should
have done on a periodic basis unless they have a GSE diagnosis as reason for
paying for the testing. And if you don't know for sure about GSE you might
not be as careful as one should who does have GSE.

> I would suggest you NOT get the testing done if the symptoms are
> gone. Just keep doing what you are doing. What a waste of time and
[quoted text clipped - 42 lines]
> >
> >Brigitte J.

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LCer09 - 09 Mar 2004 01:51 GMT

>That is certainly an option, but in these days of "managed care" it could be
>difficult to get insurance to pay for some of the other testing you should
>have done on a periodic basis unless they have a GSE diagnosis as reason for
>paying for the testing.

OTOH, If you have this problem and are diagnosed, you may find yourself
ineligible for care down the road. A new insurance company will then label it a
"preexisting condition" and tell you in no uncertain terms that you are
screwed.
LCing since 12/01/03-
Me- 265/223/140
& hubby- 310/244/180

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Doug Freyburger - 08 Mar 2004 23:30 GMT

> > If lo carb dieting makes your intestines perform more like you think they
> > should have been but weren't, then there is a possibility that you are
> > experiencing relief from an autoimmune condition known as "Gluten
> Sensitive
> > Enteropathy" (GSE). It has several other names such as Celiac Disease,
> > Celiac Sprue or just Sprue.

Lots of folks see much better digestion while on Atkins.

> If someone did have this "GSE", and had changed their way of eating for a
> lifetime, would diagnosis change anything?

Diagnosis is figuring out the cause. Without a diagnosis folks might
notice better digestion while on Atkins, quit, notice worse digestion,
and never add 2+2 to gewt the fact that Atkins *caused* their digestion
to imporive and quiting *caused* it to get bad again.

Read the newsgroup for a while. You'll see posts of folks who did
great for a while, added in low carb bread, don't feel good any more,
and they wonder why. They don't tie together the cause and the effect.

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Sunshyne - 09 Mar 2004 03:27 GMT

Diagnosis could change things big time. For treatment of the
illness/disease.

There are quite a few auto-immune disorders out there. Most people who
have one auto immune disorder , have several other ones on top of the
main one. Then the symptoms of one, can mimic another. Its so hard to
pinpoint the exact disorder or disease. I went through quite a few
doctors and lots of tests before I was diagnosed.

Then there are doctors out there, who do not believe in some of the
auto immune disorders, especially Fibromyalgia. Don't matter to me
anymore if they don't believe. They don't walk my walk, walk in my
shoes. So f.ck them. Its the same way really, when some docs still
don't get it with Atkins and low carbing.

I lost health insurance, been without it for a couple years now. I
have found a caring and understanding doctor finally, through a low
income clinic. Got more help with this doctor, than all the doctors in
the past few years put together. My feelings about doctors aren't
good. Been to some bad ones. Had my bad expeiences with them. Moved
on, and life goes on.

If you ever feel something is wrong with your health. Go by your gut
instinct. By all means go get the answers.

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Cailleachschilde - 09 Mar 2004 01:16 GMT

>There are seriously important medical consequences of having GSE and not
>taking care of it. The tests are performed on samples of blood, and they
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>If you think you have GSE see alt.support.celiac

Good post. But from what I understand is that you need to be eating gluten for
the test to be accurate.

Yvonne

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