2 weeks of gluten + finally seeing GI specialist

The first two weeks of September were rough on my digestion to prepare for my GI appointment. After my allergy testing, I met with my GI doctor; after going through everything that I have tried and the symptoms I have been having for the last 3+ years, he wanted to take a more aggressive approach so we could figure out what is going on and move forward with lifestyle changes.

He wanted me to eat gluten for 2 weeks before an endoscopy and colonoscopy. He tested for celiac disease, IBS, leaky gut, and food intolerances. The bloating and diarrhea I experienced from adding gluten to my diet were horrendous by day 2. I could not wear any of my pants as they did not fit and hurt. I thankfully have several dresses I could wear to work during the week.

At home, I wore oversized sweats or shorts and shirts, so I did not have the pressure pushing on my guts, irritating them more. It was not a very sexy couple of weeks there. I also canceled any outings. When you are uncomfortable and do not like how you feel, it is tough to go out and be fun in social settings.

By the end of the first week, I felt like total shit. I was so bloated I could not wear any of my regular pants. I did not feel comfortable in anything. I wanted to hide in an oversized sweatshirt so no one could see the severe bloat. My digestion was a complete mess. I would spend most of the morning in the bathroom before getting ready for the day.

All the dresses I ordered for a wedding had to be put aside till I finished my testing and could reduce the inflammation again. The psychological toll that comes along with having digestion issues is complicated. My depression came knocking, and I had to redirect that energy before it spiraled out of control.

I told my husband I would not be eating this way even if the GI doctor did not find anything wrong because this was horrible. Eating more plants, lean meats, and good grains had me feeling much better than I have in years. Two weeks of adding gluten back in almost broke me.

I know this is needed for the doctor to see the amount of inflammation in my digestive tract. I understand the process required and feel for those of us that have digestion issues because, honestly, the last 2 weeks were tough for me. I could not be more pleased with the GI doctor I saw. He had no interest in taking the long route to find out what was wrong, seeing as I have been doing everything possible to improve this.

The prep for the testing the day before was the worst part of all of it. If you have ever had a colonoscopy, you know!

The whole process for the actual procedure was smooth. I checked in, was given an IV, and woke up 30 minutes later. The doctor took several biopsies from the upper and lower GI tract. He did not see anything severe or life-threatening while in there.

I received my results. Thankfully I do not have Celiac Disease. I do have Gluten sensitivity or intolerance. He also sent several biopsies for testing to determine if I have any other intolerances to food. Have to wait on those results yet.

I will not be eating gluten going forward. I will be sticking to lean meats when I do eat them, and lots of vegetables and fruits. I have informed my immediate family and closest friends of my results and where I need to go from here. If we have any outings that we are invited to, I will bring my own food to ensure I do not have any issues. If we plan a date night at a restaurant, I will scope out the menu online before going to make sure there will be something I can order.

I won't need to put in so much work as time goes by. This means I will know what I can and can not have and will not need to do so much research before socializing without falling back on old eating habits.

I will say that the cleansing process of my intestines may have been uncomfortable, but it really did help with my recovery process. With everything being removed from my system from the preparation for testing, I started with delicious nutrient-dense foods to repair and rebuild the work I have put in over the last three months to improve my digestion.

My bloating went down over the weekend after my appointment. My new supply of vitamins showed up the Tuesday after my appointment. I was finally able to put on some pants that I had not been able to get into since December of last year. Even better, I had no bloat throughout the day and did not get uncomfortable or have to unbutton my jeans during my work day.

I want to know. What do you think?