PPP is gone! I OD'd on papaya last night. Its either that or my period starting. bah humbug!

Uncrossing fingers. Recrossing them in hopes that non-PPP is temporary papaya-induced situation that will rectify (rectum-ify?)itself promptly.

Got my Enterolab results back...and I am sensitive to gluten, tissue transglutaminase (? Nancy, what does this mean?) and casein (cow's milk). I also have 2 copies of the gluten-sensitive gene which means both my parents have at least one each. The good news is my gut absorption is ok. Woo hoo! Go gut!

I feel so much better knowing for sure, rather than just thinking so. Hopefully now my fam will take it seriously, rather than thinking it's another one of Tracy's diet experiments.

Question: the casein test said cow's milk specifically, but does that mean all dairy from cows? Cheese? Oh, I am weeping. Not surprised though, since I have been gassy since I added it back and I've also been eating it like a zombie on brains.

Nancy, for your pleasure, here are my levels:

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 18 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 12 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 272 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA antibody 14 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

That's a very important protein or enzyme your body makes to heal tissues, what happens with gluten intolerance is that you start to make antibodies to things you shouldn't, and that is one of them.

Which genes do you have?

Now, are you going to get more serious about avoiding the gluten? No more eating cheesecakes and "avoiding the crust". You're still glutening yourself when you do that. *scold* Sorry, I'm sounding like my Mom!

Wow, your numbers look a lot like mine. You're ALMOST in the malabsorption range. Higher than I was. My casein one was right about where yours is. My gluten one was a little higher.

I have the 0501 gene (related to brain fog and brain damage due to gluten) (DQ1) and the 0302 (main celiac gene) DQ2.

Total gluten avoidance is now on project status with me, Mom! No, I am taking this very seriously. Now that I know for sure, I have no excuses. I've already emailed my fam to let them know and that when I visit I can't eat certain things, etc.

I figure my malabsorption was probably lower because I'd been eating 'better' for several months, though I was prolly getting glutened and not knowing it. I imagine when I was a veggie it was pretty bad. Anyway, I'm glad to be dealing with this now when the number isn't in the bad range.

Here's what they said about the gene thing:



So I'm not sure what they relate to specifically, other than gluten sensitivity. And they don't specify if I'm DQ1 or DQ3?

Does the casein thing mean I have to give up butter? Is ghee okay with casein? I am researching this to death bc I want to avoid both. Can the casein sensitivity improve with time?

I'm so relieved to know I wasn't making things up.

No, it's lactose intolerance that can get better as the villi come back. Casein is forever. Yes, you can have ghee.

I actually cheat on the milk one a little. I started using butter again. I shouldn't though.

Don't they tell you the exact genes? It should be on your report somewhere.

This is a really good resource: http://celiac.com/index.html
In particular their site index: http://www.celiac.com/st_main.html
This is their list of safe & forbidden foods: http://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?...-45106341623.0e

The message forum: glutenfreeforum.com is a great place too.

This forum is full of smart people and great advice too: http://forums.braintalk2.org/forumdisplay.php?f=13

You need to think about cross-contamination issues: Using a toaster someone puts bread in. Using pans. Putting your stuff on a grill that was grilling buns. Even extremely small amounts of gluten cause damage. Some people are so sensitive that even as much as a crumb will leave them sick for a week. But even if you don't have that sort of noticable reaction, it still causes the damage on a cellular level.

What's really awful is they use gluten in things like paper plates, paper towels, cosmetics, shampoos. I haven't gotten to the point of calling paper towel companies yet, but I should. It comes in contact with my food. :\

Also... charcoal briquets often use gluten to hold them together. So you have to use natural charcoal.

LOL! I just visited your blog.

Ahh, I see. *buries head in pillow and screams*



Thank GOD!!!!!!! *gets pan, turns on stove*



Ohhh...is it this?

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0301

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2 0603

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 3,1 (Subtype 7,6)

I saw that but it read in my mind as "bleeble blah blah bleeble", and the DQ was reminding me of Dairy Queen and the fact that I'll never have Heavenly Hash ice cream again and it was just all too much. *places back of hand on forehead and swoons*



AAUUGGHH! Eating at restaurants should be fun. I may just open my own, it'll be easier. Oh god, Chinatown...can I still go to Chinatown? And eat there, I mean? Oh man.



Holy CRAP, really? Bloody hell. Oh well, for a research junkie this'll be hours upon hours of fun, finding GF makeup and shampoo. As long as there's no gluten in Ruffles, my world is intact. What do I want to look for, ingredient-wise, in face powder? I just bought some, dammit. It says oat flour.

Thanks for the links - I am going to tackle them now. I declined all the family Thanksgiving invites (it's on Monday) due to logistical issues so I'll have loads of time to read. I may not even leave the house.

Eggplants are SEXY! I wish I could have them all over my house.

In the US they don't have the same laws concerning ingredients on non-food items as they do food items, so you really have to call manufacturers or look on their web sites.

Eating out chinese food is almost impossible to do unless you can find one that really listens and responds to customers. Soy sauce is in everything (contains wheat).

You might want to buy dining out cards that explain it to the cook. The ones I have, Triumph Dining Cards, have a chinese cuisine card that is Engrish on the front and chineese on the back and explain the various ingredients that are bad.

You might also want to find a Celiac support group in your area. They actually have dinners and meetings and stuff. I saw Dr. Fine speak at mine a couple months ago. That man is hot.

Don't forget to check OTC meds, prescriptions, vitamins, supplements. Certainly anything that goes into your mouth.

Hey, I have full confidence that now you know, you'll kick this bloating thing, and maybe because you caught it early, you won't end up with any nasty autoimmune illnesses. :\

I'm hoping so too. Since my absorption seemed ok (high end of normal, but ok) I'm assuming it'll only get better as time goes on? That's one thing I'll have re-tested. Anything else I should test for, you think?

I decided to try a latte with soy milk, even though I don't generally do soy (fermented only, if even). Gave me tummy pains halfway through. On a happy note, I am making a modifed apple crumble for myself for Thanksgiving dinner. I am naming it Fit of Despair Apple Crumble. We shall see how it turns out. The BF bought a really yummy looking apple pie and Cool Whip (hence my fit of despair), so I figured it was either punch him and then make him forfeit dessert altogether or make my own. Going to see if I can make a whipped topping out of coconut milk.

I love that you drool over Dr. Fine! LOL! Like Dr. McDreamy on Grey's Anatomy.

Where did you get the Chineese-Engrish (you're so funny) dining cards? Those would be REALLY handy for me, since BF and I loooove Chinatown. I am also going to look for a local group. I've finally convinced my Crohn's friend to request testing from her doc as well, hoorah! I've emailed all my vitamin/supplement companies to ask for the pertinent info and request that they make an info sheet listing gfcf products.

Soooo...goat cheese? Okay? Not okay? Sheep cheese? Any cheese? I mean, I just discovered a really good gf pizza for when I feel for junky food, and now I can't have the frackin' cheese?

Here's the cards: http://google.triumphdining.com/?gc...CFRNlYQod5wY-hA

Just read recently that the 3 foods that can cause malabsorption are: gluten, soy and (I think) dairy.

Casein is in all milk unfortunately. Some people think goat milk is ok but it didn't work for me.

I do want to avoid soy as much as possible. Sensitivity or not, I just don't think it's a good food (except the fermented kind perhaps)

Thanks for the card link. They sound great! Have you found them to be helpful? Used them often?

How's things with you? Doing the PPP dance, I hope? LOL

No PPP is eluding me again. Maybe its the pecans, been eating a lot of them. I'm beginning to think I should get checked out for Lyme disease, I have so many of the symptoms. I'm going to try to eat as close to what I imagine "perfect" is, this week.

I use my cards when I go out to eat unless they have a gluten free menu. But even with the cards you can't be guaranteed someone won't screw up. So I limit my exposure as much as possible.

Isn't Lyme disease from ticks? Hope you don't have it. What symptoms do you have? So are you going all out paleo this week?

My mum's being very supportive of my new food issues, and asked if we can get together and go over what I can and can't eat, so that Xmas dinner will be Tracy-friendly. It'll be better for her too, I reckon