<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

1997 started of strowing me a few punches. In mid January I became very ill
and was unable to eat anything without severe diarehea and cramping. I have
been GF for about 8 yrs. My diagnoises was by reaction to diet, not by
tests.

 Well after a week of severe diarehea, about jan 20, I was unable to eat at
all. Weight was dropping fast and by Jan 29 I was in the hospital for 5
days. After loads of tests, I was then sent down to Seattle to the
Unversity of Washington to see a GI there. I live  in Fairbanks, Alaska, no
GI's in sight around here. I was still not able to eat and to stay out of
the hospital down in Wash. I had to pound down the liquids, mostly
gatorade, about a gallon a day.

 Dr. Richard Tobin, my GI at UW, was great, he took on my case with full
enthusiam. First I was scoped from the top, all was normal in my intestine
except for some very strange craters that have yet to be explained. Then I
was scoped from below, all was fine. Gallons of blood were drawn, all tests
normal except for one blood test with slightly elevated gladian levels.
Then I was scoped from the top once more to try and figure out the craters
in my intestine, this second probe was a week after the first and the
craters were gone, all looked fine. Then I had the pleasure of swallowing a
much smaller tube pushed down into my intestine, a small balloon inflated
and more barrium released, once more, all was fine.
More blood drawn...

 Since I was not eating, stool samples were not possibe. After almost two
weeks in Seattle I came back to Fairbanks. by Feb 20 my weight had dropped
by 25 lbs and I was very, very weak. I was then given the drug
amitrytiline, at 25mg each night to relax the severe cramping still going
on. After a week on that I was finally able to eat. And since I was eating
I could do one more test, fill a bucket for three days with brown trout, oh
what a joy. Of course that test was normal as well.

Its been 6 weeks now, I'm eating fine for almost 6 days now, still weak,
and still a bit confused / frustrated. I have been told to go ahead and try
wheat in my diet as there is no indication that I need to be GF. There was
no conclution as to why I was so ill and why I was unable to eat. I am not
very excited about consuming wheat/gluten because of my past history with
it, so for now I'm sticking with what I know is safe.

If any of this sounds familiar to anyone and or you have some insights,
please pass them on to me, I'm still trying to find some answers.
Thanks to all, this list has been great.

Dick Flaharty
Fairbanks, Alaska