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I was diagnosed with Celiac's disease over a year ago
and have been on a strict gluten free diet ever since.

Unfortunately, I still continue to have symptoms (i.e.
I have to use the restroom 5-7 times a day with
significant urgency).  My doctor is very good.  He's a
specialist who treats only Celiacs patients at
University of California San Diego, but he's running
out of ideas as to what my issue might be.

I hoping if I describe some of my symptoms, someone on
the list will have some ideas that I can suggest to my
doctor to try.

The big picture is that while I've am dramatically
better since going gluten free, I seem to have big
problems if I have any vegetables or fruit.  All I
really eat are meat and potatoes, and while that
limits the symptoms, I still have the 5-7 bowel
movements a day.

Here's some of the details:
1. It is very very unlikely that I'm accidentally
ingesting gluten.  My diet is extremely restricted.
The following 5 things are the only thing that go in
my mouth: potatoes, eggs, salt, toothpaste (Colgate
Total), steak, chicken, gatorade thirst quencher (I
have a letter from the company saying it's gluten
free).  I prepare all food myself.  I do not use any
spices other than salt.

2. My doctor says I do not have refractory sprue,
because the villi lining my intestines have returned.

3. The original diagnosis of Celiacs disease was made
on the basis of an antibody test, and an intestinal
biopsy.  My current doctor reconfirmed the diagnosis
with a genetic test.  And indeed although I still have
issues, I feel dramatically better than I did before I
went gluten free.

4. The very restricted diet was arrived at after
considerable experimentation.  As I said above, I feel
like I can't digest fruits or vegetables.  If I do, it
typically would double or triple the number of bowel
movements, although when I do have them, they don't
have the urgency and explosiveness that I used to have
in my pre-gluten free days.

5. My doctor tried Amitriptyline as an experiment on
my suggestion, on the theory that I was fundamentally
cured, but that my body was just used to going the
bathroom a lot.  The Amitriptyline was supposed to
break that connection.  It didn't appear to do much.

6. Another theory that my doctor had is pancreatic
insufficiency, but he doesn't like that theory too
much because he thinks he would see fat in my stool.

Any ideas someone might have would be greatly
appreciated.  I'm not desparate.  I mostly try to be
thankful that I'm not where I was before I was
diagnosed as Celiacs.  It's just that this shit's
getting a little old (pun intended), and it would be
great if I could return to something a little more
normal.

Thanks in advance.

-- Mike

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