<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Dear Friends, Well, here I am again, hope you don't get tired of the digestive enzyme issue but when I saw so many postings about those still having symptoms even though they are on a gluten free diet and the question about their gluten free status I thought it was worth posting again. That was me too! I went gluten free in December but continued with difficulty when I ate just about everything except meat. Some of you may not be that bad but I am 50 and have had a lot of gluten for a very long time. I kept posting and others said I had a leaky gut or that I need to just be patient and time would heal all. But, I was losing weight and started out pretty thin to begin with. After getting a new G.I. doctor that was not able to help me much and trying a naturalpathic doctor that wasn't helping much either I set out on my own research path. What I found information that said celiacs have been found to tollerate proteins better than other things and carbohydrates the least. Elaine Gottschall's book Breaking the Vicious Cycle is all about that. I have not finished it yet but have scanned it pulling out the finer information. I am not recommending her diet, although it might help some. I was so sensitive to everything but meat that it would not have been very beneficial for me. I knew the problem for me had to begin in my stomach. If I could eat meat fine why couldn't I eat other things? From the e-mails that I have received and the postings that I have seen on this list there are a good number of us with the same trouble! I was gluten free but not able to eat and digest things properly, even after so many months. In my phone calling to obtain information I contacted Ness about their digestive enzymes. The information that I have already posted gives you the information about them. Upon taking the first one I could eat fruits and vegetables again! This makes complete sense to me after reading about celiac and our inability to handle carbohydrates. Its not just me! It seems we need additional help beyond our gluten free diet! That is why I posted my story to the list, in hopes that others could find the wonderful help that I did. As far as the enzymes being derived from wheat: What the doctor at Ness told me is that all enzymes come from 2 sources both being in Japan. So, if enzymes are derived from wheat that means "all" enzymes that anyone in the world ever takes are derived from wheat (which I am not really sure is the case but...). I don't understand the chemistry either if they are derived from wheat but the doctor said that celiacs take their enzymes and that they are gluten free, indeed. I have had no trouble with them at all and I have instant gluten reactions as I am incredibly sensitive. I drilled the doctor in 2 lengthy phone calls because I had to be very convinced that there was no gluten in them before I would even think of putting one in my mouth. Poor Ness, they may be getting 3000 phone calls, but then again that is what they are there for, right? I hope they have lots of bottles of those wonderful little digestive enzymes! As far as only being able to be ordered by a practitioner and them monitoring you, how many of us are monitored closely by our G.I. dr? Oh, dear, he told me at his first visit (when I was sitting there steak in hand not being able to go without food for more than 20 minutes, knowing I was going to starve to death if I didn't get some immediate help) that he would have help for me within 3 days. I went home with a prescription for a nutritional drink that when I called the pharmacy I found to be based in corn. I had told him I could not have corn and then I did not hear from him for 3 weeks! Then when he did call he said he didn't have any answers for me and had never heard of anyone that couldn't eat fruits and vegetables. How about if we all e-mail him and show him how many of us there are that are having trouble eating after going gluten free?! When I talked to the Ness dr she gave me pretty simple instructions...i.e. each digestive aid lasts for what you eat within 1 hour of taking the capsule and drink plenty of water. The reason that I am sharing these things is that we are talking about the seemingly large numbers of us that although have gone gluten free we can't eat without great problems!! If we can't eat we won't be able to stay alive. I am learning more and more that we must reach out and seek or where else are the answers going to come from? I want to call each and everyone of you and see how you are doing! You all have been so kind to me while I have been so very sick, if I can help even one of you as my friends I surely would! What I know now and want to share is that there is help beyond going gluten free for us in these enzymes! Truly your friend Nancy in Texas