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Hi folks,

Patrick here, the neurotic whiney guy who has been sick with irritable bowel
for his entire 30 years and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 3 years.

Well, I followed all the rules, did it right because I wanted to make
absolutely sure. ALL my tests came back negative. Bloodwork, biopsies, all of
it. THey took more samples than he (my doc) usually likes to take, from ALL
over. Full colonoscopy and FULL ENDOSCOPY. Samples from each. Plus stool
samples from the colonoscopy and tons of pictures.

All they found: mild gastritis/inflammation in certain parts. Insignificant,
says my doc. Well, I still want to send my slides to Joe Murray at the Mayo
Clinic, and I plan to do that, but for all intents and purposes I am
considering myself a NON-CELIAC. Does that mean you guys dont like me anymore?

Anyway, he is giving me Pancreatic Enzymes to see if they help with the
horridly frequent and recently demonically malodorant (i.e. whats comming out
of my butt - thats what hell must smell like). He gave me a long talk about
the bacteria in the gut that breaks down the foods and how this causes gas
and I need to sort of rearrange the bacteria to cut down on gas and odor. So
after my sinus-infection is gone and I dont have to take antibiotics anymore
(for the sinus infection) I am starting the Enzymes.

After being on the enzymes for a few weeks, I want to start going GF for a
few months just to see if it helps anyway with fatigue, malaise, dizziness,
and gi upset. So many people told me that despite negative tests (or no
tests) that going GF helped them so much, that I have to at least give it a
shot. All of my current medications are gluten-free.

So I need support, being a non-diagnosed Celiac and wanting to give this GF
thing a try. I want to still be able to eat Rice and Rice products (like
Rice-dream stuff). Can I? I need to ease into this so it isnt really jarring,
and I KNOW its going to be tough because I have some guests and some
traveling coming up this year, but I cant wait for the world to stop!

Any suggestions are welcomed and encouraged. I feel Ive gotten a lot
accomplished. All those tests! Even though they were negative, I now have
more of an idea. At least I know I dont have Inflammatory Bowel Disease or
anything like that. They also tested me for all kinds of bacterial infections
and parasites. Everything was normal. Even my liver function.

So, despite further non-g.i. related tests by my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
specialist (which is showing stuff like Carnitine Dificiency and Natural
Killer Cell Dificiency), and  as an adjunct to a very mild exercise program
that I plan to start, I want to give GF a try! Here I go! Where do I start?
How exciting and scary! I hope it helps, but if it doesn't, at least I'll
know and can not worry about it!

Patrick (chronically tired, icky, maliased, blahed)