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Does A Gluten Intolerance Cause Excessive Weight Loss?
Question: I have had major indigestion for a couple of years now, and have lost over fifty pounds. I keep loosing weight and am scared that I will end up loosing my job, which is highly physically demanding if I don't reverse this problem.
I am starting to suspect that I have a gluten intolerance or leaky gut syndrome. I would like to know the fastest way to reverse the damage that has happened to my digestive system so I can start gaining weight back.
I am also wondering if it is normal for indigestion, leaky gut syndrome or gluten intolerance to cause anal leakage? I am worried that the muscles in my bowels have atrophiated or something - I really hope that's not the case.
How can I determine what is causing my indigestion?
Thanks,
XXXX
I am starting to suspect that I have a gluten intolerance or leaky gut syndrome. I would like to know the fastest way to reverse the damage that has happened to my digestive system so I can start gaining weight back.
I am also wondering if it is normal for indigestion, leaky gut syndrome or gluten intolerance to cause anal leakage? I am worried that the muscles in my bowels have atrophiated or something - I really hope that's not the case.
How can I determine what is causing my indigestion?
Thanks,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Few more information would be helpful.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX ! I am Dr Shareef, a general surgeon with special interest in gastro-intestinal problems.
I have gone through your history. I would like to know a few details from you:
1) Your dietary habits, that is if you eat frequently from outside, and if you go frequently for fast foods.
2) A little information on your bowel habits
3) I would also like know all the results/reports of your investigations including the colonoscopy/MRI reports if done till date.
4) Do you get any fever, specially any evening rise of temperature ?
By the time you send all the information to me, I would suggest a few things which you can do:
1) Go for a morning walk and regular exercise within your tolerance limits.
2) Take a high roughage diet and plenty of liquids.
3) Avoid food from outside specially fast food.
I hope these few things will help you up to some extent till we figure out more in detail after getting all your reports.
Thanks for choosing health care magic to clear doubts on your health problems. I wish you an early recovery. Dr Shareef.
Few more information would be helpful.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX ! I am Dr Shareef, a general surgeon with special interest in gastro-intestinal problems.
I have gone through your history. I would like to know a few details from you:
1) Your dietary habits, that is if you eat frequently from outside, and if you go frequently for fast foods.
2) A little information on your bowel habits
3) I would also like know all the results/reports of your investigations including the colonoscopy/MRI reports if done till date.
4) Do you get any fever, specially any evening rise of temperature ?
By the time you send all the information to me, I would suggest a few things which you can do:
1) Go for a morning walk and regular exercise within your tolerance limits.
2) Take a high roughage diet and plenty of liquids.
3) Avoid food from outside specially fast food.
I hope these few things will help you up to some extent till we figure out more in detail after getting all your reports.
Thanks for choosing health care magic to clear doubts on your health problems. I wish you an early recovery. Dr Shareef.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Dr. Shareef - I appreciate your timely reply,
1) My dietary habits have been above average I would say with minimal fast food meals, but I would often go to XXXXXXX Horton's to have their soups with lots of bread (gluten). I eat quite a bit of vegetarian soup, a little bit of meat, vegetarian whole food supplements, apples etc. I can't say it was always like this though - up until a year ago, I was pretty hard on my body - always on the go, drinking lots of alcohol early in the day with little food in my stomach and eating quite a bit of fast foods.
2) My bowel movements are usually hard to get out - they usually float, which makes me think there is quite a bit of un-emulsified fat in them. I usually have two movements per day, but they are always inconsistent. I get backed up quite often, and at other times, it just goes right through me.
3) The only tests I've had done were blood, and ultrasound, which turned back 100% normal, which has me so puzzled. Is it possible to have congestion throughout the biliary tree without showing up on an ultrasound?
4) I don't get any fevers, but my body does seem to fluctuate in temperature a lot, and I am having problems with severe insomnia.
My other symptoms are joint inflammation, dilated, unresponsive pupils, pale or grey, thinned and easily wrinkled skin, bad breath, index fingers and big toes bowed inward, irregular nail shapes and sizes, hair loss, abnormal hair growth on back and back of arms, fatigue, white paste on back of tongue, and never ending muscle and bone wasting.
Thanks,
XXXX
1) My dietary habits have been above average I would say with minimal fast food meals, but I would often go to XXXXXXX Horton's to have their soups with lots of bread (gluten). I eat quite a bit of vegetarian soup, a little bit of meat, vegetarian whole food supplements, apples etc. I can't say it was always like this though - up until a year ago, I was pretty hard on my body - always on the go, drinking lots of alcohol early in the day with little food in my stomach and eating quite a bit of fast foods.
2) My bowel movements are usually hard to get out - they usually float, which makes me think there is quite a bit of un-emulsified fat in them. I usually have two movements per day, but they are always inconsistent. I get backed up quite often, and at other times, it just goes right through me.
3) The only tests I've had done were blood, and ultrasound, which turned back 100% normal, which has me so puzzled. Is it possible to have congestion throughout the biliary tree without showing up on an ultrasound?
4) I don't get any fevers, but my body does seem to fluctuate in temperature a lot, and I am having problems with severe insomnia.
My other symptoms are joint inflammation, dilated, unresponsive pupils, pale or grey, thinned and easily wrinkled skin, bad breath, index fingers and big toes bowed inward, irregular nail shapes and sizes, hair loss, abnormal hair growth on back and back of arms, fatigue, white paste on back of tongue, and never ending muscle and bone wasting.
Thanks,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Need to be seen clinically by a gastroenterologist and a dietician.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX! Good evening. Thanks for giving some valuable information which was needed to come to a nearest diagnosis of your condition.
As per your food habits are concerned, When all the tests mentioned by you came out to be normal, this compels me to think of the possibility of coeliac disease/gluten sensitivity which goes very often unsuspected and missed, specially with your history of eating fried, oily, and fast food from outside. This is not easy to diagnose, and the best way is to exclude all kinds of fast food you consume in outside eating joints.Gluten sensitivity could give rise to all the symptoms you have described including your weight loss, abdominal pain, and nausea, joint pains and loss of hair, including insomnia and others. It is usually not thought of and is under diagnosed. Also if you are from a place where tuberculosis is not infrequent,this could also give rise to such symptoms .I would also say a strict NO to alcohol, which would in addition cause gastritis compounding to your problems. It is best to have home cooked food or carry the same with you if you are that busy.
If your ultrasound report was normal, the biliary tree would most likely be normal.
I suggest you to consult a gastro-enterologist along with a dietician on this aspect of the diagnosis, which possibly might not have been considered until now. The gastro-enterologist would be able to diagnose with few biochemical tests along with a possible endoscopy with biopsy of the intestinal mucosal wall, while the dietician can guide you on your food that you can consume pleasantly. In celiac disease, you have to see which particular types of diet are aggravating your symptoms, and thus start avoiding those food. Also avoid all diet having gluten as one of their constituents. Same opinion holds good for lactose intolerance. Avoid all diary food. All these precautions might relieve your symptoms.I would also suggest you to go for high roughage diet and enough liquids as a routine, and go for a morning walk regularly.
Also I would advise you to go for a simple stool test. Sometimes chronic unsuspected amebiasis gives rise to such abdominal problems, and a course of anti amebic drug will dramatically relieve the symptoms.One can add a proton pump inhibitor and a probiotic in the diet.
I hope this information would help you in discussing with your family physician/treating doctor in further management of your problem. Please do not hesitate to ask in case of any further doubts.
Thanks and good luck. Dr Shareef.
Need to be seen clinically by a gastroenterologist and a dietician.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX! Good evening. Thanks for giving some valuable information which was needed to come to a nearest diagnosis of your condition.
As per your food habits are concerned, When all the tests mentioned by you came out to be normal, this compels me to think of the possibility of coeliac disease/gluten sensitivity which goes very often unsuspected and missed, specially with your history of eating fried, oily, and fast food from outside. This is not easy to diagnose, and the best way is to exclude all kinds of fast food you consume in outside eating joints.Gluten sensitivity could give rise to all the symptoms you have described including your weight loss, abdominal pain, and nausea, joint pains and loss of hair, including insomnia and others. It is usually not thought of and is under diagnosed. Also if you are from a place where tuberculosis is not infrequent,this could also give rise to such symptoms .I would also say a strict NO to alcohol, which would in addition cause gastritis compounding to your problems. It is best to have home cooked food or carry the same with you if you are that busy.
If your ultrasound report was normal, the biliary tree would most likely be normal.
I suggest you to consult a gastro-enterologist along with a dietician on this aspect of the diagnosis, which possibly might not have been considered until now. The gastro-enterologist would be able to diagnose with few biochemical tests along with a possible endoscopy with biopsy of the intestinal mucosal wall, while the dietician can guide you on your food that you can consume pleasantly. In celiac disease, you have to see which particular types of diet are aggravating your symptoms, and thus start avoiding those food. Also avoid all diet having gluten as one of their constituents. Same opinion holds good for lactose intolerance. Avoid all diary food. All these precautions might relieve your symptoms.I would also suggest you to go for high roughage diet and enough liquids as a routine, and go for a morning walk regularly.
Also I would advise you to go for a simple stool test. Sometimes chronic unsuspected amebiasis gives rise to such abdominal problems, and a course of anti amebic drug will dramatically relieve the symptoms.One can add a proton pump inhibitor and a probiotic in the diet.
I hope this information would help you in discussing with your family physician/treating doctor in further management of your problem. Please do not hesitate to ask in case of any further doubts.
Thanks and good luck. Dr Shareef.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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