Or should I say I am free from being gluten free!

I don’t know if you remember me talking about some of my issues and the tests I’ve taken.  No studying was required, whew. If you didn’t know,  I’m nauseous all of the time.  When I say that,  I don’t mean a lot,  I mean all the time…24/7..I go to sleep nauseous,  I wake up nauseous. Please don’t feel sorry for me,  it sucks,  but that’s the way it is.

The thing is, even though it’s been going on for years and you sort of get used to it, you still want it to stop and I finally decided to do something about it.  Well,  now that I made that decision,  I want instant results and it’s a process.

I’m not sure which tests I’ve told you about,  but I’ve done two SIBO breath tests, drink icky stuff  [super sickly sweet glucose and the other fructose], endoscopy [camera down the throat] and a gastric emptying [they feed me food and radiation and watch my stomach empty,  ooh, exciting!].

The breath tests take about 2.5 HOURS [drink and then breath into a bag every 15 minutes, ooh, I know you’re jealous!]. The endoscopy they put you under,  well they did me! Whatever they gave me…wahoo! I was high before and after! Legally! The gastric emptying…I was warned it would be boring. [Eat, go in the open MRI for about 45 minutes,  back to the waiting room for 30-45 minutes,  back in the machine 15 minutes,  back to the waiting room 45 minutes.  This went in for FOUR HOURS people! Now you’re really jealous!]

So,  after all that,  the only test that produces results…I am fructose intolerant! That means I produce too much fructose,  I’m fruity! And you thought I was just nutty! I don’t remember normal levels,  but mine are off the charts.  See…I’m an overachiever!

What does this mean? I have to avoid things that have excess stuff. No more honey,  what?? Nooooo. No more apples! What? Do you know how many things are sweetened with honey and apples, do ya! It’s a conspiracy,  muwahaha!

Ok,  so my biggest fear was both realized and allayed. I was terrified I would be told I would have to give up fruits and vegetables,  I’m a vegan! What!? Nope,  just some fruits and veggies,  others just in moderation.  I can do that.  The other fear,  I might have to eat meat.  I’d probably end up starving…

So, the next step is to talk to a nutritionist, see if a change in diet will help. As some of you know,  one of the things I had to give up was wheat, so I did.  Now,  if you didn’t know, going gluten free,  buying gluten free products is easier than reading a label,  so gluten free I went. And I have to tell you, there is actually some decent gluten free stuff out there! People even found gluten free stuff for me, bless ’em!

Imagine…it’s hard enough being vegan on the road or visiting someone,  but now I have to have gluten free? Seriously!? But…ya do what ya gotta do,  right? Right. So…gluten free I go.

By the way…when PSM and I were in Europe…think I adhered to that? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!! it was fabulous!! I ate bread, pastries, croissants…oh my!

So…I followed over the last few months, admittedly I cheated a few times.  Two shirley temples, hold me back! And one veggie burger on a bun, oh yeah! But, bottom line,  nothing worked.  I am still nauseous, I know,  poor me. ha ha

I talked to the nutritionist yesterday and we agreed that it’s not working,  so…I can eat what I want! Wahoo!!! [And I have more money in my pocket,  that gluten-free stuff can be expensive!!]

Ok,  now not everything I want…I still need to watch the high fructans and polyols, etc, and don’t eat too many servings or portions and still avoid honey and apples,  boo, but I can eat what I want within reason and then I go back to the GI next month to see what’s next,  who knows what the next test will be,  but it’s an adventure.

But…until then…bring on the bread…the pasta…the gluten!

This is what I will look like when I finally eat real bread!

This is the NO-NO list

This is the “within reason” list.