What a mistake, eating nuts

[mccindy]

So yesterday a friend gave me a Kind bar - almond cranberry - which is gluten free and dairy free. I haven't had nuts since I started this elimination diet so I thought I'd give it a try. Last night I felt fabulous! Better than I've felt in a few weeks. I thought, hey, maybe I can eat nuts!
This morning when I woke up the mild burning was back in my right belly, and I had diarrhea for the first time in two weeks (I've been constipated for the most part). Now I have mild burning with occasional sharp pains.
So, I guess at this point I'd have to say the nuts were a mistake and I should stay away from them. I can't believe it took so long for the negative effects though!:ymad:

 

[Ihurt]

I am sorry you had that reaction to the nuts. I also do not do well with nuts at all. You may be able to eat Nut butters though as they are already broken down. I can get away with eating a small amount of like almond butter on toast once in a while. I do notice that I cannot do it all the time though or it will start to bother me.

I had to raise my low dose antibiotic( augmentin) to high dose Monday night to help treat a bladder infection,and OMG, it is really put me back in intestinal hell! I have to sit constantly with a heating pad and was up in the middle of the night in awful pain! I feel for you, I really do. It sucks!

So yesterday a friend gave me a Kind bar - almond cranberry - which is gluten free and dairy free. I haven't had nuts since I started this elimination diet so I thought I'd give it a try. Last night I felt fabulous! Better than I've felt in a few weeks. I thought, hey, maybe I can eat nuts!
This morning when I woke up the mild burning was back in my right belly, and I had diarrhea for the first time in two weeks (I've been constipated for the most part). Now I have mild burning with occasional sharp pains.
So, I guess at this point I'd have to say the nuts were a mistake and I should stay away from them. I can't believe it took so long for the negative effects though!:ymad:

 

[SarahBear]

Nuts are a common trigger food. They're often not broken down completely and irritate the digestive tract as they pass through. The good news, though, is that you've identified a trigger food!

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[mccindy]

Ihurt - I know I didn't do well with peanut butter. I've been tempted to try almond butter, but I've also been staying away from gluten so I haven't tried bread. It's a little disheartening, I'm afraid to try new things again because it seems like each one I try is a fail. I'm thinking at this point I should wait and stick to the elimination diet completely, at least until I have some more answers from the doctor.
SarahBear - you are right, the positive thing is a trigger food identification! Except last night I didn't think it would turn out this way because I ate the Kind bar early afternoon and didn't have diarrhea and pain until this morning.

 

[hainman]

I cant eat nuts as they dont get digested enough,doesnt matter how much you chew them,but peanut butter im totally fine with,smooth of course...just dont fancy takinga jar to the pub with me and pulling it out when my mates are eating nuts haha

 

[mccindy]

hainman I'm jealous! I love peanut butter but the last time I ate it I just didn't feel well at all within a couple of hours. I'm tempted to try almond butter but after last night... not sure. I love it enough I'd probably take a small container and a plastic spoon to the pub with me and sit there and eat it while everyone else ate nuts!

 

[2thFairy]

Cashews and pecans are really soft compared to some of the other nuts. I eat cashews like crazy, but not the others.

 

[mccindy]

Interesting. I might have to try some after this current whatever-it-is calms down. I do like cashews and pecans both, but have not tried any since this flare started up.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I can do almond butter but not peanut butter. For whatever reason, PB makes my GERD go haywire. Almond butter is fine though and I eat it when I need more calories. If you don't do bread, you could spread it on a banana - that's really yummy (although I can't do bananas myself anymore!). Sometimes I will be really naughty and spread it on a chocolate bar, yummm.

Oh, and what you described about not having symptoms until the next day? That frequently happens to me. Coconut is one of my biggest triggers but it's always delayed like that too. I had a cookie made from coconut flour, felt fine that whole day, but then was a total mess the following day. I don't know why, but that's pretty normal for me, so I wouldn't worry too much about the delayed reaction.

 

[mccindy]

Thanks, Cat, that really helps! I might have to give the almond butter a try (after I feel better again from this nut-tastrophe). I can do bananas so far so maybe I'll do that combo. Might be good treat!
So coconut flour is a trigger for you... what about coconut milk? Do you have problems with that? I've got coconut milk and almond milk at home since I can't do dairy or soy.

I really appreciate the advice about the delayed reaction. I had broccoli on Sunday and felt the results within a couple of hours, so this delay made me wonder what happened. At least now I know that a reaction might take a while so not to assume something's fine if no immediate reaction! Although I will wait for a while before trying anything new again. <sigh>

 

[Ihurt]

I have been Gluten free for over 6 years now. I buy a bread by UDI's that is gluten free. You can even make your own. I do not eat bread very often either. I only eat it once in a great while. I keep it in the freezer so if stays good. On the days that I am really horrible and cannot hardly eat much, I go for the GF bread and make a piece of toast. If you are bad with nuts, then it is best to just stay away from them. I find I can eat one thing and it really messes me up but I can eat it a different day and I can get by. It is so frustrating I know.

Ihurt - I know I didn't do well with peanut butter. I've been tempted to try almond butter, but I've also been staying away from gluten so I haven't tried bread. It's a little disheartening, I'm afraid to try new things again because it seems like each one I try is a fail. I'm thinking at this point I should wait and stick to the elimination diet completely, at least until I have some more answers from the doctor.
SarahBear - you are right, the positive thing is a trigger food identification! Except last night I didn't think it would turn out this way because I ate the Kind bar early afternoon and didn't have diarrhea and pain until this morning.

 

[mccindy]

Ihurt- thank you, I will look for the GF bread. As long as it is dairy-free as well! Ugh, it's hard to have to be so particular. I will be staying away from nuts for sure, which sucks because I've always really liked them and they are supposed to be so good for you.

 

[Laura44]

I can NOT eat nuts either! ugh I felt horrible. I hadn't thought of trying cashews...maybe I will experiment when I have a long week end! lol

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Mccindy, if you're interested in trying almond butter, I get these little packets of it at Whole Foods. It's fairly pricey to buy a tub of almond butter, but the little packets are like a buck apiece and great for travelling with/packing in a lunch. I don't eat a lot of almond butter, so the little packets are perfect for me. I believe the brand name is Justin's? Something like that. Anyway, just a thought for you. I'd hate for you to spend like $6 on a tub of almond butter and have to toss most of it if you don't react well to it.

Yes, it seems that every part of the coconut does me in. Coconut oil does terrible things to me too. I used to be able to do coconut milk yogurt, but I wouldn't dare try it now, as probiotics are not my friend either.

And yeah, the delayed reaction thing has gotten me so many times. I can clearly recall the time I figured out that garlic was a trigger - I made homemade spaghetti sauce, and that is usually fine with me, but for whatever reason I added more garlic that time. I was fine after eating it, but the next day I was really nauseous & having awful d and just felt terrible. Unfortunately that happened to be the day of my hubby's grandfather's funeral. I went, but it was not easy. I nearly puked in the car on the ride over and I had to sneak out to the bathroom several times during the service. So now I know, don't eat anything new the day before a big event!

 

[mccindy]

that does make sense! To not eat anything new before events - my mom already texted me not to eat anything new before this weekend, as I am going back to Wisconsin to see her and she hates to see me in pain.

Thank you for the advice on the almond butter, I will definitely look for the packets so I can just try a small amount without buying a whole jar. It's funny how we can have different triggers. I've been fine with garlic powder, coconut oil, and coconut milk. Probiotics seem to really agree with me too, I'm using kefir milk and homemade yogurt (made with Lactaid milk) to round out my calories. Not sure how I would get enough without it! I've also been able to eat bacon - at least just the one piece I've tried, anyway.

Think I will wait a while before tryin any more nut experiments, cashews or anything else!

 

[mwkwmn]

I know what you mean I love nuts but they make me hurt so bad. I have diverticulosis on top of crohns and anything small like that causes me a lot of pain. The bad thing is I know this but sometimes I just have to cheat but then I pay for it.

 

[Ihurt]

I have the same problem with Coconut too! I just cant seem to handle it. I mean I made fish using coconut oil and I did ok right after, but the next day, awful! It happens with ALL coconut, whether it be oil, in cookies or fresh or whatever, I just cannot tolerate it. Too bad because I love it!

I can do almond butter but not peanut butter. For whatever reason, PB makes my GERD go haywire. Almond butter is fine though and I eat it when I need more calories. If you don't do bread, you could spread it on a banana - that's really yummy (although I can't do bananas myself anymore!). Sometimes I will be really naughty and spread it on a chocolate bar, yummm.

Oh, and what you described about not having symptoms until the next day? That frequently happens to me. Coconut is one of my biggest triggers but it's always delayed like that too. I had a cookie made from coconut flour, felt fine that whole day, but then was a total mess the following day. I don't know why, but that's pretty normal for me, so I wouldn't worry too much about the delayed reaction.

 

[Ihurt]

I think the UDI's bread does have Eggs in them. But I thought I would mention that there are these sandwich cookies by Kinnikinnick, they are called Kinni-Too's . They are the BEST GF sandwich cookies I have ever eaten and they are completely safe( no dairy and no nuts). They are so good. They have vanilla and chocolate and also they have chocolate chip cookies too. I cannot eat the ones with chocolate( boohoo ), I cannot tolerate chocolate unfortunately, but the vanilla ones a so good when you are In need of a snack and you feel like a cookie! My husband brought them to his class( he is a teacher) for a party since he has quite a few kids with allergies and they were a Big hit, they all loved them. Just thought I would mention it......

Ihurt- thank you, I will look for the GF bread. As long as it is dairy-free as well! Ugh, it's hard to have to be so particular. I will be staying away from nuts for sure, which sucks because I've always really liked them and they are supposed to be so good for you.

 

[mccindy]

I will definitely look for them! I've been afraid of chocolate - I read that it can irritate a sensitive GI tract. I've got some GF bread coming from Julian's Bakery - it's supposed to be very tasty.

 

[UnXmas]

Nuts and seeds are definitely not for me! At one point I tried soaking them in water overnight - I read somewhere that it makes them easier to digest - but that still gave me big problems. It took more time than it should for me to connect symptoms with trigger foods, because my reactions are delayed, and because the odd nut I can handle ok, it's only if I go beyond very small portions.

Peanut butter I can have plenty of though. It's a great food for me - it's full of calories (which I need to get more of) but from the "good" kind of fat. And it taste great.

Coconut, I'm not sure about, I haven't had it in a very long time, maybe not at all during the years since I became unwell. I've had coconut flavoured yoghurt, but that's not quite the same. Maybe I'll buy a Bounty bar and see.

One member of my family is dangerously allergic to nuts, so we have to steer clear of them anyway - can't risk any contamination. But I'm lucky I can eat most things, the only food that gives me problems are those too high in fibre - which I assume is why I have the trouble with nuts and seeds. Dairy and gluten and other things that commonly cause digestive upset aren't a problem for me, so I don't feel my diet is restricted at all really - I just try to stick with low fibre options. And many of the foods that are hardest to digest, I don't like anyway. I can't stand coffee, spicy food, and don't drink alcohol.

I think if you're going to react badly to something, nuts are probably one of the easier foods to avoid.