Digestion and Type 1

Type 1 and LADA
#1

I was wondering if there is some kind of connection between the two.
I have been suffering from digestion issues for about 3 to 4 years and I was diagnosed with LADA about a year ago.

It started with severe belching. The belching was like non stop and it would start at any time of the day. It stopped when I went on gluten free diet and dairy free diet. Looking back looks like I got some food allergies/intolerances along the way.

I also had lot of acidity/GERD like symptoms, I could hardly run in the gymn as it caused it to be more severe. Doctor put me on PPI to reduce stomach acid. It helped little. The acidity only went away after gluten/dairy free diet.Doctor should have test me for stomach acid production before prescribing PPI (Proton pump inhibitors).

Reading more about the acidity, I have started taking betaine hcl recently, Its possible I may be low on stomach acid. I don't feel any burning after taking it so its possible its true. I do feel skin dryness after taking it. It's listed as the sideffects as it takes out potassium/magnesium from bloodstream. Maybe need to consume more of these minerals.I know, I should get tested first for it. I will mention it to the doctor on my next visit this week,

I also have constipation issues. One of the reasons is that I have taken out wheat ( fiber) from the diet.

Just trying to share my experiences so far regarding digestion. I would also like to learn from others experiences and what benefitted them.

Some of the things I am trying to learn is
a) Can you ever go back to gluten/dairy diet once you are off it? Currently my body treats it as foreign object and I get a reaction even with small quantity. It wasn't there earlier.
b) I have read about restoring gut flora, Has anyone done it successfully and how?
c)Any experiences with taking hcl supplement.
d) Any other tips to improve digestion

Please do share your experiences. I think digestion is very important and entire health depends on it.

Thanks

#2

Gastroparesis (GP) is a common long-term complication of diabetes. The vagus nerve connects the brain and the digestive system. Hyperglycemia adversely effects nerves and GP is the result of that.

GP manifests itself as delayed stomach emptying, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation. The vagus nerve is part of the autonomic nervous system. These are systems that our bodies do automatically, like heartbeat and temperature regulation. GP impairs gut motility.

Diagnosis of GP is done with a stomach emptying test.

I take a prebiotoc (potato starch) along with a soil-based pro-biotoc each night before bed. The potato starch is a resistant starch in that it resists digestion in the stomach and small intestive and feeds the gut bugs of the large intestine. The flora of the lower gastro-intestinal tract make up whats called the microbiome. This microbiome contains ten times the cells of your entire body. It plays a critical role in your immune system. The pre- and probiotic regimen I use has a positive effect on my digestion.

#3

Terry,

Can Gastroparesis have the opposite effect--instead of delayed emptying have an early emptying of the stomach? Sometimes before I can finish lunch or dinner I'm headed to the bathroom and it seems like what I ate just sailed through me without stopping. Usually my BG is a little elevated when I have these episodes.

When I spoke to my endo he said it's not a diabetes issue, instead I need to see a gastroendocrinologist. I never had this problem until I was diagnosed and tried metformin. Thankfully the endo took me off metformin or I would have spent the rest of my life in the bathroom.

#4

I don't know, Kate. I tried Metformin and had GI issues with it, too. I stopped at less than a one-week trial.

#5

Hi rahul_boston. I can only tell you about my experiences, maybe something in them could help you. First, I have 5 autoimmune conditions. I was 25 y.o. when I got Pernicious Anemia. PA destroys the gastric juice and acid in your stomach (along with causing other problems). I started taking Hcl and enzymes right away and have continued throughout my life. Twenty some years ago I got Type 1 and Celiac Disease. Whether the Celiac would have destroyed the Hcl and gastric juice in my stomach, I do not know. I take an all-purpose vitamin pill and Citracal Plus, which has magnesium. (Of course I also take the liquid B12 I need for the PA.) Celiac can cause Lactose Intolerance, so I need to take a lactase pill whenever I eat dairy containing lactose. (If you're adding digestive supplements, watch out for Beano--it contains wheat.) I also take a good probiotic--very important--which I buy from a Health Food store and which needs to be kept refrigerated. Wishing you good luck.

#6

Your issues sound very much like mine. I would agree that it is most likely you have GP. It is , as stated, an autonomic nerve issue. I would recommend that you study up on autonomic neuropathy. You will probably recognize issuues you have that you do not mention in this post. I know that thiis knowledge brought a number of problems I have into sharper focus. Knowledge is power.

All of these replies have good info, but we are all different as you well know. Aside from diet (I have completely eliminated wheat forever and am very careful with dairy), there are a couple simple things I have found that work for me. First and foremost is Senna. I have been taking it every day for over a year. It is a vegetable laxative, but rather than the urge to purge it regulates. I ran out a couple weeks ago and by the third day without it I was having all the same old bowel and gut pains and issues. They all went away two days after restarting the Senna and have not returned. The other thing is a papaya enzyme digestive aid. I only take this when I can tell I am having a GP episode. Lots of belching, bloating etc. Usually one cap does the trick for me.

As for this NOT being a diabetic issue, BS. Every systemic problem a T1 has is more likely than not a D issue.

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#7

About 10% of T1Ds develop another autoimmune disorder like Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis or celiac disease. I would recommend a celiac blood panel. Keep eating gluten until all testing is complete!

Visit the University of Chicago’s celiac website for symptoms and testing.

#8

autonomic neuropathy could cause that, but not gastroparesis specifically , just another form of autonomic bowel deregulation

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#9

When I was diagnosed with diabetes (insulin-dependent, after pancreas surgery), I read Dr. Bernstein and stopped eating carbohydrates. Not just gluten, but also potatoes, rice and beans. Besides the obvious advantage - the ease of controlling blood sugar (hba1c is about 5) -- something great happened: All the digestive issues that I had in the past - not major, but certainly annoying -- disappeared! I never knew those were things I could get rid of!

So I highly recommend trying out cutting out all the carbs -- stick to proteins (fish, eggs, meat, poultry), non-starchy vegs (no potatos, sweet potatos, beets), FULL FAT milk products like good quality hard cheeses, cream and butter (not milk, i use cream in my coffee). No sugar or sweeteners of any kind.

Make sure you get enough fat, like adding butter to vegetables and lots of olive oil to salads. Dont remove fat from the meat, skin from the chicken. These are what will help relieve your constipation, as well as the fibre from vegs.

Try this for a few weeks. You might be surprised.

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#10

Thanks everyone for sharing the wealth of Information.!!

When I got diagnosed with LADA, I naturally decreased my food intake. Being Gluten/Dairy free also limits the choices of food significantly. Many times I find myself short of energy in doing normal things.I have always felt that way even when I used to eat normally, before my diagnosis. Probably my body had issues absorbing nutrients.

I have started to realize the importance of a good diet with plenty of proteins and also supplementing vitamins and minerals. It's also important to be able to absorb vitamins and minerals not just consuming them,

I will try to experiment more with pre biotic, senna and good fats.

Thanks again !!

#11

Yup

#12

Thanks Chelsea and mohe0001. Just another problem to add to the laundry list.

#13

Kate, eating causes the brain to stimulate the colon. It has nothing to do with the food you just ate -- that takes 6-24 hours to move through your system. However, the body is preparing to process more food by getting rid of waste that is filling up precious space in the system.

This is why the classic "dad in the bathroom with the newspaper after breakfast" meme arose.

This stimulus, like everything physiological, varies in intensity from person to person.

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#14

It sounds like you are already gluten free therefore testing for Celiac Disease would be impossible without doing a challenge. If you plan to be gluten free, you have to go completely all the way. Cross contamination is a big thing. Heck, even kissing someone who just ate bread can make you sick. It is the little exposures (like sharing a toaster) that can continue to cause an autoimmune attack. If you do have celiac disease ( and you may since it seems like the GF diet is helping you), then it is for life – there is no cure other than strictly avoiding gluten.

#15

Thanks ! I am little scared of going back to gluten just for testing.