Digestive Enzymes

oojeyboojey

As a nut intolerance sufferer, I've had my fair share of bloating and stomach aches over the years, but have recently realised that it can't just be nuts that I'm reacting to. I've come to wonder whether digestive enzymes would help or not, and have made a comparison of some of the brands available. I'm not sure how good they are so was wondering if anyone here could give any pointers? It looks like I'll be spending about 10 - 17p per capsule.

My symptoms include: bloating (I go from flat tummy - 5 months pregnant bulge within half an hour of eating something I react to), gas, headaches, lethargy, stomach cramps, diarrhoea, and in extreme cases (i.e. when I've accidentally eaten nuts) vomiting, migraine, blacking out. I know that I react to cheap baked goods from supermarkets, such as dohnuts and cakes, also cheap penne pasta from Sainsburys, so I might be sensitive to preservatives or some other flour additive. Wine also upsets my stomach, which made me wonder whether sulphites might be an issue.

So, anyone here tried digestive enzymes?

Fen1

I'm severely intolerant to milk and milk products, tea,coffee, chocolate and alchol. I cannot tolerate a lot of spicy foods either, though I love my curries. I also have to be careful with red meat - I find it quite difficult to digest, my stomach feels much 'lighter' on fish or a veggie diet. I too cannot tolerate shop-bought breads: they often contain milk powder which is no good for me, and I'm sure they contain a lot of other addttives.

I take a BioCare Polyzyme Forte capsule about 15 mins before I eat a meal, and find they really help, especially if I eat a non-vegan meal or something that contiains wheat. They are available through nutricentre.com. You can also get points on yoyur Tesco card if ordered through the internet. I don't find others as good as they miss out on some of the enzymes, or not in such high doses.

Have you checked that you are not dairy/wheat/eggs intolerant?
Have you also been to your doctor? Have ou been checked for coeliac or Crohn's disease?

oojeyboojey

Fen1 wrote: »

I'm severely intolerant to milk and milk products, tea,coffee, chocolate and alchol. I cannot tolerate a lot of spicy foods either, though I love my curries. I also have to be careful with red meat - I find it quite difficult to digest, my stomach feels much 'lighter' on fish or a veggie diet. I too cannot tolerate shop-bought breads: they often contain milk powder which is no good for me, and I'm sure they contain a lot of other addttives.

I take a BioCare Polyzyme Forte capsule about 15 mins before I eat a meal, and find they really help, especially if I eat a non-vegan meal or something that contiains wheat. They are available through nutricentre.com. You can also get points on yoyur Tesco card if ordered through the internet. I don't find others as good as they miss out on some of the enzymes, or not in such high doses.

Have you checked that you are not dairy/wheat/eggs intolerant?
Have you also been to your doctor? Have ou been checked for coeliac or Crohn's disease?

Hello! Thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear you're intolerant to so many things - I think that intolerances and allergies are a side-effect to modern living. I'm vegetarian, and have been for nearly 5 years. I found that I don't get ill as frequently since I made the change, and I don't have so many intolerance reactions.

I went on a GP-supervised exclusion diet when I was about 7 or 8, which is when we found out about the nut thing. We went to see various "specialists" before we got a decent diagnosis - one thought it was a migraine tummy ache, another wanted to take our my appendix, and a third thought I was making it all up. Anyway, I was instantly sick when mum gave me a praline chocolate to cheer me up and we worked out the nut thing from that - I've had several accidental reactions since then, and hazelnuts, cahews and almonds have all caused my worst reactions.

I tried to go on self-supervised exclusion diets, and kept a food diary and measured the diameter of my stomach each morning and evening which is how I found out that cheap mayonnaise, penne pasta and cheap baked goods all make me bloat. Peppers also have a negative effect. I've found that if I eat too much bread (i.e. with more than one or two meals a day) I tend to bloat and feel uncomfortable. I'm trying to limit wheat and dairy to one meal a day, and use potatoes and rice as my main carbs but it's difficult when you're addicted to cheese and pasta like I am!

Doctors don't tend to take me very seriously when I talk to them about my food intolerances, and I haven't pushed to be tested for anything since the skin tests aren't conclusive, and I don't like the idea of getting a bowel biopsy that will only show a positive result if I eat the foods that make me sick in the first place. I suppose if my symptoms get more serious (I only get badly sick from intolerances a couple of times a year, although I bloat a few times a week) I will re-think this, and get more medical advice. I hadn't thought about coeliac before - I'll look into that.

On top of the food reactions, I've got hayfever and I'm allergic to cats, and sometimes my skin comes up in weird red swellings for no apparent reason. Perhaps I need to live in a bubble?

cadmus

you obviously have a nut allergy but could the other symptoms be IBS. Irratable bowel syndrome is so common nowadays with a staggering percentage of people who suffer this short and long term .i personally think itsdown to all the additives and chemicals farmers and food chains use to enhance the look ,its shelf life and taste of everyday foods

kittycatsam

I regularly take digestive enzymes to help my IBS. I'm very sensitive to anything fatty or rich, paticuarly dairy products like cream and don't suffer so much with bloating but do get bouts of diarrhea. I find that if I'm having a bout I'll take the enzymes for a few weeks and things really calm down. I tend to do this 2 or 3 times a year since they wer recomended by a nurse who does colonic irrigations. She said that the yoghurt drinks you can get have nowhere near enough enzymes to have much effect. I take the ones from Holland and Barrett which is about £6 for 100 tablets which lasts me about 4 weeks.

Fen1

My experience with the medical profession has also been pretty poor. They didn't take much notice ( pretty dismissive) until I developed rosacea last year - the intolerances with rosacea are there in the book so they can then believe it then.

As OP is getting such a strong visible reaction to eating in such a short time I would perhaps sit in front of a video camera and record the whole thing. Measure your abdomen before you eat, eat the trigger foods, then record your abdomen again. Might be useful if you can get someone to measure for you as then they can see the measurements being done, rather than you bending over and obfuscating things.

oojeyboojey

Fen1 wrote: »

My experience with the medical profession has also been pretty poor. They didn't take much notice ( pretty dismissive) until I developed rosacea last year - the intolerances with rosacea are there in the book so they can then believe it then.

As OP is getting such a strong visible reaction to eating in such a short time I would perhaps sit in front of a video camera and record the whole thing. Measure your abdomen before you eat, eat the trigger foods, then record your abdomen again. Might be useful if you can get someone to measure for you as then they can see the measurements being done, rather than you bending over and obfuscating things.

That rosacea thing is very interesting, as my mother has that. If I video my bloating, I could at least get some notoriety on You Tube even if my doctor doesn't take me seriously! I have measured my abdomen before and after eating trigger foods on several occasions in a scientific way - always with erect posture, using several locations (above and below belly button, stomach) and I use moles as markers so I know I'm measuring from the same level each time.

One time my parents were very shocked when I went out to eat with them, and almonds were added to my meal even though we stated my nut intolerance. I only had a couple of mouthfuls before I noticed and stopped eating but when I'd got home, I showed them my horrendous bloated belly and they were sore amazed.

vixarooni

How interesting!

I never knew you could take something like this. I have to be careful with ready meals, pasta and milk. I dunno why but this seems to be what gives me tummy trouble i think. I did go to the doctors and he sent me for a blood test to check but i have a phobia of having blood taken so i havent been yet!

good to know there is something out there though

Fen1

Nut allergies/intolerances can run in groups with chemically similar foods and goods e.g tomatoes, strawberries, kiwi, potatoes. Also latex, so be careful with washing-up gloves, balloons etc.

saintscouple

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Paparika

oojeyboojey wrote: »

As a nut intolerance sufferer, I've had my fair share of bloating and stomach aches over the years, but have recently realised that it can't just be nuts that I'm reacting to. I've come to wonder whether digestive enzymes would help or not, and have made a comparison of some of the brands available. I'm not sure how good they are so was wondering if anyone here could give any pointers? It looks like I'll be spending about 10 - 17p per capsule.

My symptoms include: bloating (I go from flat tummy - 5 months pregnant bulge within half an hour of eating something I react to), gas, headaches, lethargy, stomach cramps, diarrhoea, and in extreme cases (i.e. when I've accidentally eaten nuts) vomiting, migraine, blacking out. I know that I react to cheap baked goods from supermarkets, such as dohnuts and cakes, also cheap penne pasta from Sainsburys, so I might be sensitive to preservatives or some other flour additive. Wine also upsets my stomach, which made me wonder whether sulphites might be an issue.

So, anyone here tried digestive enzymes?

i get those symptoms but i don't have a nut allergy, the OH was shocked to see me go from slighty saggy tummy to 9 months preggers look.

my problem aparently is bread, gluten and wheat. (white bread has been changed as i cant eat that anymore and i never had a problem) not been tested, but when i try to reduce or leave them out it helps. I've also had IBS for 18 years, but controlled

was recommended to try probiotic multivitimins as those yogurt drinks gives me stomach upsets