Anyone else suddenly CAN'T eat meat?

AlisterCat said:

Sorry for not replying, I forgot all about this post.


I have never been bitten by a tick.


Thank you for your comments. I'm fine with bread, dairy and all sorts. My reaction is more like on/off where if something upsets me it really causes problems, there isn't a mild reaction to any food.

Your situation sounds very complicated and I do not have the discipline to do what you do. Just avoiding meat seems like a challenge to me. I give in far too easy. My diet is mostly one meal a day of a Quorn brand vegetable bake thing, with cauliflower cheese or such. I can eat all the cheese I want without issue which is nice. I eat a lot of onions too because they're my favourite. I started to make a list of what I've eaten that I think made me ill and so far I have:

Beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs
Party pack dips - sour cream and chive, island, garlic, cheese
Battered cod

There's more I expect. I've been recommended pro biotics but they're expensive so I haven't yet. I'm prescribed fibogel as a fibre supplement I guess. Tried all kinds of other medications. Nothing actually changes the situation when I do have one of those foods.

I don't know if any of the medications you take would help but several days without a bowel movement means bloating and gas for me. If I could take something to flush me out in that eventuality I think I would be a lot happier and cut it short.

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Have ypu actually had any tests for slow colonic transit? The bloating is certainly what I get.

To do slow colonic test you eat every single food as you used to... and jyst swallow makers in capsules.. and 1 or 2 xrays....

Fibogel may not necessarily be helping... it may be that fibrous foods are a problem.. by that with meat I mean that they are more sinewy and harder textures.. and pork especially the fat off pork crucifies me-my stoach has problems with meat fats...

AlisterCat said:

I don't think I was ever tested for how much acid I had in my stomach, or enzymes. I had a gastric emptying study. I'm guessing that because they didn't check they don't think that's what is wrong?

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You can check for acid with simple baking soda test. 1/4 tsp in 3 oz wate first thing in the morning before any food or liquids. Set a timer for 5 min. Wait until you burp. 1-2 min means high acid. 3-5 means normal and after 5 min low. I burped 3 hours later after a sip of my fizzy water. Lol.

I have a big hunch dairy is backing you up. It’s a problem for many. And the other thing is if I am backed up nothing digests well. Seriously, how many meals are sitting in there after a few days?
I digest small amounts of protein and fat well but throw veggies in there and not so much. If I just eat protein and fat my stomach is flat. Veggies will always distend me. And typically back me up. I eat a low fiber diet for this reason.

I am going off meat.
I've been reading about pig farming and it's heart breaking.
I had a small holding for a while and lived in the heart of farming community.
That was 25 years ago and things have changed so fast and so much.
Our food production has moved from farm to factory.
Those with the most money in food production are the drug companies chemical and oil companies.
That cannot possibly be right.
I love chicken but the industrial production of chicken has nothing whatsoever to do with farming.
Nothing to do with the land the air the sun the weather.
People still associate it with farming because wellies are involved.
Same with pork of course.
Beef can be bad too but not as bad as the other two.
I might start eating goat from small holdings.

AlisterCat said:

I did the gastric emptying study where I ate irradiated porridge and that only showed very minor delay. I had a colonoscopy with a biopsy that came back all fine but I don't know if that would track emptying. I'm feeling more and more with the bloating and gas that it is lower down than the stomach, though my stomach does also get bloated a lot.

It's difficult to tell exactly what it is that causes issues and whether it is down to quantity, cooking method etc. Your suggestion of eating one thing at a time is as scientific as I can get but it still involves a lot of variables especially with the diabetes.

Unfortunately gastroenterology has given up on me but I can't live like this (it's not just about avoiding meat, even though that part sucks). I have an appointment with my GP next week and I'm going to ask him for a recommendation on a laxative I can take when I know I have had caused by the inability to pass a stool for days but I'm not a doctor, I don't know the complexities. Anything else you would suggest I discuss with him? He generally prescribes me anything I ask for so he's very accomodating.

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Do ask if GP can organise a colon empty test, not a stomach one as you had with the barium.
It is the colon that gives constipation, not the stomach....its a marker test with 60 capsules to swallow and one xray on a specific day, or if that one shows nothing moved another xray at 5 days.
That is the test for colon transit time.. not the barium which is testing the stomach...

Also ask your GP if you can be prescribed lubiprostone or there is another drug that speeds up colon too. One drug starts the villi unflattened after other pain meds flatten them and stop them working. The other drug stimulates for normal flattening...
Lubiprostone should only be taken for 2 weeks. Our GPs cant prescribe them only consultants but may be different rules in your ccg.

I tried both. Lubiprostone for a year and more if needed was good. The other capsule I cant remember name of made me really ill.

If your gastro teams didnt suggest this then you need to consider a) getting GP to write for a second opinion to a different hospital (you are entitled to this) as your gastro team should have tried to speed colon up..

Or pay about £250 to a private consultant and speak to them. Providing you have a nhs number they will be able to access tests and results...

I would consider less fibre for a period of time rather than more fibre.. if it was me.... I can only say it worked for me..I cant tell you to do it as I only have personal experience not a medical qualification!

You could also try swallowing sweetcorn and see how long it takes to come out!!

AlisterCat said:

I could easily try that. How reliable is it? I had an endoscopy and I don't know if that would detect low stomach acid but I'll give anything a go.

I would prefer vegetables to be the culprit though I don't mean to be dismissive of your condition. Any food interfering with your life is an issue. I know for a fact meat does it because it's easily reproducible. As for dairy, cheese would be the only dairy I consume but I'm eating that whether well or ill so it doesn't seem to be the main thing. It's possible that it contributes.

I'm wondering how I could safely and scientifically plan repetitive meals to gauge exactly what foods are causing it.

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I believe it’s pretty reliable. Always the same outcome for myself, hubby and daughter. Hubby burps right away and my daughter and I never burp. He can eat anything and she and I have stomach issues.
There’s also a candida test you can do. Leave a glass of water out at night. First thing in the morning before anything, spit in it. A few good ones. Wait to see if stringy things start falling down, bits and pieces on the bottom and some stuff on the top. The more things you have the more candida. You can google the test.

I’d ask for a celiac test as long as they’re in there.

So you’ve tried just small amounts of protein and some fat? Like tuna with mayo or chicken or egg and avocado? No veggies ?

Are you eating grains? They kill me.
Diary always backs me up. Even just one ounce. I’ve tested and retested many times. Seems ridiculous but it always does.

There’s a suppository that FLEET makes and it a liquid bottle like a tiny enema. Double strength than regular, acts fast and like magic.

I eat food for 3 days in a row as I know that is the minimum time for any food to start getting thru my colon.

A lot of detail is whether it is your colon or stomach that is causing you problems.

Stomach probs will involve burps, fullness, acid, bile and vomiting (basics/ not the full list of symptoms. Colon can be feeling large lumps travelling, wind,bloating, constipation (or reverse) colon timings can be done by eating sweetcorn and see when it appears in poo.

There are different issues regarding small intestine and bacteria and tests for lactose etc intolerances.

A diary logging everything is superb. I used to do mine on daily A4 sheets logging food, meds, poo, bloods and general activities.
I eat one food meal for 3 days in a row for most of the time. The only exceptions are when I have my beer battered cod and scraps every Saturday. But I do have the same food Saturdays to measure from week to week..

Hi, I’ve new but wanted to add to this. In the last year I’ve become allergic to first mammal meat, then bird meat and now cow dairy. I get breathing difficulties within about half an hour, followed by about six hours of feeling desperately weak and feeble a couple of hours after that. Different symptoms (I was tested for the tick bourne alpha-galactase thing and it’s not that) to you but thought to be symptomatic of a wonky immune system - I’ve also become allergic to hair dye and oilseed rape pollen very suddenly.

I can still eat fish and eggs but when out I’ve found it’s safest to stick to vegan food. It makes it hard to stick to a lower carb diet though, as veggie/vegan meat substitutes tend to contain an awful lot of them I miss the days of a carb free cooked breakfast!

Mel dCP said:

Hi, I’ve new but wanted to add to this. In the last year I’ve become allergic to first mammal meat, then bird meat and now cow dairy. I get breathing difficulties within about half an hour, followed by about six hours of feeling desperately weak and feeble a couple of hours after that. Different symptoms (I was tested for the tick bourne alpha-galactase thing and it’s not that) to you but thought to be symptomatic of a wonky immune system - I’ve also become allergic to hair dye and oilseed rape pollen very suddenly.

I can still eat fish and eggs but when out I’ve found it’s safest to stick to vegan food. It makes it hard to stick to a lower carb diet though, as veggie/vegan meat substitutes tend to contain an awful lot of them I miss the days of a carb free cooked breakfast!

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Have you actually been tested for allergies?
I ask because I was being told I had become allergic to mik 20 years ago and it was nothing of the kind.
Turned out I was anaemic and it was just coincidence the timing of things.

JTL said:

Have you actually been tested for allergies?
I ask because I was being told I had become allergic to mik 20 years ago and it was nothing of the kind.
Turned out I was anaemic and it was just coincidence the timing of things.

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Yes, blood tests at the University Hospital Wales in Cardiff through their immunology department - not some dodgy woo peddler or anything. I’m catastrophically allergic to bacon :-(

NoCrbs4Me said:

So meat is high fibre?

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Meat is not a fibre food but difficult to digest in general but esp for those with th low gastric acids .

AlisterCat said:

I've had poorly controlled type 1 diabetes for a decade. 3 years ago I suddenly started having severe gastric distress that has only gotten worse. I just woke up one day after happily eating meat for 22 years. I've been going to various hospitals to figure out what is wrong, and most just say gastroparesis but I have been unsatisfied with this conclusion (and the botox injections to my stomach did nothing).

The way it presents itself is: eating meat (beef, chicken, fish etc) eggs, and some other high protein foods causes a lot of gastro related problems. 12 - 24 hours after I start to bloat, have rotten uncontrollable gas from both ends non stop and am constipated, with diarrhoea backed up behind that which usually follows a day after I eat meat. It keeps me bed/toilet ridden for at least 2 days.

My problem is that not a single Gastroenterologist or Diabetes specialist that I've seen has ever heard of gatroparesis happening specifically for meat. Some of the symptoms are the same, but it's usually a general digestion issue.

• I have been checked for common gastro conditions and have none of them.
• None of the drugs they've offered work.
• My gastric emptying study showed slightly delayed emptying but nothing major.
• An autonomic dysfunction test showed some results but I am unclear on this.
• Clear endoscopy and colonoscopy with biopsies.

Has anyone experienced something similar? I am mostly fine as long as I don't eat meat but this has been a very distressing 3 years for me and makes me miserable regarding my future.

Not sure this if this is the right place to be asking this, but it has forced me vegetarian.

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I am currently having the same issues. I found out about a year ago that I'm allergic to lamb. Apparently if you're allergic to one meat, it's possible you can be allergic to other meats as well. Not sure if you reached out to an allergist but that may be a good idea. I'm trying to find an allergist that will test for other meats and see of that's the problem for myself. I personally love meat as well but noticed if I don't eat it then the pain I'm in isn't as bad. Praying you find some answers soon