Celiac Disease and IBS: How To Deal With Both

If you have celiac disease and IBS, you aren't alone. I'm right there with you!

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Ever since I was a teen, I've had a nervous stomach. Now as an adult, I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome -Diarrhea Type (IBS-D).

It's tough to have one digestive ailment, like celiac. But after 14+ years of living gluten-free, I'm very proficient at staying safe. Unfortunately with IBS, stress is the culprit. And that's a little bit more challenging to avoid 100% of the time!

As I've learned more about IBS and my symptoms, I can now recognize when I'm having an IBS flare or when I've been exposed to gluten. I also know my triggers and how to help manage my stress to avoid symptoms. Hypnotherapy has done wonders for me to help with IBS.

To be honest, I find IBS more debilitating than celiac. It's affected my health a lot more than celiac disease has as an adult.

Here's how I deal with both of these digestive ailments and eight tips for you if you also have celiac disease and IBS.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, doctor, or healthcare provider. This post is not meant to diagnose, cure, or treat illness. I am simply sharing the information and resources that have helped me navigate having both celiac disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. If you are struggling with symptoms, please speak to your doctor. I hope you feel better soon.

Celiac & IBS: 8 Tips For How I Handle Both

What The Research Says

Before we begin, I want to reiterate that I am not a doctor or medical professional. I rely on what the research says about IBS, my doctor's advice, and knowing my own symptoms.

There are some interesting data points about celiac disease and IBS and how they are related. While celiac disease is often misdiagnosed as IBS (which unfortunately happens a lot), the number of people with IBS is higher if you already have celiac. According to Beyond Celiac, "the prevalence of celiac disease in people who also have IBS is 4 times greater than in the general population".

Whoop there it is.

Additionally, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation, "at least 20% of individuals with celiac disease continue to have symptoms on a gluten-free diet". That's exactly what was happening to me post-celiac diagnosis and post-SIBO treatment. Quickly I started to realize that stress was contributing a lot to my stomach problems. It took many years to finally be able to pinpoint what strategies worked well for me to prevent flares.

My Top Tips For Navigating Celiac & IBS

Have a solid support system and medical care team.

One of the most important things you can have in your life is a solid support system and medical care team.

Dylan is my champion. He eats gluten-free when he doesn't need to, makes me tea when my stomach is feeling off, and is willing to eat at home a lot when I'm having a flare-up or gluten reaction. I'm very lucky to have him. Additionally, I have very supportive and loving parents who were quick to get me the proper care I needed during my initial celiac diagnosis as a teen and continue to look out for me as an adult. Thank you, Mom and Dad.

Over the years I've had some doctors and medical professionals not take my problems seriously. I had a doctor who told me I would have to take Imodium every day for the rest of my life (when I actually had SIBO that wasn't treated properly). I also had a nutritionist tell me the reason I was having stomach problems was due to an ingredient in granola bars and that I ate too much salad.

Um, no. Both of these people did not help me. AT ALL. In fact, they only made me more stressed out.

If you find your doctor or medical care team is not listening to you, it's okay to see someone else. You deserve to be listened to with respect and taken seriously. Thankfully, my primary care physician (who I've been going to since 2012) is an absolute gem, and my new GI doctor is much better. But it took some trial and error to find a GI doctor who took my needs seriously.

Recognize how gluten exposure compares to an IBS flare.

This can be hard to do. But with time, you may be able to tell the difference between an IBS flare and a gluten exposure. Tracking your symptoms with a food journal can help.

For me, gluten exposures last for up to 48 hours. I have major brain fog and feel "off" after I've been exposed. But an IBS attack is quick and done. Once it's over, I feel a thousand times better and have no lasting symptoms.

It may be different for you. Talk to your doctor or medical team for help in distinguishing them.

And if you can identify the differences between the two, it may help prevent you from unnecessary panic or stress. Sometimes a stomachache might just be stress-related, and not that you've unintentionally glutened yourself.

Manage your stress. No, seriously.

Stress is the #1 reason my stomach acts up.

Even when I don't think I'm stressed, nervous, or anxious, my gut-brain connection says differently.

This can also happen to me when I'm excited about something too!

Specific situations where this has happened to me & I had an IBS attack:
-the day before school starts, as a student, or as a teacher.
-the day of a big concert in college (I played violin on a scholarship for 4 years)
-after an emotional or traumatic event, like the death of a loved one
-the days leading up to an exciting event, like a wedding that I'm a part of

The only time I was able to prevent an IBS flare was on my wedding day. I took Imodium for a few days prior just in case. I may have been constipated for a day or two after, but it was better than the alternative of sh*tting my pants down the aisle to Dylan.

Ways I practice de-stressing include:
-turning off my phone and keeping away from social media
-going outside in nature, preferably a hike
-reading a book (a real book, not an electronic one)
-taking a hot bath or shower
-talking about my feelings to someone or writing them in my journal
-sipping a warm cup of tea, preferably chamomile or mint
-SLEEP.

Know your trigger foods.

For me, they are sugar, dairy, and butter. I used to have issues with onions and garlic while dealing with SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth), but they are no longer a problem.

I'm slightly lactose intolerant, and Lactaid definitely helps me digest dairy. But if I go overboard, it ends up ugly.

Keeping a food journal and tracking my symptoms has helped with this a lot. While it can be annoying to constantly write down what you eat/drink, it honestly helps. It can also give you more information and sometimes control over your symptoms if you know exactly what will set them off (sometimes, but not always. Sometimes it doesn't matter what you eat and you can have a flare anyway.)

Keep emergency supplies with you at all times.

I used to operate on the mindset of "Nah, I won't need it." But after too many late-night trips to CVS, I've determined it's much better to be prepared with the things I need in case of an emergency.

For me, these include:

-Lactaid Pills
-Peppermint Essential Oil Roll-On From DoTerra
-PooPurri
-Comfy Sweatpants & leggings that are bloat-friendly

These work for me. Decide whatever you know gives you relief and check with your doctor about what can help.

Don't overdo it with gluten-free menus!

Do you know that feeling you get when you go to a restaurant where they have dedicated fryers & really strong allergen protocols?

It's like your brain can only think of one thing.

FRENCH FRIES. FRIED THIS. FRIED THAT. FRIED EVERYTHING.

Dedicated fryers are like the holy grail for gluten-free people. And when we see that as an option, we want in!

Deprived so often of foods we cannot have, when we can finally have them safely, we go overboard.

But then, when our stomachs hurt later, we panic.

Was that gluten-free?

Did I not ask enough questions?

Why does my stomach feel so awful?

And then that stress can only compound the problem!

More often than not, your food WAS safe, but you stressed yourself out into thinking it wasn't. When really, it was just that you went a little overboard with the fried foods, and it may not have been gluten-related at all.

It's of course okay to indulge and you deserve to enjoy all of those foods like everyone else. But if you go crazy, your stomach will tell you.

Meditation, Journaling, & Hypnotherapy

Meditation has been a HUGE help for me in managing my day-to-day stress. It might sound totally hipster, but honestly, it helps. I use the app/website Calm for meditation. This is not sponsored but a heartfelt recommendation and I use it DAILY. I meditate during the day or at night before bed. I use it for tracking my thoughts, resetting my focus, deep breathing, and falling asleep. It's wonderful.

I also journal my thoughts and feelings. This is especially helpful if you feel like you can't voice the things you want to say out loud. But getting it out is so important and can be a weight off of your shoulders for sure.

Additionally, retraining your brain in times of stress through hypnotherapy is one of the actual treatments for IBS. You know how crucial this is if you've read anything about the brain-gut connection. Check out the app Nerva for ways you can do this right on your phone. Personally, I worked with an inner work mentor/hypnotherapist. Christy Bartelt was monumental in helping me heal my inner child & old trauma wounds that were manifesting in stress, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. I highly recommend her services and now consider her a dear friend. You can check out Christy's online services & heart healing meditation options here.

It's not always what you eat, but HOW you eat.

As a teacher, I need a lot of food to keep me going. I use up a lot of energy managing students, talking, and walking around the classroom, and around the building. It is a good amount of work!

But the one thing that never really sits well with me was, well...breakfast!

Even though I always wake up starving, (I have a fast metabolism), I would be eating breakfast as early as 6:00 or 6:30 AM, right after waking up. And my body did NOT like that.

I would have a lot of gas in the mornings and feel really bloated until lunch.

But once I started teaching from home during the pandemic, I wasn't getting up as early, which meant I wasn't eating as early, but just sipping tea for the first few hours of the day.

And VOILA!

My morning stomach problems were gone. I still had to use the bathroom in the morning (because, um, duh), but it was normal and without issue. No more gas or bloating.

Now that I teach at a school that starts later in the day, and I eat breakfast later, it's no longer a problem. Hallelujah!

I've also noticed this is applicable to eating other meals. If I eat too fast, I can end up with symptoms. Eating slowly, chewing food thoroughly, and sitting down for meals all help. With IBS, it can often be not just what you're eating, but the way you're eating that can have an impact on your symptoms.

Final Thoughts: Celiac Disease & IBS

Having both of these digestive troubles can be HARD. But when I have a flare-up or a gluten reaction, I always remind myself to be kind to my body, and not beat myself up. Adding additional stress doesn't help. It's best to forgive, rest, and move on.

If you are struggling with both celiac disease and IBS, I'm sending you virtual hugs as you read this. I'm right there with you and hope you can find relief.

If you are struggling with stomach problems relating to celiac disease or IBS, please speak to a medical professional. Here are some resources that can help. Also, go follow my friend Christine @myibslife on Instagram for a laugh about living with IBS, and checkout Erin Judge, RDN a dietitian who specializes in IBS on Instagram.

How do you manage both celiac disease and IBS?

Let me know in the comments below.