By Jolene FarleyBrad Bosch, Steen, doctored for years before finding out all the symptoms he complained of could be traced back to one thing: gluten intolerance.Bosch suffered from abdominal discomfort every time he ate, forcing him to make frequent trips to the bathroom. Doctor’s removed his gall bladder but his symptoms continued. "When they took it out they said the gall bladder looked perfect," Bosch said.Bosch consulted Dr. Larry Lyon at Luverne Medical Center, and Lyon suggested Bosch be tested for gluten intolerance. Lyon was familiar with celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, because his wife, Linda, has the condition.Bosch was given a blood test for the disorder that came back negative. The blood test isn’t always accurate, according to Bosch. Since Bosch’s discomfort continued, Lyon suggested that Bosch try staying away from products that contain gluten."He said just try staying away from wheat products," Bosch said. "I didn’t really realize what all had wheat in it."Dr. Lyon’s suspicions of celiac disease were soon confirmed by a biopsy of Bosch’s small intestine. That diagnosis began a totally different way of eating for Bosch. He is now symptom- free if he stays completely away from gluten products. Eating out is difficult. Bosch said fast food is impossible. Chicken is often breaded with gluten products, pasta and noodles are made from gluten products, gravy is thickened with wheat flour.Bosch said sometimes if he does go out to eat, he orders a hamburger with no bun. Many cream soups use gluten as thickener and ketchup contains the offending ingredient."There aren’t too many choices of cereals that you can have that don’t use some type of wheat product," Bosch said.His meals typically consist of meat, potatoes, vegetables and fruits. He used to like a salad with dinner but the dressings he prefers use wheat as thickeners. "I used to love eating bread— that is probably one of the biggest things that I miss," he said.Bosch said he also has to be cautious when taking medication, because some pills are shaped using wheat products. He said he usually knows almost immediately when he has consumed a gluten product. His eyes get sore, itchy and watery, and he breaks out in a rash. "A lot of times I can tell if I’ve eaten something I shouldn’t," he said.Bosch suspects he has been gluten intolerant since he was young. He can recall having symptoms, but never knew what was causing them.He said the condition can occur at any age, some develop symptoms at a young age, others develop the condition when they are older. Bosch said that some patients find that after they stay away from gluten for a period, if they eat something with the ingredient their symptoms become more severe. "The more you stay away from all of the wheat products, if you do come back into contact with them, your symptoms will be a little bit more severe," he said. The Celiac Sprue, Herpetiformis Dermatitis Support Group in Luverne has been helpful.The group provides information and support to its members. Bosch receives newsletters with information on different gluten-free products and recipes. Bosch and his wife, Linda, meet with the group to mix flour.Reading food labels and thinking about every bite of food he puts in his mouth, has become a necessary part of life for Bosch.
