Has anyone had the "celiac belly" and gotten rid of it? By celiac belly I mean the stomach that expands/distends more and more as the day goes on. So you have to by larger pants in order to fit into them by the end of the day. Anyway, I've been gluten free about 10 months and have still not gotten rid of this. My antibody levels are going down (ttg/iga 5 U/ml) so I know that I'm doing something right.

I would love to hear from someone who has had the celiac belly and gotten rid of it. Even if you tell me that time is the only thing that can fix it, I'd love to at least have hope that it will go away! Thanks in advance.

Emily

Sorry, I cannot say that I have had that particular issue. But, seems here many have and often dairy is the culprit. Have you tried avoiding dairy to see if that helps?

I am gluten free, dairy free, fat free, sugar free, meat free, egg free, nut free, citrus free and I am STILL bloaty Is yours kind of painful? Not only is it uncomfortable but it cramps my style! Haha. Luckily I love wearing "baby doll" flowy tops, but that's all I can wear!

Yes, mine is painful when I'm intestinally "sick" - leaky gut. When I'm not sick though, it's not painful at all, it's just there. I've been leaning towards the more flowy tops now too. It's so frustrating because my entire wardrobe has had to change in order for me to be comfortable. I hope that someone can provide some hope for us!

Emily

I was dairy-free for a couple months when I thought I was lactose intolerant and unfortunately the stomach was still there (then I tested negative for lactose intolerance and started eating it again). I may try it again though and see if it helps. Thank you!

Emily

I call it the go-go-gadget belly.

The only thing that made it better was IBS medication... but I broke out in hives from it, so I am trying another kind, but its not working.

Avoiding fried foods, beans, sugars, whole grains and dairy helps some, but not completely.

I am not bloaty, mine is just there.....and I did start excersing....but I choose more flowing tops as well. Which helps right now is that is the style

I used to get asked if I was pregnant because mine stuck out so much on my small frame and I had to buy the next size up to accommodate it so I know what you're talking about. I had mine still the first 2 months into the diet as I was still learning but after that, no more unless I am glutened, which is rare. I also have dairy issues but it doesn't cause my abdomen to be distended like gluten does. Very occasionally if I have alot of gas or am constipated for a day, it will stick out but 90%or more of the time I have my old flat tummy back. When I'm in good shape, healthwise, I have 2 or 3 normal BM"s a day. If I don't, a cup of black tea and tummy squeezes often get things moving. Probiotics or yoghurt can help. Many years ago I read Dr. Andrew Weil's book and if I remember correctly, he said we should be having a BM per meal if we are eating regular meals. I had one BM per day and thought that I wasn't constipated all those years when in fact I was very constipated. I would also recommend re-evaluating what you are eating to be sure that you aren't getting hidden gluten or CC. Don't eat anything unless you've confirmed for yourself that it is gluten-free.

Thank you so much for your post. I am so happy to hear that it is possible that it will go away! I will continue to exercise and eat healthy and pray that I am able to stay healthy for a long enough amount of time to see results. Right now I've been sick for over a month (must have gotten glutened somehow, but I have no idea from what) so it is of course worse than usual. Hopefully once I am well again, I can stay that way, and eventually fit into my old clothes! Thanks for giving me hope.

Hi Emily! I had the belly, I called it IBS belly since that was and is my diagnosis, for 3 1/2 years. To call it bloating wasn't doing it justice, it was Abdominal Distention! I would be normal when I woke up in the morn, and around lunch time my waist would grow 3-4 inches. It was stuck gas from the undigested wheat I was eating. Had to undo my pants button and sometimes unzip my zipper all the way down. The problem was trying to find clothes to accomodate both sizes in one day size 8 waist in the morn, 14 -16 in the afternoon. I tried maternity pants but they didn't stretch in the afternoon, only bound me in more. Underwear that didn't bind was an issue too. I actually wore some Hawaiian muu-muus! What cured it for me was a few weeks off gluten, especially stopping the 20+ grams of wheat fiber I'd eat for breakfast in the morn. My MD only told me to take Metamucil 3X a day, which I tried for 3 months and only made it worse (lack of fiber was Not the problem).

Missy'smom gave you great advice, lots of stuff I was going to say. I drink hot green tea before meals and after meals, no drinks with meals except maybe sips of room temp water to swallow with. I drink water when I first get up, followed by coffee only awhile before my breakfast. I eat kefir which is like yogurt with probiotics (I make a protein shake with fresh fruit out of it). I massage my belly, and put a heating pad on it if I get pain. My belly is still tender, I can't stand tight clothes, but it is almost consistenly flat. After having that problem for so long, you can bet that I never knowingly eat gluten. I found I had to be better about assuming things were gluten free, especially my medications & vitamins. Family dinners, I take my own food. I err on the side of caution now. I am trying all kinds of vegetables I have never tried in my life before such as beets & brussels sprouts. My goal is 90% of my food will be fresh & organic, the other 10% can be processed gluten free stuff. Today I had too much fiber in the morn, Cream of Buckwheat with ground flaxseed, and a protein shake with hemp and flaxseed later. Had a minor belly problem but nothing like before. I also drink a small glass of wine when I get a tummy ache in the afternoon and it seems to help.

Hope your belly goes back to normal soon!

I just found out that I have celiac disease about two weeks ago and lately I have been so bloated which is why I went to the doctor in the first place) I have been working out at least five times a week and eating a healthy diet with no dairy or sugar, only good fats and whatever fat is in meat, no wheat, and since i found out,I'm trying to eliminate all the gluten but I cannot seem to loose weight. In fact, even though my body is looking better and more toned (my kickboxing instructor even commented that I look great) my pants are fitting tighter. It seems like my symptoms are just now occuring at the age of 19. Was weight gain a problem for anyone when you started noticing your symptoms or could this just be bloating? I cant figure out if i am bloated or getting fat!!!

I know the feeling! If you answer yes to one of the too questions below, then I would say you are not getting fat.

Were you too thin before?
Can you fit in your pants in the morning, just not at night?

If you were on the thin side before and not able to put on muscle due to the damage in your stomach, then you are probably just now starting to do so which is great! That means you're getting healthy! Or, if it is a case of you being able to still fit in your pants in the morning, but not at night, then that is certainly due to bloating.

I started getting my first symptoms when I was 19 too, but wasn't diagnosed until 7 years later. I lost a lot of weight and people thought I was anorexic. Then I got a little better and was just thin and couldn't seem to put on the muscle I used to. After being diagnosed I put back on about 5 lbs and am struggling like you are. My pants don't fit at night so I feel fat. I wish I could get rid of the stomach bloating so I would stop asking myself every evening if I'm getting fat too!

I've just recently started writing down what I eat and writing down my symtoms each day to try to figure this out. For me, if I write down what I eat and I see that it was healthy and the right amount for my weight and activity level then I feel better about myself. If you know you are doing things right, then you will be confident that you are not getting fat and it's something else you are dealing with. If I figure anything out I will certainly post it!

I used to live in California where women let their tummies hang out year round and mine always looked different than the other moms. Their's was a little jiggly and could be tucked into their pants. No offense to anyone. But mine was hard and round. It was a little painful if I wore anything too tight. I did gain some weight too in the last few years as I was getting sicker.(I was undiagnosed for 8 years) My sister(before she realized she had celiac disease as well) kept telling me I was in denial and that it was just weight and lack of exercize and I somewhat believed it but part of me knew it wasn't. Every once in a very rare while, my system would clear itself out and my tummy would go back to normal, giving me a clue that it wasn't just fat. I dropped 16 pounds seemingly overnight when I went gluten-free and went back to what I consistantly weighed for 10 years before I was sick. In the end, being healthy is what matters most.

My belly used to look 6 months pregnant, I am happy to say it is as flat as a pancake. I'm 54 yrs. old and now have a flat tummy that any 20 yr. old would be proud of.

Bless you for posting this! That is wonderful news! I am now optimistic that mine will flatten out soon too. I'm almost at my 1 year anniversary of going gluten free, so hopefully I will see results soon! Please pass along any advice as to how to do it if there is anything to do other than follow the diet and continue to eat healthy and exercise.

Thanks!
Emily

My tummy went down slowly but surely until one morning I woke up and realized my hip bones were higher than my gut, I jumped out of bed ran to the mirror, did the profile view and there it was..a totally flat belly. The last thing to go after the swelling went down was what I called a protective fat layer. I had this one inch layer of fat that I swear my body put there in response to all the inflammation. It was the only spot on my whole body that had fat...it was really weird...and no amount of exercise or watching calories affected that little fat layer. Then I guess my body decided it no longer needed protection there and let it go.

P.S. I keep a journal and write down anything I put in my mouth. This helped me to discover which foods I need to stay away from. Even though these foods do not have gluten in them, they still cause bloating.

Thanks for your replies. My mind is a little more at ease now. Hopefully I will start feeling better after being on the gluten free diet longer. I guess it just takes time and dedication to being gluten free... as hard as that is with the contamination factor.

I dropped gluten and dairy in January but still had issues with food and realised that, like many others who often don't realise it, my problem is more than just gluten and dairy - I am actually very carbohydrate intolerant.

Although I had cut down on some carbs, I had still replaced the gluten with other carbs instead and was having problems with them, so 2 weeks ago I went on to the Specific Carbohydrate diet which limits carbs to just those in a little honey, well cultured homemade goats yogurt, fruits and vegetables. I have meat, fish, and poultry along with plenty of veg and my stomach is a lot better, I am sleeping better and my heart is no longer pounding constantly. I still have a belly, but that is due to fat, not bloating!

If you are still bloating it means that bacteria in your gut is using the carbs you are eating as food and producing lots of gas (and toxins) as a byproduct. Although there are odd medications around that may help, the bacteria can become resistant to them - the only sure-fire way to control it is to dump the carbs and particularly sugar.

Once it is under control then we may be able to consume an occasional treat of carbs, but a lot of the reason we become carb intolerant is due to the quantity we consume. Most people are eating and drinking sugar and carbs from the minute they get up to the minute they go to bed (and sometimes in the night as well!) and our bodies cannot cope with it. High-carb, high-sugar consumption is a breeding ground for illness and disease.

Thanks AliB! I do notice that when I start eating less sugar I also start to feel a little better. I'll have to try this and see if it helps - it will take discipline!

Emily Elizabeth,
I'm so glad you asked this question! I've been gluten-free for a little over a month now, and my belly is getting worse instead of better. I thought I was going nuts! Thanks for having the guts to ask this question!! (no pun intended!!) AliB's reply really makes sense to me!!!! I'm consuming lots and lots of carbs (even though they are gluten-free) and a fair amount of sugar. I'm so thankful for your input, AliB!! I was wondering if sugar had much to do with my discomfort. I just didn't want to believe it because I feel like I have to cut out so many things as it is. But I'm going to try your suggestions! Can't go around looking pregnant when I'm not!! It's embarrassing! I was too embarrassed to even ask about it - so thanks everyone!!!
Kritter

I KNOW that belly- it's terrible! It's so strange that it happens in mid-late day for everyone, it is the same for me as well! I noticed that it started to go away once I cut out SO many things.... dairy, nuts, corn, eggs. A few weeks ago I had some dried cranberries and noticed that I got the belly.... so I cut those out for a while, then last night I had some cranberry juice and got it within an hour. You will just discover over time that there are things that will trigger it, that is my only assumption.

Something that I've tried that really seems to help with digestion is eating a handful of prunes after every meal. I buy the Newman's Own bag of prunes at Vons and have two or three after I eat and it seems to help a lot, and they are yummy!

I also was asked if pregnant with large round hard belly. gluten-free diet helps and also have begun probiotics before bed and am finding BM is nasty in the AM and assume that belly is full of bacteria from undigested food pre-gluten-free diet. Am still bloated but it is improving and hope the probiotics continue to help. gluten-free for 8 months and coping

I have the same problem. I was diagnosed in July. At that time I was so anemic they wanted to do a transfusion, but I ended up have 2 IV iron infusions instead. Anytime I even have the slightest amount of gluten, I bloat. I am still trying to figure out the diet. It is more complicated than I thought, so I occassionally end up with some gluten. I have done a couple of things that help. 1) epsom salt and ginger baths to help get rid of toxin and water retention. 2) no diet coke 3) trying to follow the elimintion diet to figure out what is actually causing the bloat. It took a while after diagnosis to lose the weight I couldn't seem to stop gaining. I eventually lost about 25 lbs. Lately I have gained about 3-5 back, but I am holding fairly steady now. Does this seem normal?

I lost 10 lbs after going on gluten-free diet. I never drink cola products as they all seem to have carmel color in them and I thought that carmel color was a derivative of barley. I could be wrong and am curious if anyone knows if cola is ok for celiacs. am also still fighting the celiac bloat. hope to get rid of belly before summer so any suggestions are great!!

This happens to me too. To top it off, I either ate some gluten on chopped dates or potato chips, or have the stomach flu, but I think I may be the only person on the planet to have the "runs" all night and wake up with the gluten tummy and gained 3 lbs over night. If the stomach pain isn't enough, the weight gain and tummy add insult to injury. does this happen to anyone else?

I am curious if you have tried probiotics to eliminate bad bacteria from your gut. I have just started and notice foul BM in the morning and hope this means that the probiotics are working!

Finally feeling better! My stomach is almost back to normal.

I was feeling better after cutting way back on the sugar and the citrus/acidic fruits, and also cutting out red wine and craisins and drinking only one cup of coffee a day instead of two. Then two days ago, I cut out coffee completely (tea instead) and I didn't have to run to the bathroom in the morning (or the rest of the day pretty much!) and my belly was half it's regular distention size in the afternoon. I was actually able to wear a pair of pants yesterday that I haven't worn in almost two months! I drank my coffee black (not flavored - just Folger's classic) so I know it wasn't gluten, just somehow aggravating.

Thank you everyone for your replies! It's so nice to be able to talk with people who understand what you are going through.

Emily

That's great to hear. Over the past 2 years-ish I've put on 30lbs. I am extremely active and do my hard workout in the morning (running/weights) when I feel ok and a light swim at night to losen up. But man throwing on that swimsuit in the evening is so depressing. I've had many clients congratulate me on expecting a child.

I have also not been able to loose any weight or build muscle mass despite my extremely balanced diet and super active lifestyle. I think that this issue is causing problems with my bodies absorption of nutrients. I'm just starting to cut gluten out and minimizing my dairy to a yougurt a day. Thanks for this post it gives me a light at the end of the tunnel.

I think there are 2 different sorts of belly issues going on here.

One is from eating whatever doesn't agree with you and is caused by gas and such.

The other one is the tendency to put on fat just in that area.

I think the fat one is a bit harder to solve and more dangerous to your overall health (that fat middle has been related to an increase in heart attacks and i think stroke)

Sadly I have both kinds... I've pretty much solved the gassy kind (except when I eat "bad" stuff, which I do occasionally... for me most greasy foods and sugars which i very rarely use) but to get the fat out of your belly area is hard. I'm certainly not fat either. I'm 5'7" and 126 lbs. But all my weight goes to my belly. I'm a bit older so I think its a product of aging as well, grrrrr.

In this months Self magazine (or maybe this months "Health") they have an article about short power walks.. I'm a great walker but I work for a living and can't take an hour or two out from work to go walking, but I can take 15 minutes here and there and this article is about short 15 minute walks.. there are 3 types.. up hills, (which we have a big one in our neighborhood) varying slow and fast walking and then, slow, fast and jog. I hope its on their web site for those of you that are interested. I'm going to do this. I walk a mile or two each day right now with my dog, but she is older and they are very leisurely walks!

If anyone else is interested in trying this with me let me know. We can check out the web site and if its not there I can post the schedule here if you like....

Susan

Hee hee mine is a pregnant belly. I gained 30lbs but almost none of it is in my belly. I gain all over so most people including myself don't notice it happening. I wake up in the am with a mostly flat tummy (- my very tiny roll) and by the end of the day I seriously look and feel pregnant. It's crazy! My boyfriend and I make up baby names joking because it's so odd.

Mine seems to grow as the day goes on. Of course as the day goes on, I have had FOOD. Since I am still new to this, I have been struggling to figure out what causes the gurgling and gas that seems to build throughout the day. Things that I thought were a problem are not, and things that I thought were ok are killing me. I thought my cereal was ok (it really only said "wheat free") I cut that out, and was a little better yesterday. White potatos seem soothing, until the "gas baby" starts to kick. My biggest problem is probably soda. I love Diet Coke... it does not love me. I am down to about 1 a day in the evening (what else am I going to mix with my rum) . Yesterday, I had one in the afternoon because I was anxious and depressed and just wanted something. Immediate gas baby. My waistt expanded and stomach began the gurgling. I also have a pretty small layer of fat, that I think may go away over time, as I get better at recognizing gluten. It seems to be a defense mechanism. Of course at 45, it just may be the way I am going to be. I have found that exercise in the afternoon does help (but I try to run by ...LOL) I would like to see my hip bones in the afternoon again!

It's difficult to cut out the few things that we still enjoy that are gluten free. I held on to coffee and red wine for a very long time. It's so difficult to figure out what is causing your stomach to be upset sometimes. I wish we had a specific weekly menu that cuts out all known allergens (which would probably mean we couldn't eat anything) and tells us exactly what to eat/drink and when. This would be like a cleansing/healing period. For example, you eat and drink these very specific things until your stomach calms down and is healed and you can add things back in slowly. When pigs fly right?

You're welcome! I can definitely sympathize! My husband and I went on a cruise and it was so depressing to have to put on a nice formal dress at night and have a pregnant belly sticking out. My chest has even decreased in size since I went gluten free (not sure why, haven't lost weight) so that just adds insult to injury!

Emily, i was just diagnosed........a few days ago in fact. In retrospect, I've had the same problem. I havn't been on a gluten free diet......in fact......eaten lots of gluten rich food, in paraticular: Pasta.

Have you had the rash on elbow's, hands...etc? I've read thats a possibility too. My "level" was 140 and it should have been less then 20. A little nervous about dealing with this and some of the consiquent differential diagnosis that could result from celiac disease.......its depressing! How are you coping?

Art

Welcome to the forum. This place is definitely a life saver. You will most likely find that most of the people around you will not really understand what you are going through, so this is a great place to talk and get advice from people who do. I had a rash on my right leg and on my ankles when I was at my worst. I have to admit, I cried a lot when I was first diagnosed. I was of course happy to finally have an answer as to what was wrong with me, and to find out that it didn't involve drugs or serious surgery, but it was depressing all the same. I think most of us go through a sort of morning period where we morn the loss of our former lifestyle. It is most difficult when you come to the realization that you can never eat certain things again. It was very difficult to handle, at least for me. I have to admit that coping was not easy. Even drinking wine didn't make me feel better or help me to relax (though I continued to try it!). I always have loved baking (which was even more of a blow when I found out that I couldn't bake with flour anymore) so now have taken up the hobby/challenge of baking things as good or better than what I used to make. I have been able to copy some of my favorite dishes at restaurants and my husband has even said he likes my version better than the restaurant. So that has been how I have coped with it. I still get upset, and I'm 10 months out from diagnosis, but I am much better. I also try to do things that relax me and help me to clear my head. Also, I try to focus on other people and not so much on myself! Doing something for someone else and seeing the smile on their face can be extremely uplifting and certainly can get your mind off of yourself and what you are going through. Dealing with this is certainly a test of character. I wish you the best and hope to hear that you are coping well and feeling better soon!

Hopefully when your tummy heals you can have coffee again. Sorry for your pain and discomfort, I feel it with you like so many others. karen

I was very very happy to find this post! I had no idea my hip bones were supposed to show! Wow so I've only been gluten free for a short time but today I kept looking at myself in the mirror thinking somethings different, what's different? Suddenly I realized omg I have hip bones! I haven't seen hip bones since, probably 12 years ago. Glad to see it's NOT just fat yahoo.

Thanks! Yeah, I'm hopeful I can have it again. I hadn't had red wine for a long time and I tried a small amount last night and seem to be okay. Phew! I was worried that was out for good. So hopefully coffee can come back into the diet too!

Congratulations! That's very exciting! It's great when we can have good things happen (like seeing our hip bones again) considering how much some of us feel we have to give up with this diet. It makes it all worth it!

Emily

So the belly is a CELIAC thing? Got it! I have been gluten-free for three an a half years and STILL get the belly. However, I also have LPR and can not consume caffeine, chocolate, or tomatoey things so what is left after all that but some fatty foods which since I do not have a gallbladder, I can not process it correctly. So I just figured it was FAT. Some is I am sure. But some is just like you all said, overnight bloating. I will talk to people and say "Do you ever have it where you feel your belly suddenly on your lap?! And it wasn't there before?" I have one friend that said, "Mine is always on my belly." Laughingly, of course. But seriously, I could NOT get it! My tummy would be "overweight" but not like this beach ball all bouncy and firm like, in the morning. Then at night, it was like sticking out so far I couldn't stand it. Right now, I feel it on my lap and this morning, it wasn't there! Weird. Thanks for bringing this up. Lots of suggestions to try cuz this has been driving me MAD!

I have a couple of odd questions because I am too new to this to know anything.

1) Do you all take extra fiber? I eat lots of vegatables and fruit (although I am cutting the fruit way back- I think the sugar is part of my problem) but I do not eat any gluten free bread, so I don't get any grains. do you think that might help "move stuff along"? If you do, what is a "safe" fiber? Is adding flax enough?

2)Is your "celiac baby" bigger after exercise? I bloat through the day, with the max after I run.

Well I woke up with hip bones this morning... I might take a picture because they will be gone be afternoon.

1) No, but I should take in extra fiber. My diet is more limited than just the gluten free diet - however I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because I suffer with many other gastric issues - overgrowth bacteria, GERD, LPR, and whenever I eat anything high in fiber, ultimately that leads to more gas which is more bloating and more pain (really. pain.) I can't take fiber supplements usually for this very reason. It creates too much gas and pressure and bloating. Even though moving things along will help with one thing, it causes another.

2) My bloating is most definitely worse after exercise. But I also have a connective tissue disease that they believe is early lupus (3 out of 5 tests are positive so far.) at the moment so that causes some swelling anyway after exercise. Hard to tell which is which on what's causing what.

I took a laxative earlier to try and move things along and it did but then left me gassy and bloated so I am right back where I started. I am not new to the gluten-free diet, but certainly to trying to find a way to lose weight being gluten-free and also fighting bloating and constipation and gassiness. Wow, spell checker said that is right. Anyway, good luck! There's got to be an answer for all of us. Just a matter of finding what works I guess.

Ok... I did not eat any fruit today. I love fruit especially dried dates. They have been sort of a treat to me, but after reading the candida diet and symptoms, I thought maybe I could cut back. A doctor put me on the diet a few years ago, but when my husband was diagnosed with cancer (he has been cancer free for a year) I ate all the sugar and salt that I could find. Today is the first time in over a year I didn't bloat all afternoon. It was a little dull (food wise) but hey... we eat to live instead of living to eat these days.

What a great quote!

Emily

In addition to veggies and flax bread, I like eating Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Gluten Free Hot Cereal for added fiber in my diet (Yes, that is actually the name!). I add a little salt (really makes a difference) and some cut up fruit (banana/strawberries/blueberries) and sometimes some nuts like toasted pecans or sliced almonds. It has 4g of fiber in just 1/4 cup (uncooked). I add triple the amt of water (3/4 cup water to 1/4 cup cereal) and put it in the microwave on the "oatmeal" setting and it comes out great!

My gold standard for understanding I have been poisoned is my "gut reaction." When I first started going gluten-free after two years of low carbs as well, my tummy just disapeared one night. I was shocked, my stomach just dropped away from my rib cage. And lo and behold in the morning: abs!

I associate the bloating with the idea that any inflammation in the small intestine is a problem. But remember to mulitply it by 26 feet of intestine! That's why it can go up and down so suddenly.

I would have to guess most those guys with beer guts are having the same problems.

Hi Everyone,
I just registered today, because I'm being tested for Celiac. I have a good friend who has Celiac, so I know a great deal already.

I've noticed over the past few months that I would occasionally be extremely bloated (look 6 months pregnant). I also noticed that it would be on days when I consumed a lot of wheat products. But the bloating only happens at night, and I'm fine in the morning. Is that type of bloating typical with celiac?!? If so, why is it happening only late in the day and not all the time? I eat wheat products throughout the entire day.

Thanks for the info.

Melissa

I'm almost one year gluten-free and still have this bloating issue. It got worse initially after going gluten-free. My sense is that my immune system started waking up after being overwhelmed for so long with gluten. It is better now but still an issue. I was overweight and have dropped a lot just going gluten-free. Now I am cutting carbs due to ongoing other issues and malabsorption and expect to lose more weight.

I figured this was a weight issue but now I am not so sure.

Also, I think we need to give the diet 1-2 years to work since as adults the healing process takes that long.

It would be wonderful to have this resolved!

I was recently dx with celiac by a biopsy in dec'07. I have been gluten free for a couple of months now, working out and eating health and I still am dealing with the stomach issue. I have a weight problem from gluten and was hoping things would straighten out now. I have always had a constipation/belly problem and things are not getting to much better. I can wake up in the morning sometimes and may belly is noticeable flatter, but throughout the day it gets bigger and bigger. I was on zelnorm for IBS and that worked beautifully, but like all other good medications, they took it off the market and now I am stuck again. The more fiber I eat the worse I am. It is nice to hear on here that others have the same problem.

Thanks
Jenn

Jenn, it may take a bit longer to see some improvement at least it sure has for me. I lost quite a bit of weight at the 5-7 month point, while still eating carbs a lot, just substituting gluten-free ones. I was milk free as well (until just recently adding in small amounts). Now after cutting carbs (especially sugar) due to other issues, I am starting to lose again.

Also to everyone else on this thread: Be sure you ask for your levels of malabsorption to be thoroughly checked. I am gluten-free almost a year, but just found out I am very very low in many things including vitamins, minerals and amino acids, some of which I was substantially supplementing all the last year.

I also found out I am not digesting--lacking enzymes for proteins, fats and carbs. I had been taking pancreatic enzymes but these were increased and others were added.

My guess is if we are not digesting and not absorbing--we'd bloat for sure, right?

Perhaps those of you who are younger may be recovering more quickly than I am; also I am double DQ2 which I found is associated with more damage and slower healing. So I am hoping some of these issues may resolve in another year or so.

Finally one other idea: I have read that celiacs are prone to other gut infections, including parasites. There are ways to test for these and then you can treat these infections. I discovered to my horror that I did have some worms by eating a lot of raw garlic for a few days. So I used a product called humaworm. Also many people use probiotics which help. I recently found one that I tolerate, so have been using it to make my own goat milk yogurt.

Hope we can all find some answers!