[Rosenberg]

Guys, for the past five years I've had a variety of symptoms can be 100% explained by celiac disease. Anyway, I tried the blood tests, but I was kind of avoiding gluten for a while, a day before the test I ate some gluten though, and it came negative.

I've been gluten free for a little more than a week, and I've noticed sort of improvements, but not 100%. No pain anymore, which is good, my anxiety seems to be diminishing gradually. But my weight remains the same, and so is my bowel movement, same as when I was eating gluten. And this week so far I've had only one episode of something I ate that made me feel the same as I use to feel when I use to eat gluten all the time (symptoms occur right after feeding and late as well).

I'm still experiencing things like, ADD symptoms, hair loss (alopecia), sometimes a little dizzy and diarrhea when I eat too much meat. Perhaps my intestine is not fully healed?

How long did you take you guys to feel 100% ?

[TownieHeather]

Rosenberg, on Nov 10 2009, 05:39 PM, said:

Guys, for the past five years I've had a variety of symptoms can be 100% explained by celiac disease. Anyway, I tried the blood tests, but I was kind of avoiding gluten for a while, a day before the test I ate some gluten though, and it came negative.

I've been gluten free for a little more than a week, and I've noticed sort of improvements, but not 100%. No pain anymore, which is good, my anxiety seems to be diminishing gradually. But my weight remains the same, and so is my bowel movement, same as when I was eating gluten. And this week so far I've had only one episode of something I ate that made me feel the same as I use to feel when I use to eat gluten all the time (symptoms occur right after feeding and late as well).

I'm still experiencing things like, ADD symptoms, hair loss (alopecia), sometimes a little dizzy and diarrhea when I eat too much meat. Perhaps my intestine is not fully healed?

How long did you take you guys to feel 100% ?

Hi Rosenberg - I'm sad to see no one has responded to you yet. A lot of people come here asking the same question - "how long?? " But the response is standard: everyone is different. It depends on your personal health, how long you've had digestive problems, your age, what other health problems you have or may have, etc.

From what I've read here, it seems like most people will notice some of their symptoms will get better within the first week or two - and then about 80% of us (so I've heard) will go through gluten-withdrawal where symptoms will actually get much worse. After that, if the person is careful, usually it seems that people report slow-but-steady improvement.

Me personally, I've been gluten-free for 3 months now and I still have light-headedness, occasional bloating, inconsistent bowel movements, subclinical hypothroidism and periodontal disease. But overall the bloating and fatigue and definitely the gas have gotten a lot better.

As frustrating as it can be, patience and constancy are key.

[sadeew]

It can take 3-6 months for the villi to heal - longer for some people depending on how sick they are and how old they are. In the later case it can take 1-2 years to really feel 100% and some people never get there because they are too old for the villi to totally heal.

A lot of celiac issues are due to malabsorption. You need to make sure you are taking probiotics, enzymes, and eating really good, whole foods. I make a green smoothie every day as it is easier to absorb and has great nutrition in it.

Once you are able to absorb the nutrition it can still take time to replenish the depleted nutients. Months or even years. BUT you will be feeling better and better as you heal so it's not like it will take a year to feel good.

I really turned a corner my 3rd week in terms of my worst symptoms but am still climbing out of the hole with things like iron, calcium, healthy bm's, and blurred vision.

Good luck and don't give up!