How Long Until You Start Feeling Better?

[Annabee93]

So, I started my gluten-free dairy free diet on January 1st of this year. I've been told I don't have celica, but I'm not sure I believe my doctor.(my IGA came back normal, the IGG came back high.)

Anyway....

I feel a little better, since starting. I'm not as tired and the dark circles under my eyes have gotten better. But, I'm hungry alllll the time!! I eat and it's like I'm not eaten. I have to constantly have food in my stomach or I feel so sick I can't move. It's driving me crazy. Every since going gluten-free I've had acid reflux. I've had reflux in the past, but it has not bothered me for about 3 years. Now all of the sudden it's awful! I've also been more gassy and still have stomach pains. It's frustrating! How long until I should start feeling better! Since I've been told I don't have celiac, should I go back to the doctor and make sure I don't have some other problem? Please Help!!

[shopgirl]

Have you tried dropping dairy? That can be a killer especially in the beginning. I had to drop it after it started causing some abdominal pain and bloating

[Noche22]

Do you have any problems with your gall bladder? I ask because, I only found out a week ago I have celiac disease. In May is when everything began hardcore crashing down on me. I got VERY sick with massive stomach pain, severe acid reflux...to the point I would vomit....bloating....hunger, but couldn't eat, etc. It took several trips to the ER and one ER doctor discharging me with 'acid reflux' and me demanding my regular doctor to come to see me and being admitted. I refused to leave because I knew I didn't have just acid reflux. I was very sick. All my tests were coming up normal, everything. Even a scan. They ended up giving me a hydescan (sp?) where they inject the dye to my gall bladder. Sure enough....it wasn't functioning at all!!! I was booked for immediate surgery. Weeks later I was still sick....they found I had hernia. Another surgery. Weeks later....STILL SICK....I continued to put all my clues together over the past years and here I am. My friend suspected I had celiac, I researched.....went to doctor, had all the classic symptoms including the not so common ones and my tests came back positive.

My issues ironically starting becoming more obvious when my gall bladder failed. I am not sure of the connection, but maybe you are having the same type of isssues???

[T.H.]

The constant hunger is something that some of us get, gluten free. I've heard lots of theories for it. One, you're healing and your body needs a lot of nutrients to do this. Another theory I've heard is that you're finally healing, and starting to digest, and your body is desperately trying to get the nutrients it hasn't had for a long time. And your hunger can be related to nutrient needs as much as caloric ones.

I had nearly 2 months of that - just felt like I was starving, constantly, no matter how much I ate. It eventually passed, but just...much sympathy for your hunger. It's miserable.

Don't know about the other, though - hopefully some of these other ideas can help you with something.

So, I started my gluten-free dairy free diet on January 1st of this year. I've been told I don't have celica, but I'm not sure I believe my doctor.(my IGA came back normal, the IGG came back high.)

Anyway....

I feel a little better, since starting. I'm not as tired and the dark circles under my eyes have gotten better. But, I'm hungry alllll the time!! I eat and it's like I'm not eaten. I have to constantly have food in my stomach or I feel so sick I can't move. It's driving me crazy. Every since going gluten-free I've had acid reflux. I've had reflux in the past, but it has not bothered me for about 3 years. Now all of the sudden it's awful! I've also been more gassy and still have stomach pains. It's frustrating! How long until I should start feeling better! Since I've been told I don't have celiac, should I go back to the doctor and make sure I don't have some other problem? Please Help!!

[SGWhiskers]

I had the insane, ravenous hunger for 3 months. It dwindled to 3 meals and 4 snacks/day by 6 months. I still can't skip lunch like I used to before going gluten-free. Look at what kinds of foods you are eating. Are they gas causers (soy, beans, cruciferous veggies, apples, cucumbers, soda, dairy, I'm sure there are more)?

I had little heartburn before going gluten-free, but had a long stretch of it which I eventually attributed to too many tomatoes. I also had stomach pain which was eventually releived when I stopped the NSAIDS/Asprin and switched to protien shakes instead of multivitamin pills. (I've added back chewable multivitamins successfully).

Regarding your diagnosis:

I would stay strictly gluten free for at least 3 months. You seem to be responding to the diet and would do well to stay gluten free for life.

If doctor does not feel you have celiac, I would ask for an explanation of what he thinks could be causing your high IGG numbers. If it's not celiac, it's something else that needs a diagnosis and treatment. (But you've already figured out it's probably celiac).

Keep it up and good for you for taking charge.

[Annabee93]

Have you tried dropping dairy? That can be a killer especially in the beginning. I had to drop it after it started causing some abdominal pain and bloating