Doing Gluten Challenge

[costellosfriend]

Hi:

This question is for those who've done a gluten challenge after being gluten free for a while. How long before symptoms return?

I've been on a low carb diet for over 3 years now, not perfectly gluten free, but nearly so. My symptoms that cleared up with low carb were mild tummy troubles (manageable without doctors or OTC meds) and moderate insomnia. I remember both symptoms extending back to childhood. My working hypothesis is that it was eliminating gluten from my diet which caused these symptoms to disappear.

I've decided I want to be tested for celiac. I've completed three days eating a lot of gluten. (People keep saying eat 3 to 4 pieces of bread. Bleh! I'm eating all the foods I've been missing for the last few years - pizza, lasagna, macaroni, etc.) Aside from a mild change in my BM and little bit of gas - which could be caused by any radical change in diet - I'm seeing no return of these symptoms. I'm sleeping like a log.

I keep seeing people here talk about starting the gluten challenge and immediately being in so much discomfort they can't continue. Not me. How long before I conclude gluten wasn't the culprit after all? (I'm more worried about regaining the weight I lost on low carb than anything else.)

[love2travel]

When I went on my gluten challenge I had tons of gluten - some days probably the equivalent to an entire loaf of bread! It was great fun I have to admit. No symptoms occurred in the three months I ate gluten so I was shocked when I found out I do indeed have celiac disease!

So, you can definitely be asymptomatic as far as tummy troubles go and still have celiac. I actually felt better ON gluten than OFF gluten.

[costellosfriend]

Thanks. I have to admit I'm enjoying it so far too.

[ravenwoodglass]

It took me 3 to 4 days for the agony to start. I did challenges twice and both times it was a delayed reaction. Everyone is different though so some may react quickly and some may seem not to react at all. Don't just look for GI symptoms as some of us will get fatigue, headaches, problems with mood, bone and joint pain etc.

[costellosfriend]

My God! I am sooooo tired!

I'm on day 7 of my gluten-full diet. Aside from some extra gas and gaining a pound or so, I'm not having any problems. But I'm so tired. I'm sleeping ok, but I get up feeling like I could use an extra few hours. And today I'm totally wiped out. I want to curl up in a corner somewhere and take a nap!

I'm wondering if this is my first real change from the diet. It reminds me of how I was some ten or more years ago. Always exhausted. My mother finally made me go to a doctor. I never got a satisfactory answer. Then somehow the fatigue went away. Maybe when I started low-carbing? I don't remember. I do remember I never got that burst of energy that some people get on low-carb. Maybe not being constantly exhausted is my burst of energy.

[Maryw88]

I get numbness all over, loss of motor control, confusion, and tired immediately. Digestive symptoms take a few days. Headaches take a few days too. I am eating gluten for two months and it is miserable. It's not even fun because I have an immediate reaction. Bleh.

[ayndim]

Digestive issues seem to happen within the hour for me. I accidently got gluten not too long ago and it was so bad I ended up having to stay home from work. I was not able to do the gluten challenge at all. Lucky for me, I have a great GI.