A Little History - My Celiac Disease Diagnosis

I was diagnosed with celiac disease about a week ago and I am still very much in pain. I am also 37 and after the birth of my second son I have been in chronic pelvic and back pain. It has destroyed romantic vacations with my husband and changed me as a mother. I was wondering when you started to feel better on the diet. I'm worried it doesn't work!!

Kimberly,

I was just diagnosed in December, and I know how you feel. Give your gut time to heal. If you stick faithfully to the diet, you should start to be pain-free within a few weeks.

I just got my official test results from Enterolab and now I know I have a gluten sensitivity and immune response to gluten and dairy. I have been gluten free for 3 weeks now and notice some improvement in my energy - but I am also taking more vitamins and have increased my thyroid meds, so not sure what accounts for my starting to feel better.

I found this explanation which may be helpful to you - apparently, it can take some time to feel better!

Gluten-induced intestinal damage is fully reversible provided gluten-free dietary treatment is strict and permanent. However, the length of time to full healing and disappearance of malabsorption depends on the severity and disease duration at onset of treatment. Hence, children and those with more mild disease at onset of treatment will resolve malabsorption quicker, usually within 6-12 months. Some adults with severe disease, or those who do not quickly grasp or employ strictness to their gluten-free diet, may have continued nutrient malabsorption for longer periods. If intestinal malabsorption persists beyond 18-24 months, dietary and clinical re-evaluation should be undertaken.

I am 60 and was FINALLY diagnosed in March 2008 after a lifetime of never feeling right and culminating in severe illness in January 2008. I did my own research, which I hear is quite common and my G.I. doctor concurred. I also have an immune response to dairy, soy and eggs. My question is this: Does the immune response to dairy, soy and eggs ever stop? I am very hungry. I am eating what I can - what doesn't hurt and it takes all my time to cook and eat and I am incredibly tired already from the Celiac and now I have to cook non-stop. I used to be a vegan, but am now eating meat and love it because it IS food that doesn't hurt. I'd like to hear about symptoms other than the blanket-description I can find on most sites. I'd like to share mine too in hopes that these are common and will go away.

I just want to encourage those who think they will never feel better. It took me at least a year to get my stomach back to normal. I NEVER thought it would get better and was very discouraged. Here are a few things I did to get there. One, drank aloe juice, cut out refined sugar (still don't eat it), cut out preservatives, and ALL bread even gluten free. It was HARD at first but SO worth it. Besides, none of that stuff is good for ya anyway. Maybe it will prevent future illnesses?

Hi folks - I was diagnosed 24 years ago and have been eating gluten-free since then.

Once you've regained enough energy to bake, you can create some great breads, cakes, cookies, etc. utilizing one or more of the gluten-free cookbooks.

Don't forget to check medications for any gluten. The generic med are usually NOT okay as a general rule. Also lipstick and ANYTHING you may ingest.

The dairy issue does resolve itself for some folks. Soy and eggs, probably not.

After the birth of my daughter 12 years ago: I just got sicker and sicker with migraines, neuropathy, constant gas, bloating and diarrhea.

And there was no Google back then. So I enrolled in Clayton College for a degree in Holistic Nutrition. I have a Ph.d. I tried every diet I studied and nothing helped. I even went 'wheat free' with no luck. None of my books talked about Celiac except in passing as a rare genetic disease.

I tried it all. Acupuncture. Cranio-sacral. Rolfing. All sorts of diets. All sorts of supplements. Bio-feedback. Hypnosis. Psychotherapy. Reiki. Faith Healing. I hit an all time low when I called a 24 hour prayer line and got a recording. I almost gave up on myself, god and life. Almost...but something has kept me going. I am a fighter.

My research on neurological disease with unknown etiology led me to Celiac. And here I am 2 months gluten-free. And my migraines are gone!! No more bloating, gas or diarrhea. I only go 2 or 3 times a day instead of 5 or 6. My skin looks better and my eyebrows are growing back in. This is the most hopeful I have ever been that I have found the answer. I will never knowingly eat gluten again. Never!!