Musings and Lessons Learned

G'day to you. Nice to see you here. I'm Keight; a middle aged woman from Australia. I am a truck mechanic by trade and I have two teen sons, who are the light of my life. 

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As a baby, I had massive intestinal issues and could not hold down the baby formulas on the market at that time. Eventually, I was given a mix of evaporated milk and vitamin drops. I have had a life long problem with severe constipation, always thrived on meats, fruit and veg, had stomach cramps with milk and yoghurt, and have always tested anaemic. 

Around the age of 9,  I had a mysterious rash appear on my legs. It appeared again over the years in other places on my body. It seemed to correspond with me eating more bread and pasta. 

Fast forward to 2010-2013, and I found myself signing on to a body building coach who had me remove gluten. She said it helped keep clients guts flat; important for comp time. I did three comps and placed in my third. Bodybuilding has saved my body and soul from self destruction.

It was post comp refeeds when I got an inkling of why I was forever feeling less than ideal. I began to eat oats again, and the odd muesli bar and cake slice. My gut would bloat within an hour and the gas coming from me evacuated the house!! My coach said I was melodramatic and I dropped chasing it up with my doctor. 

In mid 2019, I went to Malaysia for a short break. I ate what I wanted, but 'healthy'. After eating a piece of pineapple I went into anaphylactic shock. I sought a doctor who gave me tablets try. They worked, thankfully, but after four days, I had barely enough energy to leave my hotel to buy food. So much for a fun, action filled break. 

I returned home and saw my GP. I explained all my symptoms.

*lethagy *decreasing performance at the gym *no libido at all *grumpiness and quick emotional changes *gas *bloating *sweating on a cold day *dizziness *the pineapple allergy *hay fever *constipation *not putting on weight with extra food intake etc

I expected to hear I was starting menopause. It made sense, but instead, my low iron status caused my doctor to suspect Coeliac, especially as my diet is squeaky clean and I eat a lot! After serology tests coming back very high, I booked a biopsy. 

That four week challenge was the worst month of my life. I kid you not. I felt almost suicidal. I had not really eaten much gluten in the last ten years, so I was horridly surprised to discover how four pieces of bread a day made me feel. I learned to eat the bread after I finished work, so I could feel wiped out at home. Still, I was ill enough to have been sent home a few times during that period. 

The endoscopy was easy. Fasting felt good! My intestines were grateful for the break! It was done in an hour and I was told to start a gluten-free diet straight away. No advice on how, but just start. That is where my bodybuilding diet came in handy. I began following what I had used in 2010-13. 

Within a week, I was smiling again. The bloat and gas slowly left and I was regaining energy. 

A month later, I sought the assistance of a dietician who is an ex-mechanic, a bodybuilding coach and wants to specialise in diabetes prevention in middle aged folk. I had known of him years before and I knew he has a passion for helping people be their best. He is aware of Coeliac, but I am his first Coeliac client presenting with Marsh score 3b and doing heavy manual labour. 

Things have gotten better in the last four months, and some have stayed the same. More about that in future entries. 

I am about to see my doctor about my lethargy - again. Ciao for now.