Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

What To Expect, When

Pam M

Recommended Posts

Pam M Newbie
Pam M
Posted

I am first week in to gluten free diet and (ever impatient) wondered when I would start to feel better. Just feel tired, worn out, stomach achy etc.... Would be keen to hear when other people started to feel more lively!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


shadowicewolf Proficient
shadowicewolf
Posted

Hard to say. Right now i would guess you are still going through gluten withdrawl and as such, your body is probably throwing a fit at not having what it wants.

 

It took a while.  The main symptoms ("D" and vomiting) cleared up within a week of the diet starting, but the other things took a while.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Many people see noticeable improvement quickly, but there are numerous factors to consider.

Celiac disease damages the body, particularly the small intestine. That damage needs to heal. As soon as you stop eating gluten, you stop making the antibodies. But the existing ones take time to die off. The healing process begins. How long it will take depends on how much damage there is to heal. Younger people seem to heal more quickly than older ones.

I was 46 at diagnosis, with severe damage to my villi. I began feeling somewhat better soon, but had serious symptoms for several weeks. It was several months before I truly felt well.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Hey Pam and Welcome!

 

Eating simply will help you recover more quickly. Meats, fish, fresh veggies, rice, potatoes, and fresh fruit.  Season with salt and pepper.  Shop on the perimeter of the store and stay away from processed foods, for now.

 

As you feel better, add more items to your menu, one at a time.  Avoid dairy products for a while until your body heals (it can cause you the same issues as gluten)  Dairy products can be added back sucessfully later.

 

But, to your question.  It depends on the level of your damage to your intestines.  If you caught it early, you may experience a quick recovery, if not , a delayed recovery.  But a full gluten free diet is required, so be dilegent.  And good days are ahead of you!

 

 

Feel free to ask any question.  And, again, welcome to the Club.! :)

Pam M Newbie
Pam M
Posted
  • Author

Many thanks all for the advice! Much appreciated. Will give it time and not be too impatient! Lactose is something I will take out as well, but was wondering whether the lactase enzyme supplements would help here? I have always tended not to use too many processed foods - but will steer clear totally for a while. Thanks again!

Pam M Newbie
Pam M
Posted
  • Author

One other question if that's ok. Today I'm suddenly constipated. Is this normal when coming off gluten?

funkflex Rookie
funkflex
Posted

Well I am dealing with constipation from time to time even 5 months into GFD. A couple of spoons of flax seeds in the morning usually helps. Takes some time for it to get through the system. You may also try prunes or hot chocolate if you're into that sort of thing. Cocoa contains a lot of fibre and this helps speed things up.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Celiac Mindwarp Community Regular
Celiac Mindwarp
Posted

I alternated constipation and D for about 3 weeks when I started gluten-free, having never really had it except when pregnant.

It can take a while for your body to settle.

Welcome :)

Where else could you get to meet people and discuss BMs?Keep asking questions we have all been there and it really helps the transition.

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

I opened this post to warn of the constipation.  Keep drinking water and fluids.  Try prune juice warmed if you can't stand the taste cold.

 

If you have NO signs of diverticulitis you might try figs.  They are nature's little colon cleansers.

  • 2 weeks later...
Brandiwine Contributor
Brandiwine
Posted

One other question if that's ok. Today I'm suddenly constipated. Is this normal when coming off gluten?

I had some issues with constipation the first couple weeks in GFD. Be sure to get adequate fiber from fresh fruits and veggies should help, and steer clear if rice cakes seemed to give me issues in that area.

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

It took about 9 months for me to settle into a normal bathroom routine. C was a big gluten symptom for me, as it turned out. When I first started getting "regular" I thought I was getting D, and was irritated that I had to go more often.

Go figure.

  • 2 weeks later...
alesusy Explorer
alesusy
Posted

Patience is the main thing. I don't mean resignation: I mean do not get scared if your symptoms take time to clear. Everybody's different. What I can tell you for sure is that if you manage to get really gluten-free, SOME symptoms should clear soon, in the space of a few days. My main symptom - gastro problems - is still there after 5 months gluten-free: some days are OK, some days with C and worse (rare) days with D. But mental clarity and energy are immensely improved, and the depression has lifted (and I've had more normal BM in these months than in the last ten years). Also muscolar tension (causing huge headaches) is much much better.

 

It's a long road: first your body has to get clean of the antibodies (it takes some months) then it has to start reconstructing villis and then it has to adjust. Your gut may become very sensitive to some foods: my personal basic diet is chicken and rice, lettuce and apples (I luckily adore roast chicken and parboiled rice). Stick to non processed fresh food whenever possible. I was given the same advice and didn't really follow it in the first weeks - I thought I did, but I was continually throwing in other stuff (lots of nuts, gluten-free chocolate, cravings for Coke, LOTS of gluten-free biscuits and processed crackers and processed pasta with other stuff in it - normal wheat pasta is just wheat but gluten-free pasta has lots of additives etc) because, hey, I already had cut out everything with lactose plus my beloved wheta pasta and bread and was trying to compensate. But it's really useful to give your body simple foods in the first months.

 

You may be getting some NEW symptoms you did not have before. Don't worry too much. Keep a food journal and try cutting out the foods that could be responsible. Be gentle to yourself. Personally, if by this time next year I'm still having specific problems I will go looking specifically for other health issues that may be causing them. For now, I'm fiddling with food and studying reactions...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,547
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    gizmo1jazz2
    Newest Member
    gizmo1jazz2
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.