Having Symptoms Again And Not Sure Why.

[MarylandMan]

After becoming terribly ill for months a year ago, I went strictly gluten free. I started feeling better right away and a year later I was back to feeling great and in excellent shape. Two and a half weeks ago I traveled for business and had to try to stay gluten free eating out. In the middle of the trip I became really sick. Since then I have been feeling better but on multiple occasions I have had symptoms and I am struggling to eat even though I am back to following my diet.

I am hoping that someone can tell me if they have ever experienced something similar. I hate that this is making me question if I have some issue other than gluten, especially with the mental symptoms I start to second guess what I was so sure of just three weeks ago.

[pricklypear1971]

It's normal to struggle from time to time when recovering from a glutening. I've had it bother me anywhere from a month to a day. I don't know why it varies - perhaps the volume consumed? Perhaps one time it set off an AI reaction?

Digestive enzymes with meals, probiotics, antacids, whatever it takes. Working out/exercise helps me (sort of like sweating out a hangover?).

[shadowicewolf]

Could be explained as being cross contaminated some where.

[GFinDC]

It could just be ongoing recovery from your glutening.  It's not  a 5 minute process.  And or you could be re-glutening yourself from time to time by eating something that is cross contaminated.   When your gut is raw, irritated, and inflamed it is not surprising if it doesn't digest food well.  It would probably help to stick to whole foods and a simple diet for a while and no eating out.  You may need to take your food to work rather than eating out.

 

Some starting the gluten-free diet tips for the first 6 months:

Get tested before starting the gluten-free diet.
Get your vitamin/mineral levels tested also.
Don't eat in restaurants
Eat only whole foods not processed foods.
Eat only food you cook yourself, think simple foods, not gourmet meals.
Take probiotics.
Take gluten-free vitamins.
Take digestive enzymes.
Avoid dairy.
Avoid sugars and starchy foods.
Avoid alcohol.

Helpful threads:

FAQ Celiac com
https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/forum-7/announcement-3-frequently-asked-questions-about-celiac-disease/

Newbie Info 101
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

What's For Breakfast Today?
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/81858-whats-for-breakfast-today/
 

[dilettantesteph]

I find that when I have been recently glutened, I am more sensitive to trace gluten.  I think that it would help to go on a super gluten free diet of mainly whole foods until you heal again, and then you would probably be able to go back to that old diet.  Some of us seem to get sensitive to lower levels as time goes on, but in your case it seems more like you just have to reheal new damage.

 

Gluten's effect on my brain makes me question everything too.  I hope that you feel better soon.

[MarylandMan]

Thank you all for your advice and support. This life style change has been a learning process for me as I am sure it is for everyone. My best to you regarding your own health. I hope to get my condition under control and eventually be able to help others by sharing my experience as you have.

[ljay]

After becoming terribly ill for months a year ago, I went strictly gluten free. I started feeling better right away and a year later I was back to feeling great and in excellent shape. Two and a half weeks ago I traveled for business and had to try to stay gluten free eating out. In the middle of the trip I became really sick. Since then I have been feeling better but on multiple occasions I have had symptoms and I am struggling to eat even though I am back to following my diet.

I am hoping that someone can tell me if they have ever experienced something similar. I hate that this is making me question if I have some issue other than gluten, especially with the mental symptoms I start to second guess what I was so sure of just three weeks ago.

Sometimes people who are gluten sensitive or have celiac disease don't know that they also have sulfite sensitivities. It's in so many of the gluten free prepackaged baking products and is in non-organic tapioca starch, potato starch and cornstarch. Because it's used in the processing at the beginning companies don't have to make that know to us because it's only a certain percentage of redidue left in the product so as to be considered negligible. To many of us it's not negligible as I can vouch for, and it can cause many of the same symptoms as gluten intolerance. I wish this was made known by the celiac and gluten intolerance web sites.

ljay