Vitamins

[tinylittlepotofjelly]

Hello everyone, 

 

Sorry - I feel like I may ask a lot of questions over the next few weeks as I settle into this. I have not been officially diagnosed with celiac (waiting on blood results) but have been recommended to begin a gluten free diet by my doctor to see how I feel when not on gluten as he suspects that even if the blood comes back negative my problems might be caused by gluten. 

 

Anyway, I am aware that it is possible I am deficient in vitamins (it certainly feels as though I don't digest food properly and have no energy from it as I am always either suffering from C or the big D!), though my vitamin D levels came back okay. However, I also have an intolerance to foods that contain copper (soy, nuts, pork, milk and dark chocolate, avacado etc.) and was recommended by a nutritionist that I supplement vitamin C, B vitamins and manganese a few years back (sadly I couldn't afford any more appointments after that first one and she was not open to answering questions over the phone!). I tried these vitamins at the time and discovered I ended up with D almost straight away each time and that they also made me feel nauseas. I tried them again recently and found the same effects. 

 

I just wanted to check if others had experienced this? Is it likely that because my body can't absorb nutrients just now then vitamins will just come right through me (so to speak!)? 

 

Any advice would be helpful. I understand any advice given here is not medical - I am just trying my hardest to get better but I don't want to take anything that will make me worse either so it would be nice to hear others experience. My doctor is not the most knowledgable about vitamins etc. and I can't afford to see a nutritionist right now! 

 

 

Edit: i'd also be interested to know how many people had to go onto a whole food diet to feel better... I have a partner that loves to bake (and has bought gluten free flours for that purpose!) and I have a tendency to eat some chocolate (as in maybe half a bag of white chocolate buttons) and a diet soda almost every day... - I was just curious if those things are likely to slow down any recovery I see or if all I should change to begin with first of all is gluten and then take it from there? 

 

Thanks again! 

[w8in4dave]

I did a post on Vitamins and Minerals almost the same as this one. There is some info in there Yes it is tru vitamins will pass thru you so you can take more. Thats the way I understand it anyway.. I am taking alot of Vitamins didn't make me feel any better so I take even more of them. Then in my thread if I am reading right I can triple what I am taking. Vitamin D helps with energy levels I need that !! I have Zip for energy .. If you can absorb just a bit of these vitamins life will be better for you!! 

I am sure someone with more knowledge than me will come in and knock everything I just posted down. I am just writing what I am understanding. Some suggest getting tested to see what vitamins your lacking.

[1desperateladysaved]

 

 

 

I just wanted to check if others had experienced this? Is it likely that because my body can't absorb nutrients just now then vitamins will just come right through me (so to speak!)? 

 

Any advice would be helpful. I understand any advice given here is not medical - I am just trying my hardest to get better but I don't want to take anything that will make me worse either so it would be nice to hear others experience. My doctor is not the most knowledgable about vitamins etc. and I can't afford to see a nutritionist right now! 

 

 

Edit: i'd also be interested to know how many people had to go onto a whole food diet to feel better... I have a partner that loves to bake (and has bought gluten free flours for that purpose!) and I have a tendency to eat some chocolate (as in maybe half a bag of white chocolate buttons) and a diet soda almost every day... - I was just curious if those things are likely to slow down any recovery I see or if all I should change to begin with first of all is gluten and then take it from there? 

 

Thanks again! 

Greetings Litlle Bowl,

 

What vitamins did you take?  I happen to know from D experience that magnesium causes diarrhea and the body can be more touchy at first.  If you are taking more than one, you might want to stop all, take a 4 day break, and then try one at a time.  I say a 4 day break, because my functional Medicine Nurse tells me that it takes 4 days for antibodies to die down.  I always use natural and often organic vitamins.

 

In order to combat my celiac symptoms beginning 30 years back I got more and more into whole natural foods.  I often an some relief of symptoms, but I did not know I had celiac.  As a result I gained in discipline to eat nothing but a healthy diet.  I am definately un-American in that respect!  Now, after 30 years of celiac symptoms I got diagnosed.  I used supplements to great advantage.  Infact supplementssaved my life and helped me to tread water the last 6 years of my illness.  I did have help to determine which supplements to take.  Now, after about 18 months of gluten free diet I am Better!  If you have more questions about whole foods or supplements I would be glad to share what worked for me.  I shared some of it in a thread yesterday, so PM me if you need more.

 

D

[tinylittlepotofjelly]

 

 

Thanks W8in4Dave - I will check that out! 

Greetings Litlle Bowl,

 

What vitamins did you take?  I happen to know from D experience that magnesium causes diarrhea and the body can be more touchy at first.  If you are taking more than one, you might want to stop all, take a 4 day break, and then try one at a time.  I say a 4 day break, because my functional Medicine Nurse tells me that it takes 4 days for antibodies to die down.  I always use natural and often organic vitamins.

 

In order to combat my celiac symptoms beginning 30 years back I got more and more into whole natural foods.  I often an some relief of symptoms, but I did not know I had celiac.  As a result I gained in discipline to eat nothing but a healthy diet.  I am definately un-American in that respect!  Now, after 30 years of celiac symptoms I got diagnosed.  I used supplements to great advantage.  Infact supplementssaved my life and helped me to tread water the last 6 years of my illness.  I did have help to determine which supplements to take.  Now, after about 18 months of gluten free diet I am Better!  If you have more questions about whole foods or supplements I would be glad to share what worked for me.  I shared some of it in a thread yesterday, so PM me if you need more.

 

D

 

Thanks for this, taking one at a time is a good idea, it seems obvious now you say it but I never thought about taking just one and seeing it if also caused me to run to the bathroom straight away. I feel a bit lost with where to start though. I have taken magnesium in the past but via a spray so it didn't affect the digestive system so much (though within a week I was running to the bathroom again) - but the others I had that were recommended where B vitamins and vitamin C. I can't take a multi-vitamin as I can't have copper and I can't find a copper free multi here in the UK. 

 

I would love to hear more about what worked for you with regards whole foods and supplements as I don't know where to start to some degree but I can't work out how to PM you! (I'm new to forums - can you tell  

 

Anyways, thanks again all for your feedback - it's invaluable at this time. 

[w8in4dave]

If you can try and find vitamins and minerals that are Gluten Free ... Yes there are some out there. Not all have Gluten in them but some do. You can probably do a search on line.  Amazing how much stuff has Gluten in it!! I am still amazed! before I read a label I try and guess " Is Glutenized yes or no?" And so many times!! I have been wrong!! So yea make sure!! You get vitamins with out Gluten , then make sure you take them one at a time to see how they affect you! Look up symptoms and stuff ..Have you gotten your blood test back yet? 

[tinylittlepotofjelly]

If you can try and find vitamins and minerals that are Gluten Free ... Yes there are some out there. Not all have Gluten in them but some do. You can probably do a search on line.  Amazing how much stuff has Gluten in it!! I am still amazed! before I read a label I try and guess " Is Glutenized yes or no?" And so many times!! I have been wrong!! So yea make sure!! You get vitamins with out Gluten , then make sure you take them one at a time to see how they affect you! Look up symptoms and stuff ..Have you gotten your blood test back yet? 

 

No bloods back yet - could take another three weeks (painfully slow!) but five days on the gluten free diet so I'm hoping if gluten is my problem then I will start to feel a bit better soon. My head is already feeling a bit clearer but I can't tell if that's just me being hopeful (is 5 days too soon to see results!?) 

 

All my current vitamins are gluten free at the moment but they seem to really upset my stomach. I'll do as suggested and start taking them one at a time for a while and see how it goes. Do you have any idea how long it normally takes to see results from vitamins? 

 

Thanks! Hope you're recovering well! X

[w8in4dave]

It was 3 days and I started feeling better, not my head I still have that fog. But it is better. You know some vitamins do have a tendency to up set stomaches so you may want to look  into the ones your taking. And I know that lactose can be a problem with Celiacs so if your still ingesting Lactose you may want to stop. I know it is hard to sift threw every thing we take and do. Some suggest making a food diary. That might be a good idea .... 

[1desperateladysaved]

 

 

Thanks W8in4Dave - I will check that out! 

 

Thanks for this, taking one at a time is a good idea, it seems obvious now you say it but I never thought about taking just one and seeing it if also caused me to run to the bathroom straight away. I feel a bit lost with where to start though. I have taken magnesium in the past but via a spray so it didn't affect the digestive system so much (though within a week I was running to the bathroom again) - but the others I had that were recommended where B vitamins and vitamin C. I can't take a multi-vitamin as I can't have copper and I can't find a copper free multi here in the UK. 

 

I would love to hear more about what worked for you with regards whole foods and supplements as I don't know where to start to some degree but I can't work out how to PM you! (I'm new to forums - can you tell

 

Anyways, thanks again all for your feedback - it's invaluable at this time. 

 

on the upper right of your screen you should see an envelope with a 1 (my message) or higher number on it.  If you click on this you should be able to see a message I sent.  I hope it works for you.

 

I am very excited to talk about natural means of solving.  

 

I didn't know how to send a PM at first either.  Time helps solve these things.

 

D