Should I Just Cut Out Gluten?

[student314]

I am beyond done with this. Ever since I got sick in July with what appeared to be a stomach bug (severe loss of appetite, fast heart rate, inability to stand for more than a few minutes), I've been struggling to keep my head above water with digestive symptoms (diarrhea and loss of appetite) that come and go, exhaustion, mood swings, anxiety, and new irregular heart rhythms that while probably harmless just add to my anxiety. Just to name a few. I've lost a ton of weight (for me anyway) and I go from feeling fantastic one day to feeling doomed and ill the next. I'm just over it. And no doctor wants to listen to the possibility that it's gluten. Would it hurt to just cut it out and see what happens? I am beyond the point of caring about having an official diagnosis right now...I just want to be able to go through a day of classes and social life and feel GOOD for once. Sorry this is so negative, but I've had just an absolutely terrible day...

[GF Lover]

Hi Student,

 

There is no harm in starting a gluten free diet on your own.  Give it around 3 months to decide if it is for you or not.  Just keep in mind that if you ever do get tested for Celiac, you would need to start eating gluten again.

 

Best of luck,

 

Colleen

[nvsmom]

I agree with Collen, gluten is not needed in anyone's diet. The only real benefit to wheat flours is that they are fortified with vitamins (meaning vitamins have been added to make it healthier than it normally would be). If that concerns you, all you need is a multi vitamin.

 

If it is celiac, you should keep in mind that about half of all celiacs are lactose intolerant when they first go gluten-free. After the intestinal villi heal, many celiacs are able to digest milk sugars again.  If you are still having issues after going gluten-free, you might want to consider dropping dairy for half a year or so.

 

Also, a food and symptoms journal is often helpful to track your health and discover other food sensitivities. You might want to track your food items in the first few months.

 

I hope you feel well soon.

[student314]

Thanks for the replies. I will probably cut out dairy too. It doesn't cause the psychological and heart rate problems, but it does upset my stomach sometimes. I especially pay for it in the morning if I consume dairy before going to bed. I have found that I feel best when I don't eat actual meals. I eat several small meals over the day--Enough to keep myself from getting hungry because that causes a whole bunch of other problems. It's a delicate balance and that combined with my constant anxiety is literally driving me to insanity.