After You're Gluten Free

[foodphobic]

I am over the initial shock and the initial confusion. I finally managed to get gluten out of my diet for a while, and I feel better, but not great. I no longer get muscle cramps, but my legs and feet feel weird when I am trying to sleep. I can't quite describe it. Just sort of uncomfortable. No pain, just maybe like my skin is on too tight or something, and it makes me toss and turn and wiggle my toes a lot. Hard to get comfortable to fall asleep.

Also, should I be getting a flu shot? I never needed it before, and I never got sick, but I am coming down off a head cold that flattened me for 4 days and isn't quite gone yet. Has anyone had adverse reactions to flu shots? I did the first time I got one many years ago, got the worse case of flu in my life, and never got a flu shot again. Kind of gun shy now, but this head cold was no fun either.

I also noticed that I get dizzy a lot. The slightest little exertion and I am really spaced out and kind of sick feeling. I don't see stars, like if my blood sugar gets a little too low or I stand up too quickly. I do see sort of a rainbow effect around the edges of my vision, like a gas spill on a wet pavement. I also feel weak and have to sit and rest for a while when that happens. I was pretty athletic last year, (pre-diagnosis) so this stuff really throws me, because there is no warning. I'm going along fine, then suddenly it's nearly lights out.

Anybody know what might be going on or is this just something I need to get used to?

Thanks ya'all.

[celiachap]

Also, should I be getting a flu shot?  I never needed it before, and I never got sick, but I am coming down off a head cold that flattened me for 4 days and isn't quite gone yet.  Has anyone had adverse reactions to flu shots?  I did the first time I got one many years ago, got the worse case of flu in my life, and never got a flu shot again.  Kind of gun shy now, but this head cold was no fun either.

Thanks ya'all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also had a bad year the last time I got the flu shot, a few years ago, and didn't get one again. Celiac patients, all else being equal, have no more reason to get the flu shot than the rest of the population. If you are in a “high risk” group, or your doctor recommends it, then it is probably a good idea to get it.

The vaccination against pneumonia (Pneumovax) is often recommended for people with Celiac. I took the Pneumovax shot last week. I understand that it is routinely given to patients at the Columbia celiac facility in NYC - where I am planning to go in a few months for a visit with Dr. Lee. Other Celiac experts that have recommended the Pneumovax shot include the Celiac Sprue Research Foundation, and Dr. Ciaran P. Kelly of Harvard Medical School.

[jknnej]

It is normal to feel odd for awhile. I did for about 6 months then it finally went away. I had similar symptoms; dizziness, fogginess, etc. all when I was gluten-free. Also, make sure you aren't consuming hidden traces of gluten somewhere!

Don't worry; it will pass. You just have to give it some time; this is a major change for your body.

[kabowman]

I have those symptoms when my blood sugar gets "out of whack" so you may also want to look at the rest of the food you are eating to see if that could be a factor.

I don't know what gluten symptoms you had before, but if they are similar, you may also want to double and triple check all the food you are still eating. My son, who was 13 at the time, found stuff I couldn't eat that I thought I could because he was reading the label better than I was and was actually paying better attention to the details.

Either way, it can take some time before you are symptom free. I think I was an anomoly because I felt better within a week, enough to start noticing that it wasn't just gluten causing me problems.

As to flu shot, well, that is personal...you shouldn't be concerned about it unless you have an egg allergy. When our family doesn't get the flu shot, we may not get the flu but we spend about 6 weeks sick in the winter...when we do get the shot, no sickness. Not sure why and I am pretty sure it isn't the flu but bad colds because the symptoms are just not there for the flu but we do get sick more when we don't get the shot.

[Idahogirl]

I have been (as far as I know-still learning) gluten free for about a week, and all of a sudden I have cramps and diarrhea, which is weird, since it seems like I have the symptoms of celiac now whereas I didn't as much before I cut gluten out. Maybe it's working it's way out of my body?

Foodphobic: your symptoms sound like something I went through years ago before I was dx. Noone knew what it was, and my doctor thought I was overreacting. I almost fainted at work numerous times, and the doctor just said "oh, yeah, when I was your age I fainted a few times, too". All these years my parents have accused me of being hypochondriac, now I know what probably caused it all!

Lisa