I Think I'm Gluten Intolerant? Help Please

[hcardwell1993]

So I think I have a gluten intolerance/sensitivity. I say I think because I have not seen a doctor about it yet, and I only noticed that something was wrong with my body about two weeks ago. Everybody knows how their body feels and works and mine all of a sudden just was not behaving normally. Let me preface this by stating all my existing conditions/problems: 20 year old female, lactose intolerant (have been for about a year now), on daily medications for ADHD, anxiety/depression, and birth control. I've just moved back to college for my last year of school, and I'm mourning the recent loss of my father.

 

Now about the gluten problem. I just noticed new signs about two weeks ago when I would be eating lunch at work. Usually I had a sandwich (white or wheat), sometimes it was pasta. Almost immediately after I began eating, my stomach would develop a sour feeling - no other way to describe it other than an achey, upset, crampy, bloated feeling in my lower abdomen. The urge to go to the bathroom (though it was not always necessary), gassier than I've ever been in my life, I'd feel very drowsy and slow, and randomly my joints started hurting (knees, hips and ankles). At first I thought it might be excess stomach acid so I started taking Rolaids throughout the day and drank more water and had a snack in between breakfast and lunch. And the bad feelings would last so long I wouldn't have the appetite for dinner. I ruled out stomach acid, as I wasn't having heartburn or indigestion. In the mornings I usually have a bagel or two pieces of toast or something bready, since I don't have cereal anymore and never had time to make anything fancier than that. I've been eating bread my whole life so why all of a sudden does it bother me? But now I'm thinking that maybe I always had signs of it, but I was just treating those like they were the result of eating too much pizza or a big sandwich on a bagel and just thinking "oh my stomach just hurts because it's full". 

 

So I decided to try avoiding gluten for a period to see if I felt any better. During this time I moved back to school, and moved into a new apartment with my boyfriend. I did some research about what kind of foods to get, but here in this small college town, your two grocery options are either Walmart or Giant (and I'm on a tight college kid budget so I unfortunately chose Walmart). I thought I was pretty good about reading the labels and ingredients of things, but I wasn't as good as I thought because I still came back with bad stuff. And later after shopping for hours I was so hungry and slipped and got Chipotle (a big tortilla quesadilla to be exact) and got soo sick from it. So I think it's definitely an intolerance or a sensitivity. Could any experienced people here give me some advice? 

 

I'm also struggling on what to eat. I cut gluten out of my diet so abruptly, that I'm definitely experiencing withdrawal. I feel like a zombie. Always hungry, extremely low energy but not tired enough to sleep, unmotivated and frankly pretty depressed. Is this just what happens when someone makes a sudden change in diet? Will it go away? For lack of proper knowledge and optimal resources, all I've had to eat today was applesauce, a banana, some lemon yogurt, a small serving of brown rice and celery with cream cheese on them, and water. I'm sure my blood sugar is low, and I am depriving myself of the proper nutrients which is not what I want to do at all! I want to be happy, healthy and free of pain and discomfort. 

Please help!!

[w8in4dave]

Yes your body will go thru a withdrawal, Do you have ins.? Maby you should get tested for Celiac? I think it is important that people get tested when they know they have an intolerance. That way you won't say "Ohh ok Pizza tonight! Then I will be good!" Because you'll know it's Celiac and not an intolerance. Anyway if you choose to get tested you need to keep eating Gluten until after the test. If you decide not to. Yes your body will go thru a withdrawal, the symptoms will subside. You will learn what to eat. It seems hard at first then it becomes like second nature. you have to get to know brands somethings are made in a gluten-free facility some are not. so reading and learning is a big thing. Good luck! This is a good site. Best place to be when your having Gluten problems. 

[cyclinglady]

Check out the University of Chicago's celiac website for proper testing requirements that you can share with your doctor. Continue to eat gluten until all testing is complete.

I hope you find answers!