New To gluten-free And Feeling Better Than Ever

[Kittydanger]

Hi! I'm new to the board, and new to my gluten-free life. I went gluten-free about 12 days ago, and by 3 days in I knew I would never eat wheat/gluten again. I'm 32 and have had a bizarre constelation of "conditions" and symptoms since puberty that seemed to be taking a greater toll on me with each passing year.

Anxiety

Depression
IBS

Scalp rash that made me lose my hair at times
Seasonal allergies
Chronic exhaustion
Excessive sweating (used prescription strength antiperspirant)
Pregnancy induced hypertesion 3x (despite not being over-weight and generally a healthy person)
Worsening acne with each passing year
A strange burning sensation in the right side of my chest after eating - in my ribcage under my right breast for 3 years


The exhaustion was the symptom that made me finally try to go gluten-free. I've tried eliminating sugar in the past, which helped some. I went on the Paleo diet (also did this duing my last pregnancy and it was the first time I was able to carry a baby to 40 weeks). I went off of the Paleo diet after my LO was born and my blood pressure skyrocketed, I ended up in the ER on blood pressure medication, couldn't breastfeed because of low supply and developed debilitating panic (all with the re-introduction of gluten containing foods)

Since I've strictly eliminated gluten all of my health problems have ceased. I am truly amazed at how good I feel. I have three young children and my exhaustion was so bad. I had connected it to eating, but I wasn't sure exactly what I was eating that was causing it, so I had actually started avoiding eating for most of the day in order to not crash into a terrible fog of exhaustion.

I have not been diagnosed with celiac but I think it's highly likely that I do in fact have it. I also have one son with high-functioning autism and another with unexplained bouts of vomiting which we had been to the GI doctor about and haven't been able to pinpoint the cause of. All of my children will be going off gluten soon.

I would love to hear if anyone here has had these same symtoms or issues and how you're feeling now.




 

[bartfull]

If you have insurance it might be a good idea to get back on gluten so you can be tested. Celiac runs in families and with three kids, you might want to know for sure so you can get them tested too. If you just take the family gluten-free you won't have official diagnoses for them or you. That wouldn't matter so much except if anyone is hospitalized at some point they won't take your gluten-free diet seriously.

 

And it can be REALLY important for school. With an official DX the school has to accomodate your kids (all the way through college). Without it they don't.

[Kittydanger]

If you have insurance it might be a good idea to get back on gluten so you can be tested. Celiac runs in families and with three kids, you might want to know for sure so you can get them tested too. If you just take the family gluten-free you won't have official diagnoses for them or you. That wouldn't matter so much except if anyone is hospitalized at some point they won't take your gluten-free diet seriously.

 

And it can be REALLY important for school. With an official DX the school has to accomodate your kids (all the way through college). Without it they don't.

Thank you! That's definitely something to consider, although the thought of eating gluten again

[kareng]

Testing might also be helpful so that you know how careful you need to be.  A Celiac MUST be very careful.  But if you are not Celiac, your life may be a lot easier - take a burger off a bun, not worry if your meat is grilled where they just had something marinated with soy sauce, a kid could occasionally eat a cupcake at a birthday party, etc