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I'm back After Being Gone For Awhile

txplowgirl

By txplowgirl
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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txplowgirl Enthusiast
txplowgirl
Posted

Hi everyone, well, I guess i'm back with my tail between my legs. I left back several years ago because of several problems. Mainly I quit working because I got really sick. I nearly died. I was hospitalized with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. I already had Fibromyalgia. Anyway, the lupus was attacking my kidneys and dr. told me I needed to go on disability. That I was so sick I wouldn't be able to work again. She was so right. Some of you may remember me. I drove truck and sometimes panned for gold in my off time. I turned out to be super sensitive to gluten. During my truck driving days I managed to lose 70 lbs and felt a lot better. Some of my issues resolved and I felt a lot better.

When I found out the Lupus was incurable and I had to go on disability I went into a deep depression and I went back to eating everything in my path. Fast forward 4 years now and I have gained most of the weight I lost back, I have systemic Lupus, Fibro, Connective Tissue Disease, Rhuematoid Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue syndrome, Lupus Nephritis, Raynauds, Chronic Anemia, High blood pressure, Degenerative Disc Disease, Depression, 2 bulging discs in my neck with bone spur and 2 bulging discs in my lower lumbar, my social Anxiety is back, my IBS is worse, 5 months ago I wound up being rushed into emergency surgery for an 11 lb cancerous ovarian tumor that had ruptured, had a complete hysterectomy as well as an appendectomy. Thankfully all biopsies were negative for cancer so I didn't need chemo or radiation, thank goodness. 

The day before Thanksgiving I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, my immune system is attacking my thyroid. Reading up about it from what I can understand a gluten free diet will help. The last few months i've been thinking of going back to gluten free but I just haven't really had the motivation. But with this latest diagnosis I decided I better whether I like it or not. I will be sharing my home with 2 gluten eaters who refuse to go gluten free which will make it even rougher, my husband, I got remarried 3 years ago and my only son has been living with us for the last 4 years also. So,

Anyway, i'm back and trying to remember what I had learned before. So, here's hoping the new year is a lot better.

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psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Hi, Vicky, and welcome back. So sorry to hear this sad news, but I hope that returning to the gluten-free world makes things better for you.  {{hug}}

txplowgirl Enthusiast
txplowgirl
Posted
  • Author

Thanks Peter, appreciate it. I hope so.

notme Experienced
notme
Posted

i remember you :)  you drive truck.  

i was still relatively new when you left.  well, take another run at it - i can't help to think that you might have avoided at least some of these complications :(  i'm so sorry BUT maybe you can reverse it.   i get in denial sometimes, too, when it doesn't seem to make a difference or i'm just flat out having a pity party.  but i have to remind myself of how crappy i used to feel all the time - plus all the colds, flus, and other nasty things my immune system is able to fight off now that it's working!  (i've not had a even a sniffle in like 5 years)  so, take heart, you can do it!  also, since you've been gone, many new products have hit the store shelves, and maybe you can make your gluten eaters eat gluten-free (i fed my mother in law udi's bread with crab dip yesterday - i just cut it in triangles and toasted it a little - she asked me if it was italian bread i said  "YUP.  that's what it is  " :) )  so, they are making tastier stuff.  welcome back from a trucking brat (married to a truck driving trucking brat, lolz) :D 

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

With all of your medical problems, I would have to say that Celiac Disease might be another one that you suffer from.  Those are all diseases and problems that seem to come with the territory and going strictly gluten free may just calm that immune system down and make it stop attacking your innards!  Find the motivation to do it so you can have some of your life back. I really wish you all the best!

So......what foods do you love that you need a gluten free version of?  We don't want anyone feeling deprived around here......

txplowgirl Enthusiast
txplowgirl
Posted
  • Author
On 12/26/2015 at 1:31 PM, notme! said:

i remember you :)  you drive truck.  

i was still relatively new when you left.  well, take another run at it - i can't help to think that you might have avoided at least some of these complications :(  i'm so sorry BUT maybe you can reverse it.   i get in denial sometimes, too, when it doesn't seem to make a difference or i'm just flat out having a pity party.  but i have to remind myself of how crappy i used to feel all the time - plus all the colds, flus, and other nasty things my immune system is able to fight off now that it's working!  (i've not had a even a sniffle in like 5 years)  so, take heart, you can do it!  also, since you've been gone, many new products have hit the store shelves, and maybe you can make your gluten eaters eat gluten-free (i fed my mother in law udi's bread with crab dip yesterday - i just cut it in triangles and toasted it a little - she asked me if it was italian bread i said  "YUP.  that's what it is  " :) )  so, they are making tastier stuff.  welcome back from a trucking brat (married to a truck driving trucking brat, lolz) :D 

Hi Notme, I no longer drive truck, wish I could. I intend to go back to gluten free. I have been thinking about it for several months and I just needed something to give me the motivation to do it. The diagnosis, of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis the day before Thanksgiving did it. I wanted to wait until after the holidays and tommorrow is the first of the new year and eating differently.

 

txplowgirl Enthusiast
txplowgirl
Posted
  • Author
On 12/29/2015 at 0:12 PM, Gemini said:

With all of your medical problems, I would have to say that Celiac Disease might be another one that you suffer from.  Those are all diseases and problems that seem to come with the territory and going strictly gluten free may just calm that immune system down and make it stop attacking your innards!  Find the motivation to do it so you can have some of your life back. I really wish you all the best!

So......what foods do you love that you need a gluten free version of?  We don't want anyone feeling deprived around here......

Back in 2012, I had an endoscopy and they found slight villi blunting as well as severe chronic gastritis. Gastro dr told me he didn't think I had Celiac but in his mind I had a sensitivity at least and suggested I go gluten free. But I had just beeb diagnosed with the Lupus which I was told was incurable, so that just took over and I went downhill in the depression dept. The ovarian cancer woke me up and i'm getting back on the bandwagon.

I won't eat any gluten free store foods, they make me sick so I will do what I did before. I'm going back to a whole foods diet and kick out the nightshades, soy, dairy, and there were a few other things that I was having reactions to but can't remember what they are. I know i'll find out a few weeks down the road. It shouldn't be as rough this time as I know what i'm doing where I didn't before. Looking forward to feeling better and losing this weight that I gained back.

Hopefully by the end of this new year i'll be feeling a lot better and have lost a lot a weight, knock on wood.

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GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Welcome back TXplowgirl! :)  It's a great day to kick off a new gluten-free diet
!  I hope you have much improved health in this new year!  :)

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