Unwanted Weight Loss

[Sharke]

Well, I believe it's coming on 2 years since I was "diagnosed" with celiac. As I recall, this was before masks became a new body part.

The memory of why I initially went to the doctor is hazy, but I assume it was unexplainable stomach pain. Bloodwork, a gastroscope and waste samples later, the assumption was celiac.

Now then, as with most people who are told to avoid gluten, it gets taking used to. In fact, the moment I left the hospital I went to this fried chicken place, couple days later you would find me at A&W getting a burger. I remember, they didn't leave me feeling great, but nothing compared to if I would eat gluten now.

If I ate wheat today, symptoms would include extreme bloating, migraine, shooting pains from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes, chest pain that would make you believe you were having a heart attack, and intestinal pain so bad you'd believe Bob Dylan was using them to play Mr. Tambourine Man.

To the actual point of this post, it's been about 6 months since I've been completely gluten-free, only cheating 2-3 times since I was diagnosed.

But my main concern throughout this entire ordeal, is my weight loss. Before, during and after I was diagnosed, it was the weight loss that had me stressing. I went from 160 lbs, weighed myself, which I never do, realized I lost 20 pounds without even knowing, and then 20 more. All in all, I lost a little over 40 pounds and I have not been able to gain a single bit back, instead I am slowly but surely losing more. I now sit between 119-124.

I drink, and I vape, and I eat, eat, eat. I don't watch calories, but I do watch my weight. I'll eat anything from pizza, to burgers, sandwiches, pasta, beef, chicken, bacon, pretty much anything I can eat, I will eat. But alas, no weight gain.

So here's the question (finally, sorry), since I know a lot of celiacs deal with the same thing, even ones I know, is there anything I can be doing extra to gain weight? Besides stuffing my face.

Thanks!

[RMJ]

Have you had repeat celiac antibody bloodwork to see if antibodies are normal or still elevated?  Perhaps your intestines are still damaged and you still aren’t absorbing calories well - especially if you’ve cheated a few times. Bloodwork would be an indirect way to evaluate that, but sometimes antibody levels return to normal before full intestinal healing.

My personal solution for gaining weight is peanut butter.

[Sharke]

3 hours ago, RMJ said:

Have you had repeat celiac antibody bloodwork to see if antibodies are normal or still elevated?  Perhaps your intestines are still damaged and you still aren’t absorbing calories well - especially if you’ve cheated a few times. Bloodwork would be an indirect way to evaluate that, but sometimes antibody levels return to normal before full intestinal healing.

My personal solution for gaining weight is peanut butter.

I haven't, no, but I will definitely call my doctor and request some more blood work. Hopefully they can give me some kind of picture of where I am.

Unfortunately, I am (or) was all my life, allergic to peanuts. Not sure anymore, but allergy tests are ridiculously expensive, so I am still adamant on avoiding them, not to mention I have no taste for them, other than that I'd be downing a jar right now and checking my weight in the morning. 😅

Thanks for the reply, I'll be phoning my doctor in the next couple days.

[Scott Adams]

Almond butter might work too, but there are gluten-free protein powder, but high carbs are generally best for gaining weight. I think the important thing for you is what @RMJ mentioned, perhaps your diet hasn't been perfect, and you're still getting small amounts of gluten often enough that your intestines haven't healed. Look again at your diet, and if you eat out you should probably stop doing so, as that is the #1 source of contamination.

[Sharke]

On 11/9/2021 at 7:35 PM, Scott Adams said:

Almond butter might work too, but there are gluten-free protein powder, but high carbs are generally best for gaining weight. I think the important thing for you is what @RMJ mentioned, perhaps your diet hasn't been perfect, and you're still getting small amounts of gluten often enough that your intestines haven't healed. Look again at your diet, and if you eat out you should probably stop doing so, as that is the #1 source of contamination.

I don't eat take-out, except for rarely this pizza place that offers gluten-free cauliflower. They get you to mention if it's an allergy, and I believe they make it in a completely different spot in the place. But could still happen, I'm sure. Though previous times I've had wheat, even by mistake, my body let me know loud and clear, shooting pains, headache, chest pains, etc.

Got an appointment with my doctor to check out my weight problem, and various other bodily problems most likely linked to my GI. Hopefully she has some good pointers for me.