I Want To Quit The Diet

[Claire]

I think we should look at all our decisions the way we shop for food. clothes or cars. Most of us are influenced more than a little by the price. Every decision, like every purchase, comes with a price. All you have to do is to consider if you can 'afford' it. If it is a one time splurge expense, you probably will recover from it. If it is a big ticket item that you will be paying for in the future as well as the present then you have to rethink whether you can afford the cost in the long term.

There is a price to pay for quitting the diet. Some of it you can probably determine up front. Some of the 'cost' will be hidden. You wont know until the bill comes in - which could be weeks or even years away.

Would you buy anything where you didn't know what the ultimate price would be?

Untreated celiac spawns many autoimmune diseases. It is the prime cause of intestinal T-cell lymphoma (fatal). It can cause neurological damage that affects your ability to walk, talk, swallow etc. These are a few of the possible prices you might have to pay.

No one is stopping you from quitting the gluten-free diet. Do whatever you want or need to do - but not before you say to yourself: I am willing to pay the price - whatever it may be. Claire

[Bonnie]

I understand EXACTLY how you feel. I am in the same position at the moment.

Had a gastroscopy and colonoscopy 2 weeks ago. GI told me not to go back on gluten for it. I have been gluten-free for a year. Had blood tests after 6 weeks gluten-free - they were understandably negative.

The gastroscopy showed major inflammation and LOTS of ulcers and absolutely no evidence of Celiac Disease - also not really surprising after being gluten-free for a year. So according to the GI I have a gluten intolerance which may or may not clear up with the ulcer meds. He has given me acid-blocker medication which he says I may have to be on indefinitely. He believes the ulcers and inflammation have been causing most of my symptoms and food sensitivities. I must admit after 2 weeks on the medication my bloating and stomach problems have calmed down a whole lot.

So do I try and eat gluten again after a while? Or do I just accept a diagnosis of gluten intolerance and stay off it anyway? I don't know what to do.

Yvonne

[eKatherine]

Well, I don't claim to speak for others, so I can't answer for JodiC. As well, after the hell that some people have gone through I would never tell they are crazy if they are self-diagnosed. However, the fact is, like it or not, research is improved by accurate statistics. Positive blood work and positive biopsies are, at least right now, the only truly accepted standard of diagnosis for research. You have to have quantitative data to make real progress, you need numbers to back up statements like "it's more common than you think". Well, how much more common? Research costs money, and lets face it, diseases that affect more people draw more attention/money than things that are still generally thought of as "rare". I'm not dissing anyone or the choices they have made, but that's just how it is. I don't think those of us with the "gold standard" biopsy are trying to advance the cause, we are mostly just lucky that we know, without a doubt, what it is we have.

I don't see it as in any way my responsibility to advance medical science by spending maybe tens of thousands of dollars I don't have to convince doctors that the research information already available is correct. Unless you are actually participating in a research experiment, your data will never be compiled, aggragated or released in any form.

[bluejeangirl]

I understand EXACTLY how you feel. I am in the same position at the moment.

Had a gastroscopy and colonoscopy 2 weeks ago. GI told me not to go back on gluten for it. I have been gluten-free for a year. Had blood tests after 6 weeks gluten-free - they were understandably negative.

The gastroscopy showed major inflammation and LOTS of ulcers and absolutely no evidence of Celiac Disease - also not really surprising after being gluten-free for a year. So according to the GI I have a gluten intolerance which may or may not clear up with the ulcer meds. He has given me acid-blocker medication which he says I may have to be on indefinitely. He believes the ulcers and inflammation have been causing most of my symptoms and food sensitivities. I must admit after 2 weeks on the medication my bloating and stomach problems have calmed down a whole lot.

So do I try and eat gluten again after a while? Or do I just accept a diagnosis of gluten intolerance and stay off it anyway? I don't know what to do.

Yvonne

Yvonne,

I'm so glad you found out what is causing the pain and bloating. Did you get any other information as to why it got that way. I suppose you have to stay away from things like citrus and tomatoes etc. I'll get acid stomach pretty easy and if I have spaghetti sauce on polenta [which I love] I pay the price with a round of Prilosec. At $20 a pop its an expensive meal. But I'll so again no doubt. Especially since I get acidy with other foods anyway. I really hope you get better fast with the blockers. I would give it time to really heal and do a gluten challenge with a small amount of wheat and see how it feels but give it a couple of days so you'll know your not getting a delayed reaction. If you feel ok then eat more. I would never eat alot of it just because gluten is hard to digest, allergies or not, and why compromise the gut when it been through so much.

gail

[gabby]

How about this: instead of giving up, why not lean on the message board a little bit. It is worth a try before throwing in the towel (which you already know is not a healthy thing for you.)

Why don't you make a quick list of meals that you are having trouble with: for example: what to eat at restaurants, how to deal with backyard BBQs, lunch on the run, packaged snacks, etc.

And tell us what sorts of foods you hate so nobody will suggest them....and if you have any allergies..

And then let everyone send you great suggestions. you can make a big list, go shopping, keep lots of the stuff on hand, and take the guess work out of meal planning.

Heres the kind of thing I'm talking about: great saturday morning breakfast idea: Friday night, hard boil 3 eggs (10 minutes of rolling boil should do it). Run them under cold water when they are done and just stick them in the fridge.

In the morning, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks. Put the yolks in a bowl and add some gluten-free mayo, some salt, and if you eat avocados, add about half an avocado. Mash it all up and spoon back into the egg whites. Some sliced tomato and a piece of gluten-free toast with butter and you've got a really great tasting breakfast.

Hope this helps

[jkmunchkin]

You can't give up. The first couple weeks are the worst it gets. It's hard to learn how to eat all over again, like you're a 2 year old. But you can do this. We all know it stinks to give up some of your favorite foods, but I promise you are going to find new favorites. I've tried so many things that I absolutely love that I never would have tried had I not been diagnosed with celiac.

No food I ate before is worth feeling the way I did, and damaging my body and putting myself at risk for all sorts of diseases, and shortening my life.

We are all here to support you and help you learn all the incredible things you can still eat, and the new amazing foods to add to your life.

It's not easy, but it's worth it. Hang in there.

[tarnalberry]

Definitely don't give up - with a lot of time and practice, it does get a lot easier. It doesn't have to take away all your freedom at all; it certainly doesn't impact mine, it just requires a bit more planning, and you may have to reconsider the way you think about eating. (It may mean more cooking and bringing your own food if you're out, or changing what you eat when out.) It's not an easy diet, by any means, but you can do it, and it's what you need to do in order to stay healthy if you have celiac disease.

[juve]

hello guys, this is my first post.

i have been gluten free for agout 5 years, however i started eating gluten, because i am in college idon't have time to cook. i want to stop now. and i have been eating for about 3 months. can i get back on track. or is there an unrepareble damage done to me. can some please help. i am afraid i made a mistake and i want to fix it. is ther still a chance to clean my system from gluten. or the harm has been done.

thank for you help.

[tiffjake]

hello guys, this is my first post.

i have been gluten free for agout 5 years, however i started eating gluten, because i am in college idon't have time to cook. i want to stop now. and i have been eating for about 3 months. can i get back on track. or is there an unrepareble damage done to me. can some please help. i am afraid i made a mistake and i want to fix it. is ther still a chance to clean my system from gluten. or the harm has been done.

thank for you help.

I would guess that there is damage from eating the gluten-filled foods for 3 months, but that you can STOP the damage, and LET YOUR BODY HEAL by cutting out the gluten. You don't have to have time to cook to be gluten-free. There are Thai bowls that you just add hot water to them and you have a meal. And there is always salad, meats, veggies, fruits. You can do this. It is hard, but anything that is worth doing is worth doing right! You CAN do it!

[flagbabyds]

I would say just cut out all the glten, even CC and stuff, make sure your dorn is 100% gluten-free, and stock up on soups that are gluten-free and instant gluten-free meals. If you start cutting out the gluten, then you should start feeling better soon, and your intestines should heal.