How Do You Know When You Are Back To "normal"

[Maureen73]

I was very lucky in being quickly diagnosed with Celiac. I was pregnant with my son a year & 1/2 ago and was very ill. After having "D" for 4 months straight and being told it was just pregnancy related, I luckily found a nutritionist at a health food store who told me I should get tested for celiac disease. Sure enough, that was what was wrong.

I've been gluten free since the day I was diagnosed. Never cheated -- even a little taste. However, my husband and 2 children are not gluten free. I do cook for them and worry about cross contamination. I occasionally have night sweats and am not sure if it's due to "glutening" or not. I really don't have any other symptoms like I did when I was really sick..... Migraines even went away!!!

Here's my question --How long did it take you to feel back to normal? How did you know you were better (other than getting the blood tests?). Do you have normal poop? (Sorry!). Once your gut is healed, how do you know if you are being exposed to gluten? My concern is that since my gut has been gluten-free, even if I may mistakenly ingest gluten, I won't have the severe reaction and I will slowly be eroding my gut again.... How often do you see a g.i. doctor for check ups?

One last question -- I know it's a long shot. Since you can go many years without being affected by gluten & then suddenly have celiac, has anyone ever "reversed" and suddently not had celiac disease any longer?

Thanks for listening, I'm just wondering what my next step is in maintaining my gluten-free lifestyle & making sure I'm still healthy!

Maureen

[CarlaB]

Celiac is for life. It is genetic, but gets triggered, so you can go most of your life without having it, then develop it after illness, pregnancy, or another stress. You will feel normal when you're all healed, and it may take time for the damage to happen again, but you cannot eat gluten again without causing damage.

[jenvan]

This is a good, but hard question! It really depends on the person. For me, I would say my energy has started to really improve after a year and a half gluten-free. BMs are still not "normal", but I doubt they will ever return to that completely. For one, even though the damage in my intestines has healed...they are still not "normal" inside. So, bms may always be a little odd from time to time. I think getting blood work done yearly is a good measure. If you are vigilant about the diet, you shouldn't get glutened...maybe every once in a long long while. As Carla mentioned, if you have celiac disease, it is for life...there is no going back or being "cured"...although some get confused and think that as their symptoms and issues disappear after being on the diet. That doesn't mean you don't have Celiac, but that you are compiling with the diet. I would try to eliminate or keep your gluten cooking to a minimum. My husband is not gluten-free, but all the meals I cook are. For me, it has not been hard at all to do that. Occasionally dh will make himself regular pasta, pancakes or pizza...but he does so very carefully and with his own designated pan, griddle etc. He has a drawer in the kitchen were all of his gluten goodies are kept, away from mine. Depending on how you cook, you may be exposing yourself to CC. That may be something to think about... Good luck to you!

[rinne]

Welcome, great question, thanks for asking it. I've only been gluten free for two months now and have been glutened a few times.

You said that you have continued to cook regular meals for your family, does that include baking? I think just handling flour can be a problem with the flour particles in the air.

I have night sweats after eating dairy, which could be menopausal but the night sweats only started once I had melted and gotten quite ill so I am not sure about the connection.