Help, Please

[flxmanning]

I have only been on the gluten-free diet for about a week and a half now and all and all I feel so much better...depression has subsided, sleep is becoming normal, more energy, etc. But yesterday I had another "episode" of a huge distended stomach and all I ate were gluten-free foods. I know that I just need to take it easy on my digestive system for awhile, so I'm fine with eating only "boring" foods, but I don't really know what to eat. I think brown rice, black beans, and salads (with gluten-free dressing of course) are good, but I guess I could be wrong. Also, and this is probably a really stupid question, but I have a tendency to overeat...does that make the symptoms worse? If I just eat smaller meals will that help? Any info would be really appreciated.

[Lisa]

I am glad that you are starting to feel better. Continue with unseasoned foods (salt& per is ok)

Be sure to check your shampoos, lotions, lipstick.....as anything that can get into your mouth.

You will have many ups and down and the healing process can be slow. Hang in there.

[Nantzie]

The overeating may go away as your body heals. That's what happened to me. I was one of those people who was always either eating, or trying to resist the urge to eat. After I was gluten free for a while, I think it was like a month, my appetite completely went away. The last thing I wanted to do was eat, and I'd often forget to eat because there was no urge or hunger or even wanting to taste a certain food. It got to the point where just the feeling of eating was gross, chewing and even the feeling of the food in my stomach. Blech. It got pretty bad. That lasted for a few months. Now, about 8 months after going gluten-free, I don't have much of an appetite, but what I do eat I enjoy, and I don't have that nausea/food aversion that I had for a while there.

So your appetite may change or come and go. The food I used to eat nearly constantly was all gluten stuff, especially cookies and stuff like that. Now, I've made gluten-free cookies a few times, and I never eat more than just a couple out of a whole batch. They taste good. I'm just not interested. I usually end up throwing most of the cookies away after a few WEEKS. When before I would eat a whole batch in a few days. Now, I'd much rather have something like potato salad or chips and salsa. And I usually just want a small amount before I'm full.

Nancy

[Montana Julie]

Hi, there -

I'm new to this site, and am new to being gluten-free. I've read a couple other comments like yours because I have the same problem - thanks to all you veterans who are responding to us!!

It seems to me there is a phase of initial recovery when we all feel better - then there's the relapse phase that apparently should go away soon.

I'm hoping we both make it out of this!! The posts of our fellows are really encouraging. Thanks to all you vets for helping out we neophytes!

One word of advice - when you're just learning your diet (like me) it is really easy to get "glutenated". Like, you go out to a restaurant and order rice, right? NOPE. It'll usually have soup to flavor it (thickened with flour, of course) or it'll be doused with soy... and who would think THAT would have wheat?

Then there was the whole discovery that oats are usually contaminated - arg! That one set me back - my doctor told me oats were OK... then I learned from other doctors and celiac-positive people that oats are not so safe after all...

And if any of you vets know - please correct me if I'm wrong anywhere! This is such a learning process, and I'm so excited to have discovered this supportive, positive, and informative website!

Hang in there and good luck!

Montana Julie

[Aerin328]

You will have many ups and down and the healing process can be slow. Hang in there.

This is the truth. I've been gluten-free for one month now and it seems every week or so I continue to roller coaster drastically up and down even though I'm totally (as far as I can tell) gluten-free. Overall, the coaster seems to be heading in a positive direction. If there's one thing I've learned from this site, it's that patience is an absolute must. The healing process can take a very long time... so hang in there!!

[gfp]

This is the truth. I've been gluten-free for one month now and it seems every week or so I continue to roller coaster drastically up and down even though I'm totally (as far as I can tell) gluten-free. Overall, the coaster seems to be heading in a positive direction. If there's one thing I've learned from this site, it's that patience is an absolute must. The healing process can take a very long time... so hang in there!!

Well one month isn't long but we all get caught out at the beginning. (actually all the time, its just harder at first)

Try keeping a food diary so you can check back for any patterns. One of the hardest things is when we start off we tend to find a few safe items we rely on... in my case one of them ( plain tortilla chips) was made in a factory with other stuff and I kept getting ill on and off. When I gave in to my paranoia as suggested by others my symptoims vanished.

[taz sharratt]

I have only been on the gluten-free diet for about a week and a half now and all and all I feel so much better...depression has subsided, sleep is becoming normal, more energy, etc. But yesterday I had another "episode" of a huge distended stomach and all I ate were gluten-free foods. I know that I just need to take it easy on my digestive system for awhile, so I'm fine with eating only "boring" foods, but I don't really know what to eat. I think brown rice, black beans, and salads (with gluten-free dressing of course) are good, but I guess I could be wrong. Also, and this is probably a really stupid question, but I have a tendency to overeat...does that make the symptoms worse? If I just eat smaller meals will that help? Any info would be really appreciated.

glad you are feeling well after only a short time on the gluten-free diet, the thing is is that its only been just over a week and the gluten is still there in your systym and therefor needs some time to get out so it could be some time before you stop getting a bad stomach, also you may be eating things that have hidden gluten in them, i started on the diet with very simple things like fresh veg, plain meat, fresh fruit and nuts everything simple and from scratch is the best advice i could give, then in time add things from the gluten-free ranges, stick to the same size meals you have allways had ,you dont want to complicte things even more. good luck

This is the truth. I've been gluten-free for one month now and it seems every week or so I continue to roller coaster drastically up and down even though I'm totally (as far as I can tell) gluten-free. Overall, the coaster seems to be heading in a positive direction. If there's one thing I've learned from this site, it's that patience is an absolute must. The healing process can take a very long time... so hang in there!!

been gluten free since may and my tummy is still bad at times, the trouble is i have a milk allergy too so dont know what is doing it, im doing a food dairy at the mo to see if i can pin anything down.

[Deb O (UK)]

The overeating may go away as your body heals. That's what happened to me. I was one of those people who was always either eating, or trying to resist the urge to eat. After I was gluten free for a while, I think it was like a month, my appetite completely went away. The last thing I wanted to do was eat, and I'd often forget to eat because there was no urge or hunger or even wanting to taste a certain food. It got to the point where just the feeling of eating was gross, chewing and even the feeling of the food in my stomach. Blech. It got pretty bad. That lasted for a few months. Now, about 8 months after going gluten-free, I don't have much of an appetite, but what I do eat I enjoy, and I don't have that nausea/food aversion that I had for a while there.

So your appetite may change or come and go. The food I used to eat nearly constantly was all gluten stuff, especially cookies and stuff like that. Now, I've made gluten-free cookies a few times, and I never eat more than just a couple out of a whole batch. They taste good. I'm just not interested. I usually end up throwing most of the cookies away after a few WEEKS. When before I would eat a whole batch in a few days. Now, I'd much rather have something like potato salad or chips and salsa. And I usually just want a small amount before I'm full.

Nancy

Hi Nantzie

I've just read your post with interest. I've just been advised to go gluten-free. I've been an overeater for most of my adult life and have put on 4 stones in as many years recently. Apart from the middle phase that you experienced, I'm hoping that I follow a similar pattern to you. I would love to be 'released' from food.

Deb

[Maureen73]

Hi there! I totally can relate to what you are going through. It took a good six months for my body to begin "healing" after I was diagnosed. I couldn't understand why, even though I was very careful with what I was eating, I was having all of the symptoms still?! Try to remember that your body is pretty damaged right now and your intestines, etc. need time to heal. You also may experience withdrawl from gluten so it's normal to feel crummy and still have the symptoms you had when you were eating gluten.

I have been gluten free for over a year now and am happy to report that I feel FANTASTIC! Sure, I miss the pizza and tastycakes But, overall, when I think of how sick I was before, I am amazed at how just taking gluten out of your system helps! I also suffered from migraines & depression and have had maybe two migraines in the past year (as opposed to several a month). The depression is SO MUCH better as well.

Hang in there. This is a great place to get support & info!!!

Maureen

[Guest Lisa Monet]

I have only been on the gluten-free diet for about a week and a half now and all and all I feel so much better...depression has subsided, sleep is becoming normal, more energy, etc. But yesterday I had another "episode" of a huge distended stomach and all I ate were gluten-free foods. I know that I just need to take it easy on my digestive system for awhile, so I'm fine with eating only "boring" foods, but I don't really know what to eat. I think brown rice, black beans, and salads (with gluten-free dressing of course) are good, but I guess I could be wrong. Also, and this is probably a really stupid question, but I have a tendency to overeat...does that make the symptoms worse? If I just eat smaller meals will that help? Any info would be really appreciated.

I had a similar problem with a distended belly after I had been on a gluten-free diet for months. Dr. Fine put me on enzymes, but I'm not sure that really helped much. It eventually went away. Your body has to heal.

My tummy doesn't like black beans even though my mouth loves them. You might try switching to something milder, like pintos. I determined the problem while eating at Chipotle.

Lisa

Hi, there -

I'm new to this site, and am new to being gluten-free. I've read a couple other comments like yours because I have the same problem - thanks to all you veterans who are responding to us!!

It seems to me there is a phase of initial recovery when we all feel better - then there's the relapse phase that apparently should go away soon.

I'm hoping we both make it out of this!! The posts of our fellows are really encouraging. Thanks to all you vets for helping out we neophytes!

One word of advice - when you're just learning your diet (like me) it is really easy to get "glutenated". Like, you go out to a restaurant and order rice, right? NOPE. It'll usually have soup to flavor it (thickened with flour, of course) or it'll be doused with soy... and who would think THAT would have wheat?

Then there was the whole discovery that oats are usually contaminated - arg! That one set me back - my doctor told me oats were OK... then I learned from other doctors and celiac-positive people that oats are not so safe after all...

And if any of you vets know - please correct me if I'm wrong anywhere! This is such a learning process, and I'm so excited to have discovered this supportive, positive, and informative website!

Hang in there and good luck!

Montana Julie

Hey, Julie!

We can eat McCann's Irish Oats. My family eats them all the time. You don't have to give them up!

Lisa

Hi there! I totally can relate to what you are going through. It took a good six months for my body to begin "healing" after I was diagnosed. I couldn't understand why, even though I was very careful with what I was eating, I was having all of the symptoms still?! Try to remember that your body is pretty damaged right now and your intestines, etc. need time to heal. You also may experience withdrawl from gluten so it's normal to feel crummy and still have the symptoms you had when you were eating gluten.

I have been gluten free for over a year now and am happy to report that I feel FANTASTIC! Sure, I miss the pizza and tastycakes But, overall, when I think of how sick I was before, I am amazed at how just taking gluten out of your system helps! I also suffered from migraines & depression and have had maybe two migraines in the past year (as opposed to several a month). The depression is SO MUCH better as well.

Hang in there. This is a great place to get support & info!!!

Maureen

Hi, Maureen!

You don't have to give up the pizza and cakes! My mom uses Bette Hagman's pizza dough recipe, and she converts any cake recipe she wants into a gluten-free delight. It usually takes an extra egg white, along with about 1 t. - 1 1/2 t. xanthan gum.

Lisa