All After Having The Last Baby

[thenamesbabe]

I had three kids, no twins all within 23 months. My body was just worn out i guess. After I delivered the last one I realized I was getting sick everytime i ate. Well it got worse, more symptoms started and kept coming and i was misdiagnosed a trillion times.

Finally getting diagnosed like six months ago They have found so many other things and my mind just has to wonder if they all run together or if i just am an unhealthy person.

So far I know i'm allergic to grass. Celiac disease, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and possibly osteoperosis. And the doctor said chrones isn't being ruled out yet. Going from a healthy energetic young woman to a constantly sick and now have "strange" diseases, and not just one but multiple, it just is a mind boggler.

And sometimes i feel like just a drag on other people. We go out to dinner and i sit there drinking my soda or ordering just a baked potato and they are eating rolls dripping in butter. And then they feel bad that i can't eat it so i feel like a drag.

do i relate to anyone else?

[CarlaB]

Well, the good news is that your fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and even grass allergy could be related to your celiac disease. I had joint pain, bruising, IBS symptoms, weight loss, fatigue, brain fog, heavy/long menstrual cycles (doc wanted to address that), on and off anemia, low thyroid, seasonal allergies (went completely away) and I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

On good days, I feel completely better. I still have bad days though.

I have six kids, and on bad days everyone has to take care of me. I am glad to finally know what's wrong so I can get healthy again, and that makes sitting in a restaurant and not eating a little easier. For me in the beginning, denial and disbelief were the hardest part, but never bad enough for me to cheat.

Pretty much all of us here can relate!!

[thenamesbabe]

I've been anemic for just about ever i assumed that was related to the celiac now. You mentioned brain fog, I was diagnosed with short term memory loss. I really have the worst memory in the world. Seems like i do something and then just don't recall it what so ever. They are checking into it so see if it's a form of seizure. They described it as your brain just stops for a period of time but your body keeps functioning. I know seizures sometimes go with celiac but i never feel like i've had one. Just can't remember a thing.

The two inch loss has struct up some worry so that's being addressed thursday for a bone density test.

The joint pain is just wild sometimes. It's like i don't want to walk because it hurts so bad. They called that the fibromyalsia. I always thought it was just a diagnosis to give because they don't have other answers and that still lingers in my mind. there should be a good reason that my bones are killing me sometimes.

[CarlaB]

A lot of those problems are probably related. I could hardly bend my knee it hurt so badly. I also got bad joint pain in my thumbs.

As for the brain fog, it feels like I'm drugged ... like the Vicodin or Tylenol 3 they give you in the hospital after a baby. I can't think straight. I've had to say to my family at times that I don't understand what they're saying, can they say it in smaller words and shorter sentences so that I can process the information. This happens if I consume gluten or casein (dairy protein). I forget things, but I can't say I have short-term memory loss.

I'm sure you'll be surprised in the end how much of this relates to being malnourished from celiac disease!

[thenamesbabe]

i'm just elated with the information that talking to people like you on this site has given me. Much much more than i knew before. Do i just wait it out for awhile? With the other diseases will my bone pain stay around and my anxiety and memory and anything else i can think of. I can't wait to get to the point that i can say "this....this...this...and this were from being malnourished from celiac."

[Guhlia]

I too became ill after delivering my daughter. I also suffered from fibromyalgia, nerve pain, anemia, etc... Mine all got better after going gluten free and some things (like the depression and the fibromyalgia) have disappeared completely. I've only been gluten free for two years, but my body is definitely thanking me for it.

[CarlaB]

Healing seems to vary with the individual. Mine is going much slower than I would have liked ... and I really only have gluten intolerance as they found no intestinal damage (did they just miss it, or was it not there, we don't know!).

I took msm, glucosamine, and chondriotin for my joint pain. I still take thyriod and blood builder (anemia). I take St. John's Wort for depression. It took time to get this way, it will take time to get better. Be patient with it. We're all in the same boat ... that's what's really great about this board, you're not alone.

[thenamesbabe]

is st. john wort for depression over the counter or is that prescription?

[CarlaB]

is st. john wort for depression over the counter or is that prescription?

Over the counter. If you're taking meds, you might ask the pharmacist if there's a problem. I know it conflicts with some. I buy it at the health food store though for quality, but the pharmacist would know.

I wanted to add that I was taking St. John's Wort before I went gluten-free. It made such a difference that people who didn't know I was taking it even remarked on my change.

[Kat-Kat]

is st. john wort for depression over the counter or is that prescription?

You could be getting gluten in the st. johns wort I was told that sometimes it is used as a filler. It is in shampoos and soap read the label of everything untill you find the right thing. It is not bad after you find what you can use. I have seizures from the celiacs

[lonewolf]

do i relate to anyone else?

Yes! I had 3 kids in less than 3 years and started getting really sick right after my last was born. Looking back on my life I realize I had problems with my stomach, (everyone just said I had a "sensitive stomach") and a few minor things which got worse after having mono in college. But after my 3rd was born I got REALLY sick - no energy, psoriasis out of control, brain fog to the max and then crippling arthritis (almost wheelchair bound).

I was lucky enough to get in to see a really good naturopath who discovered hypothyroid and numerous food allergies/sensitivities. Unfortunately he didn't figure out the gluten problem, but at least he took me off wheat, (I went gluten-free to make sure I didn't get any wheat) as well as eggs, dairy, soy and a host of other foods. I also took chondroitin, St. John's Wort and lots of other supplements. It took about a year to feel better and get my life back.

I started adding gluten grains back in (spelt, oats, barley) and was then hit with an autoimmune kidney disease. I figured out on my own that gluten was the problem, so I have no official dx, but at this point I don't care. I am finally healthy again. (Although now I just found out I have a hernia and have to have surgery in a couple of weeks.) Sometimes I feel like "a drag" at family parties, church functions and out to eat, but at least I know what's wrong with me and how to control it.

I also used to have funny brain episodes, never dx'd as seizures, but felt like my brain was shaking and I would "zone out" for a few seconds at a time. It turned out to be a reaction to Nutrasweet (aspartame) and I haven't had that problem since I started avoiding it and gave up my sugar free Dr. Pepper.

[IrishKelly]

I too became very ill after having my daughter/second child. I was diagnosed before having her with IBS problems, heartburn, migranes, and unresolved tiredness and leg cramps. After having my daughter 6 months ago (four years after having my son) i went to see a holistic doctor who finally made sense of all of this IBS (which became waaaay worse after having her) and these other strange mysterious problems that had also gotten worse. I've been gluten free and dairy free (which i found the dairy problem from this website on my own) now for one month and everything but the IBS is almost completely gone...but i was told the IBS could take 6 months to get better. You are definitely not alone. I have found out that after life changing traumas such as giving birth or a major surgery triggers it to get worse if you didn't already know that you had it...weird huh?

[Kat-Kat]

I stay away from surger free anything. I have had the seizures for 3 years. The fancy Dr. that is what I called the one that my family dr. sent me to. That dr. just kept asking did I want to kill myself and things like that my husband got mad and told them that I was having real seizures not just zone outs and that it would tke days for me ro come back or talk. I would nearly bite my tongue off well sometimes I did take some off. I looked at stjohns wart but just was a happy person untill they kept tellng I was not. did any of you have that going on Why do dr look at women a say we are depressed and not sick?

[IrishKelly]

I stay away from surger free anything. I have had the seizures for 3 years. The fancy Dr. that is what I called the one that my family dr. sent me to. That dr. just kept asking did I want to kill myself and things like that my husband got mad and told them that I was having real seizures not just zone outs and that it would tke days for me ro come back or talk. I would nearly bite my tongue off well sometimes I did take some off. I looked at stjohns wart but just was a happy person untill they kept tellng I was not. did any of you have that going on Why do dr look at women a say we are depressed and not sick?

I agree...it's like Dr.'s automatically think women have the "depression gene" living inside of them and it's all hormone related...and just because we had a baby we're all of a sudden living with post-partum!! What a crock of crap!! I was so depressed after having my daughter and i kept trying to tell people that the baby and my son were the only ones making feel better...not worse! I kept thinking that i was going to die or something (because i was not diagnosed with anything at that time) and i wanted to make family videos so they would remember me if something happened.

[AndreaB]

I just found out I have gluten intolerance (through enterolab) after my third baby. They were spaced around 3 years apart. If I had had them closer together I wonder if things would have been worse. Someone told me it takes the body 7 years to recoup from a pregnancy. I had knee/ankle joint pain and lower leg pain from the 3rd trimester during my first pregnancy. It has now gone away with me going gluten free (soy free may have helped too).

[thenamesbabe]

i just don't feel depressed. I'm happy but i have tons of anxiety. i was hoping the sst johns might help that. I'm tired of going on anti depressants and losing my sex drive and then getting switched to another one and another one , i finally just dropped them all but i still have the anxiety issues.

I'm sure having the kids so close together put a damper on my body but i just can't help a failed vasectomy!!

i didn't mean for them to be so close. i have four all together and was perfectly fine after my first but i waited two years till my next three were born. I don't know if that has to do with it at all. But i did have 5 surgeries in one year, last year. but i was already so bad off to start with.

i wonder if female doctors think the same depression stuff as male doctors do?

[Rachel--24]

Babe...more than likely everything you're dealing with is a direct result of the Celiac Disease. Once you've been gluten-free for awhile you shouldnt have so many other problems. Brainfog was debilitating for me when I was sick...that and depression were among the first things to improve for me. The damage will take some time to heal but once it does and you start absorbing nutrients again you'll be amazed at how many symptoms suddenly start vanishing. You're young and as long as you take the diet seriously you shouldnt have any problems healing.

[CarlaB]

For me, it wasn't a doctor who told me I was depressed. I went on the St. John's Wort on my own. I don't know if it helped anxiety or not. But I know going gluten-free helps the sex drive (Oh, I hope my daughters don't read this post!). I never had that experience with docs, they all took me seriously. Of course, I didn't go to them till I was pretty sure what was wrong with me because of my own research and rotation diet.

[IrishKelly]

I AGREE, take the diet seriously and just watch what happens...i lost 30 pounds because of this problem...but i'm finally no longer foggy minded and i've gained a few pounds back too...just see what one gluten free month can do for you!!!

[Kat-Kat]

i just don't feel depressed. I'm happy but i have tons of anxiety. i was hoping the sst johns might help that. I'm tired of going on anti depressants and losing my sex drive and then getting switched to another one and another one , i finally just dropped them all but i still have the anxiety issues.

I'm sure having the kids so close together put a damper on my body but i just can't help a failed vasectomy!!

i didn't mean for them to be so close. i have four all together and was perfectly fine after my first but i waited two years till my next three were born. I don't know if that has to do with it at all. But i did have 5 surgeries in one year, last year. but i was already so bad off to start with.

i wonder if female doctors think the same depression stuff as male doctors do?

I had a wonderful female dr when I was younger and had my 2 children. She knew something was wrong with my stomach she sent me for test. As I was told by that dr I have seen the light all the way through. I was told then that my small intestinelook wrong, but that was all that was said.

[jayhawkmom]

The third child is who did me in too!!

I've had some issues my whole life, but nothing like what I've experience since the birth of my 3rd child last August. (He'll be ONE on Thursday!!!)

I just saw the GI this morning... and my head is just spinning.

[IrishKelly]

The third child is who did me in too!!

I've had some issues my whole life, but nothing like what I've experience since the birth of my 3rd child last August. (He'll be ONE on Thursday!!!)

I just saw the GI this morning... and my head is just spinning.

How are you feeling now after one year of his birth? How long have you been gluten-free?

[Kat-Kat]

I agree with the NO GLUTEN WAY. OH and man my sex drive LIKED it to. My size is going down. The seizures stay away. the joint pain can still go at me on bad days. I can not drive. I must have my hasband with me when I shower. I had a bad fall in the bathroom while having a seizure. My anemic labs are better. I am feeling better it as taken time to accept it . I had a hard time with that one just the accepting part. I thought I was trouble to my husband and children. It got me down with that. The seizures after eating something I did not know was there. Anxiety was hard in the first few months I could not understand what was expected of me. But now I am getting better the longer you stay away the better it gets. but I must look in everything shampoos lotion they have whest grem and they also use word that you want know mean wheat. I call the company while I am in the store. they will give a yes but that is not what it is called it has a more scientific name and watch the health store. that does not mean gluten free. It just means not treated with sprays and stuff. I have one of my children that may have it. she is getting labs now get your children checked. the sooner the less problems they will have if they are on a gluten free diet.

[2Boys4Me]

With regard to the St. John's Wort: I have seen news reports that say St. John's Wort + birth control pills=miracle baby. You mentioned that there had been a failed vasectomy, so if you are on the pill, St. John's wort may lessen the effectiveness of it. The news story I saw was a couple of years ago, so I don't know if the chemistry of the pill has changed, but it might be worth looking into.

[kbtoyssni]

Over the counter. If you're taking meds, you might ask the pharmacist if there's a problem. I know it conflicts with some. I buy it at the health food store though for quality, but the pharmacist would know.

I wanted to add that I was taking St. John's Wort before I went gluten-free. It made such a difference that people who didn't know I was taking it even remarked on my change.

St Johns Wort can interfere with birth control pills.