Gutened! Anyone Else Get Cravings And Retain H2o?

[anerissara]

I guess every now and then I need a little reminer as to the fact that this gluten thing is *not* all in my head! I know it is important and that I should be careful, but I hadn't had a bad reaction for awhile.

I went to Outback Steakhouse...normally a very safe place to eat...and *forgot* to order my salad gluten-free! I can't believe I did that. I was 1/2 way through the salad when I suddenly felt my gut blow up like a balloon (seriously...yipes!) and felt reeeaaalllly sick. I've never had that happen so quickly, normally my reations start a day or so after glutening and peak 3 days afterwards, this one hit hard and right away. Turns out the salad had some sort of little noodle in it (wheat) and dressing with gluten, too. YIPES! I've not had that much gluten for over a year, usually if I'm reacting it's from some tiny trace in something, cross contamination etc. I felt really crummy but then was looking on the bright side...it was a reminder as to how careful I really need to be. I then ended up eating a piece of cheesecake at my aunt's house this weekend...she knows about the gluten and *she* isn't supposed to be eating it either...but she does often cheat. I ate the top off the cheesecake thinking she made it gluten-free, which she ususally does...turns out it *wasn't*! So, any crumbs in the cake were wheat.

Now I am doubly sick and feeling stupid (for getting glutened *twice* in a bad way!).

One thing I've noticed this go-around, when I've had a bad glutening....I am retaining water like crazy! I mean, I gained 3.5 pounds *overnight* for no particular reason. My face is puffy and my rings are stuck to my finger. This is crazy! Plus I've got the rash from last week's gluten...I'm sure it will go on for several weeks now that I've been glutened twice! And I am having the most insane cravings...I want to eat *everything* and just feel like grazing all over the kitchen....I had forgotten how bad I felt before going gluten-free, and this is really an un-fun reminder. I think I wont' eat *anything* for a couple of days in hopes that it will clear up faster...or at least that I won't be in the bathroom as much as I have been. Sigh.

Does anyone else get the retaining water thing or the cravings?

[mythreesuns]

Does anyone else get the retaining water thing or the cravings?

I don't know about reaction to glutening (still new, trying to figure out if I've been glutened or not) but I do know that before I went gluten-free I had an insatiable hunger. Even if I just ate, sometimes I would be so hungry my stomach hurt and I would eat EVERYTHING in sight.

That's probably why I'm overweight.

[anerissara]

I think that's why I was overweight, too. I had about 15 pounds that just *wouldn't* come no matter what I did...I could eat nothing at all, go jogging, whatever and I still couldn't lose it. I lost about 5 pounds the first week gluten-free just due to the fact that I quit retaining water!

It's been almost 2 years, and I am very close to the weight I'd like to be...it feels great *except* for weeks like this when I feel like I'm back to square one...I can't believe that about 1/4 ounce of wheat noodles can make me gain 3.5 pounds!

I always like meeting people like me who gain rather than lose with this disease, because my dr. initally wouldn't test for celiac's because I hadn't lost 15 pounds in a month. Sigh. It's good to know I'm not alone!

[Nantzie]

I get bloated too. Anywhere from 2-4 pounds. You can really see it in my face. And my stomach swells up. I also get cravings when I'm glutened that normally don't even cross my mind. It doesn't need to be anything gluteny necessarily, but I notice that I crave candy or chocolate a lot when I'm glutened. The other day I had to go to the grocery store after being glutened, and I entered through the bakery. I wanted one of each, I swear...

I was overweight when I was diagnosed too. I couldn't get it off. Very frustrating. Now, I'm about 25-30 pounds down, and wouldn't mind losing another 15-20. But it wouldn't bother me if I stayed where I am either. I've gotten to where I feel like I look good in clothes and it's pretty easy to shop now, but not quite good enough for walking around in a bikini. Maybe next summer.

Nancy

[anerissara]

I got the gluten cravings, too...much worse in the months just after I went gluten-free, but I still get them now. Usually the thought of something wheat just turns my stomach but if I've been glutened it can start sounding good.

One of the funny (or not so funny) things about my experience was that before I went gluten-free I craved bread and wheat things constantly. Maybe it was part of the disease for me, but I do remember just wanting to eat a slice of bread for no reason sometimes.

Glad I'm not the only one, but I'm sorry other people have to deal with the bloating and cravings! It's miserable.

Nantzie....just noticed below your signature the bit about anxiety! I had anxiety before being dx'd and I get it back when I've been glutened. That's another thing I"ve been dealing with is that terrible anxious feeling...at least this time I have been able to remind myself what's going on and have been trying hard to keep things in perspective. I get anxiety attacks in my sleep if I've been glutened...I wake up with my heart racing and feeling totally panicked for no reason. This will happen a couple of times a night, usually right when I've just fallen asleep. Sigh. So, add dark circles under my eyes to the list of ailments I'm experiencing this week!

Oh, yeah...and acne, too. That flares up when I've had gluten. Good thing we're not doing any family portraits in the next few weeks!!!

[JennFog]

Well for me, I know the second I wake up and look in the mirror if something I ate had gluten in it, my face is puffy, i feel bloated and there is usually a quick dash to the bathroom.

If it was only a little gluten, the D calms down by midmorning, but the puffiness and bloating will still last a few days.

In the beginning, maybe for the first 2 weeks, cravings were bad, but after that, the only time I ate things with gluten is when it was inconvient to be gluten free. Like waking up late in the AM, and running out the door only to find myself eating a bagel, bcuz there wasn't a gluten-free option.

I find if I have gluten-free foods options around, I don't crave. If I am lookin for gluten-free foods because they aren't around, I am more than likely to sneak a piece of toast from my husband's stash.