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Progress Report

GeoffCJ

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GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted

This is my JerryK style update.

A brief history -

For 11-12 years I've had symptoms. GI issues, then sleeping issues (light sleeper/insomnia), then my hands and feet going numb. Always felt tired. I tried to stay active, but hadn't had the energy I used to. Lots of stomach problems. I'd have frequent, sometimes painfull tingling/numbness in my hands and feet.

Still got along, but never felt right. My (now) wife was convinced I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Epstein-Barr, my doctors told me it was Lactose Intollerence, IBS, and/or in my head. When we met, we used to run marathons and rock climb all the time. I was still kayaking, but never really had the drive to do other things that I used to enjoy so much. I've always been big, football player build, but I was gaining weight and was starting to look more like a lineman than a tackle.

Last fall, October-ish, I decided to do the South Beach diet. Just a week or ten days into the initial low-carb stage, I started feeling tons better. Remarkable. Night and day difference. There was a clear relationship, and I started doing some googling, and discovered a Celiac website. Holy Sh*t! Those symptoms were mine! I started experimenting with a gluten-free diet, but wasn't too knowledgable.

Presented all the data to my Dr. He agreed with my, and I got the blood test, which was negative, but he recommended the biopsy anyway. It showed clear damage, even after several months of gluten-free/lite. Around the same time I had the Enterolab results. I was convinced, and got really serious about avoiding Gluten.

That was January. I've made a few mistakes, but my wife and her family (we spend a lot of time there) have been great. The diet is pain in the ass, and I sometimes get down in social situations, or when Pizza commercials are on TV. And I think I'm starting to notice reactions to dairy, not sure if it's casein or Lactose yet, working on that.

But the good news-

  • My GI issues are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better.
  • I've lost a few pounds. Still a long way to go, but progress.
  • My sleep is so good I've had to buy a second alarm clock.
  • I made the finals in the expert class in a recent kayak competition. My first time competing as an expert. Even just paddling with friends, people have been commenting on how much I've improved recently, and I've been paddling since I was 14!
  • Energy levels are getting much better. As a student, athlete, husband, and entrepreneur, that means a lot to me.
  • Starting to exercise more again, and it feels great. I'm buying a new (to me) racing bike this afternoon. I used to race in high school, but I'm 31 now. I've set my goals on a 100 mile race this year.
  • I've rediscovered a childhood enjoyment of cooking. I hadn't taken the time to prepare anything beyond basic meals since high school, when I wanted a "good" meal, I'd just go out. Now I cook regularly, and dare I say it, well.

For any newbies wondering if the diet is worth it. The answer is a clear yes. And that doesn't even to take account all the damage/future risk that I'm not incurring.

Just thought I'd share.

Geoff

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

GOOD FOR YOU GEOFF!!!! We all need to see good things happening.

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

That's really great Geoff! Thanks for posting that.

Guest j_mommy
Guest j_mommy
Posted

THANK YOU FOR THAT!!!!!!!!!!! As a newbie it is GREAT to hear things like this! Gives me some encouragment!!!!!

GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted
  • Author

Thanks you guys. This site has been a solid asset.

I forgot one thing, and it's a big, big one, the pain and numbness in my hands and feet, while not gone, is certainly dramatically reduced in both frequency and severity.

Woohoo!

Geoff

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Hey Geoff:

It would be nice to have some of your mother-in-law recipes ( I forgot the fond name you have for her or is it the grandmother?).

You are truely a lucky man.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Geoff,

Thanks so much for sharing...it is good to have encouraging stories like this on here. I appreciate you taking the time to post and telling your story. Its good for the newbies, good for the oldies, and good for you!!!!

Laura

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bookbabie Apprentice
bookbabie
Posted

That's great Geoff! It seems like everywhere I go lately I meet someone who has figured out that gluten is the casue of a lot of their health problems. I'm guessing this will only continue to be the case and the old "IBS" diagnosis will become a thing of the past :rolleyes:

GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted
  • Author
Hey Geoff:

It would be nice to have some of your mother-in-law recipes ( I forgot the fond name you have for her or is it the grandmother?).

You are truely a lucky man.

Momma Goose,

I'll work on it. Between the language barriers and the fact that Po-Po (Grandma) speaks no english, Nor do I speak Chinese or Vietnamese, and Po-Po doesn't measure anything, or even know the english names for things, it gets tricky! But I'll work on it!

She's good though, if she suspects ANYTHING, she asks my mother-in-law or wife to check the ingredients.

Geoff

Canadian Karen Community Regular
Canadian Karen
Posted

Geoff,

That is awesome! It does my heart good to hear success stories like this!

Now if we can just wake the rest of the world up, eh? :rolleyes:

GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted
  • Author
Geoff,

That is awesome! It does my heart good to hear success stories like this!

Now if we can just wake the rest of the world up, eh? :rolleyes:

Seems like it might be happening, little by little, with the press and all. Even if for some people it starts as just a way to "lose weight", if they notice the big changes, then get sick on gluten again, maybe it'll help.

I do worry about people not taking it seriously if "gluten-free" becomes the next South Beach diet.

Geoff

sickofit Newbie
sickofit
Posted
This is my JerryK style update.

A brief history -

For 11-12 years I've had symptoms. GI issues, then sleeping issues (light sleeper/insomnia), then my hands and feet going numb. Always felt tired. I tried to stay active, but hadn't had the energy I used to. Lots of stomach problems. I'd have frequent, sometimes painfull tingling/numbness in my hands and feet.

Still got along, but never felt right. My (now) wife was convinced I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Epstein-Barr, my doctors told me it was Lactose Intollerence, IBS, and/or in my head. When we met, we used to run marathons and rock climb all the time. I was still kayaking, but never really had the drive to do other things that I used to enjoy so much. I've always been big, football player build, but I was gaining weight and was starting to look more like a lineman than a tackle.

Last fall, October-ish, I decided to do the South Beach diet. Just a week or ten days into the initial low-carb stage, I started feeling tons better. Remarkable. Night and day difference. There was a clear relationship, and I started doing some googling, and discovered a Celiac website. Holy Sh*t! Those symptoms were mine! I started experimenting with a gluten-free diet, but wasn't too knowledgable.

Presented all the data to my Dr. He agreed with my, and I got the blood test, which was negative, but he recommended the biopsy anyway. It showed clear damage, even after several months of gluten-free/lite. Around the same time I had the Enterolab results. I was convinced, and got really serious about avoiding Gluten.

That was January. I've made a few mistakes, but my wife and her family (we spend a lot of time there) have been great. The diet is pain in the ass, and I sometimes get down in social situations, or when Pizza commercials are on TV. And I think I'm starting to notice reactions to dairy, not sure if it's casein or Lactose yet, working on that.

But the good news-

  • My GI issues are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better.
  • I've lost a few pounds. Still a long way to go, but progress.
  • My sleep is so good I've had to buy a second alarm clock.
  • I made the finals in the expert class in a recent kayak competition. My first time competing as an expert. Even just paddling with friends, people have been commenting on how much I've improved recently, and I've been paddling since I was 14!
  • Energy levels are getting much better. As a student, athlete, husband, and entrepreneur, that means a lot to me.
  • Starting to exercise more again, and it feels great. I'm buying a new (to me) racing bike this afternoon. I used to race in high school, but I'm 31 now. I've set my goals on a 100 mile race this year.
  • I've rediscovered a childhood enjoyment of cooking. I hadn't taken the time to prepare anything beyond basic meals since high school, when I wanted a "good" meal, I'd just go out. Now I cook regularly, and dare I say it, well.

For any newbies wondering if the diet is worth it. The answer is a clear yes. And that doesn't even to take account all the damage/future risk that I'm not incurring.

Just thought I'd share.

Geoff

sickofit Newbie
sickofit
Posted

I'm new to this sight and had just been wondering if men get this disease as much as women do, or even realize they have it. I think some in my family have it, both sexes, but people think you are nuts when you try to explain it to them and my family does not want to hear about it. You are lucky your wife and her family are so supportive. Being sick and weak and tired all the time causes me to hide or pretend I'm fine when I'm not. I do the diet too and all the food commercials on TV get depressing sometimes. I'm seldom not tired but I have alot of internal damage from having this for so long and not realizing it. I too, figured it out myself by fasting for 5 days. I felt better than I'd felt for years!

GeoffCJ Enthusiast
GeoffCJ
Posted
  • Author
I'm new to this sight and had just been wondering if men get this disease as much as women do, or even realize they have it. I think some in my family have it, both sexes, but people think you are nuts when you try to explain it to them and my family does not want to hear about it. You are lucky your wife and her family are so supportive. Being sick and weak and tired all the time causes me to hide or pretend I'm fine when I'm not. I do the diet too and all the food commercials on TV get depressing sometimes. I'm seldom not tired but I have alot of internal damage from having this for so long and not realizing it. I too, figured it out myself by fasting for 5 days. I felt better than I'd felt for years!

Sorry to hear that you are not well, and that the enviroment isn't as supportive as it should be!

On the Men vs. women thing, I don't know that I've seen a number for that. Any more experienced celiacs know?

JerryK Community Regular
JerryK
Posted

Wow, I could have written a bunch of that...except the only Kayak I have is the blow up kind and it's not going to win any competition :rolleyes:

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

I love all of this. Po-Po , yes, thank you for reminding me. I also want to see Jerry in his blow up Kayak. :lol::lol::lol: Pictures PLEASE!!!!

Canadian Karen Community Regular
Canadian Karen
Posted
I love all of this. Po-Po , yes, thank you for reminding me. I also want to see Jerry in his blow up Kayak. :lol::lol::lol: Pictures PLEASE!!!!

As long as it's not Jerry and a blow up doll!!!!

:lol:

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