Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

I Don't Want To Go To The Doctor...again

bakinghomesteader

Recommended Posts

bakinghomesteader Contributor
bakinghomesteader
Posted

Just found this site. Could someone help me? I have a few questions. This may be long :unsure:

History--I am a 31 year old female. Diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in 1998. Osteopenia in early 2000 sometimes, also, poor memory :blink: I had a thymectomy 2 years ago, cervical cancer last March, and a D & C with a colposcopy.

Symptoms---constipation

extreme bloating after eating Grape Nuts and other like cereals (look 6 mos preg)

bloating after meals

bloating sometimes after a few bites of food

joint pain

occasional migraines

occasional heartburn

brain fog

fatigue

mild depression

osteopenia

irregular menses since Feb (usually like clockwork)

I had a colonoscopy done recently that showed inflammation in some spots. I was told it was from excessive laxitive use. I didn't use them excessively. Sent me on my way and no further followup. I am sooo frustrated.

I am a country girl and bake everything from scratch. We eat all natural, no preservatives, no processed food, etc. I still feel horrible when I eat. So I decided that I would go gluten free for 2 weeks seeing as that is what a doc here would tell me to do anyway. My bloating has gone down. I feel like I am actually digesting my food. Also, I AM GOING TO THE BATHROOM NOW! No heartburn. Not as sluggish. I have only been doing this for 2 days so far. Am I crazy?

Anyway, I don't want to go back to the doc and spend more money we don't have. I thought if this is what makes me feel better, and they would tell me to go on a gluten-free diet if I was celiac, then why not try this first.

Thanks for reading. I will have more questions about cross contamination later. I bake all our bread, well everything, from scratch, so I need to know how not to cross contaminate. I use glass baking pans.

Bakinghomesteader

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


rinne Apprentice
rinne
Posted

Welcome. :)

I'm glad you are seeing some relief in a gluten free diet and yes people can feel differently after only a couple of days.

Many doctors would want you to continue to eat gluten, it is called a gluten challenge, long enough for you to damage the villi so that they could see the damage and tell you not to eat gluten. :rolleyes::lol:

I follow a gluten free diet because I know gluten makes me sick. I have seen doctors who were very unhelpful but then I've been told I am a difficult patient. :ph34r::lol:

This is a great site, lots of friendly support and knowledgeable gluten free cooks.

AndreaB Contributor
AndreaB
Posted

You don't need a doctor's permission to go gluten free. If you can live with dietary response then there is no need of further testing.

Your glass cookware is perfectly fine to use. The things you need to worry about with cross contamination is non stick and plastic.

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Welcome, your have found yourself a wonderful place here.

You certainly have many of the 200 symptoms of Celiac Disease.

If you have no need for further testing nor the expense, there is no reason not to try the gluten free diet.

It, in the beginning can be very complicated, but it appears that you have educated yourself and that's half the battle. There are many advanced bakers here and they show us their photo's to all of us of their goodies (to make us drool), so there is not need to deprive yourself in any manner. It is just a change.

Remember to check your lotions, shampoo, and lipstick or lip balm.

This is a full service board, so please feel free to ask anything.

bakinghomesteader Contributor
bakinghomesteader
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all so much fo replying. I was doing ok yesterday until I ate some Frito Corn Chips. Afterwards, I got a belly ache and gasey. :unsure: So I thought, well I won' eat those. I made my family bread yesterday (with gluten) and wondered how should I clean the countertop. It gets messy with kneading and rolling and such. Do I use bleach? Also, I use a Kitchenaid mixer. Can I use this for me, too then. It is stainless steel. Sorry for all the questions.

Bakinghomesteader

aikiducky Apprentice
aikiducky
Posted

I'm afraid you might find with time that continuing to bake with regular gluten flour and not getting sick from it from time to time is not really possible. Flour gets airborne and settles everywhere, and as you said it's difficult to clean everything thoroughly. Take care to clean your hands very very well, especially under your fingernails! Wearing a mask over your mouth and nose might be an idea, that way you don't breathe in the flour dust (if you breathe it in, some will inevitably end up in your stomach, because the nose and throat are connected).

Bleach doesn't really help because gluten isn't a bacteria that you need to kill... soap and water will work just as well, but take care to scrub very thoroughly because gluten is the thing that makes dough sticky, it's the "glue" in dough, so it will be the last thing to clean off.

The mixer, again it really depends on how well you can get all the gluten cleaned from any little corners and crevices there might be. Personally I'd prefer not using the same appliance alternating with gluten and gluten free.

I know it's tough to even think about giving up something like baking for your family, but my personal opinion is that it would be safer. I know there are people on the board here who do continue to bake with gluten flour though, maybe some of them have tips as well. :)

Pauliina

rinne Apprentice
rinne
Posted

It was when I worked in a bakery that I first became really aware that I had a problem, I would go home from work feeling like I had a hangover.

I'd say there are lots of gluten free baked goods that you can make that your family will enjoy.

And.

Perhaps it wasn't the corn chips, perhaps it was the baking. :(

It took me some time before I asked my husband for a gluten free kitchen but I am really glad that I did because it means my kitchen is a safe place for me. I don't know how your family would feel about that and perhaps you want to try to accomodate them but it is a possibility.

There are also people on this board who do have family that eat gluten and I am sure they will have lots of good tips for you. :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


AndreaB Contributor
AndreaB
Posted

Stainless steel cleans easily. I don't know how easy it is to clean the rest of the mixer though. Just be thorough and it should be fine.

Fritos have made me sick if I ate too many......cross contamination.

Otherwise, as others have said flour dust can cause problems.

bakinghomesteader Contributor
bakinghomesteader
Posted
  • Author

Wow. I had no idea. My husband said that he would be willing to try some gluten free bread that I would make. He said the hard thing would be my cinnamon rolls. I got my recipe published in the newspaper because they were so good. :P I would not know how to modify that recipe for gluten free. :( Some things are taking a getting used to. But I tell ya, I have not felt this well in a LONG time. :lol:

I actually came to tears last night. It doesn't kill me to get up and down like it used to. I just blamed it on my MG, but my muscle pain and joint pain are tremendously better. It is unreal. I just can't believe it.

Thank you all for your help

Bakinghomesteader

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,979
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    volivier
    Newest Member
    volivier
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @tiffanygosci, Hello.  I apologize for your thread being hijacked.   I recognize your symptoms as being similar to what I experienced, the migraines, food and chemical sensitivities, hives, nausea, the numbness and tingling, joint pain, tummy problems, sleep problems, emotional lability, and the mom brain.  My cycle returned early after I had my son, and I became pregnant again with all my symptoms worsening.  Unfortunately, I lost that baby.  In hindsight, I recognized that I was suffering so much from Thiamine deficiency and other nutritional deficiencies that I was not able to carry it.   Celiac Disease affects the absorption of nutrients from our food.  There's eight B vitamins that must be replenished every day.  Thiamine Vitamin B1 becomes depleted first because it cannot be stored very long, less than two weeks.  Other B vitamins can be stored for two months or so.  But Thiamine can get low enough to produce symptoms in as little as three days.  As the thiamine level gets lower, symptoms worsen.  Early symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are often attributed to life situations, and so frequently go unrecognized by medical professionals who "have a pill for that".   I used to get severe migraines and vomiting after gluten consumption.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins are needed to turn carbohydrates, fats and proteins into fuel for our bodies.  With a large influx of carbohydrates from gluten containing foods, the demand for Thiamine increases greatly.  Available thiamine can be depleted quickly, resulting in suddenly worsening symptoms.  Emotional stress or trauma, physical activity (athletes and laborers) and physiological stresses like pregnancy or injury (even surgery or infection) increase the need for Thiamine and can precipitate a thiamine insufficiency. Pregnancy requires more thiamine, not just for the mother, but for the child as well.  The mother's Thiamine stores are often depleted trying to meet the higher demand of a growing fetus.  Thiamine insufficiency can affect babies in utero and after birth (autism, ADHD).  Having babies close together doesn't allow time for the mother to replenish thiamine stores sufficiently.   Thiamine insufficiency can cause migraines, pins and needles (paresthesia), and gastrointestinal Beriberi (gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, back pain).   Thiamine deficiency can cause blurry vision, difficulty focusing, and affect the eyes in other ways.  Thiamine deficiency can damage the optic nerves.  I have permanent vision problems.  High histamine levels can make your brain feel like it's on fire or swelling inside your cranium.  High histamine levels can affect behavior and mood.  Histamine is released by Mast Cells as part of the immune system response to gluten.  Mast Cells need Thiamine to regulate histamine release.  Mast Cells without sufficient thiamine release histamine at the slightest provocation.  This shows up as sensitivities to foods, smelly chemicals, plants, and dust mites.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins are needed to lower histamine levels.  Vitamin D is needed to calm the immune system and to regulate our hormones.  Menstrual irregularities can be caused by low Vitamin D.   Celiac Disease is a disease if Malabsorption of Nutrients.  We must take great care to eat a nutritionally dense diet.  Our bodies cannot make vitamins.  We must get them from what we eat.  Supplementation with essential vitamins and minerals is warranted while we are healing and to ensure we don't become deficient over time.  Our bodies will not function properly without essential vitamins and minerals.  Doctors have swept their importance under the rug in favor of a pill that covers the symptoms but doesn't resolve the underlying issue of malnutrition. Do talk to your doctor and dietician about checking for nutritional deficiencies.  Most blood tests for the eight B vitamins do not reflect how much is available or stored inside cells.  Blood tests reflect how much is circulating in the blood stream, the transportation system.  Blood levels can be "normal" while a deficiency exists inside cells where the vitamins are actually used.  The best way to see if you're low in B vitamins is to take a B Complex, and additional Thiamine and look for improvement.   Most vitamin supplements contain Thiamine Mononitrate, which is not easily absorbed nor utilized by the body.  Only thirty percent of thiamine mononitrate listed on the label is absorbed, less is actually utilized.  This is because thiamine mononitrate is shelf stable, it won't breakdown sitting on a shelf in the grocery store.  It's so hard to breakdown, our bodies don't absorb it and can't turn it into a form the body can use.  Take Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine or TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) which the body can utilize much better.  (Ask for an Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test for Thiamine level.  Though not accurate, this test does better picking up on a thiamine deficiency than a blood test.) Are you keeping your babies on a gluten free diet?  This can prevent genetically susceptible children from developing Celiac Disease.  
    • trents
      Outgrow celiac?

      By trents · Posted

      @Riley, on this forum we sometimes get reports from people with similar experiences as you. That is, their celiac disease seems to go into remission. Typically, that doesn't last. At age 18 you are at your physical-biological peek in life where your body is stronger than it will ever be and it is able to fight well against many threats and abuses. As Wheatwacked pointed out, absence of symptoms is not always a reliable indicator that no damage is being done to the body. I was one of those "silent" celiacs with no symptoms, or at least very minor symptoms, whose body was being slowly damaged for many years before the damage became pronounced enough to warrant investigation, leading to a diagnosis. By that time I had suffered significant bone demineralization and now I suffer with back and neck problems. Please, if you choose to continue consuming gluten, which I do not recommend, at least get tested regularly so that you won't get caught in the silent celiac trap down the road like I did. You really do not outgrow celiac disease. It is baked into the genes. Once the genes get triggered, as far as we know, they are turned on for good. Social rejection is something most celiacs struggle with. Being compliant with the gluten free diet places restrictions on what we can eat and where we can eat. Our friends usually try to work with us at first but then it gets to be a drag and we begin to get left out. We often lose some friends in the process but we also find out who really are our true friends. I think the hardest hits come at those times when friends spontaneously say, "Hey, let's go get some burgers and fries" and you know you can't safely do that. One way to cope in these situations is to have some ready made gluten-free meals packed in the fridge that you can take with you on the spot and still join them but eat safely. Most "real" friends will get used to this and so will you. Perhaps this little video will be helpful to you.  
    • Wheatwacked
      Outgrow celiac?

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      @Riley., Welcome to the forum.   It was once believed that Celiac Disease was only a childhood disease and it can be outgrown.  That was before 1951, before gluten was discovered to be cause of Celiac Disease, also called Infantilism.  Back then Cileac Disease was thought to be only a gastro intestinal disease, once you  "outgrew" the colicky phase, you were cured. You were so lucky to be diagnosed at 5 years old so your developing years were normal.  Gluten can affect multiple systems.  The nervous system, your intellegence. The muscules, skeleton. It can cause neurological issues like brain fog, anxiety, and peripheral neuropathy.  It can cause joint pain, muscle weakness, and skin rashes. Epilepsy is 1.8 times more prevalent in patients with celiac disease, compared to the general population. Because through malabsorption and food avoidances, it causes vitamin D and numerouus other essential nutrient deficiencies, it allows allergies, infections, poor growth, stuffy sinuses and eustacian tubes. There is even a catagory of celiac disease called "Silent Celiac".  Any symptoms are explained away as this, that or the other thing. Gluten is one of the most addictive substances we consume.  Activating the Opiod receptors in our cells, it can numb us to the damage that it, and other foods are causing.  It has become socially acceptable to eat foods that make us feel sick.  "There's a pill for that".   It is generally accepted that n fact you are weird if you don't. The hardest part is that if you don't eat gluten you will feel great and think why not.  But slowly it will effect you, you'll be diagnosed with real diseases that you don't have. You'll be more susseptable to other autoimmune diseases.  As you read through the posts here, notice how many are finally dianosed, after years of suffering at older ages.  Is it worth it? I think not. Perhaps this book will help:  Here is a list of possible symptoms:   
    • Riley.
      Outgrow celiac?

      By Riley. · Posted

      Hi! Im Riley, 18 years old and have been diagnosed for 13 years.. the testing started bc I stopped growing and didn’t gain any weight and was really small and thin for my age.  I got diagnosed when I was 5 and have been living gluten free since, in elementary and middle school it was hard for me and I kept contaminating myself bc I wanted to fit in with my friends so so badly. I ate gluten secretly at school and mostly regretted it 30 minutes later.  I’ve had symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, headaches, stomachaches, threw up a lot and was really emotional.  In 2022 I really started working on myself and tried to stay gluten free and if I did eat gluten I wouldn’t tell anyone and suffer in silence.  Last year in July I begged my mom to let me „cheat“ one day bc I just wanted to fit in… I ate a lot of different stuff, all the stuff I missed out on in my childhood like nuggets, pizza and all that.. I didn’t have symptoms that day and was doing really fine My mom and I wanted to test how far we can go and said we would test it for 12 weeks to get my blood taken after to see if I’m doing good or if symptoms start showing  As a now 18 year old girl who finally gained a normal weight and doesn’t get symptoms I’m to scared to get tested/my blood taken cuz I finally found comfort in food and it got so much easier for me and my family.  A year and 4 months later i still didn’t get any symptoms and have been eating gluten daily.  I’m scared to get tested/my blood taken cuz what if I’m actually not fine and have to go back to eating gluten free. Any tips to get over that fear and „suck it up“ cuz I know I could seriously damage my body… sorry if I seem like a idiot here… just don’t really know what to do :,)
    • Mari
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By Mari · Posted

      There is much helpful 'truth' posted on this forum. Truths about Celiac Disease are based on scientific research and people's experience. Celiac disease is inherited. There are 2 main Celiac 'genes' but they are variations of one gene called HLa - DQ What is inherited when a person inherits one or both of the DQ2 or the DQ8 is a predisposition to develop celiac disease after exposure to a environmental trigger. These 2 versions of the DQ gene are useful in diagnosing  celiac disease but there are about 25 other genes that are known to influence celiac disease so this food intolerance is a multigenic autoimmune disease. So with so many genes involved and each person inheriting a different array of these other genes one person's symptoms may be different than another's symptoms.  so many of these other genes.  I don't think that much research on these other genes as yet. So first I wrote something that seem to tie together celiac disease and migraines.  Then you posted that you had migraines and since you went gluten free they only come back when you are glutened. Then Scott showed an article that reported no connection between migraines and celiac disease, Then Trents wrote that it was possible that celiacs had more migraines  and some believed there was a causal effect. You are each telling the truth as you know it or experienced it.   
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.