Gf, Weightloss, Lack Of Appetite

[dbuhl79]

Hi, new to this section. I am slowing determining that I may be gluten intolerant. I do know I've felt like a normal person going gluten-free for a week. Back on gluten in hopes I can get a biopsy done soon!

I've lost weight since the onset of my stomach upset (diarrhea) and going gluten-free. But during my episodes such as today with abomdinal pain, I am finding I lose my appetite. This is extremely unlike me as I was typically a very big fan of food, particularly carbs. Now I have no actual apptetite (i.e., stomach hunger) and no mental desire to eat. I eat, because I know I need to have some sort of fuel.

Has anyone else run into this, lacking an appetite altogether? Does the gluten-free diet help with that? Although I can stand to lose 10-15lbs, and only dropped 4lbs in 2 weeks, my body has never shed weight at this pace w/o excessive exercise. So this is very unusual for me and even received raised eye brows from my doctor. I am not terribly concerned as I do not seem to have a massive weight loss (40lbs etc) as I've read of other Celiacs. But it is concerning a few around me if this continues. Any suggestions?

[burdee]

I also lose my appetite when I'm bloated or in pain from gluten/casein/soy 'slips'. But when I recover, stick to my gluten-free/CF/SF foods, I feel better and more interested in eating. I think that when my body is suffering a food intolerance reaction, it's not too interested in handling MORE food, so loss of appetite allows it to focus on healing. However, if I'm not hungry and I eat or I overeat when I am hungry, I feel awful afterwards--LOTS of indigestion AND pain.

If you 'can stand to lose 10-15 pounds', just enjoy those loss of appetite periods while they last. You might have lost some 'water weight', since consuming excess carbs will influence water retention. Excess weight certainly doesn't help your body anyway ... there are soooo many conditions associated with excess weight. Perhaps you will learn to only eat when you are truly hungry only enough food to satisfy hunger as you use the gluten-free diet to recover from celiac damage. That's the most natural and easiest long term weight control technique anyway.

BURDEE

[dbuhl79]

Burdee,

Thanks. Oh trust me I will revel in any future weight loss. My real issue is my doctor and boyfriend being overly concerned about it. I've reminded them I won't waste away! Glad to know I'm not alone.

Thanks.

[Guest jhmom]

Hi dbuhl79 and Welcome ,

I am there with ya! I too have no appetite and have to force myself to eat. I also lost 40lbs 2 years ago and recently lost another 10lbs in just a months time. My doctors do not seem to be very concerned but like you, it worries me and my husband. All of my friends and family are concerned too, I can't tell you how many times I hear "you are getting too thin, you are going to blow away".

Unfortunately I think I have other problems in addition to "gluten sensitivity" due to the fact I have been gluten-free for going on 14 months with little improvement. Just keep an eye on your weight and try to eat as often as you can and notify your doctors if you lose a lot of weight in a short time.

Good luck to you and take care.

[tarnalberry]

For me, my appetite seems to revolve around my cycle. :-) The week before my period, I'm often ravenous - after that, as long as I'm busy, I'm not hungry. :-) But I'm not particularly underweight, so only make myself eat enough to make sure I don't experience hypoglycemic symptoms.

[flagbabyds]

I always loose my appetite when I get gluten because it hurts my sromach and I know it is bad for me so I just don't eat when I get gluten posioning because it just makes me more sick

[dbuhl79]

Tiffany,

May I ask what your hypoglycemic symptoms are when not eating enough?

Thanks,

Dana

[num1habsfan]

I have this problem..used to have a size 12 waist before I got sick last Jaunary, now have a size 5 waist..I dropped about 45 pounds, gained 20, now I've lost 10 again. I usually only eat when I FEEL like eating. Most of the time I have no appetite..It sucks

Its also a real pain in the butt to hear people tell me how tiny I am..

~lisa~

[celiac3270]

Its also a real pain in the butt to hear people tell me how tiny I am..

I know...I hate that...I already know that I'm thin without being told......I'm making progress, though. I'm almost 14 and I used to be 5' and 65-70 lbs. Now, 8 months later, I've gained 20 pounds, grown 2 inches, and increased 1 1/2 shoe sizes .....I have a little ways to go, but at 85 pounds, I don't look too different anymore. I remember hating when people said that in the past, though.

[taneil]

dbuhl79,

I went gluten-free 6 months ago and was at about 165 pounds with my "ideal" weight being around 135 pounds. I am like you where I never lost weight unless I was doing a lot of excersise. Now I was between 135-140 pounds. I feel good and am not doing a lot of excersise. My theory is that because I was gluten intolerant the gluten had the opposite effect on my body than a lot of people with it. Instead of loosing weight it actually caused my body to store fat. Now that I am gluten-free and getting the correct foods, my body is about to burn what it needs instead of storing what is toxic to it.

This is my theory as I am now close to my ideal weight. And I too have had people say "you are too thing..." "You don't need to lose any more weight..." I think three things of people who say these things to me:

1) They care about me and are conserned

2) They themselves probably need to lose weight but can't so when the look at me they realize what they wish they could do but can't

3) They haven't ever seen me this thin, and are used to the heavy me instead of the thin me. And if they met me for the first time now they probably wouldn't think much about how thin I am.

[darlindeb25]

exactly taneil---your theory is correct---my borther in law has been working hard dieting and he is looking very good, but is thinner then we have ever seen him--my mom said just what you said---"steve, you are getting too thin" and he looks great and he feels great--that's the thing-----dont worry what others are thinking, you know your body and you need to take care of it----they will adjust--deb

[dbuhl79]

Taneil/Deb,

Thanks to both of you. Its comforting, and I quite honestly, know I'd like to lose this weight. My ideal being under 130, and losing 15lbs will be fine. My concern is losing it now, being on gluten, is a sign of malabsorption(sp) and lacking the necessary nutrients. I would be delghted to go gluten-free and lose the necessary weight.

Luckily I know my own family will be supportive as they know I have struggled (along with them) to maintain a appropriate weight. So it lifts my hopes that Taneil you are right about my body processing burning the calories more appropriate!

My significant other and family will have to adjust. I'll keep your 3 ideas in the forefront of my thought process. As they come from a very southern, good cooking, "keep meat on them bones" kind of family.

Thanks for the helpful comments from everyone. I had a rough weekend with this so, its definitely a pick me up for Monday!!

Dana

[cynicaltomorrow]

I have also lost weight since going gluten-free (15 lbs). I'm now down to 135 (which I once considered my ideal weight). However, I'm still as chubby as I ever was, which I think is weird. I know people that are my height and my weight, that don't have anywhere near the same build as I do. My pants may be fitting a tiny bit looser, but other than that, I can't really tell. I think it's really weird and kind of worries me.

[darlindeb25]

cynicaltomorrow--- give yourself more time--i am not sure of your age--i know that my body changed over the years and i know now that i will never have that same body i had at 17--i would love to get it back--but i had 5 babies and things have changed----muscle tone changes--i have lost 60# andi do look so much different and i would love to lose at least another 30#--i have been sitting here at this weight for months now--at least i am not going up --i feel so different now and after losing the 60# things moved--i may not have lost more, but i have become more defined--i have shoulders again and a neck i have bones it will happen for you too--just give it time--deb

[FreyaUSA]

I have also lost weight since going gluten-free (15 lbs). I'm now down to 135 (which I once considered my ideal weight). However, I'm still as chubby as I ever was, which I think is weird.

We are our own worst critics! I learned some years ago that no matter what I weigh, when I look at myself in the mirror I look like me. Sounds silly, but I see no weight loss when I lose. I see no weight gain when I gain. I always look slightly overweight with blobby hips. Now, I'm about 140 lbs, 5'9" and am a size 6 to 8, the least I've weighed since high school. Friends tell me I look great while my mother is concerned that I'm not eating (and she's currently staying with me so she knows exactly what I'm eating and I am NOT starving. )

This kind of unrealistic, unobjectiveness is the reason some girls/women become dangerously anorexic. They still see themselves as "fat" even though they are nothing but skin and bones. Knowing this about myself, I use clothing as a guide rather than some magic number on the scale. Even though I love the idea of losing more (it's almost like a strange addiction, losing weight...) I just accept that a 6 is a bit too light for me, an 8 being perfect. I based this on friends and others of approximately my same height and build. Could it be this is the same for you?

Also, remember, for women over 30, being just a bit too thin easily adds 10 years to how you look.

[cynicaltomorrow]

I have a hard time telling that I'm losing (or gaining) weight by how my pants fit, as I wear baggy guy jeans. I'm almost 20, a little over 5'4, and probably wear a 12 or 14 jeans even though I only weigh about 135 lbs. Just a little confusing for me. And, you're right; losing weight is addictive. I never even think about it until I notice that I'm losing weight.

[darlindeb25]

i have been reading these posts and one thing is certain--we all look in the mirror and see ourselves and we dont see the difference----i do see a difference now compared to before gluten-free--i told my sister-- i have a neck, collarbones, and my chest is hard now, not cushy and wow, i am not a member of the itty bitty titty club anymore they were hiding in that other fat ----she tells me that i am more "defined" now, developing definition whatever--hehe--------what i do notice---when i see pics of myself, i do see a thinner person and if pics add 10#--well yeha --i will never be skinny, but i am so much better then i was--i know people laugh when you say you are big boned, but some people are--i am big boned--when i married at 17, i looked too thin and i was wearing a size 14 then--size doesnt matter, it's where we are comfortable being us learn to be comfy deb

[mommida]

Symptoms of zinc defiency would include loss of taste and appetite (anorexia),delayed healing, increased susceptibility to infection, retarded growth, and hair loss.

Laura

[dbuhl79]

I just need to vent!

I know I've "glutened" (as some may call it) myself this past week. I've only suffered mild abdominal discomfort, but the last 3 days I've noticed feeling woozy in the afternoons and back to NO appetite. Which concerns my significant other who insists I eat. Don't get me wrong, I'm forcing myself to take in food. Now normally back in my dieting days, I would love this! But when it makes me feel light headed, woozy, and hunger pains its so hard when everything just does not look appealing. All I've gotten down today is 2/3rds of a gluten-free muffin and two rice cakes w/ peanut butter. Everything is so unappealing, its like someone has been asking me to eat all the foods I detest, even though I know I like these! AGHH! To top it off, all I want to do is sleep!! Oh well..thanks for letting me vent! Can't wait until the work day has ended!