Feel Like I Am Going To Lose It!

[Mickide]

I have been gluten free since monday, when I had my endoscopy so I guess today would be 6 days. I really feel like I am going to lose it. I am so overwhelmed. I am in the "I can't have rut", and having a hard time finding what I can. I know the list is huge of what I can but it is just stressful! I have no groceries, made a special trip today to a store that said they had a gluten free list and when I got there they did not have one. So there I am, emotional because I am hungry and have been all week, there with my 2 small kids on a saturday, need I say more?? It ended in disaster after 50 minutes I finally left in tears without buying anything. Why am I having such a hard time? In addition I certainly am not feeling any better yet, if anything I feel worse. I can't sleep, bloated, hungry even when I do eat I am still hungry, irritable is an understatement, and on the verge of tears all day. Is this like a reaction to no gluten?? I know this will get easier and I have signed up for a local celiac 101 class next week, I just seem to be having a tough time getting ahead of the head game. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Tephie]

Welcome and I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. I was recently diagnosed as well and the first couple of weeks were very overwhelming. I think I ate baked potatoes and some sort of mexican food every day for over a week I too was hungry all the time even when I was through eating I felt as if I hadn't eaten a thing. But that has subsided, it will get better I promise. And I also cried some tears. This board has been a TREMENDOUS wealth of information, so please know that there are no stupid questions.

Take care, Stephanie

I have been gluten free since monday, when I had my endoscopy so I guess today would be 6 days. I really feel like I am going to lose it. I am so overwhelmed. I am in the "I can't have rut", and having a hard time finding what I can. I know the list is huge of what I can but it is just stressful! I have no groceries, made a special trip today to a store that said they had a gluten free list and when I got there they did not have one. So there I am, emotional because I am hungry and have been all week, there with my 2 small kids on a saturday, need I say more?? It ended in disaster after 50 minutes I finally left in tears without buying anything. Why am I having such a hard time? In addition I certainly am not feeling any better yet, if anything I feel worse. I can't sleep, bloated, hungry even when I do eat I am still hungry, irritable is an understatement, and on the verge of tears all day. Is this like a reaction to no gluten?? I know this will get easier and I have signed up for a local celiac 101 class next week, I just seem to be having a tough time getting ahead of the head game. Thanks for letting me vent.

[bearly]

Things do better. It takes everyone a different amount of time to start feeling better. I was on the diet for six months and still losing weight and had to go to May to get results. I just had an unusal form of celiacs. I have heard that it takes any where from a couple of weeks to a month to start to feel better.

Everyone is different. If you search this web site they will have lists of safe foods that you can eat. Also stick to the basic food groups of meat,rice or potatoes,and fresh veggies.

Give it a few days and you WILL start to feel better.

[melmak5]

Mickide, welcome.

I got worse before I got better on the gluten free diet. My doctor said it usually takes a minimum of 2 weeks to start feeling better, but can often take many months. I have been gluten free for 8 weeks, and I am still not "healthy" but things are getting better. (After 2 weeks I did notice that I was less tired, not falling asleep at my desk, and my abdomen was slightly less distended.)

I had a horrible time finding things my first few trips to the grocery store, so I stuck with brown rice, steamed veggies and some baked fish, poached chicken to start. (I was having a problem with regurgitating foods, so I had to go really plain and easy to start.)

It is starting to get easier. The best thing I did was find a buddy. The local celiac support group near my only meets quarterly, but I was really lucky to had a friend who knew someone with celiac and he has been amazing and really helped me navigate around town.

(Don't get me wrong, I had a meltdown at my friends birthday party yesterday when everyone was oohing and ahhhing over the cake and I had to leave the room.)

For me, it took a few weeks for me to actually be hungry. I like to think that it was my body saying, "hey, I am healing down here and I need more nutrients to do all this work!"

Staying hydrated has also helped me with both the mood swings and pain.

I hope you can get some good food into you and you start feeling better soon.

[JennyC]

It is really hard to figure out what you can eat in the beginning. I'll give you a link to a list of manufacturers that will not hide their gluten. When you look at the ingredients if you don't see it , then it's not there. This is the best way to shop in my opinion. I do have a few manufacturer gluten free lists, but the following list is the most helpful. (Thank you again to whoever posted it originally!) Just remember to read every label every time. You'll get the hang of it soon. Also Walmart brand products say gluten free if they are. Safeway also has a good list, and they will email it to you if you ask.

Open Original Shared Link

[Mickide]

Thanks guys! I am trying to figure this whole gluten-free thing out and then I remember oh yeah I am supposed to go dairy free for 3 months too, augh! Atleast my Dr Pepper is on the safe list

[Lisa]

I have been gluten free since monday, when I had my endoscopy so I guess today would be 6 days. I really feel like I am going to lose it. I am so overwhelmed. I am in the "I can't have rut", and having a hard time finding what I can. I know the list is huge of what I can but it is just stressful! I have no groceries, made a special trip today to a store that said they had a gluten free list and when I got there they did not have one. So there I am, emotional because I am hungry and have been all week, there with my 2 small kids on a saturday, need I say more?? It ended in disaster after 50 minutes I finally left in tears without buying anything. Why am I having such a hard time? In addition I certainly am not feeling any better yet, if anything I feel worse. I can't sleep, bloated, hungry even when I do eat I am still hungry, irritable is an understatement, and on the verge of tears all day. Is this like a reaction to no gluten?? I know this will get easier and I have signed up for a local celiac 101 class next week, I just seem to be having a tough time getting ahead of the head game. Thanks for letting me vent.

The best start is to start simple. Don't overwhem yourself. Stick to meats, seafood, rice, potatos, fresh veggies, and fruit. If you tummy is upset go to the BRAT diet - Bananas, Rice, Apple Sauce and Tea.

Limit you intake of processed foods, eat naturally. Don't go out and by a bunch of gluten free premade foods. They are expensive and you may never need them.

To get you over the hump:

Oscar Myer bacon

Hillshire Farms will always list gluten

Kraft will always list gluten

Hellmans Mayo

LaChoy Soy Sauce

Boars Head Meats and Cheeses are all Gluten Free

Dole Produce will always list

ConAgra will always list

Popcorn

Lay Staxx are gluten free

Check your shampoos, lipsticks (they were my hardest things to research).

Hope this is a start

[Fiddle-Faddle]

It really does get better, much better! And the info and support you'll find here is amazing.

I ate extremely healthy meals for the first two gluten-free weeks--eggs for breakfast, salads for lunch, and stir-fries (with LaChoy soy sauce or San-J tamari, doctored up with rice wine, ginger, garlic, lime juice, and lots of cilantro) for dinner. My snacks were NOT healthy--but they were gluten-free. I scarfed down a TON of Fritos and Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips (you can buy big bags of them at Costco).

And I felt so much BETTER, and that made it all much easier. I also lost about 20 pounds the first months (and I needed to lost those 20 pounds)--very nice side effect. I understand that the people who need to gain weight are also able to do that with the gluten-free diet, so it seems to work whichever way you need it to.

One thing I eventually learned is that every single dish that I like to eat, I can make gluten-free and it tastes identical. There are recipes for EVERYTHING, even puff pastry! (No, I haven't tried that one yet, but I never tried baking anything with gluteny puff pastry, either.) So whatever you feel deprived of, google it along with the words "gluten-free," and "recipe," and someone will have already figured out how to make it. If not, post a request here on this board, and someone (maybe several someones) will come up with something for you. Or just experiment!

You might have an easier time digesting dairy after you've been off gluten for a while. Many of us here have been able to add it back into our diets after our guts healed.

Hang in there--the hardest part (figuring out what was wrong) is behind you!

[Darn210]

I know it's easier said than done, but for awhile, your trips to the store may take you awhile and if you don't have to take your kids with you, it will be a lot easier on you. I was going to the grocery store about every other day after my husband got home from work. I was reading labels and figuring out what I wanted to google when I got back home. I'd get home about 1 1/2 hours later, walk in with about 3 or 4 items and my husband would ask if I wanted help unloading the car . . . and my response . . . Nope, this is it.

Of course, a more efficient way of doing it is to make your list ahead of time, research your products on the internet before you go and then know exactly what brand/flavor you are buying before you get there. Efficiency just isn't my forte. I just seemed to go into a trance and walk up and down the isles - even reading labels of stuff I would NEVER buy, just to see what it said. It's part of the education process. However, I've really come to hate the words "Natural Flavoring".

That being said, you eventually find your rhythm. You can actually shop at a decent pace. As you shop, you'll see something that catches you eye and make a mental note to research it for the next time. There is quite a bit of mainstream stuff that is just fine - you just may have to switch to a different brand.

[gfpaperdoll]

contact your Dallas support group. They will have some info for you & the local restaurant information.

I suggest for a bread substitute that you get some Mission Brand White Corn Tortillas