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What Is Up With My Immune System?

Miriam3

By Miriam3
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Miriam3 Rookie
Miriam3
Posted

I've been gluten-free for almost three months and CF for about one. I'm feeling better in lots of ways, but all of a sudden my immune system seems like it's taking a vacation on me.

I've been fighting this stupid cold for almost two weeks; I found a wart on my finger (first time in 20 years) and just found I have a yeast infection (first time in four years). Warts and colds are viruses, yeast is fungus...anyone had this happen AFTER being on the diet?

My celiac symptoms have always been mostly neuro, partly gastro. In times when I was doing especially badly and went undiagnosed I felt weak and tired, but I wasn't really prone to colds or infections. ONCE I had about six yeast infections in a row, but that was years ago. Usually I seem to get colds less and fight them off faster than other people.

....So why does it seem like my immune system has abandoned me now that I'm trying to take better care of it with the Gluten-free Casein-free diet?

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Nathan's mom Apprentice
Nathan's mom
Posted

Hi,

I may be way off in my explanation of this, but I seem to recall reading something that supports this. When my son was very symptomatic (he only had C and sleep issues before), his eyes itched, skin itched, and he was clearing his throat 24-7. I think his immune system was on the alert and as a consequence he was super "healthy" over the winter- no colds, etc (he is 4). However, at the same time he was very symptomatic for Celiac with diarrhea and irritability. Now that he is 6 months gluten-free he seems to get a cold every 4-6 weeks. Not entirely uncommon for a little one who associates with other little ones. They catch things. It made sense to me that this was a good sign. It seems like his immune system is reacting properly now. When your immune system is on high all the time it is a drain on your body and it is not always necessarily a good sign when you don't "catch" anything.

Anyone else with a better explanation?

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

My only other explanation would be that something else is going on that is stirring up problems.

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted

Actually, two months after going gluten free I got the flu worse than I ever had before. I think part of it has to do with your immune system being 'busy' healing your villi, but also that your body is now 'realizing' it's vitamin deficient as well. I've seen it a few times that people are more prone to bacterial or viral infections in the 6-9 months after going gluten free. It also probably has something to do with the stress of trying to figure out gluten free life, that was more stressful to me than being sick was, although it is a lot easier now with all the tools out there.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I was always sick until I had been gluten-free for about 6 months or so. Since then I haven't even caught a cold. That was 4 years ago. (I am knocking wood real hard here now :) ) I had a lot of autoimmune related problems and was late diagnosis. I have figured that since my system does not have to fight gluten all the time anymore it can better fight off the other stuff. It may also have something to do with vitamin levels, as was mentioned. Make sure you are supplementing with gluten-free vitamins and a sublingual B12 in addition is also beneficial for most of us.

Guest thatchickali
Guest thatchickali
Posted

Probiotics Probiotics Probiotics. I swear by them!

lorka150 Collaborator
lorka150
Posted

WHen you cut out gluten and casein, it could be possible that you are not getting all your vitamins, minerals, fats, and so on. I'd keep a food journal, and make sure you're still eating balanced.

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Ed-G Newbie
Ed-G
Posted
Actually, two months after going gluten free I got the flu worse than I ever had before. I think part of it has to do with your immune system being 'busy' healing your villi, but also that your body is now 'realizing' it's vitamin deficient as well. I've seen it a few times that people are more prone to bacterial or viral infections in the 6-9 months after going gluten free. It also probably has something to do with the stress of trying to figure out gluten free life, that was more stressful to me than being sick was, although it is a lot easier now with all the tools out there.

I have a similar experience, though it doesn't have anything to do with celiac. I have epilepsy which beagan to develop when I was about 14. Before then I got all sort of colds, fevers, stomachaches, the works. But since then, hardly anything. No fevers, and except of sinus problems, nothing. Now I don't believe that i never caught a cold since then. But I do believe my epilepsy co-opted the symptoms. In other words, instead of fevers, I had seizures.

Just putting my two cents in.

Ed in MD

Miriam3 Rookie
Miriam3
Posted
  • Author

Thanks all for the input! Hmmm...maybe my immune system is finally on vacation after all the fighting it's been doing. Reminds me of those descriptions I hear about "high histamine" and "low histamine" traits. I'm not sure what's the scientific basis for it, and I never totally accepted it as real. But I have heard that high histamine people have lots of allergies but low colds. Their immune systems are always on the warpath.

Nathan'sMom, do you think your son switched to the low histamine type or something similar? At least it sounds like I'll have the energy my body was using to fights colds to use for me....once I get over all this junk :)

Ali, what kind of probiotics do you swear by? I was taking some Acidophilus but I couldn't tell if it was helping and I was getting gas, so I cut it out in case that was why. Where can I get something more trustworthy?

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted
Thanks all for the input! Hmmm...maybe my immune system is finally on vacation after all the fighting it's been doing. Reminds me of those descriptions I hear about "high histamine" and "low histamine" traits. I'm not sure what's the scientific basis for it, and I never totally accepted it as real. But I have heard that high histamine people have lots of allergies but low colds. Their immune systems are always on the warpath.

Nathan'sMom, do you think your son switched to the low histamine type or something similar? At least it sounds like I'll have the energy my body was using to fights colds to use for me....once I get over all this junk :)

Ali, what kind of probiotics do you swear by? I was taking some Acidophilus but I couldn't tell if it was helping and I was getting gas, so I cut it out in case that was why. Where can I get something more trustworthy?

Miriam, that actually means that it's killing the bad bugs, which is giving you gas. It's actually a good sign. I think you're supposed to slowly increase the amount you take until the gas goes away. I take a probiotic by Flora called Udo's Choice, it's in the fridge at my health food store. It seems to be working very well for me, it's potent and has 6 or 8 different bugs, I think you need more than just acidophilus.

Merika Contributor
Merika
Posted

Hi Miriam,

Like you, I felt great for the first several months gluten-free. Then I started to feel worse and worse. It did eventually balance out. It seems a pretty typical pattern from what I've heard annecdotally.

Make sure you are eating a good nutritious diet, and getting enough calories.

Merika

mftnchn Explorer
mftnchn
Posted

I recall CarlaB posting about this but I can't remember the details. You could do a search or PM her. She talked about lyme patients I think, taking it as a sign of improvement when they started getting colds, but I can't remember the explanation.

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