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

Introducing Myself

writerspice

By writerspice
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

writerspice Newbie
writerspice
Posted

Hi everyone - I have found my way to this forum, with lots of questions (and more and more as time goes by!) So I thought I would start by introducing myself...

I came to the realization that I have a gluten problem after trying to get pregnant for four years with no luck and no explanation other than a thyroid problem (but meds created other problems). My naturopath finally suggested that I go off gluten "just to see" and I was amazed. After suffering from chronic constipation, exhaustion, stomach pains, headaches and the like for the past, um, life, it was incredible to suddenly feel so great.... That was nice, but, like many here, I am not feeling so hot these days, since the first few weeks.

So, I have a few questions.

First, I'm wondering about chili powder and curry powder. Are there some safe versions? I haven't given much thought to these sort-of secondary things like spices, shampoos, make-up, and tea. Can those all present problems? I'm a regular black tea drinker - can it possibly have gluten in it??!

I'm also wondering about nutritional support - if I should be taking something to help heal my intestines. I am eating well (but probably not getting enough exercise) and am still having problems with constipation (this came back, after everything being okay for awhile)....

Also wondering if there are some good news stories about anyone struggling with infertility who went off gluten and ended up getting pregnant.

Thanks so much. This has been so overwhelming. Even tonight, I think I ate okay but am getting these weird tight pains in my abdomen that are new to me. At least I don't feel like I'm going to throw up, though. that's an improvement.

Thanks :)

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


cyberprof Enthusiast
cyberprof
Posted
Hi everyone - I have found my way to this forum, with lots of questions (and more and more as time goes by!) So I thought I would start by introducing myself...

I came to the realization that I have a gluten problem after trying to get pregnant for four years with no luck and no explanation other than a thyroid problem (but meds created other problems). My naturopath finally suggested that I go off gluten "just to see" and I was amazed. After suffering from chronic constipation, exhaustion, stomach pains, headaches and the like for the past, um, life, it was incredible to suddenly feel so great.... That was nice, but, like many here, I am not feeling so hot these days, since the first few weeks.

So, I have a few questions.

First, I'm wondering about chili powder and curry powder. Are there some safe versions? I haven't given much thought to these sort-of secondary things like spices, shampoos, make-up, and tea. Can those all present problems? I'm a regular black tea drinker - can it possibly have gluten in it??!

I'm also wondering about nutritional support - if I should be taking something to help heal my intestines. I am eating well (but probably not getting enough exercise) and am still having problems with constipation (this came back, after everything being okay for awhile)....

Also wondering if there are some good news stories about anyone struggling with infertility who went off gluten and ended up getting pregnant.

Thanks so much. This has been so overwhelming. Even tonight, I think I ate okay but am getting these weird tight pains in my abdomen that are new to me. At least I don't feel like I'm going to throw up, though. that's an improvement.

Thanks :)

Hi Writerspice, welcome!

It does, sometimes, get worse after going gluten free before getting better. Hang in there. I also got stomach cramps/weird pains after going gluten free but they are mostly gone now.

McCormicks' spices are always gluten free (or they will say that they are not gluten-free on the label). I use their chili powder and curry powder all the time. I also drink Lipton's black tea and green tea and they are both gluten free. Some teas do have gluten (there was a recent thread about Tzao teas on the "Products" forum of this site) and flavored teas especially can be suspect. So check out your brand/flavor by calling the manufacturer or looking on their website.

I can't remember where I read about pregnancy success w/previous infertility after going gluten-free...maybe search this forum under the "pregnancy" topic. I read that some infertility specialists test all patients and that in Europe it is common to test infertile couples. Good luck to you!

~Laura

writerspice Newbie
writerspice
Posted
  • Author

Thanks so much, Laura. I appreciate the reply. Will try the spices you recommended, if I can get them up here in Canada. I looked at the ingredients on my fave tea (black tea) and there was nothing listed but tea. Does that mean there's no gluten in it or is it sometimes not mentioned or does this depend on the labelling laws (like I said, I'm in Canada, so maybe it's different if you're in the U.S...) Anyway, any thoughts you have would help... Thanks again :)

kevsmom Contributor
kevsmom
Posted

Welcome, Writerspice! Please feel free to ask any questions that you have. Someone here is bound to have the answer. If they don't - they will find out for you.

When you first go gluten-free, you will find so much information - don't let it overwhelm you. You can only absorb so much at one time. Don't worry - after a while it will seem like second nature.

Cindy

writerspice Newbie
writerspice
Posted
  • Author

Thanks, Cindy. The questions just keep coming...

Daughter-of-TheLight Apprentice
Daughter-of-TheLight
Posted

Welcome! Ah... about the supplements.

I don't really know a lot, but I do know this. Because our intestines are not absorbing nutrients properly, we sometimes need to take supplements. I take Iron, Calcium, and some Teen Girls multivitamin. I suggest you research the topic and get some input from your doctor on which nutrients are deficient. I was anemic... though since i'm "growing" (HA!) I need to take calcium to prevent calcium deficency... but I have no idea what your needs are, so I can't suggest anything.

Light

gdobson Explorer
gdobson
Posted

Hi Writerspice and welcome.

I had 2 miscarriages before going gluten free, but I managed to have 2 wonderful children - although both premature and one is celiac.

I have heard of many other women who had difficulties getting pregnant before going gluten-free, and then were able to conceive after.

I wish you a lot of luck, happiness, and health.

Gina

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


mftnchn Explorer
mftnchn
Posted

Welcome writerspice. I have also had some signs of improvement, then got worse. For me it has been a number of things.

Stopping use of gluten containing personal products helped. Starting l-glutamine to help with the gut healing has helped.

Are you also milk-free? If you are celiac, many many cannot tolerate milk, at least early on in the healing process.

I had to go both milk and soy free. I figured out the latter by doing an elimination diet. Soy can also cause damage to the villi of the intestine, according to research.

Also my lyme disease recurred after doing Gluten-free Casein-free, so I am having to treat that again which complicates the healing process.

Re the constipation, for me it has been an intestinal motility issue...where the gluten and perhaps other things, just shuts things down. The weird tight pains for me I think are a sign of the intestines "waking up" and starting to work. After 6 months, I have some amount of daily stool with the help of a morning and evening dose of buffered vitamin C powder that also has magnesium in it. I now take half of the dose of that I was taking in the early summer. I also now have diarrhea much more often than I used to. I was bloated before but rarely uncomfortable, I am now more aware of the discomfort. My sense is that this is simply a gradual healing process and I need to be patient.

One other thing, have you done any other treatment for parasites?

kevsmom Contributor
kevsmom
Posted

Writerspice,

When I first went gluten free, I thought I was doing really well...and then I realized that my vitamins contained gluten! It even said so right on the label.

You also need to check to see if any medication that you take is gluten free. You can check this website: http:/www.glutenfreedrugs.com or write/phone the manufacturer directly.

Cindy

cyberprof Enthusiast
cyberprof
Posted
Thanks so much, Laura. I appreciate the reply. Will try the spices you recommended, if I can get them up here in Canada. I looked at the ingredients on my fave tea (black tea) and there was nothing listed but tea. Does that mean there's no gluten in it or is it sometimes not mentioned or does this depend on the labelling laws (like I said, I'm in Canada, so maybe it's different if you're in the U.S...) Anyway, any thoughts you have would help... Thanks again :)

Canadian products can be quite different, I hear. There are a lot of Canadians on this board, so I'd post a question on the "Products" part of this forum. I'm sure you'll get some good help on that.

~Laura

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. AlwaysLearning
      - AlwaysLearning replied to Colleen H's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Gluten related ??

      Get tested for vitamin deficiencies. Though neuropathy can be a symptom of celiac, it can also be caused by deficiencies due to poor digestion caused by celiac and could be easier to treat.
    2. Colleen H
      - Colleen H replied to Colleen H's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Gluten related ??

      Thank you so much for your response Yes it seems as though things get very painful as time goes on. I'm not eating gluten as far as I know. However, I'm not sure of cross contamination. My system seems to weaken to hidden spices and other possibilities. ??? if cross contamination is possible...I am in a super sensitive mode of celiac disease...
    3. Jmartes71
      - Jmartes71 replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      4

      My only proof

      EXACTLY! I was asked yesterday on my LAST video call with Standford and I stated exactly yes absolutely this is why I need the name! One, get proper care, two, not get worse.Im falling apart, stressed out, in pain and just opened email from Stanford stating I was rude ect.I want that video reviewed by higher ups and see if that women still has a job or not...
    4. AlwaysLearning
      - AlwaysLearning replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      4

      My only proof

      We feel your pain. It took me 20+ years of regularly going to doctors desperate for answers only to be told there was nothing wrong with me … when I was 20 pounds underweight, suffering from severe nutritional deficiencies, and in a great deal of pain. I had to figure it out for myself. If you're in the U.S., not having an official diagnosis does m...
    5. AlwaysLearning
      - AlwaysLearning replied to Colleen H's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Gluten related ??

      If you're just starting out in being gluten free, I would expect it to take months before you learned enough about hidden sources of gluten before you stopped making major mistakes. Ice cream? Not safe unless they say it is gluten free. Spaghetti sauce? Not safe unless is says gluten-free. Natural ingredients? Who knows what's in there. You pretty much...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,085
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    M A Humphries
    Newest Member
    M A Humphries
    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

    • AlwaysLearning
      Gluten related ??

      By AlwaysLearning · Posted

      Get tested for vitamin deficiencies.  Though neuropathy can be a symptom of celiac, it can also be caused by deficiencies due to poor digestion caused by celiac and could be easier to treat.
    • Colleen H
      Gluten related ??

      By Colleen H · Posted

      Thank you so much for your response  Yes it seems as though things get very painful as time goes on.  I'm not eating gluten as far as I know.  However, I'm not sure of cross contamination.  My system seems to weaken to hidden spices and other possibilities. ???  if cross contamination is possible...I am in a super sensitive mode of celiac disease.. Neuropathy from head to toes
    • Jmartes71
      My only proof

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      EXACTLY! I was asked yesterday on my LAST video call with Standford and I stated exactly yes absolutely this is why I need the name! One, get proper care, two, not get worse.Im falling apart, stressed out, in pain and just opened email from Stanford stating I was rude ect.I want that video reviewed by higher ups and see if that women still has a job or not.Im saying this because I've been medically screwed and asking for help because bills don't pay itself. This could be malpratice siit but im not good at finding lawyers
    • AlwaysLearning
      My only proof

      By AlwaysLearning · Posted

      We feel your pain. It took me 20+ years of regularly going to doctors desperate for answers only to be told there was nothing wrong with me … when I was 20 pounds underweight, suffering from severe nutritional deficiencies, and in a great deal of pain. I had to figure it out for myself. If you're in the U.S., not having an official diagnosis does mean you can't claim a tax deduction for the extra expense of gluten-free foods. But it can also be a good thing. Pre-existing conditions might be a reason why a health insurance company might reject your application or charge you more money. No official diagnosis means you don't have a pre-existing condition. I really hope you don't live in the U.S. and don't have these challenges. Do you need an official diagnosis for a specific reason? Else, I wouldn't worry about it. As long as you're diligent in remaining gluten free, your body should be healing as much as possible so there isn't much else you could do anyway. And there are plenty of us out here who never got that official diagnosis because we couldn't eat enough gluten to get tested. Now that the IL-2 test is available, I suppose I could take it, but I don't feel the need. Someone else not believing me really isn't my problem as long as I can stay in control of my own food.
    • AlwaysLearning
      Gluten related ??

      By AlwaysLearning · Posted

      If you're just starting out in being gluten free, I would expect it to take months before you learned enough about hidden sources of gluten before you stopped making major mistakes. Ice cream? Not safe unless they say it is gluten free. Spaghetti sauce? Not safe unless is says gluten-free. Natural ingredients? Who knows what's in there. You pretty much need to cook with whole ingredients yourself to avoid it completely. Most gluten-free products should be safe, but while you're in the hypersensitive phase right after going gluten free, you may notice that when something like a microwave meal seems to not be gluten-free … then you find out that it is produced in a shared facility where it can become contaminated. My reactions were much-more severe after going gluten free. The analogy that I use is that you had a whole army of soldiers waiting for some gluten to attack, and now that you took away their target, when the stragglers from the gluten army accidentally wander onto the battlefield, you still have your entire army going out and attacking them. Expect it to take two years before all of the training facilities that were producing your soldiers have fallen into disrepair and are no longer producing soldiers. But that is two years after you stop accidentally glutening yourself. Every time you do eat gluten, another training facility can be built and more soldiers will be waiting to attack. Good luck figuring things out.   
×
×
  • 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.