New & Confused

[ildanoch]

Hi all! I have a long history of health problems that for years I ignored as "that's life". Stomach pains and nausea that I originally blamed on lactos and then later on overeating (even though everyone swears I don't eat enough). Intermittent constipation and diarrhea. Weight gain that I blamed on being lazy and overeating. Joint pain I blamed on the weight gain (ended up being RA).

A few years ago things just kind of imploded. The stomach pains became so bad that I would pass out from them. The doctor thought it might be gallbladder and then said it was acid reflux and told me to avoid spicy & fatty foods. Oddly enough, spicy foods & fatty didn't seem to trigger the attacks. BTW, my usual response to the start of the nausea was to eat crackers or dry wheat toast... oops?

Last year I decided to try the Atkins diet because of my weight. It was amazing. Within a week I noticed how much more energy I had and how much better I felt in general. I lost 25lbs within a couple of weeks and was eating more than I ever had. After a few months I realized I had not had any stomach problems. I lost 75lbs in 10 months.

Over the holidays I ate "bad" foods though I was still avoiding bread and had some stomach problems but not as bad as before (I also wasn't eating crackers at the first sign of a problem).

One thing that seems weird is that if I eat "bad" foods I gain weight right away. I can eat pancakes at breakfast and gain weight. Over a weekend of eating a few things here and there that I shouldn't I will gain 10lbs. I lose it fast but it seems crazy that such a small amount of breads can do that.

So, from what I am reading I suspect Celiac. It also seems that testing would not be conclusive since I have been eating very low carb for so long though I do cheat occasionally and have chips and dip at mexican restaurants or sushi, etc. Would the occasional cheats have been enough to allow for testing? I'd go straight to the celiac diet and see how it works. But I understand that if you get a dx some of your expenses may be covered under your health plan and be tax deductable. Is that true?

Anyone had similar experiences?

Deborah

[Ursa Major]

Hi Deborah, and welcome to these boards. Your experience sounds very similar to mine. I am very intolerant to gluten, but can really not tolerate any starches at all (amongst other things).

I just stepped on the scales a couple of days ago and got a nasty shock. And realized that I had been backsliding and eating (gluten-free) crackers, cookies, bread, potatoes, bananas, cake, muffins....... more and more over the past months.

I had gone back into denial! Two years ago I realized that every time I ate anything starchy I'd gain at least two pounds overnight.

Well, guess what: Over these past few months I've been gaining all the weight back that I lost initially, which is about 25 pounds, plus ten more. And I can't afford that at all. I am disgusted with now weighing more than I ever have in my entire life!

So, on Sunday I went back to my terribly limited diet of meat, a few safe vegetables, salad, fish, peeled pears, limes (I use lime juice to make my own salad dressing), and occasionally cream of buckwheat cooked with apples, and topped with maple syrup and rice milk. My treat is two pieces of dark chocolate a day (otherwise I won't be able to keep it up).

In two days I have already lost four pounds. 'Only' about 80 to go to a healthy weight.

There is no way any testing for celiac disease would come out valid for you at this point. So, I say, the best thing to do is try a completely gluten-free diet. And really, it sounds like you need to be totally grain and starch free as well, except for occasional treats.

The only way you could possibly (and not necessarily) get valid tests would be to go back to eating a high gluten diet for at least three to six months. That could be suicide! You would likely get desperately ill and might even trigger other autoimmune diseases, as well as cause irreversible damage.

Your health is worth more than a few dollars saved because of an 'official' diagnosis. You really do know what is making you ill. You don't need a doctor telling you what you should and shouldn't eat, it is your choice. Make it a good one!