How It Works

[ZatKat]

I'm just wondering how it works... I have been gluten free for only a week, and really after 2 days a lot of my problems were gone. How is it possible for it to work so fast? I am self diagnosed, so I don't know if its celiac or just an intolerance. But if gluten damages the intestines, shouldn't it take longer before you have any symptom relief? I mean, shouldn't the stomach have to heal for a certain length of tme before symptoms improve? I just wonder how it works.

[Lisa]

I'm just wondering how it works... I have been gluten free for only a week, and really after 2 days a lot of my problems were gone. How is it possible for it to work so fast? I am self diagnosed, so I don't know if its celiac or just an intolerance. But if gluten damages the intestines, shouldn't it take longer before you have any symptom relief? I mean, shouldn't the stomach have to heal for a certain length of tme before symptoms improve? I just wonder how it works.

A gluten allergy, sensitivity or intolerance may cause the same symptoms as Celiac, but it will not cause damage to the villi in the small intestines. A person with Celiac Disease, ingesting gluten will trigger an autoimmune reaction resulting in villi damage.

A person diagnosed with Celiac may take up to two years, with a strict gluten free diet, to heal.

I am glad that you found that gluten is a problem for you and you are feeling better.

[jerseyangel]

Hi and welcome

The length of time it takes to feel better varies from person to person. Some, as Lisa said, can take up to two years or so. Others, however, go gluten-free and begin to feel better right away.

A lot depends on the age of the person and how long they've been sick. Some people just heal quicker than others--just as some have more pronounced symptoms. The whole thing is very individual.

[psawyer]

As Patti and Lisa said, there are a lot of things that can affect recovery time.

I saw a noticeable improvement in a couple of weeks, but took about six months to fully recover. The older you are, the longer it will take. The amount of damage is also a factor. I was an undiagnosed, out of control celiac for at least five years of severe symptoms. My villi were severely damaged. I didn't know about the connection to temporary lactose intolerance in 2000. I was consuming dairy, lots of it, so that may have contributed to my slow recovery.

That said, if you are one of us who has a direct gastric reaction to gluten (as opposed to the effects of autoimmune damage to the intestine), you may see results in as little as 24 hours. We are all different.

Welcome to our community.

[ZatKat]

thanks! I better understand now So, I probably would have an intolerance and not celiac disease since I noticed improvement right away?

[ravenwoodglass]

thanks! I better understand now So, I probably would have an intolerance and not celiac disease since I noticed improvement right away?

Not always. I had my D and migraines stop completely within a few days. I thought it was a miracle as I had daily D for 15 years. At first I thought I might even be redeveloping C since I didn't have a movement for 3 days after I stopped gluten, I guess my body was just overjoyed. It did take another 6 months to see a notable improvement in my arthritis and my neuro issues but it did happen and I have been in remission from a lot of my celiac related autoimmune diseases now for over 5 years.

I did have some ups and downs for the first few months but most were related to eating stuff that looked gluten free but wasn't, I didn't know this board existed till I had been gluten-free for a few months and found a lot of the stuff I was using that I shouldn't be here. It was here that I first learned about shamposs and stuff which finally stopped my balding.

I am glad you are getting such a good response and I hope it continues.

[salamander]

like you I'm new to this too. My condition sounds like yours. Within a couple of days of coming off the gluten I began to feel better (started about 4 weeks ago). I now have a better stomach, fewer trips to the toilet (!) no headaches, no lethargy, no broken sleep. The minute I slip up (twice so far), the symptoms come straight back. It's reassuring in a way, and a good reminder when this happens, as it shows that a. the diagnosis is correct and b. if I want to be well and healthy then the gluten has got to go!

Stick with it!

[Piccolo]

I had immidate clear up to most of my GI symptoms, but it took almost a year for complete healing.

Susan

[Lisa]

I think a lot depends, as stated earlier, how much damage was done and how quickly it was caught.

[ZatKat]

wow, its really interesting to read all of the things you guys say. All the things affected by gluten. Because I know I always considered myself lazy because all I ever wanted to do was sleep.... but also have insomnia. I still have insomnia and I'm still tired all the time but not quite as bad. i did notice that the last two days I've been really in the mood to get up and get out which is not usual for me. I still have insomnia though. anyway, i'm just really excited I figured out whats wrong. And I know it will be easy to stick to the diet at home... but now I'm afraid to go to a restaurant because I don't want to undo my progress.

[Gemini]

thanks! I better understand now So, I probably would have an intolerance and not celiac disease since I noticed improvement right away?

No, not at all! You can most definitely be a card carrying Celiac AND notice amazing, fast improvement because I did. At diagnosis, I weighed 98 pounds and was losing 1 pound per day. I had deficiencies, was anemic and could not leave the house as I was so sick. After I had the blood drawn for the test, I immediately went gluten-free because I KNEW it was celiac disease.....I presented classically with it and was at the point that I either try the diet immediately or go in to the hospital.

THREE days later, the "D" stopped completely, my stomach calmed down to where I could actually eat a meal and by the end of 3 weeks, I was feeling 100% better and my symptoms continued to improve on a daily basis. I never had a relapse at all. I think many factors are involved in why this happens but the bottom line is that it can and will happen and you should congratulate yourself on a job well done!

As far as other autoimmune diseases are concerned and the effect of the diet on them, you can have improvement with that also if you follow a strict diet. They will never go away once triggered but if you aren't eating gluten, you can become almost asymptomatic. I have 3 other autoimmune problems on top of Celiac yet I am healthier and feel better than many of my wheat eating friends. Go figure!

[Worriedtodeath]

I think that it is sort of like an allergy though it isn't an allergy. Celiac is an autoimmune disease but once you remove the gluten some symptoms begin to disappear, as the offending culprit is no longer causing offense much like an allergy. And since it doesn't necessarily affect the entire intestine just patches of it, then the sick patches aren't being assaulted at every turn and they have a chance to rest. BUT UNLIKE an allergy, you will have good days and bad days because there is damage done and that damage must heal. Why it goes back and forth I 'm not sure other than comparing it to a scab. It heals and gets smaller and smaller but until it heals, you still have a bloody spot that if you hit it just right will open back up and bleed. Maybe the damage spots are like that. They begin to heal but something brushes against them and they get upset again and cause gi issues. That's the best I can understand it. IT's NOT an allergy but yet some get immediate relief (like the others it depends on length of time and severity of damage) like an allergy but it continues to be a problem on and off until healed. And people react worst after being gluten free because it is autoimmune and your body KNOWS to attack and kill immediately just like with all those vaccines we get. Whenever our body sees measles, it attacks and kills those germs. With Celiac, it sees gluten but attacks our bodies instead. Any amount will cause the autoimmune system to go into hyper mode as it knows gluten is a bad thing and wants to rid our bodies of it. We've developed antibodies and that can't be turned off. I'm allergic to mushrooms and when I eat one by mistake, my response is almost immediate and much like a response to gluten. But, I return to normal once my body has gotten rid of any mushroom parts. It doesn't go on for days and doesn't take days to get back to normal. Gluten does.

JMHO

Stacie

[cruelshoes]

How is it possible for it to work so fast? I am self diagnosed, so I don't know if its celiac or just an intolerance. But if gluten damages the intestines, shouldn't it take longer before you have any symptom relief? I mean, shouldn't the stomach have to heal for a certain length of tme before symptoms improve? I just wonder how it works.

Celiac is the only autoimmune disease for which the trigger is known (Gluten). If you remove the trigger, the body stops reacting to it. Once that happens, the body can begin to heal. I had persistent D every day for 18 years - up to 50 times per day. Within 3 days of removing gluten, that had started to dissipate, and within a month was completely gone. It's like a miracle to me. It did take about 3 months for all of my other symptoms to be gone, but I started seeing results very quickly.