Am I Going Crazy?

[singswtharmony]

Hello everyone --

I'm a new poster here, and I have a question.

I'm going into my third week on the gluten-free diet, and I've noticed that I seem to be having MORE problems now than when I was eating gluten! I feel healthier (mentally) for eating better, but physically I'm getting a lot of indigestion and gas now that I'm gluten-free.

Even though I think I'm losing weight, I can't tell because I'm so bloated all of the time. I know it's not a lactose problem, because I've had a glass of milk everyday pretty much my whole life, and have never had adverse reactions from it, and still don't when I drink it independently (i.e. for breakfast).

I'm severely anemic (the secondary symptom my doctor used to diagnose me with), but I don't think it has anything to do with that.

Is this just a transitional period? Will it get any better, or did/does anyone else experience this? I just think it's strange that it seems to be worse NOW than when I was eating my heart out with breads and pastas!

Thanks!

Caitlin

[darlindeb25]

give your body time caitlin--it needs time to get to feeling better--the poisons are still leaving your body--some people feel great in only 3 weeks, some it takes much longer--just keep your chin up and stay gluten-free--its the best thing for you--deb

[mda10]

Hi, I've been gluten-free for 6 weeks now and the first 2-3 weeks I felt like I was having withdrawal symptoms like a heroine addict (not that I'd know). A rheumatologist I know said that celiacs often get worse before they get better in the initial weeks gluten-free.

On the throat closings... I experience this now too. I dont think it's asthma. I think it's inflammation from the autoimmune process, as I used to get throat sores every 3 weeks for years now. Anti-histamine or benadryl helps a little. Recently, I notice the correlation with this and my intestinal burning at the duodenum.

Also, I'm getting major muscle spasms-- in my eyelids and in the duodenum (I can feel rapid twitching in my gut). My doctor says it's gas, but I dont think so.

Anyone else have these symptoms? Does it really take 6 months to feel better?

I only eat rice. Water. And a multi-vitamin. Nothing else.

[tarnalberry]

I'd like to also ask - if you've taken gluten OUT of your diet, what have you put IN it? Are you eating more vegetables? More fiber? More fruit? More whole grains? More beans? Take a look at what, in your diet, may be contributing to the problem, even if it's not due to an intolerance or sensitivity. (BTW, lactose intolerance can come on without notice... it's worth checking on. Try taking Lactaid and see if it helps?)

[kvogt]

Another thing you should be aware of is that you can add to your miseries by adding exotic foods to your diet. How may people ate quinoa, millet, sorghum, teff, tapioca flour, etc. and a bunch of other exotic non-grains before going gluten-free?

People will tell you this food and that food are gluten-free, which they are, but not necessarily good for you now. Any new food, whether your immune system tolerates it or not, can prove difficult to digest. With your digestive tract already damaged, you are likely going to aggravate it by dumping in a lot of foods your stomach is unaccustomed to eating.

Don't let your desire to maintain normalcy send you out trying every kind of substitute food which contain these exotics. Try to find a new state of normal - normal for you. And normal for you doesn't have to be normal for everyone else.

[newby]

Hey,

You DO have symptoms of dairy allergies and eating dairy daily makes them a lot less strong. Take out all dairy and caesin (a hidden ingredient in a lot of foods like soy products), and see if it goes away. Don't write it off just because you've had dairy all your life

Get tested for Lactose and Caesin allergies through blood work. Get tested for the top 100 food allergies if you can.

When getting my food allergy results back, I was extremely taken back that I am allergic to all dairy, gluten, etc. etc.

Good luck

[rmmadden]

I've been gluten-free for the past 11-weeks and for the first 8 of those weeks I felt as though my symptoms were worse, too. I really wasn't feeling any better and It can be frustrating. The past 3-weeks I have been felling better but not still not perfect/normal. I still have symptoms only they aren't as severe. I've also been able to take small amounts of dairy back into my diet which before was impossible. The healing takes time any everyone is different. Hang in there.

Best of Luck!

Cleveland Bob

[kvogt]

My experience is after going gluten-free my gut healed enough to allow me to absorb other foods that bother me.

[KaitiUSA]

I felt so much better going gluten-free. It took a while for me to get back to normal and I still get some minor symptoms sometimes but going gluten-free was the best thing that I ever did for myself. Give it time I'm sure you will start feeling so much better when your body goes through the healing process. If it doesn't you may want to consider an allergy or food intolerance test to see if there is something else also affecting you. Hope you get feeling better soon