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

Began gluten-free Diet And Feel Miserable!

Cath724

Recommended Posts

Cath724 Apprentice
Cath724
Posted

I was officially diagnosed this week with Celiac, and on day 2 of a gluten-free diet, I feel miserable! This came as a surprise, for I figured I'd feel better if anything. Is this normal?? I haven't eaten anything that isn't completely gluten-free, nor anything out of the ordinary for me, besides Plenty-O's cereal. I'm very crampy (stomach) and just feel miserably run-down and weak.

PS- I didn't suffer from the usual IBS-type symptoms and was sort of inadvertently diagnosed, so any abdominal discomfort for me is unusual.

Any suggestions/advice?!

Thanks!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

Hi Cath, and welcome to this board. Unfortunately, you may be one of those people who get withdrawal symptoms when starting the gluten-free diet. Gluten is very addictive, and many people will feel like going off illegal drugs when going gluten-free.

It could up to two weeks before you start feeling any better. Also, now that you are off gluten, your body may finally realize it can't tolerate dairy, either. It is advisable to eliminate all dairy and soy for the first few months on the gluten-free diet to allow your body to heal.

Cath724 Apprentice
Cath724
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the welcome! I'm so grateful for this site and all of the many members. I've been reading up on Celiac for a couple of weeks and this is the first I've heard of any type of "withdrawal," so thanks for the info. I've been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for over 16 years as well, so suffice to say, gluten has been a major staple in my diet until now, so the withdrawal makes sense. I just didn't expect it so soon!

Removing dairy from my diet would be a double wammy right now with my already-limited diet, so I'm going to try to tough it out for awhile and see if the symptoms subside. A withdrawal never even crossed my mind, so thanks!

ShayFL Enthusiast
ShayFL
Posted

I felt bad for the first month, but then started feeling better. Things healed that I wasnt aware of that was a problem. So dont be surprised if things like your skin looks better, etc. after awhile. Or you have more energy, but didnt realize you were fatigued before.

I def. went through withdrawal. And had GI symptoms when my main symptoms are neurological.

Hang in there. It gets better.

irish daveyboy Community Regular
irish daveyboy
Posted

Hi Cath724,

Here is something you should read, It's entitled

'Adverse reactions to starting a Gluten Free Diet'.

.

After you've read through it will all start to make sense.

.

Open Original Shared Link

.

Best Regards,

David

Cath724 Apprentice
Cath724
Posted
  • Author

Great info, David, thanks for the link! And here I thought I was well read on Celiac-- I have MUCH more to learn yet. I had read of emotional side effects, but never expected to feel so bad--especially only hours into the gluten-free diet!

I have a race planned in a week and a half, so now I'm thinking I should hold off on the gluten-free diet until afterward-- I've put too much work into getting into shape! The rest of my life can wait 2 weeks, I should hope...:)

Cath724 Apprentice
Cath724
Posted
  • Author

Well, I stuck it out, and felt better already by the next day! All the worrying for nothing, just 2 days of feeling so bad. Just thought I'd share this in case anyone else has a similar experience!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


AndrewNYC Explorer
AndrewNYC
Posted
Well, I stuck it out, and felt better already by the next day! All the worrying for nothing, just 2 days of feeling so bad. Just thought I'd share this in case anyone else has a similar experience!

One of the lucky ones...

  • 2 weeks later...
ericjourney Newbie
ericjourney
Posted

Cath--

Withdrawal is common, but it should be short-lived. It varies among individuals to include cramping, gas, headache, fatigue, irratibility, etc.

It's common for folks to turn to comfort food and junk food when they initially start a gluten-free diet. Try to be careful to eat lots of lean meats, and fresh fruits and veggies, before turning to "empty calories" like potato or corn chips, which will only make you feel worse during the withdrawal. And try to remember that you're doing this for your health.

We all seem to have no problem running so hard that we're sore the next day. It makes sense to apply that philosophy to diet, right? "No pain, no gain."

collyflower Newbie
collyflower
Posted

Hi there,

I was really happy to find this thread. I have just come to India to work (I'm from Australia) and was diagnosed a few weeks ago and have probably been purely gluten free for a 10 days now.

About 3 days ago I started to become so emotional, irritable and angry!! I'm ultra sensitive to everything and am craving chapati's/biscuits etc... like crazy I was glad to see that I might be experiencing withdrawals rather than just being unreasonable.

I'm looking forward to feeling 'normal' again.

Erin.

tmb Newbie
tmb
Posted

Is it possible that in eliminating gluten you have also avoided yeast products? Since many baked products and simple carbs are wheat based with yeast, you might also be feeling a candida die-off which is well known. Candida feeds off sugars, simple carbs as well as reacting to yeast itself. Reaction to both yeast and wheat commonly occur together.

Beth41777 Rookie
Beth41777
Posted
Thanks for the welcome! I'm so grateful for this site and all of the many members. I've been reading up on Celiac for a couple of weeks and this is the first I've heard of any type of "withdrawal," so thanks for the info. I've been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for over 16 years as well, so suffice to say, gluten has been a major staple in my diet until now, so the withdrawal makes sense. I just didn't expect it so soon!

Removing dairy from my diet would be a double wammy right now with my already-limited diet, so I'm going to try to tough it out for awhile and see if the symptoms subside. A withdrawal never even crossed my mind, so thanks!

Not to discourage you, (or anyone else who is "waiting" to feel better) but it took about 2-3 months of being gluten free before I felt BETTER. Now this may be because my body takes longer to heal or perhaps I was unknowingly ingesting gluten, which happens from time to time. It does get better, just be careful and don't cheat. The smallest amount of gluten is enough to throw your body into "celiac reaction mode." Has this happened to anyone else? I always hear about people feeling better right away or within a few weeks. But not me, and I am CAREFUL. Beth

tmb Newbie
tmb
Posted
Not to discourage you, (or anyone else who is "waiting" to feel better) but it took about 2-3 months of being gluten free before I felt BETTER. Now this may be because my body takes longer to heal or perhaps I was unknowingly ingesting gluten, which happens from time to time. It does get better, just be careful and don't cheat. The smallest amount of gluten is enough to throw your body into "celiac reaction mode." Has this happened to anyone else? I always hear about people feeling better right away or within a few weeks. But not me, and I am CAREFUL. Beth

I have only recently gone gluten free recently so am new to the impact when I cheat or make mistakes. I am assuming that the rate of recovery varies to the severity and duration of the symptoms. My stomach reacts quickly and seems to recover (at least superficially) within a couple of days, my skin (the dermatitis hetc reaction) seems to take longer. My skin was not that advanced and although not entirelly clear yet after just a few weeks, it has improved and I expect it to be clear within another few weeks (assuming no accidents). Within a couple of weeks my digestion has improved significantly, although I have still to see weight coming back, I have read of others to began gaining weight after a month or so.

What I am not clear about is the real impact of accidents and cheating. I assuming that despite stronger reactions due to higher sensitivity, that occasional accidents do not put you back to the starting point. If the some people need to go on a gluten challenge for several months to see intestine damage, this means that a well healed intestine can tolerate a few accidents better than one that is still being continuallly battered.

I am curious to know about your specific symptoms, how long you have had them for etc.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,939
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Michelle C.
    Newest Member
    Michelle C.
    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

    • Wheatwacked
      Is this celiac?

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Marsh 3b is the Gold Standard of diagnosis for Celiac Disease.  Until recently, regardless of antibody tests, positive or negative, you had to have Marsh 3 damage to be awarded the diagnosis of Celiac. As I understand you,  you were having constant symptoms..  Your symptoms improved on GFD, with occassional flare ups. Did your doctor say you do and you are questioning the diagnosis? Regarding your increasing severity when you get glutened it is "normal.  Gluten acts on the Opiod receptors to numb your body.  Some report withdrawal symptoms on GFD.  I was an alcoholic for 30 years, about 1/2 pint of voda a day. Each time I identified a trigger and dealt with it, a new trigger would pop up.  Even a 30 day rehab stint, with a low fat diet (severe pancreatis) during which I rarely had cravings.  Stopped at a Wendys on the way home and the next day I was drinking again.  20 years later, sick as a dog, bedridden on Thanksgiving, after months of reasearch, I realized that gluten free was my Hail Mary.  Back in 1976 my son was diagnosed at weaning with Celiac Disease and his doctor suggested my wife and I should also be gluten free because it is genetic.  At 25 years old I felt no gastro problems and promised if I ever did I would try gluten free.  Well, I forgot that promise until I was 63.  Three days of gluten and alcohol free, I could no longer tolerate alcohol. Eleven years gluten and alcohol free, with no regrets. Improvement was quick, but always two steps forward and one back.  Over time I found nineteen symptoms that I had been living with for my entire life, that doctors had said, "We don't know why, but that is normal for some people". Celiac Disease causes multiple vitamin and mineral deficiency.  It is an autoimmune disease, meaning your immune system B and T cells create antibodies against ttg(2) the small intestin in Celiac Disease and sometimes ttg(3) in skin in Dermatitis Herpetiformus.  Why is poorly understood.  In fact, it wasn't even know that wheat, barley and rye gluten was the cause.  Celiac Disease was also called Infantilism, because it was deadly, and believed to only be a childhood disease. So as part of your symptoms you must deal with those deficiencies.  Especially vitamin D because it contols your immune system.  Virtually all newly diagnosed Celiacs have vitamin D deficiency.  There are about 30 vitamin and minerals that are absorbed in the small intestine.  With Marsh 3 damage you may be eating the amount everyone else does, but you are not absorbing them into your system, so you will display symptoms of their deficiency.   As time passes and you replenish your deficiencies you may notice other symptoms improve, some you did not even know were sypmptos. Our western diet has many deficiencies build into it.   That is the reason foods with gluten are fortified.  Gluten free processed food are not required to fortify.  Vitamin D, Iodine, choline.  The B vitamins, especially Thiamine (B1) run deficient quickly.  We only store enough thiamine for 2 weeks for symptoms can come on quickly.  Magnesium, zinc, etc. each having its own symptoms affecting multiple systems.  High homocystene, and indicator of vascular inflamation can be cause by deficient Choline, folate, B6 and or B12.  Brain fog, deficient choline, iodine, thiamine. Dietary intake of choline and phosphatidylcholine and risk of type 2 diabetes in men: The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study    
    • Rogol72
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By Rogol72 · Posted

      I cut out the rice because it was affecting my stomach at the time ... not necessarily dermatitis herpetiformis. It was Tilda Basmati Rice, sometimes wholegrain rice. I was willing to do whatever it took to heal. Too much fiber also disagrees with me as I have UC.
    • trents
      Is this celiac?

      By trents · Posted

      But you didn't answer my question. When you consume gluten, is there an identifiable reaction within a short period of time, say a few hours?
    • Scott Adams
      Is this celiac?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      You can still have celiac disease with negative blood test results, although it's not very common:  Clinical and genetic profile of patients with seronegative coeliac disease: the natural history and response to gluten-free diet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5606118/  Seronegative Celiac Disease - A Challenging Case: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9441776/  Enteropathies with villous atrophy but negative coeliac serology in adults: current issues: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34764141/   
    • Scott Adams
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I am only wondering why you would need to cut out rice? I've never heard of rice being any issue in those with DH.
×
×
  • 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.