My Daughter Is Now Much More Symptomatic After 2 Years On The gluten-free Diet And Its Breaking My Heart

[Guest AutumnE]

I had severe symptoms and gluten-free was my answer, my daughter and husband went on it by default and a little rash she used to get here and there went away unless she was accidentally glutened.

2 years on the diet leaves a horrible reaction for her now. Explosive diarrhea, stomach cramps for days and a rash completely covering her butt area.

It is really making me question what I did. I know in my head that Im hopefully saving her from all the autoimmune diseases I have by starting at an early age but it breaks my heart that when she gets cc by being at gluten filled homes. I bring all of her food, all of her silverware and paper towels and drinks but once in a while she still gets glutened. I feel so bad for her at 4 years old to have to deal with these bad intestinal issues knowing that I made her more sensitive to it by putting her on the diet The mommy guilt I am feeling is horrid......

[home-based-mom]

I had severe symptoms and gluten-free was my answer, my daughter and husband went on it by default and a little rash she used to get here and there went away unless she was accidentally glutened.

2 years on the diet leaves a horrible reaction for her now. Explosive diarrhea, stomach cramps for days and a rash completely covering her butt area.

It is really making me question what I did. I know in my head that Im hopefully saving her from all the autoimmune diseases I have by starting at an early age but it breaks my heart that when she gets cc by being at gluten filled homes. I bring all of her food, all of her silverware and paper towels and drinks but once in a while she still gets glutened. I feel so bad for her at 4 years old to have to deal with these bad intestinal issues knowing that I made her more sensitive to it by putting her on the diet The mommy guilt I am feeling is horrid......

There is nothing quite like a mother's guilt trip, is there?

Anyway, you have done the right thing by taking her off gluten. How do I know? Because if her body did not have a problem with it, there would be no reaction at all whenever she ate it. The fact that she has a reaction just proves the wisdom of what you did two years ago.

[Guest AutumnE]

Thank you

I know in my head I did the right thing now if I can just wrap my heart around it. I cry with her when she has her accidents that embarass her so badly. I never hated celiac disease/gluten intolerance before with me but I do now that it hurts my baby

[amylouise]

hey i had the same problem - my original symptoms were just oesophagus swelling and acid reflux but now when i get glutened i have sooo many more syptoms like constipation, fatigue, nausea, headaches, runny nose etc as well as the original symptoms! i think you did the right thing taking your girl off gluten! xxx

[taweavmo3]

The severe reaction shows that you most definately did the right thing. My daughter never had the classic GI symptoms before diagnosis, but she was very malnourished. Now, she does get very ill.....vomiting, diarrhea, high fevers and lethargic for weeks. She is absolutely miserable, but these bad reactions have also helped her realize how important it is to stay away from gluten. It is hard to watch her suffer, but I know I won't really have to worry about her straying from the diet when she is older. So, it does have a positive side.

I would of course rather my child be 100% healthy and not have any issues, but in all honesty...if I could hand pick a disease for my child to have, it would be Celiac. It's totally controlled by diet, usually leads to a healthier lifestyle for the whole family, and if caught early on, it can actually ward off a slew of adult problems. So all in all, after you get past the difficult beginning stages, it really can be a blessing.

Don't feel guilty...you absolutely did the best thing for your child!!!!!!!!!

[Jestgar]

I feel so bad for her at 4 years old to have to deal with these bad intestinal issues knowing that I made her more sensitive to it by putting her on the diet

You don't know this. She may have become this sensitive no matter what. What you absolutely DID do was save her two years of damage and misery.

[Juliet]

"She may have become this sensitive no matter what. What you absolutely DID do was save her two years of damage and misery."

Couldn't have said this better myself! You have no reason to feel guilty, even IF her "visible" symptoms would have been less had you not taken her off of gluten. It's the "invisible" damage that's worse. No matter what she may be going through now, she is far better off and lucky to have a mother like you.

[Guest AutumnE]

Thank you

I do feel better now, at the time I posted she had just finished having diarrhea from it along with a rash so it was hitting me hard. Thankfully we have a lot of family support since my mom, sister and my sister's kids have it also so it makes holiday dinners easier for our family and she feels normal since many of her cousins cant eat it either.