Just Plain Happy, With A Few Questions

[raen]

alot of people seem to feel burdened by the gluten-free diet and obsessive steps it takes to "protect" your tummy.. but ive never been happier. im 18 and i have this gluten allergy really bad - i cnat even kiss my boyfriend closed-mouthed after hes had a sub or i get sick for 3 days.

for as far back as i can remember - and im told even as a baby - ive felt sick more often than okay..

at 4 i started complaining of joint pains all over and was labeled a hypochondriac (turned out to be hypermobility joint something - authritus). at 7 i was diagnosed as "stress-induced stomach pains and nausea" because my "parents divorced", at 9 i was diagnosed with 4 sleep disorders and some obscure disorder where soft spots on your lungs make it hurt to breath sometimes (turned out to be hyperventilation syndrome),was forced to drop out of highschool at age 15 due to chronic panic attacks between 15 and 16 i felt so sick i thought i was going to die (started as an ear infection then was labeled "sick from stress" again), at 16 i started an all organic diet, at age 17 i finally got on an all organic diet, at age 17 i monitored what i ate in order to figure out if i had food allergies/intolerances (i had many), all of my life ive had chronic tonsillitis, and IGA deficiency, at 18 i tried the ever-awful "candida diet" which only served to make me Faint on day 9. being diagnosed as celiac and not hypochondriac or deathly incurable ill was nothing short of cry-worthy after a life like that.

a message of tough-love for anyone stupid enough to be sad they are on a gluten-free diet .. : hey sucker, at least you know what makes you sick.

however, i have formed a very sensitive stomach and read it wont start acting "normal" until its fully healed which will likely take a year.

so is it okay to drink low acid coffee even if it upsets my stomach mildly, or will that lead to further damage? (regular coffee bothers my stomach all day - low acid organic for only 15 minutes, just between my stomach and small intestine, a dull "stretching" pain rather than anything dramatic.)

has coffee upset anyone else's stomach? how long did it last and what did you do?

im fully grown at 5'1'' and 86lbs, but now that im on the gluten-free diet is it likely i will grow and be tall like the rest of my family? i think im actually gaining a little weight, maybe up to 90lbs now!

i wear contacts, reeeally high proscription, could being gluten-free improve that too? and my seasonal allergies?

also, any advice on how to keep my boyfriend (of almost 7 years) from worrying about me while i am still healing? every little problem plants this worried helpless look on his face like he wants to rush me to a doctor.

[Ursa Major]

You are right in saying that finally being diagnosed with celiac disease is a big relief after being ill so long! I was in the same boat, but didn't figure it out until I was 52. I was labeled a hypochondriac for most of my life.

As for the coffee, you really should avoid anything right now that upsets your stomach. Since coffee will do that, you need to stop drinking it for a few months. I am sure it will be fine within three to six months to have it again.

It would be best if you could just eat easy to digest foods for a while, like cooked vegetables, chicken etc., that are naturally gluten-free. All those replacement gluten-free foods are hard on your stomach and are best avoided for the first little while.

Also, it is likely that you can't digest dairy at this point, and it would be best if you would eliminate all dairy for a few months as well, to help with healing. The same goes for soy.

[Jestgar]

You might get a little taller, it just depends on here you are in your own personal growth schedule. If have some "growth spurts" left, it could happen.

[Ursa Major]

  Jestgar said:

You might get a little taller, it just depends on here you are in your own personal growth schedule. If have some "growth spurts" left, it could happen.

I agree, I actually grew another inch or so when I was twenty! Two of my girls did the same thing. So, it is obviously possible.

[raen]

ive never liked cooked vegetables, unlike most kids/teens i was always very close to vegan, and love raw fruits and vegetables to be a dominant part of my diet. why would raw vegetables be bad?

my mom is cherokee so i've been allergic to milk sense birth, ive always been strictly soy. considering that, would plain silk brand soymilk still be a problem? i cant drink the vanilla, buti couldnt understand why - is it hard to digest?

i notice that all acidic foods, even oranges, seem to upset my tummy though. i stopped eating oranges last week. apple cider vinegar is a big exception to that, and organic teas seem fine but i dont think they're acidic..? what about onion and garlic? potatoes?

i will definitely cut off on the corn, rice, and etc products. i knew rice was bothering me, and thought corn may be too, so i wont go near them for a few months (though tapioca bread seems fine, i may eat a piece with breakfast sometimes)

[CeliacAlli]

  raen said:

alot of people seem to feel burdened by the gluten-free diet and obsessive steps it takes to "protect" your tummy.. but ive never been happier. im 18 and i have this gluten allergy really bad - i cnat even kiss my boyfriend closed-mouthed after hes had a sub or i get sick for 3 days.

for as far back as i can remember - and im told even as a baby - ive felt sick more often than okay..

at 4 i started complaining of joint pains all over and was labeled a hypochondriac (turned out to be hypermobility joint something - authritus). at 7 i was diagnosed as "stress-induced stomach pains and nausea" because my "parents divorced", at 9 i was diagnosed with 4 sleep disorders and some obscure disorder where soft spots on your lungs make it hurt to breath sometimes (turned out to be hyperventilation syndrome),was forced to drop out of highschool at age 15 due to chronic panic attacks between 15 and 16 i felt so sick i thought i was going to die (started as an ear infection then was labeled "sick from stress" again), at 16 i started an all organic diet, at age 17 i finally got on an all organic diet, at age 17 i monitored what i ate in order to figure out if i had food allergies/intolerances (i had many), all of my life ive had chronic tonsillitis, and IGA deficiency, at 18 i tried the ever-awful "candida diet" which only served to make me Faint on day 9. being diagnosed as celiac and not hypochondriac or deathly incurable ill was nothing short of cry-worthy after a life like that.

a message of tough-love for anyone stupid enough to be sad they are on a gluten-free diet .. : hey sucker, at least you know what makes you sick.

I don't really know life any different because I was diagnosed at 11 months, so it doesn't bother me to be gluten-free at all, but I certainly don't like getting glutened!!!

however, i have formed a very sensitive stomach and read it wont start acting "normal" until its fully healed which will likely take a year.

so is it okay to drink low acid coffee even if it upsets my stomach mildly, or will that lead to further damage? (regular coffee bothers my stomach all day - low acid organic for only 15 minutes, just between my stomach and small intestine, a dull "stretching" pain rather than anything dramatic.)

has coffee upset anyone else's stomach? how long did it last and what did you do?

im fully grown at 5'1'' and 86lbs, but now that im on the gluten-free diet is it likely i will grow and be tall like the rest of my family? i think im actually gaining a little weight, maybe up to 90lbs now!

i wear contacts, reeeally high proscription, could being gluten-free improve that too? and my seasonal allergies?

also, any advice on how to keep my boyfriend (of almost 7 years) from worrying about me while i am still healing? every little problem plants this worried helpless look on his face like he wants to rush me to a doctor.

[FaeLD]

  "raen" said:

im fully grown at 5'1'' and 86lbs, but now that im on the gluten-free diet is it likely i will grow and be tall like the rest of my family? i think im actually gaining a little weight, maybe up to 90lbs now!

When I was about 8 months or so, I was half the weight I was supposed to be because my parents started feeding me things that contained gluten. So while you will not be as tall as you could have been, you might (and will probably) grow taller. Same for weight

  "raen" said:

has coffee upset anyone else's stomach? how long did it last and what did you do?

Sorry, no.

  "raen" said:

i wear contacts, reeeally high proscription, could being gluten-free improve that too? and my seasonal allergies?

If poor eye-sight is in the family, then probably not. Same for other allergies. My cousin was diagnosed as a celiac about age 20-ish after it having come out for about 3 months (though it stopped after a few months, since it came out because she was taking drugs, which rehab thankfully fixed). She never had problems with eye-sight or other allergies (external ones such as cats / pollen / etc.) Though she did have an outbreak of acne and a very very weak stomach

I suggest the same as Ursa Major. Avoid eating anything that could make your stomach quesy. Milks and Dairy products mostly, at least until you get back on your feet.

Here's hoping for the best!

  "raen" said:

why would raw vegetables be bad?

They shouldn't be that bad, but they are still heavier on the stomach than cooked once. Though again, they shouldn't be a problem

  "raen" said:

would plain silk brand soymilk still be a problem?

Soy milks are more easily digested, and are easier to digest than normal milks, but are still not that easy to digest.

If you can cut back, at least until you feel healthier it would be best. If you feel you cannot stop drinking it, just don't drink too much.

  "raen" said:

organic teas seem fine but i dont think they're acidic..?

According to which. Some have acids, some don't. I don't drink a lot of tea, but a quick google for tea shows that some don't have acids (Jasmine Tea) while some do (Orange Spice Assam).

  "raen" said:

onion and garlic? potatoes?

Onions have acids (Part of the reason they make you cry). I don't think garlic / potatoes do

Best case right now is to totally cut off wheats (obviously) and cut off other things that make you feel bad. Go for a case by case basis, since there isn't a common denominator to what is effecting you