Symptoms.. Celiac Or Gluten Sensitive?

[wockandwoll]

Ok, so I'm really really new at this and just realized THIS MORNING that gluten could be what's causing all these crazy symptoms that I have.

I drank about 8 oz. of Florida's Natural orange juice this morning and had 2 bites of a bagel w/cream cheese and my stomach is so distended that i look 6 months pregnant. I'm bloated to the point of pain after I eat most meals. Usually I can't even eat til I'm full because I bloat so badly. I've lost weight but you can't tell because of how badly I bloat. I fluctuate between an 8 and an 11 it's so severe. Some pants I zip up with ease one day, and the next day i can't button them to save my life.

On top of that, my mood swings are crazy. One minute I'll be perfectly cheery, then I'll drop a fork or stub my toe and suddenly WATCH OUT!

I've always had very low iron levels and blood pressure; only when I was pregnant has my blood pressure even been close to normal.

I get random very painful headaches a couple times a week.

I fall asleep the minute I lay down, no matter where I am.

I've had 2 miscarriages.

I've gotten 5 cavities in the last 3 years, despite brushing at least twice a day every day. (?)

My eyes change vision all the time.. .my vision is terrible anyway, but some days will be way blurrier than others, depsite the fact that I wear my contacts daily. (?)

I get painful cramps in my hips and neck. I always feel like I need to stretch.

I am also allergic to Nickel and Sulfates. I'm scheduling my blood allergy test tomorrow. I would very much appreciate any help and advice to help alleviate symptoms as I have no idea how to go about this. Thank you!!!

[Amyleigh0007]

Celiac and gluten sensitivity are pretty much the same thing, they are just on different parts of a spectrum. When you have Celiac you have villi damage and if you have gluten sensitivity you don't have damage... yet. The only way to know for sure is to have the doctor do a Celiac panel (bloodtest) but you must keep eating gluten for the tests to be accurate. You can also eliminate gluten from your diet and see if your health improves. Allergy testing won't tell you if you have Celiac but it could help you determine if other foods bother you. My Celiac tests were negative but I've had an amazing response from the gluten free diet, so I am self diagnosed as gluten intolerant. I am also having food allergy tests done soon to see if maybe I am missing something. Good luck!

[jayhawkmom]

I agree with Amy. I think gluten intolerance is just a stepping stone. I had positive blood tests, but my endoscopy was completely negative. Yet, my dietary response has been indisputable. I have had the gene testing done because my 7 year old does have Celiac. Those tests showed that I do have the genes, so even though I know I don't have "full blown" Celiac, I avoid gluten in the hopes that I never WILL have the villi damage that goes along with a Celiac diagnosis.

I've been sick enough without the damage.

[KristaleeJane]

Wow, your symptoms sound like exactly what I had before getting diagnosed. I actually have lost about 15 pounds and went down 2-3 waist sizes since going gluten free. Although a lot of people are the opposite, they will gain wait after going gluten free, it really depends on how advanced your symptoms are and how deficiant your are with nutrients.

Even if your tests are negative you should try the gluten free diet, and be very strict, to see if you notice a difference, it seems alot of people do.

But have all your testing done first, as once you start the diet it can alter the results.

Good luck

[wockandwoll]

Thanks to everyone for the insight. I bought some gluten-free products today, and I'm eager to see if this helps. The more I read about it, the more sure I am that this will help my symptoms. It is really difficult for me to figure out what's "safe" or not. Obviously bread, pasta, etc. But I'm gong out to dinner with family tonight and I don't have a clue what I can order. Any insight would be appreciated. I've found the list of what to look for as far as ingredients, but that won't help me tonight! And most of the lists of restaurants I've found don't have any that are around here (i WISH we had a PF Changs!! )

[KristaleeJane]

Restaurants can be very iffy. I rarely go out to eat now because you are taking a huge risk, unless they have gluten free menu and their staff are aware of cross contamination. For example one restaurant that I go to they have their Nachos on the gluten free menu, but they are actually fried in the same oil as all of the other gluten foods.

Some things you can be safe would be plain foods such as chicken and rice dishes, be very careful of the sauces that they put in them, soy sauce almost always has wheat in it, get in the habit of bringing your own.

Some seafood would be ok, but cannot be done in any type of batter, and be careful of BBQ sauce, sometimes has gluten

Salads are also a good choice, but again the dressing can be risky.

Your best bet is to do some online research, make some phone calls to restaruants and you will find some that specialize in gluten free foods and/or menu.

Trust me it gets easier and eventually just becomes a way of life......

Krista

[ksymonds84]

Just wanted to add to be careful with gluten free products in the beginning. They will be new to your system and may add some bloat as well. In the beginning its always best to do whole foods then gradually add new grains that you haven't had before such as quinoa, buckwheat, sourgum etc. Welcome to the board!

[wockandwoll]

How long will it take for me to feel better? Does anyone recommend drinking detox tea to help clean out my system a little bit? We have so few places here that carry ANYTHING gluten-free. This is going to be more difficult than I thought

[samcarter]

How long will it take for me to feel better? Does anyone recommend drinking detox tea to help clean out my system a little bit? We have so few places here that carry ANYTHING gluten-free. This is going to be more difficult than I thought

It will take time for you to feel ALL better, and it also depends on the level of gluten you might still be accidentally getting through your counters, bowls, or whatever in your kitchen.

Eat whole foods--naked meats (no breading or fancy sauces), potatoes, vegetables (cooked will be easier on your system). Don't eat very fatty foods. I ate buttered popcorn the first gluten-free day and kind of felt sick. So focus on naturally gluten free foods, meats, eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes. Corn tortillas (but not a lot of corn tortilla chips, again, they may be too fatty). Don't try to get gluten-free substitutes for your breads, desserts, et cetera. Start slowly.

For the first immediate change was my morning fatigue. For literally years, I had never felt like getting out of bed; i had to drag myself out. The first gluten-free day i had, i woke up before my alarm and thought, "Hey, I feel like getting out of bed." It was amazing. My husband was very pleasantly surprised.

Teas can help, i'd just drink green tea and peppermint tea, keep it simple. Hot lemon water (hot water with a few lemon slices or lemon juice) can help stimulate digestion if you've struggled with constipation.

[Lymetoo]

Be careful when ordering rice at a restaurant. I have found out that in many places, gluten is in the rice. Dont' ask me why or how... it just IS!!

I found out when ordering a meal at an Outback restaurant. I wanted a certain dish with rice and then mentioned the gluten issue. They said here is our gluten free menu.

Well, on the menu the rice was NOT listed as safe. I asked why not and the waitress said the rice contained gluten. Aha!! No wonder I've gotten ill in other restaurants when ordering rice!

No more!!