My Observed Symptoms After Eating Gluten

[samcarter]

So, I cut gluten out for a whole week. Felt pretty darn good--I asked my husband, "So do most people go to the bathroom without it being painful?" He said, 'Why have you never TOLD me about this?" Uh...I just thought it was normal to cramp and poop at the same time.

Anyway, today I started doubting and wondering, Am I just being dramatic and difficult? And when I get to the new doctor that my husband wants me to find, will I test positive or be looked at as an idiot?

Last night I ate two bites of leftover pie. I woke up with a slight headache, thought it might be "needing caffeine" type of headache, but it didn't go away, just lingered. My legs felt weak and achy going up the stairs last night, too.

This morning I had a piece of letfover pizza and at first didn't feel anything. Within two hours, though, I sure was feeling something. I am adding to my list the digestive symptoms I had after eating a piece of cake a few days ago.

Here are my observable signs:

a) Headache (within

[ShayFL]

And Sam....I hate to tell you this....but if you are gluten-free when you get tested, the tests will likely come back negative.....so you have to eat lots of gluten before the test for a good 3 months.......

I have a feeling because of your family history, you will want an official Dx.....and if that is the case...keep eating pizza and pie.....

If you dont give a rats behind about what anyone else thinks, stay off the gluten, declare yourself gluten sensitive, and enjoy your life!

[jerseyangel]

Here are my observable signs:

a) Headache (within

[samcarter]

Thanks for the responses. My husband wants me to eat gluten free, because he sees how much better I feel (he even commented that I seem "more like myself" lately!). I know I should be eating gluten to get any possible positives.

On the one hand, if i do have celiac, I really want that positive diagnosis so I can use that when people say, "Eh, you're just making life difficult for other people."

On the other hand, i feel like total cr@p when I am eating gluten and it's harder to take care of my kids when i feel this way, or to be a good wife.

I got "tested" by my GP, but he only did the EMA testing, no IGA. And as I read in Dr. Green's book, if your villi are not completely destroyed yet, you may test negative on EMA anyway. I think i am in the early stages of celiac.

Jerseygirl, the hot flashes are the WORST. With me it's in my upper chest and flows to my head, and I feel dizzy. HATE.

Maybe I can get away with just eating some gluten in the mornings and then "detoxing" through the day so by the evening I don't feel like a junk heap.

[Gerri]

Hi

"a) Headache (within

[ShayFL]

I am always amazed how much people worry about what other people will thing/say. YOU are the only person you have. Love yourself and do what is best for YOU.

Tell them, "It has become medically necessary for me to no longer eat gluten. I stopped eating it and I feel better."

End of discussion.

I dont make anything difficult for ANYONE.

I am a MUCH better cook now and my family gets excited when I prepare new gluten-free meals. My daughter exclaimed "I hope you are ALWAYS gluten free!" gluten-free tastes good.

And when I go to a dinner party, I take a big dish of food I can eat and share. I just say. I can no longer eat gluten as it makes me have neurological symptoms such as migraines, vertigo and neuropathy. No one who really loves/likes me wants me to have those symptoms. And even new people/strangers understand.

If you live with/associate with or are bound by family ties to anyone who says that you are just trying to be difficult......you have some serious questions to ask yourself? Disassociate with those you can and request therapy with those you cant.

Life is too short.......

[Kitt1027]

Hey all...

Sam - Just want you to know that I have the same problem with my mother that you have with your family. Actually, it

[samcarter]

Kitt---I think our mothers were separated at birth. As a kid I was so lethargic that I just wanted to sit and read all the time. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "It must be NICE to be able to just sit and read whenever you want!" She didn't understand that I didn't have the energy. I was very depressed as a child--i have memories of just sobbing in my room a lot, and hearing my brother ask my mother, "What's wrong?" "Oh, she's crying AGAIN. I don't know what she's got to cry about!"

Good luck with the wedding planning...you might want to peek at www.glutenfreegirl.com and her entry about her gluten-free wedding and reception (I think it's under the summer 2007 entries in the archives). They had a potluck wedding reception and everybody brought gluten free food and the bride baked the wedding cake and the groom decorated it! I thought that was awesome.