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

How Long Till Intestine Recovers


UnhappyCoeliac

Recommended Posts

UnhappyCoeliac Enthusiast

Been diagnosed recently 22 years old... I FEEL AWFUL at the moment even with 3 days gluten free how long is it likely to take for my small intestine to recover... even an estimation would be appreciated I need a goal of target to shoot for besides forever to make it less challenging.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



RiceGuy Collaborator

I wish there was a simple answer, but it seems everyone is different. For some, great improvement is seen in just days, while for others it can take months or even years. It took six months before I noticed much of a change, though I wasn't taking any supplements at the time. I really which I had.

There is often a period of withdrawal, during which you will feel awful, so it may just be that. But if it persists, you may need to look at other possible intolerances or allergies, especially to the top allergens, including dairy, soy, corn, eggs, nuts, yeast, etc. It's always a good idea to watch out for things like aspartame and MSG. To date, there doesn't seem to be a safe artificial sweetener. Thank goodness there's Stevia.

So, I think I'd recommend a few supplements, if you aren't already taking them. Things like a sublingual methylcobalamin (active form of vitamin B12), B-complex, magnesium, vitamin D3, calcium, potassium, omega-3s, and possibly iron and zinc. These are some of the typical ones, but again, everyone is different. If you aren't sure what to do, it may be worth getting tested for deficiencies.

cat3883 Explorer

It can take up to 2 years for your intestines to completely heal but you will start feeling better in about 2 weeks after going gluten free. But those first 2 weeks were rough. The hardest thing for me was the insomnia. Just hang on you will be feeling better soon.

cattriona Newbie

I found that after two weeks I noticed a definite improvement. Probably around 3-4 months after I felt a lot better but of course this depends on the severity and the length of time that you have been a celiac.

Tallforagirl Rookie

I only just started feeling better after four months gluten-free. I had fatigue and nausea up until about two weeks ago. Nausea is now gone, fatigue still improving but gradually.

At times I have felt disheartened because it seems like when I read reports about other peoples experiences, they usually said that they felt better almost overnight.

Now I think it's different for everyone.

When you think about how long it might have taken for the damage to build up (months, if not years), it's no wonder that it can take time for the damage to heal and the symptoms to improve.

Stick with it, and you will feel better, hopefully after not too long :)

lizard00 Enthusiast

I felt better almost immediately. But the fatigue seemed like it would never end.

Come to find out, I was low in vit d. SO, get your vitamins checked, especially that one. I also started taking b12 and a b complex, and that helped out, too. But the most dramatic changes have been within the past 3 weeks or so of taking 2500 mg of vit d daily.

Most celiacs have a vit d problem, since we absorb vit d in the small intestine.

UnhappyCoeliac Enthusiast

Three days gluten free. today i feel aweful its not because of gluten though I am simply getting back into weights and exercise and my body is not use too it, we have lunch coming up in my runs put it that way but it is part of being healthy.

I notice I sleep better, what I am really excited about now is that protein absorption will be increased and I will get more muscle from the gym and feel less like poop.

I am very committed now since experience some small scary neuro symptoms. I take

Multi Vit

Vite D

Fish oil

b12 dailey

+ vitamin juice, with um C? and a few others... still got to work on the veggies but! :o:huh:

thanks for the replies this place is incredibly helpful. I have no one really to ask questions of, I think my doctor has a very loose grip of understanding on this disease too lol and the specialist cost $100 for a "chat"


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



SallyRoss Newbie

lizardOO, could you please confirm the amount of Vit D you're taking for the fatigue?

Is it 2500 IU, or 2500 mcg?

I am thinking to beef up my D intake, but you would most likely be dying of toxicity if taking 2500 mg daily!

Thanks a bunch...

loxleynew Apprentice

Hmm I felt this way the first week as well. I'm on the diet for 3-4 weeks now and I notice small changes. I figure it just takes time and to stick with it! I was also huge into BB back in the day before getting sick. I had to stop training until I got diagnosed in january and I still do not workout. I'm waiting until my intestines further heal along with the hashimotos I have as well. So stick with it! you might not be absorbing all the protein for a few weeks still or let alone maybe months.

I also have Vit D def. I take 50,000 IUs 1x per week but I don't notice a difference from that :(

Tallforagirl Rookie
Hmm I felt this way the first week as well. I'm on the diet for 3-4 weeks now and I notice small changes. I figure it just takes time and to stick with it! I was also huge into BB back in the day before getting sick. I had to stop training until I got diagnosed in january and I still do not workout. I'm waiting until my intestines further heal along with the hashimotos I have as well. So stick with it! you might not be absorbing all the protein for a few weeks still or let alone maybe months.

I also have Vit D def. I take 50,000 IUs 1x per week but I don't notice a difference from that :(

Yeah, I also had to stop fitness training, and have only just started to get back into it after about 4 months off. I just didn't feel like I had an ounce of extra energy to spare, like all my energy was used up just doing basic daily tasks. I have found myself in the bathroom at work, in a cubicle, trying to take a nap in there on some days, that is how dog tired I've been. It's not a nice tired either, more like jet lag. Bleeurgh!

lizard00 Enthusiast
lizardOO, could you please confirm the amount of Vit D you're taking for the fatigue?

Is it 2500 IU, or 2500 mcg?

I am thinking to beef up my D intake, but you would most likely be dying of toxicity if taking 2500 mg daily!

Thanks a bunch...

Sorry, it's IU. I get those mixed up a lot! :blink:

I will probably stop taking the supps in the summer because I do love the sun, and I always feel my best in the summer. But for the winter months, I'm finding it is a necessity. From what I've read, we naturally make somewhere around 10,000 IU from 30 minutes of sun exposure. So I definitely don't need to supplement in the summer.

I think there is still a lot to be learned about vitamin D and it's "toxicity". It's not a vitamin, so your body doesn't use it the same way. Anything in massive amounts can be harmful to your body, even water.

Sorry to hijack the thread...

maile Newbie
I think there is still a lot to be learned about vitamin D and it's "toxicity". It's not a vitamin, so your body doesn't use it the same way. Anything in massive amounts can be harmful to your body, even water.

Sorry to hijack the thread...

just to continue the hijack :ph34r: there was an article in our national paper about low levels of vitamin D in pregnant women may be linked to their children being more likely to suffer from MS. Given that MS is most common in northern countries (Canada, Scotland, Northern Japan) it seems to make sense.

I've upped my intake by quite a bit, mostly to help with the neuro symptoms, but after reading this article I'm more inclined than ever (my mother had MS)

Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - knitty kitty replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

    2. - knitty kitty replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      49

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

    3. - Florence Lillian replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      11

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

    4. - catnapt replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      results from 13 day gluten challenge - does this mean I can't have celiac?

    5. - cristiana replied to hjayne19's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      21

      Insomnia help

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,354
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Gracieruizzz
    Newest Member
    Gracieruizzz
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      @catnapt, Wheat germ has very little gluten in it.  Gluten is  the carbohydrate storage protein, what the flour is made from, the fluffy part.  Just like with beans, there's the baby plant that will germinate  ("germ"-inate) if sprouted, and the bean part is the carbohydrate storage protein.   Wheat germ is the baby plant inside a kernel of wheat, and bran is the protective covering of the kernel.   Little to no gluten there.   Large amounts of lectins are in wheat germ and can cause digestive upsets, but not enough Gluten to provoke antibody production in the small intestines. Luckily you still have time to do a proper gluten challenge (10 grams of gluten per day for a minimum of two weeks) before your next appointment when you can be retested.  
    • knitty kitty
      Hello, @asaT, I'm curious to know whether you are taking other B vitamins like Thiamine B1 and Niacin B3.  Malabsorption in Celiac disease affects all the water soluble B vitamins and Vitamin C.  Thiamine and Niacin are required to produce energy for all the homocysteine lowering reactions provided by Folate, Cobalamine and Pyridoxine.   Weight gain with a voracious appetite is something I experienced while malnourished.  It's symptomatic of Thiamine B1 deficiency.   Conversely, some people with thiamine deficiency lose their appetite altogether, and suffer from anorexia.  At different periods on my lifelong journey, I suffered this, too.   When the body doesn't have sufficient thiamine to turn food, especially carbohydrates, into energy (for growth and repair), the body rations what little thiamine it has available, and turns the carbs into fat, and stores it mostly in the abdomen.  Consuming a high carbohydrate diet requires additional thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  Simple carbohydrates (sugar, white rice, etc.) don't contain thiamine, so the body easily depletes its stores of Thiamine processing the carbs into fat.  The digestive system communicates with the brain to keep eating in order to consume more thiamine and other nutrients it's not absorbing.   One can have a subclinical thiamine insufficiency for years.  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so the symptoms can wax and wane mysteriously.  Symptoms of Thiamine insufficiency include stunted growth, chronic fatigue, and Gastrointestinal Beriberi (diarrhea, abdominal pain), heart attack, Alzheimer's, stroke, and cancer.   Thiamine improves bone turnover.  Thiamine insufficiency can also affect the thyroid.  The thyroid is important in bone metabolism.  The thyroid also influences hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, and menopause.  Vitamin D, at optimal levels, can act as a hormone and can influence the thyroid, as well as being important to bone health, and regulating the immune system.  Vitamin A is important to bone health, too, and is necessary for intestinal health, as well.   I don't do dairy because I react to Casein, the protein in dairy that resembles gluten and causes a reaction the same as if I'd been exposed to gluten, including high tTg IgA.  I found adding mineral water containing calcium and other minerals helpful in increasing my calcium intake.   Malabsorption of Celiac affects all the vitamins and minerals.  I do hope you'll talk to your doctor and dietician about supplementing all eight B vitamins and the four fat soluble vitamins because they all work together interconnectedly.  
    • Florence Lillian
      Hi Jane: You may want to try the D3 I now take. I have reactions to fillers and many additives. Sports Research, it is based in the USA and I have had no bad reactions with this brand. The D3 does have coconut oil but it is non GMO, it is Gluten free, Soy free, Soybean free and Safflower oil free.  I have a cupboard full of supplements that did not agree with me -  I just keep trying and have finally settled on Sports Research. I take NAKA Women's Multi full spectrum, and have not felt sick after taking 2 capsules per day -  it is a Canadian company. I buy both from Amazon. I wish you well in your searching, I know how discouraging it all is. Florence.  
    • catnapt
      highly unlikely  NOTHING and I mean NOTHING else has ever caused me these kinds of symptoms I have no problem with dates, they are a large part of my diet In fact, I eat a very high fiber, very high vegetable and bean diet and have for many years now. It's considered a whole foods plant based or plant forward diet (I do now eat some lean ground turkey but not much) I was off dairy for years but recently had to add back plain yogurt to meet calcium needs that I am not allowed to get from supplements (I have not had any problem with the yogurt)   I eat almost no processed foods. I don't eat out. almost everything I eat, I cook myself I am going to keep a food diary but to be honest, I already know that it's wheat products and also barley that are the problem, which is why I gradually stopped eating and buying them. When I was eating them, like back in early 2024, when I was in the middle of moving and ate out (always had bread or toast or rolls or a sub or pizza) I felt terrible but at that time was so busy and exhausted that I never stopped to think it was the food. Once I was in my new place, I continued to have bread from time to time and had such horrible joint pain that I was preparing for 2 total knee replacements as well as one hip! The surgery could not go forward as I was (and still am) actively losing calcium from my bones. That problem has yet to be properly diagnosed and treated   anyway over time I realized that I felt better when I stopped eating bread. Back at least 3 yrs ago I noticed that regular pasta made me sick so I switched to brown rice pasta and even though it costs a lot more, I really like it.   so gradually I just stopped buying and eating foods with gluten. I stopped getting raisin bran when I was constipated because it made me bloated and it didn't help the constipation any more (used to be a sure bet that it would in the past)   I made cookies and brownies using beans and rolled oats and dates and tahini and I LOVE them and have zero issues eating those I eat 1 or more cans of beans per day easily can eat a pound of broccoli - no problem! Brussels sprouts the same thing.   so yeh it's bread and related foods that are clearly the problem  there is zero doubt in my mind    
    • cristiana
      Thank you for your post, @nanny marley It is interesting what you say about 'It's OK not to sleep'. Worrying about sleeping only makes it much harder to sleep.  One of my relatives is an insomniac and I am sure that is part of the problem.  Whereas I once had a neighbour who, if she couldn't sleep, would simply get up again, make a cup of tea, read, do a sudoku or some other small task, and then go back to bed when she felt sleepy again.  I can't think it did her any harm - she lived  well into her nineties. Last week I decided to try a Floradix Magnesium supplement which seems to be helping me to sleep better.  It is a liquid magnesium supplement, so easy to take.  It is gluten free (unlike the Floradix iron supplement).  Might be worth a try.        
×
×
  • 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.