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Help! Gluten Challenge - Symptoms Better

Defkid

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Defkid Rookie
Defkid
Posted

Hi,

I was battling with a multitude of problems for several years, varying from bowl problems (severe bloating, constipation/diarreah, acid reflux, heartburn, my stomach would feel like someone was wringing it), unexplained depression, and crankiness, moodiness..headaches, my menses were very irregular (usually once every 2-3 months, and one time I went nearly a whole year without getting my period. I always had bad joint pains, and when I was 17 I was diagnosed with artritis.

For a long time, my doc though the bowl was IBS, and the rest was psychological and tried to give me meds. But in the last year I went through some emoptional hardships, after which I developped a painful blistery rash on my back (totally unexplained), and the rest of my symptoms worsensed. My doc thought nothing of any of it, and was just wanted to prescribe more meds. At the same time, my dentist was telling me that my tooth enamel was poor. ). I even developped dents in my fingernails. I was constanly getting infections, (kidney, bladder, sinus...- from one to the other

was tired all the time, increasingly irritable and frustrated, had a lot of trouble concentrating on things, I felt like I was living in a blur.... I was falling apart!

After doing some reasearch, I thought maybe gluten was the culprit. As a child, I was 'allergic' to wheat, (break out in rashes. became ill) ; so I went on a gluten-free diet for 3 months, and EVERYTHING feels 100 times better, in fact most symptoms were gone completely.

I recently decided that I want to get tested, for my sanity .. Which I know requires a gluten challenge at this point. So I started introducing gluten into my diet, and although I've had some mild abdominal discomfort (incl diah/consti) ,I felt foggy here and there, and very very tired, I really haven't had any symptoms....Does this mean it's not gluten? (it's only 3 days on the challenge)

I just dont know whether I even need to be tested

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

"I recently decided that I want to get tested, for my sanity .. Which I know requires a gluten challenge at this point. So I started introducing gluten into my diet, and although I've had some mild abdominal discomfort (incl diah/consti) ,I felt foggy here and there, and very very tired, I really haven't had any symptoms....Does this mean it's not gluten? (it's only 3 days on the challenge)"

You are not very long into your challenge and it does sound like your reacting. It can sometimes take up to a week for a reaction but if your already having d/c and are tired and brainfoggy it does seem you are having one. The fact that you had such a resounding resolution of problems makes it clear that gluten is not your freind. IMHO. You will need to continue the challenge for about 3 months to help insure your testing is not a false negative. Do be aware though that false negatives are not uncommon in both blood and biopsy. Both can 'prove' that you do but can not 'prove' that you don't. I have a feeling that your body is going to tell you in no uncertain terms soon that you don't want gluten in your life. If you should break out in a rash you could ask a derm to biopsy looking for DH. That would confirm for certain that you have celiac and no other testing would be needed.

Defkid Rookie
Defkid
Posted
  • Author

Thank you!

I guess I was expecting an immediate reaction.

I'm hoping that a simple biopsy of the rash will suffice, but i've heard that I would still need to continue the GC for minimum 4 weeks before getting tested. (Speaking of which, it's starting to make an appearance). So i think you may be right.

Would you happen to know if getting hot flashes after consuming gluten could be a sign of celiac disease/GS.

Sometimes I feel like my head and body is on fire after eating glutened. (im only 27, so I know it's not 'M')

Thanks again - I feel a little saner :)

[

quote name='ravenwoodglass' date='Feb 16 2009, 01:05 PM' post='511133']

"I recently decided that I want to get tested, for my sanity .. Which I know requires a gluten challenge at this point. So I started introducing gluten into my diet, and although I've had some mild abdominal discomfort (incl diah/consti) ,I felt foggy here and there, and very very tired, I really haven't had any symptoms....Does this mean it's not gluten? (it's only 3 days on the challenge)"

You are not very long into your challenge and it does sound like your reacting. It can sometimes take up to a week for a reaction but if your already having d/c and are tired and brainfoggy it does seem you are having one. The fact that you had such a resounding resolution of problems makes it clear that gluten is not your freind. IMHO. You will need to continue the challenge for about 3 months to help insure your testing is not a false negative. Do be aware though that false negatives are not uncommon in both blood and biopsy. Both can 'prove' that you do but can not 'prove' that you don't. I have a feeling that your body is going to tell you in no uncertain terms soon that you don't want gluten in your life. If you should break out in a rash you could ask a derm to biopsy looking for DH. That would confirm for certain that you have celiac and no other testing would be needed.

Gfresh404 Enthusiast
Gfresh404
Posted
"I recently decided that I want to get tested, for my sanity .. Which I know requires a gluten challenge at this point. So I started introducing gluten into my diet, and although I've had some mild abdominal discomfort (incl diah/consti) ,I felt foggy here and there, and very very tired, I really haven't had any symptoms....Does this mean it's not gluten? (it's only 3 days on the challenge)"

You are not very long into your challenge and it does sound like your reacting. It can sometimes take up to a week for a reaction but if your already having d/c and are tired and brainfoggy it does seem you are having one. The fact that you had such a resounding resolution of problems makes it clear that gluten is not your freind. IMHO. You will need to continue the challenge for about 3 months to help insure your testing is not a false negative. Do be aware though that false negatives are not uncommon in both blood and biopsy. Both can 'prove' that you do but can not 'prove' that you don't. I have a feeling that your body is going to tell you in no uncertain terms soon that you don't want gluten in your life. If you should break out in a rash you could ask a derm to biopsy looking for DH. That would confirm for certain that you have celiac and no other testing would be needed.

I would completely agree. It will take a while for all those symptoms to come back.

Billygean Apprentice
Billygean
Posted

Hi

I thought the same. For me it took 8 days of eating gluten before everything came back in abudance and I abandoned the challenge...

BG

Defkid Rookie
Defkid
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone!

I will continue the challenge. This network is great, it really helps hearing other people's experiences!

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