I Went For My Follow Up Appointment From The Biopsy...

[Jamie]

I am very confused.... I went gluten-free for a month... then I ate whatever I wanted for a month so not to get a false negative for the biopsy I had last Thurs. I am reading all these posts about people getting very thin before being diagnosed and then gaining a lot of weight after being diagnosed. I gained about 10 lbs in the past month and a half. I am a big excerciser and a healthy eater... my normal weight, which I have been at for years, has been anywhere between 98-102. I went in today and I was suddenly 110. I asked him what was going on with me and he said he didn't have an answer to that. He looked at all my levels (from a blood test I had taken before I had any idea I was celiac) and said that my vitamin levels were good.. so I am absorbing vitamins. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? Could it be in relation to celiac? Or possibly another problem linked to celiac?

[ang1e0251]

It's not as simple as everyone being thin before diagnosis. Many are overweight with out of control weight gain. I'm one of those. The weight comes on for me with the Gluten. Each person has individualized symptoms.

I only gain weight now when I eat gluten or another substance I am sensitive to. I also can gain weight when I eat alternate grains. They seem to pack on the pounds like crazy. Were you eating gluten-free breads?

Maybe an example of your diet would be a clue to weight gain.

[Jamie]

It's not as simple as everyone being thin before diagnosis. Many are overweight with out of control weight gain. I'm one of those. The weight comes on for me with the Gluten. Each person has individualized symptoms.

I only gain weight now when I eat gluten or another substance I am sensitive to. I also can gain weight when I eat alternate grains. They seem to pack on the pounds like crazy. Were you eating gluten-free breads?

Maybe an example of your diet would be a clue to weight gain.

well... since the symtoms started ... about last Jan... (yet I wasn't diagnosed officially until this past Monday)... I have always eaten a lot of gluten, yes. It is my whole diet. What can I say.. I love bread. Grilled cheese, PB&J... not to mention my favorite foods are pizza and mozzarella sticks. I eat those in moderation though. As for the normal diet I have always been on... I always thought I was eating healthy because I was getting a lot of fiber, whole grains and vitamins from breads, cereal products.. things like that. Then in Dec my doctor told me I had celiac disease through blood work. I went on a gluten-free diet for a month. During that time I tried gluten free breads but hated them and the fact that they offerd hardly any nutritional value. I mainly stuck to fruits, vegies and protein.. like chicken, turkey and tuna. I also snacked a lot on chips and snacks that are gluten free already.. like many Frito Lays products and Tostitos. But what is interesting... now that you mention it.... I had to eat Gluten for about a month and 1/2 before my biposy... in that time alone I gained 10lbs.... wow... writing all this out I think I am having a revelation and figuring it out. Do you think possibly my Villi started to heal and then throwing gluten back in may have triggerd a weight gain?

[ang1e0251]

Not being a medical expert I can't tell you why weight gain can happen when eating gluten. My own opinion is it sets up an inflammation in my body and I retain water like crazy. If I just have a little, within a day or two, I'm in the bathroom a lot and the scales backs off overnight for me. Of course the years of eating gluten not knowing what it was doing to me, kept on a bunch of pounds that are now not just water.

And it's not the only thing that can fluctuate my weight; stress, eating alternate grains. whether I sleep or not, all contributes. Like last night, I ate a few crackers of alternate grains and had a night where my sleep was disturbed throughout, grand-puppy couldn't sleep. This morning the scales had shot up 3 pounds from the morning before. Keep telling myself not to panic, I know the reason and it will come off tonight if I have a good sleep.

Keep all this in mind. A good way in the beginning is to keep a food/symptom journal because it can show you the patterns even if you can't see them. Just like you said that writing it down made it clear to you, the journal can help. There will be times when you can't figure things out and the journal can help the focus. Let's face it, we like to deny what's right in front of our face. I know I do. The journal can also help you when dealing with others because as you start talking about celiac disease, others are going to seek you out about food allergies and diet and fitness. You sound like the kind of person who likes to help others live fit. Your own experiences will be part of your job experteze.