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

New Here!

austengirl

Recommended Posts

austengirl Newbie
austengirl
Posted

Hey guys, I am new to this site and new to the gluten free diet. I have had problems with my stomach for about five years now. Way back in the beginning my doctor did an abdominal ultrasound which was normal, then put me on prevacid. Nothing has really ever made my symptoms completely go away, so after reading about celiac disease I decided to try going gluten free.

Since I am self employed, I pay for my own health insurance and would rather not add a diagnosis to my records, especially if there is no medicine that can cure it!

I've tried to follow the diet for the past five days as best I can, but reading all these labels can be really confusing! I have some questions about starting the diet. I would appreciate any insights!

1. I've done this for five days and still have some discomfort while my food is digesting. The severe bloating seemed to be better after the first 24 hours. How long until I can definitively know if this diet is helping?

2. Also, I am still eating foods with sugar, but twice before meals I have felt like my blood sugar got low and had to drink some juice to feel better. Did this happen to anybody else? Maybe I am not realizing how much sugar is cut out of my diet. I almost felt like I was going through some sort of withdrawal the first couple of days!

3. I have had some really good stomach days this week, and two not so great days. Is it normal to go back and forth like this in the beginning? I got depressed after having a great day, then my stomach hurting the next.

Thanks!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Welcome to the board!

There isn't one answer for how long it 'takes' to tell....but a solid month of gluten free should be at the very least, a good indication.

Unsafe ingredients: https://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsaf...ents/Page1.html

Safe ingredients: https://www.celiac.com/articles/181/1/Safe-...ents/Page1.html

A list of companies that has a clear gluten policy. If you don't see "wheat, rye, barley, barley malt, oats" on the labels, its not there, or hidden in "flavors, starches, etc." Open Original Shared Link and Open Original Shared Link This makes shopping MUCH easier.

FDA foods are required to list wheat - it cannot be hidden.

Rule #1: Never eat anything without reading the label first.

Rule #2: Consistently check labels, even of your favorite products, as product formulations can change.

Rule #3: If you are unsure of an ingredient, or the company's policy on labeling, call the phone number on the back of the product or email the company.

Great info to get you started: Open Original Shared Link

austengirl Newbie
austengirl
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for responding. I will definitely bookmark those sites.

I have another question. I have noticed a lot of people on here stopped eating dairy products in addition to being gluten free. Is this absolutely necessary, or is it just a good idea in the beginning when your intestine is healing? I was so happy to see that Rice Chex is gluten free, but I'm thinking some of my residual symptoms might be related to cereal and milk and or ice cream. As far as I know I do not have lactose intolerance, but I'm thinking these things might be triggering a little bit of the bloating again.

I don't know how I would live without milk and cheese! What do you guys eat with cereal? I have never tried any kind of soy milk. Are they gluten free?

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

It really just depends on the person. Some give it up and can add it back in, some have continued problems with it, and some never have any problems with it and don't need to give it up.

If you have only been gluten free for five days, your symptoms may be entirely related to gluten.

austengirl Newbie
austengirl
Posted
  • Author

Maybe I will try some soy milk just for kicks, and if I can't tell a difference I will just stick with regular milk. I REALLY don't want to give up dairy, but if I need to for a while I can.

Thanks so much for responding! I'm about ready to have a meltdown with all this food confusion. I never realized food was such a big part of my life until now!

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Hang in there - you are doing great!

Continue to ask questions. Someone here always has an answer.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Dairy actually involves two separate issues, the lactose (milk sugar) and the casein (milk protein).

If you are celiac it is most likely that the disease has damaged the villi in your small intestine, and it is at the tip of the villi that the lactase enzyme is produced to digest the lactose. That is why so many celiacs are initially (and sometimes forever) lactose intolerant--lactose involving milk, cream, ice cream frozen yogurt. Theoretically, once the villi heal you should be able to digest the lactose and consume these products.

Some celiacs are also intolerant of casein, which is in all dairy products. So these people have to give up dairy completely. If you are not intolerant of casein you may be able to eat cheese, yogurt, sour cream--dairy products which are cultured and in which the culture consumes most of the lactose. It is worth differentiating between the two in your diet to find out which (if either) you are intolerant of.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,327
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    PattyPagnanelli
    Newest Member
    PattyPagnanelli
    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

    • Matthias
      Unexpected gluten exposure risk from cultivated mushrooms

      By Matthias · Posted

      Thanks a lot for your response! Can you maybe specify which kind of cheeses I should be cautious about? Camembert/Brie and blue cheeses (the molds of which are nowadays mostly grown on gluten-free media, though, so I've read, right?) or other ones as well? Also, I was under the impression that yeast is generally gluten-free if not declared otherwise. Is that false?
    • Scott Adams
      Unexpected gluten exposure risk from cultivated mushrooms

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I agree with @trents, but thank you for bringing this up here!
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Hi @trents, yes I've had my levels checked in Dec 2025 which revealed vit D deficiency. I considered eggs although they only contain about 45 IU vitamin D/egg. I need 2000 IU vitamin D for maintenance as per my doctor. Although now, I likely need way more than that to treat the deficiency. My doctor has yet to advise me on dosing for deficiency. I've also considered cod liver oil, although again, if it's processed in a facility that has gluten, especially on flour form, I worried to test it, even if they have protocols in place to mitigate cross-contamination with gluten.
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to celiac.com, @Jane02! Have you had your serum D levels checked for deficiency/sufficiency? What about cod liver oil? Egg yolks can also be a good source of vitamin D.
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Hello, I'm very discouraged. I've been trying to find a safe vitamin mineral supplement brand for months and am tired of testing one after the other and experiencing my typical 'glutening' reactions. I'm really feeling the nutritional deficiencies set in. I'm doing the best I can to get these nutrients from my food, although it's impossible for me to intake enough vitamin D as I can't have dairy and have insufficient sun exposure in the northern hemisphere. I've tried B Complex from Country Life (certified gluten-free) - horrible reaction. I've tried Metagenics vitamin D tab (certified glute-free) - bad reaction. I've tried liquid vitamin D Thorne and D Drops - reactions were mild since I tried a drop of a drop. I understand there could be other things I'm reacting to in my diet, although my diet/intake is pretty consistent with minimal variables so I do think it's something in these supplements. I understand I could be reacting to the active ingredient vitamin/mineral itself or even the filler ingredients. I tried the vitamin D drops since the only filler ingredient is coconut oil, in some brands, which I know I can tolerate really well on its own - I cook with coconut oil frequently and have no 'glutening' reactions at all. Perhaps I'm reacting to the vitamin D itself, although I eat fatty fish every few days, an entire fillet with no 'glutening' reactions, which contains anywhere between 400-600 IU per fillet so I shouldn't be sensitive to vitamin D. All this to say, I'm desperately looking for at least a safe vitamin D supplement. Does anyone know of a safe vitamin D supplement brand? I'd love to know if there are any supplement brands that have absolutely no gluten (especially in flour form) in their facilities. I've heard of Kirkman having no grains in their facility - I may try this brand. Has anyone reacted to this brand?   
×
×
  • 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.