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Just Diagnosed - Weight Loss?


LiveLoveLaugh3

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LiveLoveLaugh3 Newbie

Hi There, I was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease on Friday June 19th. I had a scope on the 18th ( a day after my 18th birthday). They said right away there was no cancer or ulcers but my intestines were scalloped. They said they took biopsies of my duodenum. So the next day at 9:15 am they called and said the biopsies came back positive for celiac disease. I'm extremely upset. The next day I started the "gluten free diet". We have done alot of research about whats okay to eat and what not.. I have heard many different things - like I will lose alot of weight right away.. (i've had trouble losing weight in the past - however i'm not extremely heavy. just a little overweight. 5'1 140lbs.) So will I lose alot of weight right away? like within the next few weeks? I'm completely gluten free. I've also been told that I will feel like a whole new person two-three weeks from now. (my symptoms have been achy joints, extreme stomach burning, heavy periods, depression, fibromyalgia, anemia, tired all the time.... I've had all these symptoms for a few years.) So I guess i'm just curious if I really am going to lose weight and feel better right away. thank you all! :)


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OptimisticMom42 Apprentice

I'm 42 yrs old, 5'6". My weight went from 163lbs to 150lbs and has stayed there. I haven't been trying to lose weight.

I still feel tired but I think it's because I'm dealing with yeast and other food intolerances (mostly corn). I really didn't want to give up corn but it's gone now. And the aches, pains and constipation went with it.

So the healing and weight loss/gain is different for everyone depending on what other issues have to be dealt with.

Hope this helps

ang1e0251 Contributor

Each person is different and their recovery is different too. I know that's not what you want to hear, you'd like a cut and dry answer but that's not the nature of our disease. You will have to wait and see. Some people gain and some lose.

The pain may take awhile to clear up. Just one day I realized it wasn't there any more. For me the stomach issues, swelling and brain fog were the first to clear up. Also I got color in my cheeks I didn't have before!

The Fluffy Assassin Enthusiast
Hi There, I was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease on Friday June 19th. I had a scope on the 18th ( a day after my 18th birthday). They said right away there was no cancer or ulcers but my intestines were scalloped. They said they took biopsies of my duodenum. So the next day at 9:15 am they called and said the biopsies came back positive for celiac disease. I'm extremely upset. The next day I started the "gluten free diet". We have done alot of research about whats okay to eat and what not.. I have heard many different things - like I will lose alot of weight right away.. (i've had trouble losing weight in the past - however i'm not extremely heavy. just a little overweight. 5'1 140lbs.) So will I lose alot of weight right away? like within the next few weeks? I'm completely gluten free. I've also been told that I will feel like a whole new person two-three weeks from now. (my symptoms have been achy joints, extreme stomach burning, heavy periods, depression, fibromyalgia, anemia, tired all the time.... I've had all these symptoms for a few years.) So I guess i'm just curious if I really am going to lose weight and feel better right away. thank you all! :)

It isn't a weight-loss diet. Fundamentally, people mainly lose weight when going gluten-free by not eating in restaurants anymore, especially fast food places and buffets. I lost 20 lbs more or less immediately and four inches at the waist over the next year or so. Several chins dropped off and my shirt size is still shrinking. But I am male and was 45 when I went gluten free. Mainly, you'll probably find that you have energy to exercise that you never had before. All I do is, every other day, 20 pushups and 10 minutes on an exercise bike. This started almost immediately after I went gluten free. (I also took up hiking again, though that's in abeyance due to the ridiculous summer weather down here.)

So don't be upset, extremely or otherwise. The gluten-free diet is not nearly as hard as it probably seems now, and gets a lot easier very quickly. You may lose weight and you may not, but you'll certainly feel better and very quickly. Cheer up, don't worry, have fun with it and best of luck. And welcome to the board.

fripp017 Apprentice

Hi. From my experience, you will initially loose some of the wieght when your body starts to heal. It starts absorbing the right foods, you feel better and you can be more active. It only took me about 3 days to start getting up and moving around more. I had sevre abdoinal pain as my main symptom, on top of the extreme tiredness. I spent alot of my sick days in bed. So, by the end of the first week I felt great. I was up, doing chores and getting some moderate excerise in. But, once your body fully heals and you start replacing the "normal" foods with gluten-free foods you tend to absorb alot more fat. Gluten-free foods tend to have more fat in them to replace the flavor in "regular" food. So, if you start feeling better and you want to loose weight, I would suggest eating less of the gluten-fee carbs (especialy the gluten-free bread) and start a regular exercise regimen. I know where you are coming from, but unfortunetly I had much more weight gain than you. I started at 130lbs. I'm 5'2" and I now weigh 155lbs. When I was diagnosed I weighed 165lbs. I have lost some, but it has been a couple of months and I seem to have stopped loosing weight. I take it one day at a time. Just don't over do it, you are still healing. Don't push it, just do what you can and feel good knowing that you are doing your best.

Angels~Exist Newbie

I'm 16 years old and just diagnosed in May. My celiac disease was triggered by abdominal surgery. Before my diagnosis I stayed very close to the same weight but I've already gained 4 pounds since eating gluten-free. My doctor says this is due to my body absorbing nutrients that it went without for so long. My only advise to avoid gaining weight is to take vitamins if you need them and exercise when you feel well enough. The good thing about a gluten-free diet is (even though sometimes it may be tasteless :D) it gives you a ton of energy!!

ang1e0251 Contributor

I do not find the gluten-free diet to tasteless in any way. You can spice up your food. I eat well seasoned food at every meal! Maybe you could tell us what you're eating that seems boring and we can offer suggestions on how to spice it up!!

For me, eating too many alternate grains really puts the weight on. They also would sit like a stone in my gut. I went on a low carb diet and avoided most grains and then I could lose. Also I feel even better than before and I thought I was feeling pretty darn good. In the future I will try to figure out which grains like me best but for now, I'm pretty happy this way. I feel good, I've lost some weight and my BP is the best in about 7 years. Can't ask for more than that?


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Angels~Exist Newbie

Most of the gluten-free food I eat tastes better than the gluten filled alternatives. The only thing that I'm still not used to is the gluten-free bread. I think it was tapioca or something like that.

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