The Ups And Downs Of Recovery

[no-more-muffins]

I am wondering if many of you experienced ups and downs after starting a gluten-free diet. At first I noticed some withdrawal symptoms and more fatigue. Then for a couple of days I started to feel better. Today I feel more sick again and more tired. Tell me this is normal. I am sure it probably is, I just need someone to tell me that. It was soooo good to feel good for a couple of days and I just really want to feel that way all the time. I don't think I have been glutened or anything. I just think things are up and down.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

[hannahp57]

for me that was normal...for the first few months. at about four months i started feeling notably better for longer periods of time and by six months i felt well enough to finish a gluten free sandwich, for me at that time, that was a huge feat. your intestines are healing right now and some things are easier to digest than others. aso your vitamin absorption is probably changing drastically. a good idea, that everyone suggests is to eat mostly whole unprocessed foods for the first couple months to make this transaction as seemless as possible. stay away from dairy if you notice any worse feelings at times you eat those foods. it does not mean you are allergic, your intestines just aren't healed enough yet. i had to wait four months for milk products and a year and a half for oats. but it does get easier and you should definitely feel better in time.

best of luck

[stillclueless]

for me that was normal...for the first few months. at about four months i started feeling notably better for longer periods of time and by six months i felt well enough to finish a gluten free sandwich, for me at that time, that was a huge feat. your intestines are healing right now and some things are easier to digest than others. aso your vitamin absorption is probably changing drastically. a good idea, that everyone suggests is to eat mostly whole unprocessed foods for the first couple months to make this transaction as seemless as possible. stay away from dairy if you notice any worse feelings at times you eat those foods. it does not mean you are allergic, your intestines just aren't healed enough yet. i had to wait four months for milk products and a year and a half for oats. but it does get easier and you should definitely feel better in time.

best of luck

My experience was/is similar. Some days are better than others and for about the first year I could handle no dairy whatsoever, then could do some yogurt every few days, now can have a yogurt, a bit of milk on lovely gluten-free Chex (!) cereal and maybe some ice cream and once in a while, all on the same day! Just not two days in a row of it...! Soy would cause symptoms and fatigue for the first year as well, and now I'm fine with it. I sure do get tired some days, though and I'm three years gluten-free. I really, really agree with the unprocessed foods suggestion. So yes, I think it makes sense to feel good one day and not so good the next. It's a process...

[Korwyn]

I am wondering if many of you experienced ups and downs after starting a gluten-free diet. At first I noticed some withdrawal symptoms and more fatigue. Then for a couple of days I started to feel better. Today I feel more sick again and more tired. Tell me this is normal. I am sure it probably is, I just need someone to tell me that. It was soooo good to feel good for a couple of days and I just really want to feel that way all the time. I don't think I have been glutened or anything. I just think things are up and down.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

This appears to be normal. I have been gluten-free, CF, and SF for a couple months now, and there are definitely ups and downs. Good days and bad days. It can be frustrating and depressing sometime as there are days I feel like I'm going backwards. But eventually I come out of them and each time I feel a little better for a little longer.

[Karrin]

I am wondering if many of you experienced ups and downs after starting a gluten-free diet. At first I noticed some withdrawal symptoms and more fatigue. Then for a couple of days I started to feel better. Today I feel more sick again and more tired. Tell me this is normal. I am sure it probably is, I just need someone to tell me that. It was soooo good to feel good for a couple of days and I just really want to feel that way all the time. I don't think I have been glutened or anything. I just think things are up and down.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

I began my gluten free diet about a month ago now and I've had a pretty similar experience as you. I too had a few sluggish days, followed by five incredible ones, followed and still continuing return of my symptoms. Today is one of my worst, but I was happy to see my belly bloat had finally disappeared this morning, though after eating lunch it has returned, sigh. I let myself have some tofu, and I'll bet that's what puffed me up again. It's a little reassuring to find out this pattern seems to happen to a few of us. It makes me feel like I'm on the right track. I've been keeping a bit of a journal. I almost suspect some of my bad days correlate with my monthly cycle. I've always noted that I seem to feel my best shortly after my period ends, for a few days...

[Mrs. Smith]

I think this is very normal as the intestine heal. I am 6mos. gluten-free and I can finally eat dairy and beans. Some veggies like brussels still bug me, and too much fiber but all in all I feel a million times better. The first 4 mos. were the worst ups and downs. Stick with it and take your vitamins. On the bad days I came on here and it always eased my frustration. Now I feel great! I thought I never would. I give myself a huge break when its that time of the month, but even that seems to slowly be improving. It takes a while but you will start to notice you feel great for longer periods and hopefully one day the symptoms simply wont come back! Have faith in your body and be grateful that it is still working for you even though it is being tested!

[mom2blondes]

I think this is very normal as the intestine heal. I am 6mos. gluten-free and I can finally eat dairy and beans. Some veggies like brussels still bug me, and too much fiber but all in all I feel a million times better. The first 4 mos. were the worst ups and downs. Stick with it and take your vitamins. On the bad days I came on here and it always eased my frustration. Now I feel great! I thought I never would. I give myself a huge break when its that time of the month, but even that seems to slowly be improving. It takes a while but you will start to notice you feel great for longer periods and hopefully one day the symptoms simply wont come back! Have faith in your body and be grateful that it is still working for you even though it is being tested!

So I am not the only one?? That is one thing that got really bad before I went gluten free. The two days prior and first day of, I felt like crap- total fatigue, etc. It's gettng better, but those days still suck more than others.

[osusana]

for me that was normal...for the first few months. at about four months i started feeling notably better for longer periods of time and by six months i felt well enough to finish a gluten free sandwich, for me at that time, that was a huge feat. your intestines are healing right now and some things are easier to digest than others. aso your vitamin absorption is probably changing drastically. a good idea, that everyone suggests is to eat mostly whole unprocessed foods for the first couple months to make this transaction as seemless as possible. stay away from dairy if you notice any worse feelings at times you eat those foods. it does not mean you are allergic, your intestines just aren't healed enough yet. i had to wait four months for milk products and a year and a half for oats. but it does get easier and you should definitely feel better in time.

best of luck

I'm so grateful for the corroboration of my experience. I've just been diagnosed, after years (I'm in my sixties) of blissful good health. OK...some itchy skin problems, borderline anemia, some fatigue, numbness in my fingers and toes, but no digestive problems. In checking for a vitamin D deficiency that persists, the doctor has told me I need to be gluten free.

I'd heard of the discomfort of celiac, and couldn't believe he was looking at the right results. But I'm following a gluten free diet. Now I'm having all kinds of digestive issues, feeling really sluggish and cranky. I used to be the dependably healthy one in the family, and now I'm feeling yucky all the time.

I guess I'll assume this is an adjustment problem, and carry on.

Thanks!

[Mrs. Smith]

So I am not the only one?? That is one thing that got really bad before I went gluten free. The two days prior and first day of, I felt like crap- total fatigue, etc. It's gettng better, but those days still suck more than others.

DUDE! Its the worst. Totally get all my symptoms PMS and 2 days into my period. It really is getting a lot better though! If you are vitamin deficient, your body requires more during that time but once you start to absorb correctly, it improves. Take B6 and Calcium a week before your P starts.

[Angels~Exist]

I've been gluten free for 2 months and I agree that there are a ton of ups and downs. Somedays taking my B12 and folic acid (like I do everyday) help, sometimes they don't. It's really frustrating but on bad days the people on this site help, just to know they are either going through, or have already been through what I am is inspiring.

[mmmomx2]

Oh, thank you for posting! I've been on the diet for four and a half weeks now, and the first week was terrible, the next ones better, but the last few days have been really rough. I feel so much better reading the others posts, and knowing that others have gone through the ups and downs, too!