Gluten Challenge: Symptoms Improve?

[Lynayah]

Now that I've been on a gluten challenge for over six weeks (prep for my celiac test), my symptoms have started to improve what's with this? I seem to be able to eat more gluten without getting as strong of a reaction. Is this common for some?

[Gfresh404]

Now that I've been on a gluten challenge for over six weeks (prep for my celiac test), my symptoms have started to improve what's with this? I seem to be able to eat more gluten without getting as strong of a reaction. Is this common for some?

My reactions only became less severe after being gluten-free for about 7 months.

Honestly, it does not sound like a common thing, but everyone is different.

How long, if at all, were you gluten-free before starting the gluten challenge?

[SGWhiskers]

My reaction to glutening was less and less since after the first two weeks gluten free. It is still painful and horrible, but a fraction of the misery I was in prediagnosis.

Best wishes.

[Sandi*]

I'm so glad you posted this!

I've had the same experience, I started eating gluten about 3 weeks ago and expected to feel a lot worse. Just like you said, the longer I eat regular bread and pasta, the less bad I feel. It's so weird. I am very tired and dizzy but I expected more GI problems, mainly the pain. I'd always had the pain when I ate regular bread before but now I'm just really bloated but pain free. It's so weird and it only contributes to my confusion. If I make to decison to stick to a gluten-free diet, it'd be helpful if I felt REALLY bad while eating gluten. But this way....I don't know.

When's you're endoscopy? I'm going to my new GI doctor tomorrow to discuss my symptoms in more detail tomorrow and to schedule one, but she already told me over a phone conversion she'd like to do one and I should start eating gluten if I want to go ahead with it, which I do.

[Crimson]

I'm about five days into eating gluten again. I feel like hell but not as bad as I thought I would. I have had a headache and nausea since about four hours after I started and joint pain after the first day. The DH that I think I may have has not hit me yet. But the D is only a few times a day as opposed to like ten that I had before. I'm tired and feel like I cannot breathe properly. Every evening I say I don't think I can do this again tomorrow..... but I do.

I picked up on a box of vital wheat gluten. I've decided to stick with my normal paleo type diet and just add in a tbsp or two of this to get the gluten.

Each tbsp contains 5 grams of protein. I'm guessing that most of that is gluten and not another type of protein. I noticed after the first tbsp, I felt much worse than what I did on reg glutenous foods. So, I'm guessing it's pretty strong.

But again, still not quite as bad as I had expected.

[Dr-LaTino]

Contrary to what's being said, I've heard that after some recover they get a "heightened" sense of reaction when they've been glutened. Probably as a sort of defense against sources of hidden gluten and your body trying to take care of itself.

But I agree, not suffering the pain that comes along with consuming gluten makes it considerably harder for you to stick gluten-free. Whenever I crave gluten, or even carbs for that matter, I load up on some fat with my Paleo diet.

[ranger]

This is not my experience. 8 months gluten free, and I get sick bad from a speck. In a way, lucky me. I have no doubts.

[Lynayah]

I'm so glad you posted this!

I've had the same experience, I started eating gluten about 3 weeks ago and expected to feel a lot worse. Just like you said, the longer I eat regular bread and pasta, the less bad I feel. It's so weird. I am very tired and dizzy but I expected more GI problems, mainly the pain. I'd always had the pain when I ate regular bread before but now I'm just really bloated but pain free. It's so weird and it only contributes to my confusion. If I make to decison to stick to a gluten-free diet, it'd be helpful if I felt REALLY bad while eating gluten. But this way....I don't know.

When's you're endoscopy? I'm going to my new GI doctor tomorrow to discuss my symptoms in more detail tomorrow and to schedule one, but she already told me over a phone conversion she'd like to do one and I should start eating gluten if I want to go ahead with it, which I do.

How did your test go?

Thank you for asking about mine. I had my endoscopy and biopsy on Monday and am still waiting on the results. I went gluten-free THE MINUTE the test was over and am feeling better all ready, psychologically as well as physically. I've never been so happy to leave a food behind. Good riddance!

[Lynayah]

Contrary to what's being said, I've heard that after some recover they get a "heightened" sense of reaction when they've been glutened. Probably as a sort of defense against sources of hidden gluten and your body trying to take care of itself.

But I agree, not suffering the pain that comes along with consuming gluten makes it considerably harder for you to stick gluten-free. Whenever I crave gluten, or even carbs for that matter, I load up on some fat with my Paleo diet.

That happened to me. Before I realized I needed to be tested, I had a few true gluten-free weeks (where I finally learned about the hidden gluten in food) . . . but I still had a lot of learning to do, and I accidentally ingested gluten twice. Both times, my body exploded -- it was a much stronger reaction than I had had previously . . . and previously was pretty darn strong. D the main symptom -- like, BAM.

[Lynayah]

This is going to be a long one . . .

This is not my experience. 8 months gluten free, and I get sick bad from a speck. In a way, lucky me. I have no doubts.

Thank you for posting this.

Yes, I do, too. I just posted in another reply that when I am gluten-free, even a little gluten throws me to the moom.

However, when having to force myself to eat gluten for a prolonged period of time . . . at the very end of all those weeks of my gluten challenge (augh!). . . my symptoms began to lessen. That's what I am wondering about -- if others have had the same happen during their gluten challenge. I find it interesting how the body reacts to these things.

Also, for clarification to anyone reading this thread, and this is important: My initial post at the beginning of this thread is not meant to imply that people GET WELL as the symptoms subside. No, no, no. I'm just exploring how with some people, they MAY become less symptomatic

For those who may experience a decrease of symptoms, it's actually a bit scary. I'd worry that some may think "Oh wow, now I'm better and maybe I'm okay after all and don't need to test," when in fact they're probably more sick than before.

I should also add that when I was experiencing symptoms before realizing that I needed to be tested, I wasn't eating gluten all the time. Some days yes, many days no. I'm a whole foods person who stays away from refined foods as much as possible, so without my realizing it, gluten naturally went by the wayside on many days.

Some days I'd have reactions and many days I would not. Because my first celiac test came back negative (blood test only and possibly false because I did not do a gluten challenge), I didn't worry about gluten. What really confused me is that some of the reactions were coming from hidden gluten (soy sauce, veggie burgers, seasonings), I was totally confused as to what was happening to me. I thought, "It CAN'T be gluten." Duh!

So, here's the thing: Before I began eating whole foods, I wasn't aware that I may have a sensitivity to gluten, and of course I ate gluten all the time. Looking back, I probably was somewhat symptomatic: hungry all the time, tired, many infections, a full year of swollen glands from chronic fatigue. But I didn't have the strong lower GI problems I have now.

It was only after eating a whole food diet that my body started to INSTANTLY rebel with D on gluten days. It wasn't until my gluten challenge that my symptoms began to lessen a little, at the end.

Which leads me to wonder if some people become less symptomatic (although still sick) if they force themselves to eat more gluten for a certain period of time.

Just wanted to clarify -- I should have posted this earlier. I'm so enjoying everyone's responses here. I hope we'll get more. THANK YOU!