Symptom Improvement After Starting gluten-free Diet?

[FishyLibrarian]

I'm completely new here, but I'm hoping someone can help me. After years of gastrointestinal discomfort, and months of upper abdominal pain that is sometimes quite severe, I'm about to embark on a gluten-free trial diet. In an effort to figure out the source of my symptoms I've had 2 ultrasounds, an endoscopy (looking for a non-existent ulcer, not looking for Celiac), a CT scan and countless exams of my abdomen. I've done a lot of reading about possible sources for the pain, but have always dismissed Celiac disease because I've read the same, short list of symptoms over and over and they don't seem to fit. After doing further reading, it seems as though the list of possible symptoms is huge and one person's diarrhea is another person's constipation (I have neither). What I do have is gas, bloating, abdominal dystension, fatigue and this nagging pain just under my rib cage on the right side. Most days it's a 1-2 on the pain scale, some days it's more like a 6-7.

My question is this: How soon after I cut out gluten should I start to see improvement in my symptoms? I know that I have to be eating gluten in order for test results to be accurate, but I'm wondering how quickly I could/should start to feel better? I realize this may be different from person to person, but I'm looking for a ballpark idea.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

[ang1e0251]

With some symptoms, I saw noticable improvement in 1-3 days. Others took days and some months.

[pewpewlasers]

It really varies from person to person. Some people feel better immediately, others it takes longer.

For me it took a month for all my symptoms to go away.

[NYC-GFRN]

I'm completely new here, but I'm hoping someone can help me. After years of gastrointestinal discomfort, and months of upper abdominal pain that is sometimes quite severe, I'm about to embark on a gluten-free trial diet. In an effort to figure out the source of my symptoms I've had 2 ultrasounds, an endoscopy (looking for a non-existent ulcer, not looking for Celiac), a CT scan and countless exams of my abdomen. I've done a lot of reading about possible sources for the pain, but have always dismissed Celiac disease because I've read the same, short list of symptoms over and over and they don't seem to fit. After doing further reading, it seems as though the list of possible symptoms is huge and one person's diarrhea is another person's constipation (I have neither). What I do have is gas, bloating, abdominal dystension, fatigue and this nagging pain just under my rib cage on the right side. Most days it's a 1-2 on the pain scale, some days it's more like a 6-7.

My question is this: How soon after I cut out gluten should I start to see improvement in my symptoms? I know that I have to be eating gluten in order for test results to be accurate, but I'm wondering how quickly I could/should start to feel better? I realize this may be different from person to person, but I'm looking for a ballpark idea.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

[Brooklyn528]

I'm completely new here, but I'm hoping someone can help me. After years of gastrointestinal discomfort, and months of upper abdominal pain that is sometimes quite severe, I'm about to embark on a gluten-free trial diet. In an effort to figure out the source of my symptoms I've had 2 ultrasounds, an endoscopy (looking for a non-existent ulcer, not looking for Celiac), a CT scan and countless exams of my abdomen. I've done a lot of reading about possible sources for the pain, but have always dismissed Celiac disease because I've read the same, short list of symptoms over and over and they don't seem to fit. After doing further reading, it seems as though the list of possible symptoms is huge and one person's diarrhea is another person's constipation (I have neither). What I do have is gas, bloating, abdominal dystension, fatigue and this nagging pain just under my rib cage on the right side. Most days it's a 1-2 on the pain scale, some days it's more like a 6-7.

My question is this: How soon after I cut out gluten should I start to see improvement in my symptoms? I know that I have to be eating gluten in order for test results to be accurate, but I'm wondering how quickly I could/should start to feel better? I realize this may be different from person to person, but I'm looking for a ballpark idea.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Hi, I'm kind of new here too, but what you are describing does sound like celiac disease. It took me six months to feel better, and in the mean time be diagnosed with an additional autoimmune disease. I was recently diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, and I wondered when reading your post what your liver enzymes have been running or if you know. The symptoms you describe sound alike to some of mine, and AIH is a sneaky condition that to go on untreated could cause liver failure. Another question, would be if you have had a HIDA scan done to check how your gall bladder is functioning. That is almost a pinpoint match to your right sided jabbing abdominal pain, gas, and bloating. Please do let me know.

Thanks!

[FishyLibrarian]

As far as I know my liver enzymes are fine, but I'm going to make an appointment with my doctor on Monday, so I'll be sure to ask. As for my gallbladder, when the pain was at its worst I was convinced it was my gallbladder; two garden-variety ultrasounds showed that my GB looks just lovely. I feel so much better after just one gluten-free week that I've started eating gluten again so I can be tested a.s.a.p. Hopefully I can get in to see a gastroenterologist sooner rather than later, because I'm very keen to start feeling well again. I didn't realize how bad I had been feeling until I finally started feeling good. Stay tuned! I'm sure this is just the beginning of my story!