Not Sure What To Do

[itchy-fingers]

Hi all. I recently stopped eating wheat and am feeling a lot better. When I eat wheat my head feels fuzzy and I am tired. I also have a long history of getting itchy blisters on my right ring finger. My finger swells up and it is very painful. I have seen numerous doctors regarding this and I was just given steroid cream for the rash. I saw a naturopath and he diagnosed me with a candida imbalance. I have a history of yeast infections. Since treating me for yeast infections the itchy fingers have gone away most of the time. I also have polysistic ovarian syndrome. My naturopath said that lots of people with polysitic ovaries are also sensitive to wheat.

I have no problems with my stomach/bowels etc.

I am not sure of where to go from here. I am not going to eat wheat anymore because it just makes me feel so crappy but I am afraid that I could also have other allergies. I don't want to start getting all kinds of medical tests and get freaked out over this but I worry that I could be doing damage to my body and not even know know it! Suggestions?

Thanks all,

F

[my.oh.my]

Sorry to inform you but i suggest you do what you least want to do.... Get yourself tested a.s.a.p. You wouldn't want to have the symptoms haunt you all your life!neither would you wonna live in the world of the unknown. for all we know it might be somthing you can easily heal!

Good Luck!

[tarnalberry]

The problem with getting blood tests or biopsies is now that you've been gluten free, they won't be reliable.

I'm a big fan of "if it hurts to hit yourself in the head, don't hit yourself in the head". Of course, that's harder to do with something so socially prevalent as wheat, but if YOU find that you are confident enough in your conclusion to avoid wheat without testing, it is an option. You'll be left with the question of whether or not you need to avoid the other celiac offenders, though - barley, rye, and possibly oats.

Not everyone develops other intolerances, and some of those are just from eating too much of any particular thing.

There aren't clear cut answers that fit everyone here - the only thing to do is weigh all the options you are aware of, and make the best decision that you can make at the time.