Question About First 2 Weeks

[tomtom009]

So I recently started a gluten free diet on the suspicion that I may have celiac. The only symptom I ever really had was bloating in the belly, pretty much all the time for many years. The first few days on the diet were good, I noticed a vast decrease in bloating but the past few days have been a bit rough. While my bowl movements are all completely normal my stomach just feels uneasy. I have been gluten free for 11 days now, and I guess I'm wondering if it's normal for your stomach to have these negative reactions when switching to gluten free?

[GFinDC]

So I recently started a gluten free diet on the suspicion that I may have celiac. The only symptom I ever really had was bloating in the belly, pretty much all the time for many years. The first few days on the diet were good, I noticed a vast decrease in bloating but the past few days have been a bit rough. While my bowl movements are all completely normal my stomach just feels uneasy. I have been gluten free for 11 days now, and I guess I'm wondering if it's normal for your stomach to have these negative reactions when switching to gluten free?

Hi Tom,

Yes, it's very common according to the many threads posted here about it. Stick with the diet and keep a close eye on everything you eat and drink and all meds and vitamins, spices. You are changing the your gut bacteria are eating, and that can cause some disruption by itself. You are very new to the diet also, and it is not often a person so new really has eliminated all sources of gluten. The best way to start is not to eat any processed foods, including gluten-free processed foods, for the first month or two. Make all your food from whole ingredients. Also consider cutting out dairy and soy if you continue to have upset. A pro-biotic might be a good idea for a few days also.

Keep going Tom, 11 days is a good start!

[tomtom009]

Hi Tom,

Yes, it's very common according to the many threads posted here about it. Stick with the diet and keep a close eye on everything you eat and drink and all meds and vitamins, spices. You are changing the your gut bacteria are eating, and that can cause some disruption by itself. You are very new to the diet also, and it is not often a person so new really has eliminated all sources of gluten. The best way to start is not to eat any processed foods, including gluten-free processed foods, for the first month or two. Make all your food from whole ingredients. Also consider cutting out dairy and soy if you continue to have upset. A pro-biotic might be a good idea for a few days also.

Keep going Tom, 11 days is a good start!

thanks for the reply. here is a list of the foods I have been eating. If anyone sees any red flags feel free to speak up.

Rice

Potatoes

Lettuce

Ground Turkey Meat

Chicken brests

Bannanas

strawberries

Raspberries

eggs (plenty of them)

asparagus

coconut milk (from Henry's)

Mozz cheese (lucerne brand)

Gluten Free pancakes from Trader Joes

Honey Dijon Dressing (labeled gluten free from Henry's)

Gluten Free pastas from Henry's

Chicken Sausages (packaged) (from Trader Joe's)

Promax Fudge Brownie Bars (says gluten free on back)

Bertolli brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil

PAM olive oil cooking spray

Heintz Ketchup

Earth Balance Buttery Spread

salt

pepper

basil

oregano

parsley

gushers/ fruit by the foot fruit snacks

I also had Breyers ice cream one time (vanilla/chocolate/strayberry)

[tomtom009]

oh.... and honey. I put honey on the pancakes

[psawyer]

During the early stages of the gluten-free diet, your intestines are healing. Until that process is complete, you may have adverse reactions to just about any food. The time to heal varies with age and the extent of the damage. I was 46 at diagnosis with advanced villous atrophy. It took a few months for me to get back to normal.

[Jestgar]

You may also want to lighten up on the dairy and gluten-free substitutes for a while, they can be hard to digest. Stick to whole foods. Some people find they have to cook their veggies well for the first few months. Think of your intestines as damaged and tender, feed them only gentle foods.

[tomtom009]

During the early stages of the gluten-free diet, your intestines are healing. Until that process is complete, you may have adverse reactions to just about any food. The time to heal varies with age and the extent of the damage. I was 46 at diagnosis with advanced villous atrophy. It took a few months for me to get back to normal.

thanks for your response. I'm 28 years old, as far as I know I may have had celiac (or something close to it) for upwards of 8 years. Although my symptoms never really worsened. Just bloating... that's it. I'm dumping the fruit snacks and energy bars and try to focus on rice/potatoes - chicken/meat with veggies on the side.

Also, I take vitamins that I didn't mention. All appear to be gluten free, confirmed either by the packaging or through calling customer service. I take ALIVE multi, Fish Oil, Astragalus by Natures Way and a Calcium/Zinc from Trader Joes.

[WheatChef]

Trader Joe's uses two different types of labeling I believe. One is Gluten Free, the other is No Gluten Added (or no gluten ingredients, something like that). Anyways the No extra gluten thing normally means it's been processed on the same equipment as gluten products so it would not be a safe product especially during your healing phase.