Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Eating Like A Horse!

The Glutenator

Recommended Posts

The Glutenator Contributor
The Glutenator
Posted

It seems as though, no matter how much I eat, my body can barely keep up. Has anyone else noticed this with the celiac diagnosis? I am usually hungry, but even if I'm not I''m diligent about snacking between meals, plus my meals are just bigger than those around me. Add to that the fact that gluten-free processed foods tend to be more calorie dense than the regular stuff, and I am thinking "where are all these calories going?". I am fairly balanced during meals with fruits, veg, protein, and dairy but have dessert almost every night (cheese cake, brownies with ice cream...). My snacks are pretty big too! It has been about 3 months gluten free and at this stage I feel like I can barely maintain my weight! Can anyone else relate?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


my.oh.my Newbie
my.oh.my
Posted

Hi there,

Must be difficult to eat a lot knowing that they are full of carbs and can show.What I would suggest is having your Thyroids tested. I know my mom had the same issue and was clueless until she got her thyroids tested.That was the answer!!!

Good Luck!

The Glutenator Contributor
The Glutenator
Posted
  • Author

It can be socially awkward. I try to keep snacks around, but my friends are just getting used to me always munching on something. Since I am pretty tiny, when people see me consistently eating the quantities I do they begin to have questions! Gah.

chasbari Apprentice
chasbari
Posted

I know what you are dealing with. For the first 9 months or so I couldn't get enough calories and could barely keep from dropping any more weight after dropping a frightening fast forty pounds... and I was eating all day long. Huge meals and constant snacking. In the last several months things have finally eased a bit. Coincidentally I upped my vitamin D3 intake substantially and the appetite seemed to settle a bit and I also actually gained a pound over the course of a few weeks. I figure with all the healing that has to happen it is no surprise that I have been this hungry. Now that I am not assaulting my body with poison it wants all the calories it can get to try to make things work better again.

ciavyn Contributor
ciavyn
Posted

Me too! I've been gluten-free for six months, and I'm ALWAYS hungry. I am training for a half-marathon, so logically I'm going to be hungry, but I'm famished constantly. And it's real hunger, not emotional munching craving. Very frustrating.

The Glutenator Contributor
The Glutenator
Posted
  • Author

Its great to hear that there is hope, then. I mean, I like having dessert every night, but it is less of a treat when it is part of your daily routine! Finger's crossed that my body will start to settle at some point too. I am spending some time in Europe in August, and would like to put on a bit of weight before then. I am tiny right now, and since most people lose weight backpacking (and thats when they enjoy pastries, gelato, beer, and all the other local foods that I am totally depressed to be missing out on!) I need some safety weight, or else I'm worried I'll have no energy.

allisons Newbie
allisons
Posted

I think it's possible there's a number of things happening here - first of all, gluten foods are higher in protein than a lot of their gluten-free substitutes and they're going to make you feel fuller longer. Sugary foods don't make you feel full, no matter how much calories you have because they digest so quickly. Rice NEVER makes me feel full, neither does corn. How often/how much meat do you eat? How much quinoa or other protein rich grains do you get? How about diary and eggs?

Second, you're probably not getting as much fiber as you used to, either. Another thing to make you feel full. Most American diets get a big ole chunk of their fiber from whole wheat - cut out the wheat and it's not easy to replace it with the rice flour based substitutes.

But also, 6 months is really just the very beginning of recovery of your villi - you may not be absorbing everything as well as a healthy person yet but with most of the inflammation going away, you might have an appetite back that was suppressed by discomfort before you began the gluten-free diet. If you still haven't gained any weight in another six months, I'd get worried.

I'll second the bit about getting your thyroid checked - many celiacs are falsely diagnosed with thyroid issues - maybe it could go the other way? I know that one autoimmune disorder increases your risks for a second one, and thyroid is a simple blood test so it shouldn't be hard to do.

Don't be ashamed of eating. But do talk to your doctor about anything you feel is "odd"

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Leper Messiah Apprentice
Leper Messiah
Posted

I'm always starving. I've got weak adrenals too so it's like a constant worry where my next gluten-free meal is coming from. I need to plan my meals better.

Hunger was easing a bit on the gluten-free diet but after a glutening it goes back into overdrive.

Shannonlass Apprentice
Shannonlass
Posted

If you are staying at the same weight I don't see a problem really. Lucky you. My weight just keeps going up and up and up no matter how carefully I eat or how much exercise I take :angry:

The Glutenator Contributor
The Glutenator
Posted
  • Author

I just saw my GI today, and he said that any time now, as my intestines heal, I'll start retaining more nutrients and my weight will go up. He was poking around my abdomen and said, due to muscle depletion, my abdominal walls are weak and my kidneys and other organs aren't very protected. Eek! So more brownies and cheesecake for now! Could be healthy and say protein bars, healthy fats, and proteins, but hey how often in life do you have a excuse for constant treats?!?

Note: No I am worried I will be on here in 2 months saying I can't control my massive weight gain, but one step at a time for now...

ciavyn Contributor
ciavyn
Posted

I just saw my GI today, and he said that any time now, as my intestines heal, I'll start retaining more nutrients and my weight will go up. He was poking around my abdomen and said, due to muscle depletion, my abdominal walls are weak and my kidneys and other organs aren't very protected. Eek! So more brownies and cheesecake for now! Could be healthy and say protein bars, healthy fats, and proteins, but hey how often in life do you have a excuse for constant treats?!?

Note: No I am worried I will be on here in 2 months saying I can't control my massive weight gain, but one step at a time for now...

If you are able to start some light exercise (or continue, if you already are) you should be fine. I eat like a horse, too, and I think it's because I'm so active...but I also don't gain weight at this point. Which I'll take...

The Glutenator Contributor
The Glutenator
Posted
  • Author

I am active with exercise, so that could be part of it. For now, just going to eat more calorie dense foods and more often. Once I get my weight up a bit, I can go back o eating what I have been (still a lot) and hopefully stay stable. Come on muscle...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,601
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    rita jean
    Newest Member
    rita jean
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Potential celiac need advice

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Yes.  Now, if you hit your finger with a hammer once, wouldn't you do your best not to do it again?  You have identified a direct connection between gluten and pain.  Gluten is your hammer.  Now you have to decide if you need a medical diagnosis.  Some countries have aid benefits tgat you can get if you have the diagnosis, but you must continue eating a gluten-normal diet while pursuing the diagnosis. Otherwise the only reason to continue eating gluten is social. There are over 200 symptoms that could be a result of celiac disease.. Celiac Disease and Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity  both cause multiple vitamin and mineral deficiency.  Dealing with that should help your recovery, even while eating gluten.  Phosphatidyl Choline supplements can help your gut if digesting fats is a problem,  Consider that any medications you take could be causing some of the symptoms, aside from gluten.        
    • trents
      Potential celiac need advice

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Ben98! If you have been consciously or unconsciously avoiding gluten because of the discomfort it produces then it is likely that your blood antibody testing for celiac disease has been rendered invalid. Valid testing requires regular consumption of generous amounts of gluten. The other strong possibility is that you have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) which shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease but does not have the autoimmune component and thus does not damage the small bowel lining. It is 10x mor common than celiac disease. There is currently no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out. Some experts in the field believe it can be a precursor to the development of celiac disease. Having one or both of the primary genes for developing celiac disease does not imply that you will develop active celiac disease. It simply establishes the potential for it. About 40% of the population has the genetic potential but only about 1% develop active celiac disease. 
    • Ben98
      Potential celiac need advice

      By Ben98 · Posted

      TTG blood test and total IGA tested on many occasions which have always remained normal, upper GI pain under my ribs since 2022. I had an endoscopy in 2023 which showed moderate gastritis. no biopsy’s were taken unfortunately. genetic test was positive for HLADQ2. extreme bloating after eating gluten, it’ll feel like I’ve got bricks in my stomach so uncomfortably full. the pain is like a dull ache under the upper left almost like a stitch feeling after a long walk. I am just wanting some advice has anyone here experienced gastritis with a gluten issue before? thank you  
    • Wheatwacked
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      "Conclusions: The urinary iodine level was significantly lower in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, and iodine replacement may be important in preventing osteoporosis"  Body iodine status in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis Low iodine can cause thyroid problems, but Iodine deficiency will not show up in thyroid tests.  Iodine is important for healing, its job is to kill off defective and aging cells (Apoptosis). Skin, brain fog, nails, muscle tone all inproved when I started taking 600 mcg (RDA 150 - 1000 mcg) of Liquid Iodine drops. Some with dermatitis herpetiformis, Iodine exacerbates the rash.  I started at 1 drop (50 mcg) and worked up to 12 drops, but I don't have dermatitis herpetiformis.
    • cristiana
      How long does it take to gain weight?

      By cristiana · Posted

      That's great news, you can do this.  Let us know how things go and don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions. Cristiana 😊
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.