Do You Feel Worse Before You Get Better?

[MySonElliot]

Hello,

I have not been diagnosed as a celiac as of yet, however after being misdiagnosed for over 10 years (all the usual suspects), my new doctor suggested that I give a gluten-free diet a chance (he is a celiac and I guess he recognized the signs). I have a gastro appointment on June 6 (not too many gastro specialists in Puerto Rico) and have now been on a gluten-free diet since 5/19/2005. For the first few days, my symptoms went away and I started to feel better, not normal but better. These last couple of days, I've gotten bloated at night (but not like I was in the past) and during the day, I feel very lethargic and pretty sick. My celiac symptoms aren't as present, but I just feel worse physically. My wife is a dietitian, so I have been eating pretty well (after going to the health food store last weekend). Has this happened to anyone else? By this, I don't me a worsening of symptoms, but a general malaise and sick feeling when starting a gluten-free diet? Thanks!

PS- How do you get your topic Pinned so that it shows up on the first page of the forum? It seems pretty silly that it shows up on the 33rd page, after a thread that hasn't been commented on since January 2004.

[young5849]

I don't have a reply to the question. But to the postscript. The pinning happens after a moderator reads your post and confirms that it is appropriate. I found this out by checking the technical section.

[MySonElliot]

Thanks for the response to my pinning question!

[KaitiUSA]

I had ups and downs until I felt normal after about 5 months. After 3 months I was alot better but it took more to get me back to normal.

It really can take some time to feel better so I wouldn't expect to see a change so soon. Ups and downs can be normal for a while. Hang in there

As for the pinning question. When a moderator looks at it, we will determine if it is under the right section first and then we will move it to the proper section if it is not already and we will pin it there.

[Bonnie]

Hi,

I have been gluten-free for about 6 weeks. The first week I thought I was feeling a lot better but have gone downhill since then. Past two weeks been feeling rotten.

My bloating has also improved quite a lot. Still get a bit bloated at night but nothing like it was. Other than that though I am really tired, still having headaches, really bad pains at night in my legs and arms, nausea, chronic constipation etc. etc.

So don't feel alone! Hopefully we will start feeling better soon.

Hang in there! Its rather nice not looking 6 months pregnant if nothing else!

[DEE BAERTSCH]

Apparently most people who are gluten intolerant are also lactose intolerant (my understanding is that once the villi are flattened you are not able to digest the cassein effectively). It's what made the difference for me. Also most celiac's are also vitamin d deficient which for me caused alot of muscle cramping and joint pain. Having the 25-hydroxyvitamin d2 & d3 serum tested is what is needed to determine if you are vitamin d deficient.

The other thing that takes alot of diligence is finding out the ingredients on everything you ingest to make sure you are not getting hidden gluten or lactose. The other thing that alot of celiac's cannot digest effectively is corn.

Good Luck! It's difficult to get a main stream doctor to help much with nutritional problems; I had the best luck with a natureopath.

[mushroom]

Pandora, please note that this is a very old post from 2005. The original poster no longer posts on the forum and is unlikely to see your post. You would be better off starting a new topic under doctors, like "Looking for a good celiac knowledgeable gastroenterologist in Puerto Rico"