Day Four Gfd

[ShirleyGFD]

Hi, all, new here... I've been sick for months - daily diarrhea, heartburn (painful and comes in waves), sometimes vomiting, but I refused to believe it was celiac because I have good skin. Meanwhile, even though food shoots through me, I'm gaining and gaining weight. I'm the biggest I've ever been in my life, and very unhappy. Well, I finally knew I had no choice but to try GFD. I'm on day four and the first three days, my symptoms nearly vanished. Now, I can have 2 "good days" in a row once in a while, but even the painful heartburn was greatly diminished, and I've been living with that for almost a year. A friend who is a nurse said IBS, because colon inflammation was putting upward pressure on my stomach, which made sense.

Anyway, it's Day Four and I'm symptomatic again. Heartburn (but not as intense, and I'm thinking it's still inflammation of my guts, not overproduction of acid), had a decently form stool first thing in the am (unusual) but then the diarrhea started up again and I've doing the bathroom relay race. I'm quite sure I didn't eat anything with gluten, but it's only been a few days. Is this typical? Also, I read some posts here that said people had problems with tapioca starch, which I tried in a gluten-free pizza crust yesterday. I think maybe I should stay away from the gluten-free breads until I know how I'll react to the new ingredients I've never eaten before.

Now I need to get my health insurance straightened out so I can have my thyroid tested. I get the feeling since my thyroid went to sleep on me, I'm probably in an advanced state with this disease, assuming it's celiac. Anyway, i'd really love to hear your feedback on what your first weeks of GFD were like, how often you come out of remission for no apparent reason, and if it's really the case that even a tiny amount of gluten will cause a really bad response.

I've done a ton of research on the disease (I'm a science major, so research is my thing), now I want the practical tips. Thanks!!!

[missceliac2010]

if it's really the case that even a tiny amount of gluten will cause a really bad response.

I've done a ton of research on the disease (I'm a science major, so research is my thing), now I want the practical tips. Thanks!!!

I am home today going through a 4 weeks into GFD "glutening." Ugh. I made Bob's shortbread cookies last night with my kiddos. I used the same 'ol cookie sheet that I have always used, but I cleaned it very, very well. Not well enough I guess. It has to be the cookies. I gave my Dad some this morning when he dropped by (he is also a Celiac), so I am going to call him and ask if he is having a problem too. If he is, it's confirmed. And I need new bakeware!

So I guess the answer to "if even a tiny amount..." is yes! I have been so happy with my results so far. I had been staying at my boyfriend's house for the past week, where he made his home completely gluten-free. I came back to my house, where I have my kids yesterday. My house is not gluten free yet, because of the kids. Well, today it is! I am going through am taking out all of that poison that can hurt me and throwing it away! Sorry kiddos! Besides, today my 11 year old said to me (actually he text'ed it...kids these days) "Mom, I think I have Celiac." I agreed with him. He is showing very similar (but not as bad as me thankfully) symptoms. So when he gets home from the San Francisco Giants game he went to today with my Dad, I am taking gluten out of his 11 year old life!

Good luck to you and your gluten-free journey! It's bumpy and crazy, but worth every second of feeling great that I have enjoyed!

[ShirleyGFD]

Heather, I don't blame you for taking it out of your kids life. From everything I've read, lots of people have this with no symptoms, and it's genetic. Assuming it's what I have, I didn't just wake up with it last year - it's been coming on for years (and I can look back and see so many times where I had digestive problems I wrote off as stress, something I ate, etc.).

I guess I need to be prepared for a bit of a roller coaster. I'm 39 and starting graduate school at the end of next month, and I'd like to get control of this by then!

[LDJofDenver]

What about your toaster? Did you toss it and get a new one?

I had/have occasions when I get nailed by something, even though I try to be ultra careful. Most of mine probably are due to cross contamination, either at someone's house (who is TRYING to be careful) or when eating out. I also, eventually, quit eating things that said they were gluten free, yet revealed they were processed on shared equipment that also processes wheat, etc.

As for the acid/heartburn, lots of us celiacs have GERD. Mine didn't go away (at least not yet) once going gluten free. I have to take prescription Prilosec for that.

[txplowgirl]

Hi Shirley,

Sounds like you may be having some withdrawal symptoms. Yes, a teeny tiny microscopic piece can get you. So you have to be careful of everything, and I mean everything. Especially cross contamination. I got down to the point that when I was making gluten sandwiches for my ex sweetie I would have to wear rubber gloves. Even I thought I couldn't get glutened by that but we tested the theory. As long as I wore the gloves I didn't get sick, when I didn't I would get sick. We are truck drivers and were teaming together. He refused to go gluten free and we discovered that if I didn't wash the steering wheel, the switches, door handles and everything when I took over driving I would get sick. We split up a couple of months ago and I cleaned my truck from top to bottom and haven't been sick since he left.

When I first went gluten-free I would have up and down days. But the longer you are gluten-free the more better days you will have. You just need to give it some time.

Hang in there.

Vicky

[ShirleyGFD]

What about your toaster? Did you toss it and get a new one?

I had/have occasions when I get nailed by something, even though I try to be ultra careful. Most of mine probably are due to cross contamination, either at someone's house (who is TRYING to be careful) or when eating out. I also, eventually, quit eating things that said they were gluten free, yet revealed they were processed on shared equipment that also processes wheat, etc.

As for the acid/heartburn, lots of us celiacs have GERD. Mine didn't go away (at least not yet) once going gluten free. I have to take prescription Prilosec for that.

Fortunately, I have a toaster oven, but I haven't cleaned the wire rack. I guess I need to look around my kitchen with new eyes.

I've found that with my heartburn, Prilosec/etc. or even Maalox actually makes me feel more sick. It's weird because it feels like heartburn/acid reflux type thing that I used to get only when I was under major stress, except for the way it rolls in a wave. Eating seems to actually help, and I'm thinking the food acts as a counterweight to the inflammation or something. There is just something a little different about it than the bouts with heartburn I've had in the past. The pain is/was incredible. At minimum, I'm getting a huge break from that and I've lived with that for such a long time now.

Now that I think about it, there were all sorts of utensils and things I used yesterday which might now have been scrubbed really well. Tackling the whole kitchen is going to be fun... not...

Well thanks, guys... this is helpful to hear because I was ready to cry when I started thinking about how I could have to spend the rest of my life living like this.

[sandsurfgirl]

Use the search function on here to find old threads about withdrawals. There are many of them with tons of info and people's experiences.

It can take awhile to feel completely better. Your body will go through some wacky phases while you are healing. This is TMI but hey we talk down and dirty here. For a couple of weeks I was pooping like 10 times a day, I'm not kidding. Then about 5 weeks into the diet everything I ate made me sick. I journaled about it all. I had so many strange things happen.

Eat clean and simple. No gluten free food replacements right away unless they have simple ingredients like brown rice pasta. Your gut needs all the help it can get for healing. I couldn't eat complicated foods for a few months. After eating clean for so long I prefer to eat that way. I feel sluggish and bloated if I eat too many gluten free starchy carbs now.

Many cut other things too for awhile and then challenge them later.

I cut out

dairy

soy

nightshades (bell pepper, tomato, potato, and eggplant)

tapioca starch

xanthan gum

When I felt a lot better I started challenging. I can eat all of them now except soy and all of them were giving me trouble in the beginning.

A bread that has simple ingredients that I like is Gluten Free Pantry Basic White Bread Mix. No tapioca or xanthan gum. I also like Arrowhead Mills gluten Free baking and pancake mix for the same reason.

Hang in there. It takes time and you will experience some odd things but it will all go away sooner than you think.