New Celiac And Need Some Input On Diet/vitamins

[jeremytodd]

Hello, I will try to keep this short. I am 31 yr male. I have all my life suffered in pain, weight loss and gain, muscle/joint pain, fatigue etc. I had my gallbladder removed and thought yeah! that was it. Still had pain and kept going to my doctor who then refereed me to a specialist. I failed the biopsy, and the basic blood work. I did test positive on the genetic test. I had kept a diary of foods and symptoms between my last two visits with the specialist (which confirmed to him that the genetic test was 100%). I do still live at home because I have been unable at times to keep a job because of the erratic off and on again symptoms. I have been pretty much my whole life just pushed around by doctors until recent.

This would be my second day at trying to eat right. I would like to know what vitamins and supplements I should be taking now and all the time. I have been getting very faint and dizzy with the new diet (would guess this is normal?) I would like to know if there is a good starter guide to what food products I am able to buy. I have a Sprouts, Frys Food, Safeway, Albertsons, Fresh-N-Easy close by to where I live. I used to live near a Whole Foods but not sure if any around me. So from the list of grocers what would be the best produce and off the shelf products I could buy? I did buy a few items to get me started but wow! what a change in taste.

Also I do have flaky skin around the eyes and ears. Have been diagnosed with kidney stones and elevated levels in the liver and recently a few oddities of the pancreas (this is what made my PCP refer me to specialist)

Thank you for any input and help given.

This I am sure will be a very hard start to a new way of living.

[sb2178]

So, it's generally helpful to talk to your doctor about your specific blood levels. But, celiac patients often need:

calcium

vitamin D

vitamin B12

magnesium

essential fatty acids (fish oil, flaxseeds, borage oil)

iron (but don't take this without bloodwork!)

probiotics

A good multivitamin is one option.

In terms of food, go with whole simple plain foods in the beginning. Rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, etc. Dairy may or may not work for you now. Avoiding it for a month or so might be wise.

[Skylark]

Welcome, and I hope you figured out the source of your health problems.

For starters, most celiacs find that they are sensitive to dairy so skip the cheese and yogurt for now. Once you are healed and sure you tolerate it, cheese is great on a gluten-free diet.

I tend to shop the "outside" of the grocery store. Pretty much all produce is gluten-free so buy whatever you like as far as fruits and vegetables. I like Sprouts for good produce. Grab some potatoes or sweet potatoes to cook while you're there. You'll want rice as well. Potatoes and rice are our safest carbs. I also eat a lot of corn tortillas. Mission brand has dedicated production lines so their tortillas are the safest.

You can get whatever raw meats you like to cook. Plain meat or fish doesn't have gluten as long as its not marinated or stuffed with something. Fresh-N-Easy has lunch meat that's marked gluten-free if you're not one to cook. Really, most lunch meats are gluten-free. You can check brands on the web. Eggs are good for protein, peanut-butter if it's not too rich with the gall bladder trouble. I like peanut butter and apples as a snack. Fresh-n-Easy also has good hummus with no gluten ingredients. I eat it with corn chips or Lay's Stax are very safe too.

Progresso has some soups that say gluten-free on the label, or you can buy dried beans and make your own. Some of the Hormel chilis are marked gluten-free as well. Rice Chex or Cream of Rice cereal are your best bets for breakfast. Alternatively, you can try to find a gluten-free bread and have eggs. Many sausages are gluten-free and bacon almost always is.

For dessert, you can have most ice cream (no cookie or cookie dough flavors), and most kinds of chocolate. Check the label. I like Breyer's because it doesn't have a lot of weird ingredients where gluten could creep in.

Hope this helps while you get the diet better sorted out.

[jeremytodd]

Thank you both for the great input

[earthtoneNJ]

Anything in particular you need a substitute for? The first month is very hard, but soon you'll have a repertoire of safe foods you enjoy, and gluten-free will be second nature to you.

One tip I'd add to the excellent advice above: keep snacks on hand! When you're out, you don't want to be stuck somewhere, hungry & not knowing where you can eat. Bring an energy bar (I like Larabars & Kind Bars), trail mix, chips, whatever works for you. Eventually you'll know what chains and local places are safe, but for now, hunger can be a bewildering feeling! It also helps to have treats at home for when the munchies hit - it just makes it so much easier not to cheat or get frustrated if you have things you like to eat on hand. Don't rely entirely on junk food of course - gluten-free cookies are still cookies! - but having some yummy stuff on hand sure makes you feel better. =)

As for the taste being different, well, yes and no. There are honestly a lot of awful gluten-free products out there, especially the older brands likely to show up in supermarkets, but there are really great ones, too. New products are coming out all the time.

Not sure about the dizzyness - did you cut back on calories, or make any major changes from your usual protein/carb balance? I have heard some people have a sort of withdrawal reaction from gluten. If that's it, your body will adjust, but you may want to check with your doctor if you're not sure.

Just remember, this will be so worth it when the gluten-free lifestyle gives you your health back! It won't be instant - you've got years of damage to heal - but with luck you'll notice changes within the next few weeks. I was lucky, and it was only a few days, but don't be discouraged if it takes longer. It's so empowering to be able to "fix" yourself, just by eating differently. Best of luck to you!

[JBaby]

Hi. Welcome to the boards. Make sure your supps are gluten free. I take Metagenics Ultra flora Plus DF, Sublingual 12 (B12), Pure Encapsulatins Vitamin D and fish oil. I too had severe pancreas issues. They have since subsided with the whole foods diet and the supps.

[Travisevian]

Hello, I will try to keep this short. I am 31 yr male. I have all my life suffered in pain, weight loss and gain, muscle/joint pain, fatigue etc. I had my gallbladder removed and thought yeah! that was it. Still had pain and kept going to my doctor who then refereed me to a specialist. I failed the biopsy, and the basic blood work. I did test positive on the genetic test. I had kept a diary of foods and symptoms between my last two visits with the specialist (which confirmed to him that the genetic test was 100%). I do still live at home because I have been unable at times to keep a job because of the erratic off and on again symptoms. I have been pretty much my whole life just pushed around by doctors until recent.

This would be my second day at trying to eat right. I would like to know what vitamins and supplements I should be taking now and all the time. I have been getting very faint and dizzy with the new diet (would guess this is normal?)

On the contrary. Such symptoms are never normal. For years, I had fainting spells. A B-complex vitamin is especially important but depending on how well you're absorbing, intravenous vitamins may be the way to go. Have you had your blood sugar checked? You may be hypoglycemic, which is often associated with fainting. Très glamourous it all is, isn't it? hahah Seriously though, I hope you begin to feel better soon. Btw, I've had elevated liver enzymes myself, which returned to normal after a few months on a gluten-free diet. It could be a coincidence but I don't think so.

[AnnaR]

Have you asked your Dr. to check your levels of certain things? Vit. D and Iron for example? I've had all those checked, and occasionally re check, I am working with a Nutrition Therapist who specializes in gluten free diets, and she recommends liquid or sub lingual supplements, it's easier for your gut to absorb until you heal more.

[GFinDC]

Chicken breasts, rice or quinoa, and veggies, are all good starting points. Fresh fruit is ok, but you should check ingredients on anything dried.

Hamburger as long as it is plain meat and not pre-made patties should be ok, and most pre-made patties are ok too, but do check the ingredients.

Frozen veggies are ok but they are safest if they have no more than 3 ingredients listed, and they are things like salt or water and the veggie.

Watch out for anything processed, in a can, or box or frozen that has lots of ingredients. Best to keep to it simple and wait a few months before adding that type of food in.

Vitamins, medicines, sodas, coffee, teas anything you consume needs to be checked for gluten free status.

Symptoms during the first weeks or months vary for people and some people even have withdrawal symptoms.

Avoiding sugar, soy and dairy are good ideas for starting also.

Some of us react to oats also, in addition to wheat, rye, and barley.

Beers are not ok unless they are gluten-free,like Redbridge or Greens or New Grist.

Wines are generally ok for most people, some react to sulfites in them though. Distilled grain liqours bother some of us, like whiskey, or surprise, rye.

[Skylark]

This is a pretty old thread from a fellow who never came back. I doubt he's reading any more.

[FooGirlsMom]

Hi,

Day 2 - yeah - it can be fun to make all the transitions.

I wanted to put a quick note 2nd-ing the idea of the supplements esp. sublingual B. I started a sublingual (dropper of liquid under the tongue) of B-complex immediately (mine is gluten free & from Walmart - something like Spring Valley brand & good flavor). I take it 2-3 times a day and the improvement really cannot be described. Energy, focus, & hormones. GREAT.

Probiotics are another one I'd recommend. As many strains of bacteria as you can get. Be sure they are Gluten-Free.

Iron can make a big difference too. This one, as stated, should be checked by your doc.

You can stil eat normal tasting food if you get creative. I am eating rice pasta with Muir Glen pasta sauce (yum) and Udi's bread. (another yum). Eggs, fruits, veggies. If you want a good ranch recipe, there are many good ones online. I had to go with a kid-friendly one my daughter likes. Maple Grove Farms makes a tasty Maple Fig balsamic type dressing.

The joint pain can be helped by Omega 3,6,9 pills. My favorite is the Natrol brand (white & purple bottle) that's lemon flavored. They are burp-free & work well. Only the lemon are easy to digest. They really help my joint pain. I get these at Walmart too.

You got great advice from other posters. Hope you do well.

FooGirlsMom

[GAD.. AKA unsure....]

Really helpful stuff guys!

Peace and Love

A