Gluten Challenge?

[Steviac]

Thanks again for ever more interesting facts and experiences. It's day 3. Been my first day back at work. It's been pretty unbearable. And all in time for my birthday/holiday! At least the gluten challenge gives me a good excuse to stuff my face with french pastries! (I have to look at the bright side! hahaha)

[Skylark]

Thanks again for ever more interesting facts and experiences. It's day 3. Been my first day back at work. It's been pretty unbearable. And all in time for my birthday/holiday! At least the gluten challenge gives me a good excuse to stuff my face with french pastries! (I have to look at the bright side! hahaha)

Eat a pain au chocolat for me!

[Steviac]

So I managed to have a good time in France despite feeling awful. I had more than one pain au chocolat for you Skylark

I have suffered for it though. Mouth ulcers, bleeding tongue (???????), severe cramps, extremely painful bones??, major fatigue, constant headaches, itchy patches of skin rash and I seem to be drifting off into daydreams like no-one's business... I've also started bruising very easily. I used to bruise a heck of a lot up until my early teens and then I just didn't bruise anymore. But now they're popping up all over...

I've also recently found out that my cousin has been diagnosed with coeliac. Am I right in thinking that coeliac is a genetic thing? Very confusing!?

[Skylark]

Sorry you're feeling so sick. I hope the pain au chocolat was good, although it probably hardly feels worth the trade-off for feeling so sick. I imagine you're going gluten-free for good no matter what the tests say now. I wasn't expecting to come up sensitive to gluten when I did my elimination diet or I would have had a lot more good pastries beforehand.

Yes, it's genetic. A first-degree relative like a parent or sibling gives you a 1 in 20 chance of having celiac. I don't know about cousins but it's clearly in your family.

[Steviac]

Well the challenge has beaten me! I've decided I can't do it any longer as the really nasty symptons have kicked in. It's really not worth it... At least I tried I guess

[ravenwoodglass]

Well the challenge has beaten me! I've decided I can't do it any longer as the really nasty symptons have kicked in. It's really not worth it... At least I tried I guess

Let your doctor know how badly you reacted to the challenge. You do know the answer as to whether your body wants gluten or not now. I hope the reaction stops soon.

[AnnaH]

Well the challenge has beaten me! I've decided I can't do it any longer as the really nasty symptons have kicked in. It's really not worth it... At least I tried I guess

I can relate - I am on day 12 of a gluten challenge and I have an EGD scheduled a week from today. My doctor thinks that 2 weeks should be enough as I was only gluten-light, not gluten-free before (or he is just convinced I don't have celiac and is trying to prove that to me.) In any case, I feel awful: migraines, fatigue, lack of concentration, irritability, and some digestive issues as well. I am not sure I will last an other week on this "challenge". I am thinking of eating my 4 slices of bed just before going to sleep, maybe that way I avoid the worst symptoms - has anyone tried that?

Steviac, have you canceled your biopsy, or will you do it nevertheless?

[Steviac]

I can relate - I am on day 12 of a gluten challenge and I have an EGD scheduled a week from today. My doctor thinks that 2 weeks should be enough as I was only gluten-light, not gluten-free before (or he is just convinced I don't have celiac and is trying to prove that to me.) In any case, I feel awful: migraines, fatigue, lack of concentration, irritability, and some digestive issues as well. I am not sure I will last an other week on this "challenge". I am thinking of eating my 4 slices of bed just before going to sleep, maybe that way I avoid the worst symptoms - has anyone tried that?

Steviac, have you canceled your biopsy, or will you do it nevertheless?

Mine was actually for another round of bloodtests, it hadn't yet got to the biopsy stage. I have however been to see my doctor and she's referring me to a gastroenterolgist (sp?) who specialises in coeliac disease and I will probably be having an endoscopy once I've seen him. It could be weeks before I end up seeing him though.

[ravenwoodglass]

Mine was actually for another round of bloodtests, it hadn't yet got to the biopsy stage. I have however been to see my doctor and she's referring me to a gastroenterolgist (sp?) who specialises in coeliac disease and I will probably be having an endoscopy once I've seen him. It could be weeks before I end up seeing him though.

If you are going for a diagnosis you really do need to stay on gluten until after you see the GI doctor. However you don't need a doctors permission to be gluten free and if you can't tolerate staying on the challenge and your symptoms are gone by the time you get to that appointment you do have your answer.

[cassP]

ya- try to get the blood tests and maybe even a biopsy as soon as you can- or at least before you go off the gluten-

but i TOTALLY understand. my GI had only had me on a 2 week challenge (and the previous 6 years i had been mostly gluten lite).... so my blood tests were still somewhat inconclusive- and my insurance company wouldnt do the endoscopy.

Anyways- i HONESTLY dont know if i could have done more than 2 weeks... i thought i was gonna enjoy all the food... but i had no idea how bad the ANXIETY was gonna be!!!!!! i was DONE by day 14 DONE- no matter what the game plan was gonna be!!!

and wouldnt you know it, i STILL went on and off gluten for a couple of years untill i got my genetics test, and researched what my previous blood tests might mean.