Ways To Ease Gluten Withdrawal?

[Echarais]

I have been on a strict gluten-free diet since Monday, and am so sick. I am sure it is some kind of withdrawal from gluten. I have the shakes, a headache that won't go away, nausea, weakness, I want to cry all of the time (not like depression crying, but exhaustion induced), dizziness, etc...

Is there anything that I can do to ease this, or do I just have to hang in there? I just feel like I am starving, no matter how much I eat! How long will this last?

[txplowgirl]

Hi Echarias,

Sorry you are feeling so bad.

Those withdrawals are the pits aren't they?

First off, try drinking a lot of water, that flushes your system out. Take some pepto if you can if you have tummy upset or you're nauseous. Other than that, all you can do is ride it out.

Also, for some of us dairy makes it all worse too. Kick dairy out for at least a couple of weeks. See if that helps any.

For some of us those hunger pains last for a few weeks to several months.

Also, I just thought of this. Are you eating a lot of gluten free processed foods? If so, that could be your problem with feeling sick. For some of us our systems are just too messed up to handle those. Eat whole foods only for a few weeks before introducing those.

That's all I can think of for the moment.

Hang in there, It will get better, I promise. And here's some (((hugs)))for you.

Vicky

[Echarais]

Hi Echarias,

Sorry you are feeling so bad.

Those withdrawals are the pits aren't they?

First off, try drinking a lot of water, that flushes your system out. Take some pepto if you can if you have tummy upset or you're nauseous. Other than that, all you can do is ride it out.

Also, for some of us dairy makes it all worse too. Kick dairy out for at least a couple of weeks. See if that helps any.

For some of us those hunger pains last for a few weeks to several months.

Also, I just thought of this. Are you eating a lot of gluten free processed foods? If so, that could be your problem with feeling sick. For some of us our systems are just too messed up to handle those. Eat whole foods only for a few weeks before introducing those.

That's all I can think of for the moment.

Hang in there, It will get better, I promise. And here's some (((hugs)))for you.

Vicky

Thank you Vicky for all of the encouragement. I am actually not eating any of the gluten free foods because I prefer fresh foods. Making smoothies seems to be the only thing that helps, so I think dairy is probably not a problem for me (thank goodness). Thank you again for the encouragement! I think riding this wave will be interesting!

[T.H.]

So sorry you are having such trouble!

That sounds very similar to what I went through. You have my sincere sympathy on the feeling of hunger. That one was truly horrible, when it just wouldn't go away. And feeling sick and dizzy and headache-y on top of it just makes it that much more 'special,' eh?

Although honestly, for me? I discovered that I am actually just more sensitive to gluten than the average, and all the foods I was eating had gluten that was too much for my system, even though I'd never HAD reactions like that when I was eating it! My problems started within days of going gluten-free, too. Although I really am super sensitive. Other celiacs in my family can eat tons of food that kicks my behind with not trouble at all, so the odds of this being your trouble are much lower than the odds of having gluten withdrawal.

I don't know a lot to help with the gluten withdrawal (although many here do), but if you wanted to double check to make sure it's not too high a gluten load, there's a few things you could try for the super-duper, no-gluten-anywhere-ever diet.

I'd dump any and all grains for a few days - most are contaminated to a certain extent. Corn and oats are the worst. Soy is actually high up there, too.

I'd peel all produce - pesticides and sprays can contain gluten for the non-organic fruits and veggies. Fish emulsion (instead of chemical fertilizer) and mulch and organic sprays can contain gluten for the organic ones.

I'd get meat that was cut up before it reached your store's deli.

I'd ditch all beans, nuts, and seeds for a few days(very often contaminated with gluten during harvesting, shipping, or processing).

I'd check anything you have that is processed in your food supply - ANY of it can have contamination, from the most bizarre sources, I swear. I've been glutened by honey, by spices, by oils, and even by three different sea salts, at this point (my celiac dad can eat them all and taunts me with it, LOL). It's crazy.

I'd double check everything in your house that can get on your lips or into your mouth, either liquid or powder poofing into the air. Shampoo, lotion, makeup (SO's makeup), pet food, cat litter. Even your dish soap might be an issue, if it's not getting rinsed off enough and leaves a gluten residue on your plates, ya know?

Sooo, that's the super-strict gluten-free diet of doom, heh. I had to do all of this, and then I've been slowly trying to add stuff back in. It's been very difficult. However, to contrast, my celiac father and brother did pretty much none of it and were fine starting off.