Feeling Crummy

[anerissara]

After over 5 months gluten-free I had gotten used to feeling constantly better (but not great) than I had been feeling right before getting rid of wheat. I had forgotten how miserable it felt! I managed to really gluten myself in the last week or so, first by eating out several days in one week. I was working on a photo shoot w/ my hubby, and we didn't have time to eat at home, we went places where we knew we could order things w/o obvious wheat, but of course every time you eat out you risk contamination. So I was feeling bad already and then Sunday I caved in and ate a communion wafer at church. Ugh! I have felt sooooo crummy all week. Not only that but some of the symptoms that had totally gone away are back...dizzy, pain in my side and bad lower back pain, bloating for 4 days straight, exhaustion that won't go away no matter how much I sleep. It's awful! I have new resolve (once again) to avoid all wheat like the plauge. I'd have been better off not eating at all than risking feeling like this again.

Is it possible that I got enough gluten to damage my villi in that short a time? I'm wondering if the symptoms I'm having could have come just from getting the gluten in my system or if it has caused a bigger setback that will take longer to recover from. This is miserable!

[Carriefaith]

The amount of gluten you would have consumed probably didn't damage your intestines too much. Although I'm not a doctor. You will probably start feeling better soon. My last gluten reaction lasted about 2 weeks. I think a lot of people take about 2 weeks to feel better after having gluten. I hope you feel better soon.

[anerissara]

Thanks! I hope I haven't set myself back, I've had accidents before but none that resulted in this much discomfort. The reactions I've had before lasted maybe 4 or 5 days, so far it will be a week on this one tomorrow and i'm guessing that I won't be better for at least another few days after that. It's good to hear that 2 weeks isn't unusual, hopefully I'll be doing better soon!

[tarnalberry]

It probably did some damage, but not a lot of damage, and hopefully you'll start feeling better soon.

I know the feeling of being out and about and worrying about what you can eat, so I thought I'd share some of the stuff I make/bring that's non-perishable that I can have on-hand, besides fruit, of course.

*beef jerky (homemade, but I had Tillamook's nuggets once and they were good)

*flax crackers (homemade, but I know some health food stores sell them... thing is, the cost of the premade crackers is SO much more than the raw ingredients...)

*bars (I like Larabars and Organic Food Bars, other people hate 'em, but I'm dairy free as well, so there are a bunch of normally gluten-free ones that I can't have - others will know which ones)

*nuts! (mostly almonds for me, just 'cause I like 'em)

*dried fruit (but something interesting, like dried mango or cherries - from Trader Joe's)

*chocolate! ('cause ya gotta have dessert)

For some friends' wedding next weekend, I'm also going to make veggie chips in my dehydrator, and some "bar food" of my own (that's better than the stuff I've found in the stores... a combination of lemon juice, hemp seeds, dried cranberries, and walnuts is very tasty, and has the protein I need). Thai Kitchen's stuff is good too, if you can get access to hot water. (And if you can, there are a lot of options in the camping food realm - lots of dehydrated stuff you can get.)