Feeling Frustrated

[Jamieappleby]

So I just started the gluten free diet a week ago and have made sure absolutely all of my food is gluten-free...the first three days were amazing, last few days I have been sick after every meal with the exception of breakfast which is always the same thing. I'm very careful not to cross contaminate, use my own toasted, etc. I did read posts about "leaky guts" and feeling sick for a while but I seem to be great until after I eat a meal and then I'm sick for the rest of the day or a few hours depending on what I eat. Did anyone else experience this when they first started? I'm so careful with everything I put in my mouth, but I'm not sure what's making me so sick or what gluten could be getting in. Any experiences or thoughts would be wonderful. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

Jamie

[psawyer]

Hi, Jamie, and welcome.

If you have damage to your villi caused by celiac disease, then it will take some time to heal. Until it does, you may experience symptoms after eating, even if the food is gluten-free. At one week in, you are just beginning the journey.

I had advanced damage, and while I felt better immediately, symptoms continued for a few months, gradually abating. My last bout of vomiting was about six weeks in--I have not done it since. That was more than ten years ago.

[FooGirlsMom]

Hi Jamie,

I had the same issue only my honeymoon period lasted almost 2 weeks. I was riding high, thinking, oh wow, I feel almost normal. Then I got slammed. Secondary food allergies kicked in. Over the course of the last 6 weeks or so I've been experimenting with removing other foods from my diet. I found that I reacted very badly to soy & dairy. Then corn seemed to upset things. I am still working with that one because it seems to be intermittent. I have had some horrific reactions to "safe" foods. I did some reading and it's got to be related to the leaky gut issue we have with Celiac. One thing to be watchful for is overeating. I'm not sure why but some of us cannot get "stuffed" when we eat. Others have weakened abilities to process sugars, etc.

Just to give you an idea...I'm feeling best right now on a diet of meats, green veggies. Fruit seems ok if I eat it by iself.

Hang in there. The road back to health is sometimes paved with many challenges. I have had 2 meltdowns due to food frustrations since October.

FooGirlsMom

[Jamieappleby]

  On 12/25/2010 at 1:48 AM, psawyer said:

Hi, Jamie, and welcome.

If you have damage to your villi caused by celiac disease, then it will take some time to heal. Until it does, you may experience symptoms after eating, even if the food is gluten-free. At one week in, you are just beginning the journey.

I had advanced damage, and while I felt better immediately, symptoms continued for a few months, gradually abating. My last bout of vomiting was about six weeks in--I have not done it since. That was more than ten years ago.

Thank you Peter!

[Jamieappleby]

Thank you guys, I need to practice being more patient...it just felt too good being free or sickness for those first few days! Thank you again for the quick responses. : )

[behappy123]

  On 12/25/2010 at 3:06 AM, Jamieappleby said:

Thank you guys, I need to practice being more patient...it just felt too good being free or sickness for those first few days! Thank you again for the quick responses. : )

Omg, I had the same experience. I am bad at dealing with this, because I already have a chronic illness and other problems. I have been puffy in my eyes and cheeks all week, and don't know what is causing it. I'm off gluten and dairy...

[dilettantesteph]

I had the same experience and in my case it turned out to be an additional reaction to avenin in oats, and reaction to very low levels of gluten contamination. I had to eliminate most processed foods and I sort and wash my gluten free grains as well as most everything else. I also have to watch how I source my food very carefully.

[eatmeat4good]

  On 12/27/2010 at 6:03 AM, behappy123 said:

Omg, I had the same experience. I am bad at dealing with this, because I already have a chronic illness and other problems. I have been puffy in my eyes and cheeks all week, and don't know what is causing it. I'm off gluten and dairy...

My puffy face and eyes seemed to be due to soy. Once I eliminated that I got much much better. Just a thought

[behappy123]

  On 12/28/2010 at 6:59 PM, eatmeat4good said:

My puffy face and eyes seemed to be due to soy. Once I eliminated that I got much much better. Just a thought

hmm I'm not eating any soy and I have been only living off corn nuts, gluten free cereal, almond milk, gluten free bread, and turkey meat.

[Skylark]

  On 1/3/2011 at 3:11 AM, behappy123 said:

hmm I'm not eating any soy and I have been only living off corn nuts, gluten free cereal, almond milk, gluten free bread, and turkey meat.

Gosh that's a lot of grains. Try shifting your diet towards a lot of fruit and vegetables and easing off all the grain products.

[behappy123]

  On 1/3/2011 at 6:06 PM, Skylark said:

Gosh that's a lot of grains. Try shifting your diet towards a lot of fruit and vegetables and easing off all the grain products.

Okay. Yah I need to add salads etc. I don't know what I am going to do once school starts again. What the heck am I going to take for lunch? I don't know how you guys do it!

[Monklady123]

  On 1/4/2011 at 1:25 AM, behappy123 said:

Okay. Yah I need to add salads etc. I don't know what I am going to do once school starts again. What the heck am I going to take for lunch? I don't know how you guys do it!

Taking lunch is definitely a challenge in the beginning, but doable. Some ideas: (assuming no other food intolerances, and do you have a microwave at school?)

-- a big salad, with some sort of protein -- chicken, or ham.

-- hard boiled eggs

-- peanut butter and jelly on Udi's bread

-- leftovers from dinner

-- frozen entrees every once in awhile -- like Amy's Gluten-free mac and cheese.

-- hummos and chips/crackers

-- cheese, salami, crackers

-- yogurt

-- fruit

Just some off the top of my head. I tend to just take leftovers from dinner because I'm lazy. However, I do have access to a microwave so that makes it easy.

[behappy123]

  On 1/4/2011 at 2:56 AM, Monklady123 said:

Taking lunch is definitely a challenge in the beginning, but doable. Some ideas: (assuming no other food intolerances, and do you have a microwave at school?)

-- a big salad, with some sort of protein -- chicken, or ham.

-- hard boiled eggs

-- peanut butter and jelly on Udi's bread

-- leftovers from dinner

-- frozen entrees every once in awhile -- like Amy's Gluten-free mac and cheese.

-- hummos and chips/crackers

-- cheese, salami, crackers

-- yogurt

-- fruit

Just some off the top of my head. I tend to just take leftovers from dinner because I'm lazy. However, I do have access to a microwave so that makes it easy.

Yah that sounds good, I just can't have dairy or nuts or eggs so I need to think of more ideas. You guys are experts, I still don't even have a grasp of grocery shopping. I'm so lost as to what to eat. Plus gluten free stuff is so expensive, well at least where I live.