Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Questions


littlepima

Recommended Posts

littlepima Newbie

Hi everyone. I recently went gluten-free and have been happily surprised by the results. My insurance is not so good, so I haven't been to a doctor or been tested, but I figured if the cure is to stop eating gluten, then why not just try it. For many years I have struggled with bloating, fatigue, constant illness, constipation, irritability, and (embarassingly enough) some odor. Since I have gone gluten free I have an incredible amount of energy, haven't been bloated at all, and I am actually less irritable! Unfortunately I still have to take Metamucil and Philips Colon health to be regular and I still ocassionally have some odor. I have only been gluten free for a few weeks, so I am hoping that as my body heals all of my issues will subside.

One thing that I noticed, it was a little weird, about a week after going gluten-free I noticed that my jeans were pretty loose. So I went in my closet and put on jeans I haven't been able to wear for years, they fit perfectly. I also noticed that my wedding rings are loose on my fingers. Is swelling associated with celiac disease? It happened too quickly to be considered weight loss.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



shopgirl Contributor

Actually, it can be weight loss. I lost 20 pounds in my first month gluten-free and I wasn't exactly killing myself at the gym since I still felt pretty lousy.

T.H. Community Regular

One thing that I noticed, it was a little weird, about a week after going gluten-free I noticed that my jeans were pretty loose. So I went in my closet and put on jeans I haven't been able to wear for years, they fit perfectly. I also noticed that my wedding rings are loose on my fingers. Is swelling associated with celiac disease? It happened too quickly to be considered weight loss.

I tend to retain water as well as get pretty bloated around my gut, now, when I eat gluten, so it could definitely be something like that. I didn't really know I WAS bloated or retaining water, but now that I'm gluten free and it's gone? I really notice if I get gluten and it comes back. My wedding rings were loose on my fingers, too.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast

Swelling of the face, fingers and belly were the first symptoms I noticed. My rings were tighter, my jeans were tighter and my eyelids were swollen. I never knew what it was from. I was aware I was swollen but when I gained 20 pounds in two weeks I was shocked and appalled. Then it happened again a few months later. This "weight gain" was not normal for me at all as I hadn't changed my eating. I had no idea what it could be and Dr. didn't believe me when I said I normally weigh 120. It was like yeah right that's what they all say. Oh gosh I have been soooo relieved since going gluten free. This is my 4th month and I've lost 30 pounds without even trying. I am shocked. I was thinking it had to be swelling and inflammation. But I don't care what ya call it...as long as it lasts! My muscles have just started to want exercise too. Before I could hardly do anything at all without wanting to just collapse. This is so refreshing! ;)

Mari Contributor

I usually eat foods I prepare myself but sometimes when I eat commercially prepared food I notice an unpleasant body odor. Although the liver usually removes toxins and pollutants, some of these are removed in the body fluids by sulfur containing amino acids and are sweated out by the sweat glands. I can usually tell if I've eaten a toxin - the next day, I can smell it. Eating asparagus, artichokes, garlic which contain these sulfur amino acids helps to get out the toxins. Epsom Salts sweat baths are good, too.

SaraKat Contributor

I lost some weight too- mainly because I have not been eating as many processed foods since most of them contain gluten. I have been eating vegetables and fruit so much more than before.

cap6 Enthusiast

I lost 30 pounds before going gluten-free only because I was living on only rice. Since then I gained back 5 pounds but have maintained this weight for 8 months. I am sure part of the gain was because I started to eat again but have kept it off because I eat little to no processed foods. Chicken, veggies & fruit!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,130
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Tony White
    Newest Member
    Tony White
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      @rei.b,  I understand how frustrating starting a new way of eating can be.  I tried all sorts of gluten-free processed foods and just kept feeling worse.  My health didn't improve until I started the low histamine AIP diet.  It makes a big difference.   Gluten fits into opioid receptors in our bodies.  So, removing gluten can cause withdrawal symptoms and reveals the underlying discomfort.  SIBO can cause digestive symptoms.  SIBO can prevent vitamins from being absorbed by the intestines.  Thiamine insufficiency causes Gastrointestinal Beriberi (bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or constipation).  Thiamine is the B vitamin that runs out first because it can only be stored for two weeks.  We need more thiamine when we're sick or under emotional stress.  Gastric Beriberi is under recognised by doctors.  An Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test is more accurate than a blood test for thiamine deficiency, but the best way to see if you're low in thiamine is to take it and look for health improvement.  Don't take Thiamine Mononitrate because the body can't utilize it well.  Try Benfotiamine.  Thiamine is water soluble, nontoxic and safe even at high doses.  I thought it was crazy, too, but simple vitamins and minerals are important.  The eight B vitamins work together, so a B Complex, Benfotiamine,  magnesium and Vitamin D really helped get my body to start healing, along with the AIP diet.  Once you heal, you add foods back in, so the AIP diet is worth doing for a few months. I do hope you'll consider the AIP diet and Benfotiamine.
    • captaincrab55
      Imemsm, Most of us have experienced discontinued, not currently available or products that suddenly become seasonal.   My biggest fear about relocating from Maryland to Florida 5 years ago, was being able to find gluten-free foods that fit my restricted diet.  I soon found out that the Win Dixie and Publix supper markets actually has 99% of their gluten-free foods tagged, next to the price.  The gluten-free tags opened up a  lot of foods that aren't actually marked gluten-free by the manufacture.  Now I only need to check for my other dietary restrictions.  Where my son lives in New Hartford, New York there's a Hannaford Supermarket that also has a gluten-free tag next to the price tag.  Hopefully you can locate a Supermarket within a reasonable travel distance that you can learn what foods to check out at a Supermarket close to you.  I have dermatitis herpetiformis too and I'm very sensitive to gluten and the three stores I named were very gluten-free friendly.  Good Luck 
    • rei.b
      Okay well the info about TTG-A actually makes a lot of sense and I wish the PA had explained that to me. But yes, I would assume I would have intestinal damage from eating a lot of gluten for 32 years while having all these symptoms. As far as avoiding gluten foods - I was definitely not doing that. Bread, pasta, quesadillas (with flour tortillas) and crackers are my 4 favorite foods and I ate at least one of those things multiple times a day e.g. breakfast with eggs and toast, a cheese quesadilla for lunch, and pasta for dinner, and crackers and cheese as a before bed snack. I'm not even kidding.  I'm not really big on sugar, so I don't really do sweets. I don't have any of those conditions.  I am not sure if I have the genes or not. When the geneticist did my genetic testing for EDS this year, I didn't think to ask for him to request the celiac genes so they didn't test for them, unfortunately.  I guess another expectation I had is  that if gluten was the issue, the gluten-free diet would make me feel better, and I'm 3 months in and that hasn't been the case. I am being very careful and reading every label because I didn't want to screw this up and have to do gluten-free for longer than necessary if I end up not having celiac. I'm literally checking everything, even tea and anything else prepacked like caramel dip. Honestly its making me anxious 😅
    • knitty kitty
      So you're saying that you think you should have severe intestinal damage since you've had the symptoms so long?   DGP IgG antibodies are produced in response to a partial gluten molecule.  This is different than what tissue transglutaminase antibodies are  produced in response to.   TTg IgA antibodies are produced in the intestines in response to gluten.  The tTg IgA antibodies attack our own cells because a structural component in our cell membranes resembles a part of gluten.  There's a correlation between the level of intestinal damage with the level of tTg antibodies produced.  You are not producing a high number of tTg IgA antibodies, so your level of tissue damage in your intestines is not very bad.  Be thankful.   There may be reasons why you are not producing a high quantity of tTg IgA antibodies.  Consuming ten grams or more of gluten a day for two weeks to two months before blood tests are done is required to get sufficient antibody production and damage to the intestines.  Some undiagnosed people tend to subconsciously avoid lots of gluten.  Cookies and cakes do not contain as much gluten as artisan breads and thick chewy pizza crust.  Anemia, diabetes and thiamine deficiency can affect IgA antibody production as well.   Do you carry genes for Celiac?  They frequently go along with EDS.
    • rei.b
      I was tested for celiac at the same time, so I wasn't taking naltrexone yet. I say that, because I don't. The endoscopy showed some mild inflammation but was inconclusive as to celiac disease. They took several biopsies and that's all that was shown. I was not given a Marsh score.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.