Did It Get Worse For You Before It Got Better?

[possiblyglutensensitive]

ok I have no idea about my test results but I am still gluten free, it,s been about 1 week.

My digestion is much much better, and my baked goods and bread cravings are gone. I feel so good about that.

I am PMSing , I am on the 27th day of my cycle. I have a history of depression and anxiety, especially pre-menstrual.

What I would like to know is, has it been worse for you guys before it got better? (all symptoms).

I am feeling very very depressed, irritable and tired.

[FooGirlsMom]

I've been gluten-free for 3 months now and the first month my cycle was really difficult. I was a bit late & my symptoms were like I was eating gluten again. Boy was I emotional and tired (emotional was not a normal part of my PMS, just fatigue, achiness, flu-like). Then month #2 I was on-time but I felt awful - again - emotional & tired. Here I am just a few days before my onset and I'm feeling really good. I have seen an overall improvement in my symptoms this month. I lived a primarily gluten-free lifestyle for years and 90% of the time had problem free PMS weeks. The past 2 years have been BAD. I also went from a 4 week cycle to a 3 wk 3 day cycle, which returned to 4 weeks last month after going gluten-free. So here's to hoping...

One thing I can tell you to feel better (and I did this even before gluten-free). Take a gluten-free vitamin B complex supplement in the PMS week, if not regularly. It really helps most women I know.

Hang in there. You're not alone. I was really surprised at how awful my first 2 cycles were after gluten-free. This month, so far, is much more ideal.

FooGirlsMom

[Wolicki]

Yeah, it sometimes takes a while to feel human again. I felt great for a few days, then all kinds of weird new things started like fluid retention, neuropathy and everything I ate turned on me

6 months into it, I felt like a kid again. Not a bad feat for being over 40, LOL. Hang in there!

[possiblyglutensensitive]

Thank you so much for your encouraging words.

I am dead set on remaining gluten free.... my digestion is so much better and being gluten free really does eliminate so much junk foods!! I have to make brown rice and veggies and salads with beans etc.... i cannot just grab a baguette and eat a bran muffin.

I meant BAKERY goods not baked goods in my original post BTW..

the AMAZING thing is that within a few days, the cravings for bakery stuff and bread DISAPPEARED.

that is enough for me to remain gluten free.

[Gluten Glutton]

It's so nice to hear that you're mostly feeling better!

I've been gluten-free for about three months. I had many classic celiac symptoms, including bowl/digestive issues, joint paint, anxiety and depression, to name a few. The first week was really tough; I was okay for a day or two, but then the aches came on strong. My body was wracked by these sharp, aching joint paints just about everywhere tissues connect. I had this for three days, followed by a couple of days of intense cravings.

Then one day I woke up and just felt... good. Great, actually. Like I had turned a corner and was out the other side. I still missed bread and bagels and all that good stuff, but had no desire to eat them. What I missed (and still miss every now and then) is the convenience of a gluten-inclusive diet. In the last couple of weeks, going down the bread aisle in the store makes me feel ill. The smell I used to love and long for is now one that makes me queasy. Go figure!

As far as anxiety/depression goes, it's inevitable that we women get a little more emotional around our periods. I see that across the board with every woman I know! But when our bodies are out of whack, things are bound to be worse. The gluten-free cycle was hard, but I find that I did better the second time and even better the third. My body is regulating itself, including its hormones. I'm hoping that means my cyclical ups and downs will get easier as time goes on. I hope yours do, too!

All the best,

Amanda