Dealing With Joint Pain

[Jack V]

I'm 17 and I'm a celiac (recently diagnosed), I've been struggling with joint pain for a good portion of my life. As I'm getting higher levels of soccer my knees cannot handle the fatigue. It almost feels like my bones are brittle and cannot support my weight (after a decent amount of excercise) causing a somewhat throbbing/sharp pain, I get this same pain in my elbows although its more rare(usually when snowboarding). Also when I twist my left knee in an awkward position I get a sharp tearing pain as if my cartilage just ripped(movements my right knee can do without similar pain). The only conclusion I can conjure up is that I havn't been getting enough nutrients my whole life due to being exposed to wheat for such a long time, although I may be wrong. I'm going to be avoiding wheat at all costs, taking calcium vitamins, and doing lower body workouts that are designed to help this problem(I have attempted this before but have never got the results I have wanted). I guess my question would be is there anything I can do besides what is stated to make this process go faster, and your opinions on prolotherapy.

P.S. My knee pain is worse in the mornings, and seems to get worse when I eat wheat

Any advice is greatly appreciated,

Jack

[FooGirlsMom]

Hi,

Working with your doctor to identify your vitamin deficiencies etc. is really important. Once you've done that and you are 100% gluten free for a while, if the pain does not subside, you might want to think about eliminating other possible offenders. For instance, I had terrible joint pain, esp. in my right hand. My knees bothered me too (sometimes ached like I had the flu). My problem, I came to discover, was not caused by gluten. It's soy for me. In fact, right now, I am having trouble typing this because my right hand joints are so inflamed they hurt to move them. It's my own fault, but yesterday I ate a homemade salad dressing I make for my family that has mayonnaise in it (without thinking). The mayo's first ingredient is soybean oil. Each and every time I eat soy (not soy lecithin which is a fat I understand) but regular soy, esp. soybean oil, this happens to me. It only took about 2 hours and my right hand and elbow hurt so bad I could hardly move my fingers or close them. This will probably last 2-7 days before it's gone. Prior to this I'd gone 2 whole weeks with almost no pain or noticeable problems at all, just occasional stiffness in the morning.

While your intestines heal up from gluten, you can be highly reactive to other allergens like soy, corn, dairy, nuts, etc. There are 8 main allergens including gluten.

Just something to keep in mind. You'll have quite a journey the first year on the diet and it might take a little tweaking before you get it 100% right for you.

Wishing you quick recovery,

FooGirls Mom

[ravenwoodglass]

Make sure you are avoid barley, rye and oats as well as gluten. Also be careful about cross contamination from toasters, scratched pans and cutting boards that have been used for gluten foods. Go with as much whole unprocessed food as you can.

Have you been evaluated by an orthopedic doctor? Does that knee feel like it is slipping out of joint? If it does see one soon as you may have torn something. Your doctor can give you a 'script' to see a physical therapist which might be helpful.

Celiac can cause inflammation in the joints and surrounding tissues. That should subside after you have been strictly gluten free for a while but it can take a bit of time.

For some of us, myself included, there can also be other intolerances. Like the previous poster soy for me causes as much inflammation as gluten does.

[mushroom]

As one who has (successfully) undergone prolotherapy, I think it is far too soon in the diet to even be considering this option. You need to give yourself time to heal and recover and see how things settle down before you start thinking about interventions like that. Improvements from the diet keep on for more than a year (I am three years in) so you don't know yet what relief you are going to get.

[Mari]

I agree with the other posters. Adding a calcium supplement and Vit D3 will help add to strong bones and cartledge. For joint pain, since I can't take most pain meds, I used the spice turmeric, see recipes online - and also was able to cure Lyme Disease. Lyme is a problem with many Celiacs and there are good tests for it. Lyme can cause swollen, painful joints. Ask your Dr about Peripheral neuropathies, some people have stabbing pains. You are young so you will probably heal rapidly.

[Jack V]

Ok thanks, I'm going to look into my vitamin deficencies to make sure I can recover, I noticed in the side that their is gluten free vitamins. Would the regular vitamins I have contain gluten? And if they do contain gluten do they have to state it?

I got an allergy test(blood prick test) about 2 years ago. Was surprised to find out I was allergic to wheat and eggs along with my milk allergy. Could my allergies alter overtime so that I may be allergic to something new like soy?

Also in my diet I lack carbs, all I eat is a cereal, gluten free oats, and potatoes. I don't really know a big list of carbs that follows my allergy guidelines, is there some sort of list/suggestions of carbs that I can eat? Lastly, I need an avoidance list for gluten, seems small amounts of gluten are sneaking into my diet and hindering my recovery.

Thanks again,

Jack

[ravenwoodglass]

Ok thanks, I'm going to look into my vitamin deficencies to make sure I can recover, I noticed in the side that their is gluten free vitamins. Would the regular vitamins I have contain gluten? And if they do contain gluten do they have to state it?

I got an allergy test(blood prick test) about 2 years ago. Was surprised to find out I was allergic to wheat and eggs along with my milk allergy. Could my allergies alter overtime so that I may be allergic to something new like soy?

Also in my diet I lack carbs, all I eat is a cereal, gluten free oats, and potatoes. I don't really know a big list of carbs that follows my allergy guidelines, is there some sort of list/suggestions of carbs that I can eat? Lastly, I need an avoidance list for gluten, seems small amounts of gluten are sneaking into my diet and hindering my recovery.

Thanks again,

Jack

If you go to the home page here:

https://www.celiac.com/

you will find a box with links to safe and unsafe foods.

Carbs are in more than just grains, they are also in fruit and veggies.

Also you may want to drop the gluten free oats for a while. Some of us don't tolerate oats. After you have healed fully add them back in and see if you react.

Many vitamins are gluten free but don't always say so. If you have a brand you usually take either put the name in a search box with the word gluten or ask us here.

Now makes some good gluten-free ones but there are lots of other brands. If you have a Wegmans near you not only do they put a circle G on their safe foods they also have reasonably priced vitamins that state they are gluten free.

[captaincrab55]

I got an allergy test(blood prick test) about 2 years ago. Was surprised to find out I was allergic to wheat and eggs along with my milk allergy. Could my allergies alter overtime so that I may be allergic to something new like soy?

Also in my diet I lack carbs, all I eat is a cereal, gluten free oats, and potatoes. Thanks again,

Jack

Jack, Tell us about your milk allergy??? Do you use milk on your ceral?? If so, what kind???

[MelindaLee]

My main symptom which cleared when I went gluten-free was joint pain. I was dx with arthritis and on medication for this. But, since going gluten-free all my joint pain is gone and I am off all of my meds. I can tell immediately if I get some gluten, as my joints will ache. Be careful with your diet, and make sure any suppliments you get are gluten free.

[Jack V]

If you go to the home page here:

https://www.celiac.com/

you will find a box with links to safe and unsafe foods.

Carbs are in more than just grains, they are also in fruit and veggies.

Also you may want to drop the gluten free oats for a while. Some of us don't tolerate oats. After you have healed fully add them back in and see if you react.

Many vitamins are gluten free but don't always say so. If you have a brand you usually take either put the name in a search box with the word gluten or ask us here.

Now makes some good gluten-free ones but there are lots of other brands. If you have a Wegmans near you not only do they put a circle G on their safe foods they also have reasonably priced vitamins that state they are gluten free.

For cereal I just find a gluten free one... not picky

For milk i use Rice Dream: Water, White Rice, Brown Rice, Safflower Oil, Sunflower Oil, Canola Oil, Natural Vanilla Flavour, Sea Salt, Amylaze. I've been using this subsitute milk for probably 10 years.

[ravenwoodglass]

For cereal I just find a gluten free one... not picky

For milk i use Rice Dream: Water, White Rice, Brown Rice, Safflower Oil, Sunflower Oil, Canola Oil, Natural Vanilla Flavour, Sea Salt, Amylaze. I've been using this subsitute milk for probably 10 years.

You should find a different milk alternative. Rice Dream uses barley in the processing but are not required to put this on the label.

Pacific brand or Wegmans if you have one close both make a safe rice milk.

Make sure you are looking for cereals without barley malt as well as wheat if you are not already.

[Jack V]

You should find a different milk alternative. Rice Dream uses barley in the processing but are not required to put this on the label.

Pacific brand or Wegmans if you have one close both make a safe rice milk.

Make sure you are looking for cereals without barley malt as well as wheat if you are not already.

Oh dear... I'm baffled, I've been eating this stuff for so long... How can I avoid this in the future? Do I need to research every food brand that I eat?

and furthermore what does uses barely in the processing exactly mean? Is there somewhere I can read up on this process to expand my understanding?