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Fairly New To Gluten Free

lttlems-sunshine

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lttlems-sunshine Newbie
lttlems-sunshine
Posted

As stated in the topic title, I'm fairly new to the gluten free. I am not officially diagnosed by a doctor but honestly I don't trust them. *shrug* A few months after I had my son, I started to notice bowel issues that were increasingly becoming worse. It started out with a few bouts of pretty horrid D and stomach cramps. Over the next year and a half, it was up to about 8 times per day that I was dealing with this issue. It was sudden onset and I would become very ill. It was embarrassing to say the least trying to hide this problem with coworkers, friends, boyfriend, etc. I was convinced it was IBS and had resigned myself to this being my life. I had completely dismissed the Celiac option because the symptoms didn't coincide with the consumption of gluten (silly me.) In December 2010 (roughly 3 months ago) I spent an entire weekend accidently not eating gluten. I had read an article about Celiac's at work the week before and when I noticed I'd felt wonderful all weekend, I finally put the pieces together. At that point, I completely eliminated it from my diet and haven't looked back. I feel so normal every single day now and I love it. Shopping and planning meals was difficult at first but I've made my own little niche of it and it's pretty much a breeze now. Honestly, it is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me. Since I can't consume the sweets that always seem available, the experience has really lit a fire under my butt on losing weight and becoming healthy. I've lost 22 lbs since my diet switch and I eat a lot more fresh fruits and veggies because those are pretty much the only snack foods available that aren't gluten loaded. My family and boyfriend are amazingly supportive; my stepmom always makes sure there is a gluten free food option when I'm at their house. Me and my boyfriend experiment with local restaurants and we have a regular pizza place, mexican restaurant, and even an italian food place that offer great gluten free options. That is my story and I just wanted to share and say hi!

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eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

Hello and welcome!

Well, you ARE Little Miss Sunshine aren't you? That is the sunniest introduction I have ever read. I'm so glad you found that eating gluten free works for you and you have the support that you need. It is refreshing to read your words. I have a hard time not focusing on the "lost years" so I'm going to take a dash of your spirit from this post and try to be grateful that I too, feel "wonderful" most days. Well, at least way better than I was in the gluten years. Your words and your attitude are inspiring. Thank you

wannabhealthy Newbie
wannabhealthy
Posted

Hello and welcome!

Well, you ARE Little Miss Sunshine aren't you? That is the sunniest introduction I have ever read. I'm so glad you found that eating gluten free works for you and you have the support that you need. It is refreshing to read your words. I have a hard time not focusing on the "lost years" so I'm going to take a dash of your spirit from this post and try to be grateful that I too, feel "wonderful" most days. Well, at least way better than I was in the gluten years. Your words and your attitude are inspiring. Thank you

I am encouraged by her words too. Must say I'm still waiting to feel better. I've cut as much gluten from my diet that I am aware of, and still suffer. I just found out that the skin care products and makeup I'm using likely have gluten and have to start all over. I'm researching products and while some claim to be gluten free, they contain tocopherol (vitamin E) and so I'm wondering if I can trust them! I've sent e-mails to several companies to ask the source of the Vit. E.....is there anything else I need to think about that I've likely missed? My vitamins all claim to be okay as well. Sure want to feel better. Have dark puffy circles under my eyes all the time, am always tired, never sleep all night and have had restless legs syndrome for many years. A doctor told me it was the result of my hypothyroidism. It's a lot worse when I have to sit at work all day. I stretch and stretch and take Advil to try to relax them so I can get to sleep. Any support would be very much appreciated! I appreciate having this forum to come to!!

frieze Community Regular
frieze
Posted

I am encouraged by her words too. Must say I'm still waiting to feel better. I've cut as much gluten from my diet that I am aware of, and still suffer. I just found out that the skin care products and makeup I'm using likely have gluten and have to start all over. I'm researching products and while some claim to be gluten free, they contain tocopherol (vitamin E) and so I'm wondering if I can trust them! I've sent e-mails to several companies to ask the source of the Vit. E.....is there anything else I need to think about that I've likely missed? My vitamins all claim to be okay as well. Sure want to feel better. Have dark puffy circles under my eyes all the time, am always tired, never sleep all night and have had restless legs syndrome for many years. A doctor told me it was the result of my hypothyroidism. It's a lot worse when I have to sit at work all day. I stretch and stretch and take Advil to try to relax them so I can get to sleep. Any support would be very much appreciated! I appreciate having this forum to come to!!

inre: restless legs, research foods for upping your magnesium intake, and,

believe it or not try a bar of ivory soap under your mattress.

also make sure you are not anemic.

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    • knitty kitty
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @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
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      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
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By rei.b · Posted

      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
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      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
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By rei.b · Posted

      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.
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