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Is It Possible To Have Glutening Symptoms After Only 3 Weeks On The Gfd?

zus888

By zus888
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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zus888 Contributor
zus888
Posted

I was only on the diet for 3 weeks when I suddenly felt EXTREMELY fatigued. Then, incredibly depressed. I called my doctor to get her to give me some stimulants (she only adjusted my thyroid meds). My other doc did some tests to determine my B12, iron, and other levels. I was so desperate for some energy. No amount of sleep helped. I woke up after 8 hours of sleep to feel exhausted and in need of a nap. In the afternoon, I had to nap and still didn't feel better afterward. The depression was no better. I had to deal with morbid thoughts and could not see the point in my whole situation. I considered going off the diet altogether despite what it could do to my health.

All of this started Tuesday evening. That day, at lunch, my son took a drink from my water bottle and left globs of chewed up cracker all over the spout. I wiped it off before taking a drink, but maybe that wasn't enough? That is the only possible way I could have been glutened. I finally woke up on Sunday feeling SO MUCH better - clear headed, had energy, etc. And I'm still doing well today.

I'm not sure if I was even on the diet long enough to have any effects from being glutened. So, I'm not sure whether to chalk this up to the ups and downs of the diet or to assume that I had gotten myself glutened by drinking from my water bottle after cracker boy drank from it.

Any thoughts? I just figured that I'd have to be gluten free for a couple months before I noticed being glutened.

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IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Still searching for this answer, are you? :D

Yes, you can be glutened at any time. Or you are in withdrawal. My first two months were wonky.

Yes, it can feel pretty bad for a few days if you are accidentally glutened. Mine last a week--extreme fatigue, fog head, spaced out, stomach burning, grouchy, constipated and no sleep.

Whatever you do, do NOT resume eating gluten!! :blink: You are having withdrawal and cravings.

Drink a lot of water. Rest. Your body needs MONTHS to recover (I know, none of us like that part) and you will have ups and downs.

Your thyroid meds may need adjustment a few times because as your gut heals and you absorb nutrients once more, your body systems will function better. Someone with more experience with thyroid issues, like CassP may give you better info.

In my case, my "hypothyroid" was treated with meds and I went "HYPERthyroid"...and now, I have been off meds for a year and my numbers are perfect and I have no thyroid antibodies. (I was treated with meds for no good reason, apparently.)

I know it is hard at first, but try to relax....you are in healing mode! take care!

zus888 Contributor
zus888
Posted
  • Author

Yeah, still searching. I guess I just want to know if it was due to being glutened or just the ups and downs of the new diet. I don't know if you can see the effects of it so soon after starting a diet, and there doesn't seem to be much int he way of answers here. It was just so intense. I woke up fine yesterday and feel fine today. So, whatever it was is gone for now. I'm in my right mind and am not going off the diet, but I was very self-defeating during those few days.

I want answers. Solid answers. And I can't seem to get even one with this stupid disease. Not even a true diagnostic test. It's frustrating.

Plus, I sort of want it to be due to being glutened because it gives me more of a reason to stay vigilant. I have no real outward symptoms of celiac and could use a reason for being on the diet - something besides something going on microscopically.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

It IS very frustarting.

I hear ya, kiddo.

Unfortunately, we all feel that way. There is no handbook although I am considering writing one. ;)

Pamela B. Apprentice
Pamela B.
Posted

I was only on the diet for 3 weeks when I suddenly felt EXTREMELY fatigued. Then, incredibly depressed. I called my doctor to get her to give me some stimulants (she only adjusted my thyroid meds). My other doc did some tests to determine my B12, iron, and other levels. I was so desperate for some energy. No amount of sleep helped. I woke up after 8 hours of sleep to feel exhausted and in need of a nap. In the afternoon, I had to nap and still didn't feel better afterward. The depression was no better. I had to deal with morbid thoughts and could not see the point in my whole situation. I considered going off the diet altogether despite what it could do to my health.

All of this started Tuesday evening. That day, at lunch, my son took a drink from my water bottle and left globs of chewed up cracker all over the spout. I wiped it off before taking a drink, but maybe that wasn't enough? That is the only possible way I could have been glutened. I finally woke up on Sunday feeling SO MUCH better - clear headed, had energy, etc. And I'm still doing well today.

I'm not sure if I was even on the diet long enough to have any effects from being glutened. So, I'm not sure whether to chalk this up to the ups and downs of the diet or to assume that I had gotten myself glutened by drinking from my water bottle after cracker boy drank from it.

Any thoughts? I just figured that I'd have to be gluten free for a couple months before I noticed being glutened.

I could have typed this myself (in fact, I did type a little bit about it and it's in the moderation queue now, hehe). I'm also at 3 weeks on the diet, and I think I glutened myself on Saturday but am not entirely sure. I was being pretty lax with what I was eating, and I had a severe fatigue flareup yesterday. I still have trouble believing that I need this diet because I don't have the gastrointestinal issues with gluten, only the neurological ones. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I could relate. :)

Strawberry-Jam Enthusiast
Strawberry-Jam
Posted

I'm on the diet 4 weeks now and I think I've had gluten'd symptoms. I've definitely had symptoms from having soy twice in a row. (I will test it again tho in the future just to make sure.)

but it is a bit muddy because you're still healing on top of everything else so there's no way to know, you know? it's probably a combination of everything. just wait it out. I have to keep telling myself that.

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

I have been glutened by sharing a water bottle with my DH when he had been eating gltueny food all day. That would definitely do it if you are sensitive to CC. Since you have a toddler you may also have been gltuened by feeding him when you touched the crackers and then ate something without washing your hands. I heard someone once give a good comparison--think of gluten as the same as raw meat. You wouldn't touch raw meat and just wipe your hands off on a towel before touching other things. You would want to wash them thoroughly with soap and hot water. The same applies to your water bottle--just wiping it off did not remove the gluten residue. The only difference between raw meat and gluten is of course that gluten is not safe to eat once cooked. But for handling it--think of it as either raw meat or rat poison.

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mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

You said you saw gluten crumbs on the water bottle, and you drank out of it? BINGO!! Glutened. No doubt about that one.

zus888 Contributor
zus888
Posted
  • Author

Well, I WIPED them off! :P with a wet wipe. Next time, I'll be keeping my water bottle completely separate. So used to sharing that I didn't think much about it until I saw the globs of wet chewed up cracker.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

You got a HUGE dose of gluten from that bottle even though you wiped it off. It got in the water and you drank it. Huge dose of gluten = huge reaction like you had.

It takes some incidents like this to realize cross contamination is serious. I handed cookies to my sister's kids then used hand sanitizer AND wiped my hands...then ate my "safe" food with my hands. Within hours I was having a migraine headache, fatigue, irritability, and "fibromyalgia" symptoms. Of course the hand sanitizer didn't remove the gluten, it just assured the gluten I ate was clean. I now know that only soap and water will work.

You will see when it happens again. Sorry, but it is true.

Your story is direct cause and effect gluten contamination.

zus888 Contributor
zus888
Posted
  • Author

Damn, if only I had known, I would have eaten the stupid oreo cookie that was calling my name. In for a dime, in for a dollar, right? :lol:

Seriously, though, I'm glad it happened. I needed the extra motivation, and it gives me more purpose in being vigilant with this diet because I have to admit I wasn't fully convinced that I had celiac (despite the biopsy results).

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

Yes, I'm glad it happened too for your sake. I recall you were worried you would have no symptoms, but the fatigue that hit you so hard this time was a good sign that gluten will get you even in tiny amounts. So now you know that you will know! AND the fatigue that plagues you daily...you described it as somewhat milder but constant state of tiredness. Well that can get a lot better too.

Yeah, this is kind of an all in deal. But dollars to donuts you will feel better.

And no you didn't want that oreo...that would mean you coulda been sicker longer or puked right in your car and that would not have been fun. The longer off gluten the more sensitive some people get. It may be most people I'm not sure.

Gluten finds a way to win every battle...and the car puke thing? that's real too. Ugh.

zus888 Contributor
zus888
Posted
  • Author

Wow! You have a good memory. I look forward to the day where it might seem that I actually have a brain! My memory stinks so much that it's the butt of many jokes.

As for the oreo, I have a "better than oreo" gluten-free recipe that I hope lives up to its name. :) Won't be making them any time soon - I've got weight to lose first!

Thank you all for your support! It really means so much going through this.

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