Full Recovery? I Want To Exercise

[hh73]

I am an age 23 male in the 9th month of the gluten free diet which I started immediately after being diagnosed with celiac disease. A month or two ago I had my antibodies checked and the doctor said they were superb (what a relief!!!). I have most of my energy back (my body wants 10 hours of sleep a day instead of 16 like it used to). Furthermore, my body is totally de-conditioned to exercise and my belly is still distended. I walk 45 minutes a day on a treadmill, drink 64 oz of water daily, get 8 hours of sleep a night, and take a multivitamin. I recently cut out dairy and soy, and started probiotics and digestive enzymes. I am not able to do any kind of moderate intensity or vigourous intensity exercise, and I can barely lift weights (I used 8 lbs weights for biceps, where I used to use 25 lbs).

When will I be back 100% ? I want to be able to run again. I used to be able to enjoy boxing and be able to do vigorous exercise. When will that happen?

[ravenwoodglass]

You may need more supplementation than a multi would be giving you. Has your doctor checked your vitamin and mineral levels? It would be a good idea if that hasn't been done yet.

A Stress B and C combo may help. Also a sublingual B12 might not be a bad idea. If you are not allergic to bee products you could also try some Royal Jelly. I used it for quite a while when I was first healing and it seemed to help my energy levels quite a bit. Do be sure to check any supplements you use to make sure they are gluten free. Read the whole label as some may have wheat and barley grass but still have a gluten-free label and you don't want to take those.

Keep up with the exercising you are able to do. It can take a while to recover but you should get back eventually. You could ask your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist if you have insurance as a PT may be able to help you get your strength and endurance built up quicker.

[hh73]

Here's what my Multivitamin has in it:

http://www.whole-food-vitamins.net/images/mf-one-daily-facts.webp

What is "A Stress B and C combo " and "sublingual B12"?

Yes Vitamin levels have been checked... let me fish out my labs and check what the numbers are... hold on...

[hh73]

Looking at the lab work done just 2 months after starting the gluten free diet, all my vitamin levels were within range, with the exception of Vitamin D. I recently started 50,000 IU Vitamin D once a week by prescription from my doctor. I started that about 3 weeks ago.

[ravenwoodglass]

Here's what my Multivitamin has in it:

http://www.whole-food-vitamins.net/images/mf-one-daily-facts.webp

What is "A Stress B and C combo " and "sublingual B12"?

Yes Vitamin levels have been checked... let me fish out my labs and check what the numbers are... hold on...

Many of us need much higher levels than your multi has.

A Stress B and C has high levels of the B vitamins and C. Sublingual B12 is B12 in a tablet that dissolves under the tongue bypassing our damaged guts. Some celiacs are not able to absorb and utilize the vitamins from a regular multi and need higher levels than in your general daily pill. The B and C vitamins are water soluable so your body will simply excrete what you don't need. It is worth a try to see if it helps.

[hh73]

Many of us need much higher levels than your multi has.

A Stress B and C has high levels of the B vitamins and C. Sublingual B12 is B12 in a tablet that dissolves under the tongue bypassing our damaged guts. Some celiacs are not able to absorb and utilize the vitamins from a regular multi and need higher levels than in your general daily pill. The B and C vitamins are water soluable so your body will simply excrete what you don't need.

Well, as the lab reports above establish, the issue is not with vitamin levels. They are verified to be at the right levels in my blood.

I dont understand - what is left in my body that needs healing? I am treating my low density bones with VitD and Calcium supplements. My intestines seem to be absorbing food again now. What could be the culprit? What needs healing?

[ravenwoodglass]

Well, as the lab reports above establish, the issue is not with vitamin levels. They are verified to be at the right levels in my blood.

I dont understand - what is left in my body that needs healing? I am treating my low density bones with VitD and Calcium supplements. My intestines seem to be absorbing food again now. What could be the culprit? What needs healing?

Since those levels were drawn 7 months ago it might be a good idea to have them done again and compare them. B12 in particular can show higher in the blood when our bodies are not utilizing it well. When you have the panels done again compare the levels side by side. If anything has gone down or is at the lower range of normal supplementation might help.

[hh73]

Its the same story with the blood I had drawn in March, just 2 months ago. All vitamin levels are OK except Vit D, which is now being treated. Its not a vitamin issue.

[shadowicewolf]

that was 2 months ago, things could change in that time

[dilettantesteph]

I had to go on a whole foods diet to be healthy enough to exercise. I'm a super sensitive celiac.

[Gemini]

I am an age 23 male in the 9th month of the gluten free diet which I started immediately after being diagnosed with celiac disease. A month or two ago I had my antibodies checked and the doctor said they were superb (what a relief!!!). I have most of my energy back (my body wants 10 hours of sleep a day instead of 16 like it used to). Furthermore, my body is totally de-conditioned to exercise and my belly is still distended. I walk 45 minutes a day on a treadmill, drink 64 oz of water daily, get 8 hours of sleep a night, and take a multivitamin. I recently cut out dairy and soy, and started probiotics and digestive enzymes. I am not able to do any kind of moderate intensity or vigourous intensity exercise, and I can barely lift weights (I used 8 lbs weights for biceps, where I used to use 25 lbs).

When will I be back 100% ? I want to be able to run again. I used to be able to enjoy boxing and be able to do vigorous exercise. When will that happen?

You do not need to be healed 100% to start vigorous exercise again. You have been sick and run down but now are absorbing again. The one thing you will have to do is to start lower and work up again with the weights. You won't be able to jump right in and do what you used to right away. But you need to start somewhere so pick up those 8 pound weights and start doing curls!

Seriously, I work out with weights and was about as sick as a person could get at diagnosis. Down to 97 pounds and weak as a kitten. I am also very sensitive and eat really well but I do indulge in homemade treats also. I have to because I work out and would start losing weight if I didn't eat calorie heavy foods. But I did have to start from scratch with the weights and am lifting lower weights than most of the other ladies I work out with. I am very petite anyway....not conditioned to carrying around a lot of weight. Your strength will return but you can't just wait for that to happen. Start out slowly and work up....you know the drill. Good luck to you and don't worry....you'll do better and better as time goes by but start lifting those weights again...even light ones will be beneficial.

[joej1]

Hey man,

you might want to look into parasites/bacterial overgrowth. Sometimes these problems do not just go away on their own by going gluten free. I'm workin with a good practitioner who addresses these things. Gluten is the initial problem but it can cause a lot of other crap to go wrong that needs correcting. What is your diet like?

-Joe

[hh73]

Hey man,

you might want to look into parasites/bacterial overgrowth. Sometimes these problems do not just go away on their own by going gluten free. I'm workin with a good practitioner who addresses these things. Gluten is the initial problem but it can cause a lot of other crap to go wrong that needs correcting. What is your diet like?

-Joe

Everything (>95%) of what I eat is home cooked. Usually it is not even cooked because I just eat a lot of raw fruits and vegetables. Here is a rough break down:

Raw Fruit: 50%

Rice: 20%

Vegetables: 20%

Meat (Chicken): 9%

Meat (Beef): 1%

[dilettantesteph]

I suggest you keep a diary of what you eat and how you feel. Some days eat a whole bunch of one thing and see what happens. Remember that it can take a few days to be aware of a reaction. For instance, eat mainly chicken for a couple of days, then go back to your normal diet and see if you notice a difference. No, looks like you don't react to chicken. Then try tomatoes. I used that technique to come up with my diet. Hopefully that way you can find things to eat which don't make you feel bad.

[mushroom]

You keep repeating that your nutrient levels are all within normal range. Well those ranges are set so wide that practically everyone falls into them. You have to be severely deprived to be out of range. My B12 was within range, but I was given B12 injections once a month, now every three months until I got to mid-range because I was about to fall out of range. My MCV was only one point over range, and my folate was borderline, but I had pernicious anemia and once I got the appropriate supplementation I felt great. My point is that what is optimum range for you, and what is within range on the tests, may be two totally different things. My Vitamin D was within range but it was on the bottom rung and I was about to fall off the ladder. Now it is mid-range and I feel great. So if all your levels are mid-range you are probably doing okay; if any are at the low end of the scale they probably need some high-powered supplementation for you to be at your best.

[ElseB]

Pre-diagnosis I ran marathons. Post diagnosis, I never feel consistently healthy or energized enough to keep up with the training. I've cut back to half-marathons, but even those are harder than they used to be. One of my problems is low iron - no matter what I eat, I can't get my iron levels high enough, so I have to take supplements. It seems to be helping (I"m not fainting anymore...).

[joej1]

Raw veggies can be hard on the system man. And that is a lot of fruit which can potentially feed some bacterial overgrowth if you have it. I would recommend some testing to check out your G.I health. There are GI pathogen screens that use stool testing and also test the immune system in your gut. I ran a test and found an h. pylori infection i had to deal with.

[Kim69]

I can so sympathize with you hh73. I really miss exercise and have put on weight. I feel like a blob. My husband did a full iron man triathlon on the weekend. And I can barely drag myself to work.

I don't think multi-vitamins are the answer either because all my bloodwork Inc antibodies are perfect. Its very frustrating especially when I can't eat so manywhole foods (no onion, garlic, cauliflower, beans, lentils - the list is endless).

I have a referral to see coeliac specialist. He did his phd thesis on Coeliac recovery (or not). I will keep you posted on how I go.

While I wait to see him I am having a stool test done (ordered by a naturopath) - my 'sample' is couriered from Australia to USA! And I am having further breath testing (I already know I am fructose malabsorbing and lactose intolerant) for SIBO (intestinal bacteria). My Dr thinks both are a waste of time and money but I am willing to try anything, and she is willing to sign the requests. Meh.

Interesting mushroom about vit d. My levels are a smigen below normal and are reluctant to improve. My Dr just doubled the dose. I hope it works as well for me as it has for you.

Thanks also for the diet ideas. I hate to eat meat (i hate that animals are bred for ourconsumption) but it seems to be about the only food I can eat with ease!

[SoyBoy]

A couple of observations...

1. You do not include fish or dairy in food breakdown which may explain your Vit D need

2. As Mushroom mentioned, being within the ok range on the blood tests may be misleading. I was on the low level for B12 and responded very well to supplementation.

To answer your original question...

I went on a soy free diet for 1 year and was not able to excercise. The D got better, but the energy level was very low.

After one year of being soy-free, I hit "bottom" as far as health goes, and responded with B12, B-Complex, and multivitamin supplements (along with electrolyte sports drinks). After including supplements to my soy free diet, I was able to excercise after three months of light weights and stretching (like you are doing now). Fifteen months later (now), I am training for a triathlon.

My advice...

Listen to the wise Mushroom