New To Gluten-Free Concept

[neal]

I am very excited to find this community of people with symptoms that are similar to mine, I am 41 years old and have been suffering from physical and mental pain all my life. I have been to literally hundreds of doctors, healers, veterinarians, and wizards. I have often wondered at how people could say things like "isn't it great to be alive?", and I would think to myself, no, not really... I have tried everything else possible, and I am praying that altering my diet will help. I am 6'2" and currently weigh 135 lbs. I stopped eating gluten three days ago, I think ( I am a little dismayed at the idea that one molecule of gluten in a pan is enough to foul things up, but my head doesn't hurt, and that is unusual. Changing my diet is not difficult for me at this point, because eating has become pretty much a waste of time anyway, clearly I am not digesting food. I can eat over five thousand calories a day, or nothing at all, it makes no difference. I will forego the inconclusive tests as I have vowed to never ever go to another medical "doctor". My experiences on this plane of existence has given me the ability to think in a unique way, and for that I am thankful. For quite some time now I have believed that only God could save me, and I have tried to turn all my will over to a God that I do not know. This web site has given me some hope, when I was pretty much completely out. I smoke marijuana, and chew tobacco, but I don't use any other drugs at all, caffeine on rare occasions. I live in a pop up camper, and I sing and play my guitar for tips as I ramble around.

there, I have summed myself up, any advise would be greatly appreciated

peace and love....neal

[Bubba's Mom]

I hope eating a gluten free diet makes you feel better! Many of us have been misdiagnosed or undiagnosed for years. It's a shame we have to get to a point where we're so sick and tired?

The best advice I can give you is to stick to whole foods like fruits and veggies, unprocessed meats, eggs (they actually help regrow healthy villi)and... dairy after you've had a chance to heal. If you have villi damage in your intestines caused by wheat, soy, or dairy it won't digest properly until the villi regrow.

For munchies..apples, popcorn, or corn chips with refried beans (hopefully you don't have a problem with corn?). Read the ingredients though, to be sure they're gluten free. Drink lots of water.

Check your toothpaste, and get a new toothbrush.

A lot of things the gluten free packaged foods have soy in it's place. I advise staying away from soy at first. Add it back in later and see how you tolerate it?

Vitamin suppliments are a good idea too. Be sure to check they don't have gluten. Vitamin D3 is very important for...just about everything. It even helps improve your mood. I don't know if you're in an area with a Kroger's grocery store, but their brands are on sale a lot and are safe.

Good luck to you!

[Marilyn R]

Hi Neal, and welcome to the forum, you've come to a good place.

It seems like you've already done some research if you already know that a molecule of gluten can harm you.

When I was new to this, I used the search forum quite a bit to learn, and read all posts in every topic that applied to my situation. One of the memorable ones that I didn't expect to land an answer was "I Feel Like Giving Up". I'm still here, so I guess that post helped.

My advice is to eat whole foods. If you grill, I'd get a brand new grill. I think I was cross-contaminated (cc) from a grill for a year before I decided to chuck the old one. If you haven't already, check the search forum for other posts on cc, there are some excellent posts.

I hope you don't give up on doctors entirely. You'll want to get your blood checked in 3-6 months to see if you have vitamin defieciencies (B-12 and D are common), then in another six months.

You'll start feeling better if it's gluten, but it won't happen quickly. And you might actually start gaining weight down the road.

Good luck to you, hope gluten-free is your answer.

Marilyn

[neal]

Thank you both for responding so quickly, I will definately follow up on all your experienced advise. I really have no idea at this point if I am allergic to any specific foods, although brown rice and any legumes have almost always lead to pretty sloppy stools, I guess I just figured that was normal, its not really the type of thing that people talk about all that much. And if I drink beer or pretty much any alcohol i will be sick for several days, so I never bother with that anymore. For the time being I will stick to a very simple diet, which isn't difficult for me as my budget is quite simple. Meat is the one food that my body has always tolerated well. One thing I forgot to mention, I just broke an eight day juice fast that I tried, thinking that I would try to give my system a rest (not gluten free, I was drinking a tea with barley) and on the last day I passed a nasty looking worm (a profoundly horrifying experience). I know that in order to kill worms one has to basically poison them. I am thinking that worms are more of a symptom of fouled bowels and probably not the cause. Research on the web leads me to believe that parasites have a hard time getting a foothold in a healthy environment, but I can only seem to find second hand anecdotal info about parasites. I would be extremely grateful for any advice on that unsavory topic.

I will get a new toothbrush!(I had to think about that one a bit)

It is hard for me to believe that gluten can withstand the fire of a grill, but I will take your word on it

again, thank you thank you

[Bubba's Mom]

Boy Neal, if you passed a worm, it might be a good idea to see a Dr? If there are more you won't get a healthy digestive sysyem no matter what you do.

I had pinworms as child and my Mother went to pharmacy and got medicine to get rid of them. She didn't like Dr.s either.

I don't know if a Pharmacist could give you something these days without a Dr's order? Might be worth a try?

[mamaw]

Neal, If the worm you passed looked like pieces of rice it is most likely a tape worm....You are quite thin for your height so that may be your culprit.....If you are near a health food shop they can tell you what natural herb you can take to rid your body of worms...there are several things you could take...I know it sounds gross but most people have had or have worms or mites ..... just part of the human make-up...

[Takala]

Yes, if you have cats that go between indoors and outdoors, and if they eat a mouse with a flea, then you can have fleas infesting your house- and a cat getting worms from the fleas- and they are notorious host vectors for tapeworms. Then the dog can get fleas, then worms.... takes a bit of chemical warfare to break the cycle.

[neal]

I got an herb formula called paracide, and have been eating pumpkin seeds. Raw garlic juice is supposed to kick them out too, but I don't want to put anything too harsh in my pipes just yet. Anyway, I am feeling pretty ok this morning, I slept a solid five hours, my skin feels different, and my mind is quieter. It has been five days since I ingested gluten. Oh, and I feel ravenous. In the past I usually refrained from eating too much as my digestion seemed to work better on less. Should I be careful not to eat too much? I'm eating lots of fruit, and I made a huge pot of veg soups

[sa1937]

I got an herb formula called paracide, and have been eating pumpkin seeds. Raw garlic juice is supposed to kick them out too, but I don't want to put anything too harsh in my pipes just yet. Anyway, I am feeling pretty ok this morning, I slept a solid five hours, my skin feels different, and my mind is quieter. It has been five days since I ingested gluten. Oh, and I feel ravenous. In the past I usually refrained from eating too much as my digestion seemed to work better on less. Should I be careful not to eat too much? I'm eating lots of fruit, and I made a huge pot of veg soups

Neal, since you feel a bit better, perhaps you should try eating smaller meals more frequently. Not saying that will help, but I wouldn't push it by having a large breakfast.

[neal]

yes I think you are right Sylvia, and I may have already overdone it this morning.

[neal]

I had a glass of soyy milk this morning, and felt like I ate too much, but now it is two hours later and I still feel like my breath is restricted. This is a familiar sensation that I have had throughout my life after eating sometimes. I dont know if this is a reaction though, If I drink a lot of orange juice or anything too sweet this can happen, I always assumed it was a blood sugar reaction. It feels like my body is in a state of fear, does this resonate with anyone else? I will drop it from my diet anyway, I definately felt good, drank soy milk,then felt bad. It feels like I can't exhale

[mamaw]

Soy is one of the major allergrens..Soy isn't always our friend like in the 80's doctors claimed it to be...Did you know that baby boys feed soy developed breasts... almond milk is a better choice....

[eatmeat4good]

Neal,

Welcome, it sounds like your life is about to get a whole lot better. Your gluten elimination sounds promising as well as your soy elimination. Be sure you get enough protein. You only mentioned juice, fruits, vegetables and soy. Are you vegetarian? I think protein helps the body heal faster. It did in my case. In the early phase of gluten elimination I mostly ate meat. It was the only thing that didn't upset my system. 10 months into this after being sick for 7 years and I am deginitely better times 10. I'm hopeful for you as well. Your story sounds so familiar.....a lifetime of illness and Dr.'s who don't believe you. I hope you heal fast and I'm glad you found out about gluten! And yes, even though it sounds preposterous...a grill can gluten you and so can many other forms of cross contamination. I got trace gluten by handing out cookies and sandwiches to my sister's kids....and then ate my gluten free food. Within a few hours I was a total believer in trace gluten poisoning. Good luck and be careful!

[Skylark]

I had a glass of soyy milk this morning, and felt like I ate too much, but now it is two hours later and I still feel like my breath is restricted. This is a familiar sensation that I have had throughout my life after eating sometimes. I dont know if this is a reaction though, If I drink a lot of orange juice or anything too sweet this can happen, I always assumed it was a blood sugar reaction. It feels like my body is in a state of fear, does this resonate with anyone else? I will drop it from my diet anyway, I definately felt good, drank soy milk,then felt bad. It feels like I can't exhale

Hi, and welcome. I'm glad you're starting to find some respite gluten-free.

That chest tightness sounds like my asthma. I get it sometimes from gluten, as well as all the GI issues. You may be a little sensitive to soy. Keep an eye out next time you eat it. I've never been sure that unfermented soy was a particularly good food for humans. I tend to keep soy down to a minimum and eat soy sauce, tempeh, or miso when I do eat soy.

[neal]

Neal,

Welcome, it sounds like your life is about to get a whole lot better. Your gluten elimination sounds promising as well as your soy elimination. Be sure you get enough protein. You only mentioned juice, fruits, vegetables and soy. Are you vegetarian? I think protein helps the body heal faster. It did in my case. In the early phase of gluten elimination I mostly ate meat. It was the only thing that didn't upset my system. 10 months into this after being sick for 7 years and I am deginitely better times 10. I'm hopeful for you as well. Your story sounds so familiar.....a lifetime of illness and Dr.'s who don't believe you. I hope you heal fast and I'm glad you found out about gluten! And yes, even though it sounds preposterous...a grill can gluten you and so can many other forms of cross contamination. I got trace gluten by handing out cookies and sandwiches to my sister's kids....and then ate my gluten free food. Within a few hours I was a total believer in trace gluten poisoning. Good luck and be careful!

Yes, meats have been one of the few digestible foods for me too. I am eating meat, eggs and rice too, things are still going very well. I haven't had any headache pain, and this is very unusual. And my guts are already working so much better! I am still weary of getting too excited as I have had short lived spells of feeling ok in the past. I can tell that my gi tract is moving a lot slower. Yesterday I slept for the better part of 24 hours, (this never happens) I am usually lucky if I can stay asleep for three hours, and when I wake, I cant sleep again, no matter how tired I feel. And I don't feel like my head is full of insects! thank you for the support!!!

[neal]

Soy is one of the major allergrens..Soy isn't always our friend like in the 80's doctors claimed it to be...Did you know that baby boys feed soy developed breasts... almond milk is a better choice....

The soy milk I drank is sweetened with cane sugar, which has always been a no no for me (and probably why I drank so much of it) I tend to binge on sugars. It did not mess up my improved digestion though, just the temporary discomfort. This is not really a product I will miss, i just happened to see it in my freind's fridge and I just dove in without looking at the label, and it was yumalicious.

[neal]

I am wondering if faintness upon standing is common amongst celiacs, and people that are in a state of starvation. I have always had to be carefull standing up, because I might black out and fall down. This has not improved yet. I see the strangest things whenever I stand up quickly, like I am looking through a wormhole? Sometimes patterns emerge. Sometimes my mind goes blank and my body shakes uncontrollably. This has happened often, since I was very young. It is not altogether unpleasant, but I have had a few nasty wipeouts. Have any of you experienced these phenomena? And have they imroved?

[neal]

Neal, If the worm you passed looked like pieces of rice it is most likely a tape worm....You are quite thin for your height so that may be your culprit.....If you are near a health food shop they can tell you what natural herb you can take to rid your body of worms...there are several things you could take...I know it sounds gross but most people have had or have worms or mites ..... just part of the human make-up...

The worm I passed looked like a worm, about 7 inches long, I could not find segments, but it did have a head at one end. I am thinking it was a fish tapeworm, as they are less segmented, and I do eat sushi, or at least I used to. Last new years, at the end of a three day water fast I passed a worm about ten inches long with no head, perhaps it was the tail of this same worm, I dont know. About five years ago I had found worms(small worms) in my stool under a microscope (I am a do it yourself kind of guy) and I promptly went to the doctor and they took stool samples and found nothing, so I was left to fend for myself, I guess they didn't believe me. At the time my stool sample looked like undigested salad, and they gave me an expensive bottle of antacid. This was pretty much the last straw as far as going to a doctor is concerned

[neal]

Hi, and welcome. I'm glad you're starting to find some respite gluten-free.

That chest tightness sounds like my asthma. I get it sometimes from gluten, as well as all the GI issues. You may be a little sensitive to soy. Keep an eye out next time you eat it. I've never been sure that unfermented soy was a particularly good food for humans. I tend to keep soy down to a minimum and eat soy sauce, tempeh, or miso when I do eat soy.

I will! I think the products you listed are somewhat fermented? Perhaps that makes a difference.

[Skylark]

I am wondering if faintness upon standing is common amongst celiacs, and people that are in a state of starvation. I have always had to be carefull standing up, because I might black out and fall down. This has not improved yet. I see the strangest things whenever I stand up quickly, like I am looking through a wormhole? Sometimes patterns emerge. Sometimes my mind goes blank and my body shakes uncontrollably. This has happened often, since I was very young. It is not altogether unpleasant, but I have had a few nasty wipeouts. Have any of you experienced these phenomena? And have they imroved?

Looking up big, worm-looking things it sounds like you may have roundworms. If you have a lot, they can cause malabsorption and malnutrition, and also the asthma problems you are experiencing. That plus celiac and it's no wonder you are not getting any nutrition. This may be why your blood pressure is low as well. You may not be absorbing salt, especially potassium. It happens to some of us. Make sure you are getting enough fluid and some potassium-rich foods couldn't hurt. For what it's worth, Gatorade is gluten-free.

Open Original Shared Link has some diagnostic info. There's some on Wikipedia too. Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link looks like a pretty good page with info on worms. Some of those complications look nasty. I'd be running to a doctor with the worm in a jar. LOL! Anyway, that UNM site has diet and herb suggestions as well. That Paracide you said you got does line up well with the herbs on the UNM site. I really hope it does the trick!