Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Operation: Pregnancy


Muffy

Recommended Posts

Muffy Rookie

Hello,

I am just re-kindling my gluten/wheat issue research. I have been gluten free for about a year and a half, maybe a little longer. Shortly before going gluten-free I went refined fructose super-lite and right after going gluten-free I went grain, dairy, soy, and canola oil free. I have a long history of thyroid issues, rashes, dead intestines (leaky as all get out and had part of them removed 2 years ago), migraines, nerve issues, muscle issues, insmomnia, anxiety, fatigue, asthma, tons of secondary food allergies (mostly fruits)...the whole works. I am strict, the concept of 'cheating' is alien to me. My house is gluten-free. I know I have a long way to go toward healing my leaky gut but I also know I am the healthiest I have probably ever been in my life.

Since I am trying to get pregnant I realized that I have never researched this and need too. Anyway. I am 38. I had a pregnancy and birth 14 years ago. I was 24 and sick before during and after. I had no fertilty or delivery difficulties but I was not well durng the pregnancy. Tons of ridculously severe acid reflux, high blood pressure, water retention, migraines, thyroid was hard to stabalize, 'morning' sickness...and I was pushing that line between overweight and obeseity at conception and gained a lot of weight during. I know these things are 'normal' to an extent.

I don't really know what I am looking for, I am just starting my way through this thread right now. This is just a shout-out in case anyone out there has some adivce or a kernal of wisdom they'd like to throw back ;)

Thanks!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



jswog Contributor

Hello,

I am just re-kindling my gluten/wheat issue research. I have been gluten free for about a year and a half, maybe a little longer. Shortly before going gluten-free I went refined fructose super-lite and right after going gluten-free I went grain, dairy, soy, and canola oil free. I have a long history of thyroid issues, rashes, dead intestines (leaky as all get out and had part of them removed 2 years ago), migraines, nerve issues, muscle issues, insmomnia, anxiety, fatigue, asthma, tons of secondary food allergies (mostly fruits)...the whole works. I am strict, the concept of 'cheating' is alien to me. My house is gluten-free. I know I have a long way to go toward healing my leaky gut but I also know I am the healthiest I have probably ever been in my life.

Since I am trying to get pregnant I realized that I have never researched this and need too. Anyway. I am 38. I had a pregnancy and birth 14 years ago. I was 24 and sick before during and after. I had no fertilty or delivery difficulties but I was not well durng the pregnancy. Tons of ridculously severe acid reflux, high blood pressure, water retention, migraines, thyroid was hard to stabalize, 'morning' sickness...and I was pushing that line between overweight and obeseity at conception and gained a lot of weight during. I know these things are 'normal' to an extent.

I don't really know what I am looking for, I am just starting my way through this thread right now. This is just a shout-out in case anyone out there has some adivce or a kernal of wisdom they'd like to throw back ;)

Thanks!

Thanks for posting this, Muffy! While I cannot offer any advice, I do hope others can/will as I am in a similar situation as you are. I'm 35 and have only just very recently started on my gluten-free journey, all the while TTC (or, as we like to say, not NOT trying...lol...with very strong hopes). Neither my husband nor I have other children, however, so no history to draw upon. Since going gluten-free almost one month ago now (Sept. 13 was my last day of consuming gluten, so tomorrow will be one month for me), I already feel like I've gained at least 10 years of my life back! Good luck TTC! I hope we both have good news to share soon!

Jen

  • 4 months later...
addis001 Apprentice

Just found out Gluten was the key to everything... We've been trying since November to get Prego. And I've been gluten free for a month now.. Any advice on how to get prego would be great!! I have a 2 year old now. We want one more then we are done. It seems like TTC is a struggle since we got prego with our first on the first try. My body feels different and everything feels like its not working right.

upwitht21 Rookie

My advice would be don't rush healing and make sure your doctor is involved. I was gluten free for 2 months and got pregnant completely unassisted after 10 cycles of fertility meds. We lost the baby at 7 weeks and I can't help but feel we just tried to soon. I was just starting to really feel better when I added the stress of a baby into my already weakened body and although I healed enough to conceive it wasn't enough support the fetus.

I hope that helps....

Jess

addis001 Apprentice

Definitely does help.. my best friend just had a miscarriage.. And I don't think I could handle that... I want to heal first so i can be as healthy as I can be...But at the same time, I'm not getting younger either.. Its so hard to know when, I'm working with my GI closely.. Maybe he'll tell me when I seem ready.

  • 3 weeks later...
Ellymay Rookie

I too had a miscarriage before my current pregnancy but you can't blame yourself if that happens - they can be caused by any number of reasons and are most often nature's way of dealing with a fetus that wouldn't have lived anyway. Personally, if I was 38 I wouldn't be waiting for the perfect time unless there are obvious health reasons to wait.

However if you haven't already been checked for nutrient deficiencies I would get blood tests to check your folic acid, vitamin b12, iron and vitamin c levels in particular. These are often deficient in people with gluten intolerance and can take some time to restore. I had injections for b12 deficiency (which is important for fertility) and along with folic acid this is also important to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Beware if you are taking a high dose of folic acid when they test your b12 levels this can mask a deficiency. I have just found out I am low in b12 again and it is not recommended to have b12 injections during pregnancy so I recommend you check this out so you can get any injections required before getting pregnant.

By the way, you may find you can have dairy products again. After 6 months on the gluten free diet I found I had healed enough that I no longer had a lactose intolerance. It is good to be able to eat lots of calcium rich dairy products while pregnant, especially when you have cravings for custard.... :)

Goodluck

Eleanor

JillianLindsay Enthusiast

Just to share, I was gluten-free for 2 1/2 years when I got pregnant the first time. I was in excellent health and still had a miscarriage. Many perfectly healthy people have unexplained m/c, sadly it is just a part of TTC. I'm happy to say, that I'm now 6 weeks and 2 days along and so far everything is going well :)

I agree with keeping your DR in the loop and following his or her advice as you go along. I did have initial bloodwork done before we started trying, and everything was in the normal range, even my iron, which hadn't been the case since I was a teenager! Good luck!!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,899
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    dcarter1682
    Newest Member
    dcarter1682
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Welcome to the forum, @Judy M! Yes, he definitely needs to continue eating gluten until the day of the endoscopy. Not sure why the GI doc advised otherwise but it was a bum steer.  Celiac disease has a genetic component but also an "epigenetic" component. Let me explain. There are two main genes that have been identified as providing the "potential" to develop "active" celiac disease. We know them as HLA-DQ 2.5 (aka, HLA-DQ 2) and HLA-DQ8. Without one or both of these genes it is highly unlikely that a person will develop celiac disease at some point in their life. About 40% of the general population carry one or both of these two genes but only about 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. Thus, possessing the genetic potential for celiac disease is far less than deterministic. Most who have the potential never develop the disease. In order for the potential to develop celiac disease to turn into active celiac disease, some triggering stress event or events must "turn on" the latent genes. This triggering stress event can be a viral infection, some other medical event, or even prolonged psychological/emotional trauma. This part of the equation is difficult to quantify but this is the epigenetic dimension of the disease. Epigenetics has to do with the influence that environmental factors and things not coded into the DNA itself have to do in "turning on" susceptible genes. And this is why celiac disease can develop at any stage of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition (not a food allergy) that causes inflammation in the lining of the small bowel. The ingestion of gluten causes the body to attack the cells of this lining which, over time, damages and destroys them, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients since this is the part of the intestinal track responsible for nutrient absorption and also causing numerous other food sensitivities such as dairy/lactose intolerance. There is another gluten-related disorder known as NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or just, "gluten sensitivity") that is not autoimmune in nature and which does not damage the small bowel lining. However, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is also much more common than celiac disease. There is no test for NCGS so, because they share common symptoms, celiac disease must first be ruled out through formal testing for celiac disease. This is where your husband is right now. It should also be said that some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease. I hope this helps.
    • Judy M
      My husband has had lactose intolerance for his entire life (he's 68 yo).  So, he's used to gastro issues. But for the past year he's been experiencing bouts of diarrhea that last for hours.  He finally went to his gastroenterologist ... several blood tests ruled out other maladies, but his celiac results are suspect.  He is scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks.  He was told to eat "gluten free" until the tests!!!  I, and he know nothing about this "diet" much less how to navigate his in daily life!! The more I read, the more my head is spinning.  So I guess I have 2 questions.  First, I read on this website that prior to testing, eat gluten so as not to compromise the testing!  Is that true? His primary care doctor told him to eat gluten free prior to testing!  I'm so confused.  Second, I read that celiac disease is genetic or caused by other ways such as surgery.  No family history but Gall bladder removal 7 years ago, maybe?  But how in God's name does something like this crop up and now is so awful he can't go a day without worrying.  He still works in Manhattan and considers himself lucky if he gets there without incident!  Advice from those who know would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Scott Adams
      You've done an excellent job of meticulously tracking the rash's unpredictable behavior, from its symmetrical spread and stubborn scabbing to the potential triggers you've identified, like the asthma medication and dietary changes. It's particularly telling that the rash seems to flare with wheat consumption, even though your initial blood test was negative—as you've noted, being off wheat before a test can sometimes lead to a false negative, and your description of the other symptoms—joint pain, brain fog, stomach issues—is very compelling. The symmetry of the rash is a crucial detail that often points toward an internal cause, such as an autoimmune response or a systemic reaction, rather than just an external irritant like a plant or mites. I hope your doctor tomorrow takes the time to listen carefully to all of this evidence you've gathered and works with you to find some real answers and effective relief. Don't be discouraged if the rash fluctuates; your detailed history is the most valuable tool you have for getting an accurate diagnosis.
    • Scott Adams
      In this case the beer is excellent, but for those who are super sensitive it is likely better to go the full gluten-free beer route. Lakefront Brewery (another sponsor!) has good gluten-free beer made without any gluten ingredients.
    • trents
      Welcome to the forum, @catsrlife! Celiac disease can be diagnosed without committing to a full-blown "gluten challenge" if you get a skin biopsy done during an active outbreak of dermatitis herpetiformis, assuming that is what is causing the rash. There is no other known cause for dermatitis herpetiformis so it is definitive for celiac disease. You would need to find a dermatologist who is familiar with doing the biopsy correctly, however. The samples need to be taken next to the pustules, not on them . . . a mistake many dermatologists make when biopsying for dermatitis herpetiformis. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.