I Suspect I Am Gluten Intolerant. Any Advice?

[LOWNskater52]

SO I'm on day 5 and I have got to say that the healing process has slowed. I still have some chest tightness and anxiety, still have a little bit of eczema, minor amount of heartburn/indigestion, and I have developed dark circles under my eyes. I have had these plenty in the past but they are really dark this morning. The heart pounding has tapered off which is a good thing.

I'm going to get blood drawn for Celiacs today at lunch so lets hope I get some answers.

[Di2011]

Under doctors control I would cut out all medications/pills/panadol etc etc where possible. My asthma and allergy medications were a mask to symptoms of gluten problems. But wait until you find a doctor that understands that these are masking a cause not symptom.

[LOWNskater52]

Im not on any medication whatsoever. Just some vitamins for my adrenal fatigue. Medication is what got me sick in the first place and I am very apprehensive to trying anything new.

[pricklypear1971]

You can't analyze it day by day, unless you have a major reaction. Then, that should clue you in to a trigger or a source in the last 48 hours or so.

Just keep in going....do what works.

Concentrate on eating a well rounded diet (minus gluten, milk).

Keep your food diary, get your testing.

And check your vitamins for gluten, milk!!!

[LOWNskater52]

You can't analyze it day by day, unless you have a major reaction. Then, that should clue you in to a trigger or a source in the last 48 hours or so.

Just keep in going....do what works.

Concentrate on eating a well rounded diet (minus gluten, milk).

Keep your food diary, get your testing.

And check your vitamins for gluten, milk!!!

Yeah I know. I guess I just want to see results so bad that I'm hoping I wake up and I am my old self again.

Don't worry, I'm going to keep going with the diet. Its honestly not that hard. According to my food journal, I don't seem to have a problem with corn. So thats a good thing.

Got the testing in about 3 hours. Hope I get some answers.

I have also noticed some things that I forgot to mention. I have lost about 5 pounds in 5 days. I have also noticed some joint pain in my hip but it is nothing too bad.

[LOWNskater52]

These dark circles under my eyes really look terrible btw. I hope this isn't permanent

[jmrogers31]

Glad to hear you are slowly on the mend. It looks like your anxiety lingers a little longer than mine does after a 'glutening'. I will be interested to hear how your blood test comes back. Doctors are difficult, I wish I would have pushed it when I had the chance. She told me, "oh no, testing for that is way down the line. Let's just keep on the diet since you feel better." I never got a blood test and now it's too late. I will not do the 3 month challenge to have it because I feel so much better and react so horribly when I eat gluten that I don't need a doctor to tell me I have an issue with it. I did pay for a DNA test and came back with DQ2 and DQ8 which are the two Celiac genes and got them from both my Mom and Dad. The fact that I presented symptoms which resolved on the diet and have the genetics for Celiac disease means I am at the very least intolerent. I don't say that I have Celiac disease if people ask because I didn't have a doctor verify it for me. I tell people I may have it and I have a strong gluten intolerance. I really wish I knew if I have Celiac full blown, especially with the anxiety being so strong on gluten, but alas I will never know.

[LOWNskater52]

I am so angry right now I can't see straight. After i had my plain chicken breast at lunch, my father, who is my boss, was making shrimp creole. In front of all my coworkers, he said "come on Taylor, have a bowl". He knows I have begun my gluten free diet and saw how better I was feeling. I asked him to listen every single ingredient in the dish and listed a bunch of veggies, shrimp , and rice. I asked "what about chicken broth or anything". He swore up and down it was gluten-free clean. So I had a couple bowls. A few hours later I start to get esophageal spasms and over all feel like crap. We'll he got home from work about 30 minutes today and I asked again what was in that shrimp creole. He goes "oh yeah. I did add some flower to thicken up the broth".

I am absolutely furious. What a son of a b%$@#. What does this mean guys? Am I starting over?

[mushroom]

No, it just means you have been glutened and you should not trust your father to cook for you.

[LOWNskater52]

Well I chewed him out hard. I will never eat a meal prepared by him again.

[saintmaybe]

Well I chewed him out hard. I will never eat a meal prepared by him again.

He's just not used to you being gluten free. It took my mom a whole weekend of following me around and watching what I ate, and basically shadowing me before she "got it." She still hasn't cooked for me, and I likely wouldn't trust her to for a while yet unless I was looking over her shoulder.

Your Dad will come around in time, especially if food is an integral part of your relationship. I use gluten free flours to thicken my broths and stews all the time, and he can learn to do the same. Just did it tonight in fact. Couldn't even taste the difference and we had an awesome stir fry!

[saintmaybe]

These dark circles under my eyes really look terrible btw. I hope this isn't permanent

P.S. The dark circles happened to me too, and started clearing up around month 1, although they're still there to an extent. I assume they'll keep clearing up.

Also, drink more water.

[pricklypear1971]

I am so angry right now I can't see straight. After i had my plain chicken breast at lunch, my father, who is my boss, was making shrimp creole. In front of all my coworkers, he said "come on Taylor, have a bowl". He knows I have begun my gluten free diet and saw how better I was feeling. I asked him to listen every single ingredient in the dish and listed a bunch of veggies, shrimp , and rice. I asked "what about chicken broth or anything". He swore up and down it was gluten-free clean. So I had a couple bowls. A few hours later I start to get esophageal spasms and over all feel like crap. We'll he got home from work about 30 minutes today and I asked again what was in that shrimp creole. He goes "oh yeah. I did add some flower to thicken up the broth".

I am absolutely furious. What a son of a b%$@#. What does this mean guys? Am I starting over?

What kind of cook puts flour in a Creole dish? You're supposed to cook it down to thicken. I know, not your point exactly but there is a definite difference between a dish with a roux base (which Creole isn't) and one that is. You could taste raw flour in a Creole dish. Ick.

Tell your Dad if he's going to thicken to use cornstarch. If he wants a roux, tell him to use a gluten-free flour mix or rice flour - browns just fine into a roux. But PLEASE tell him to keep the wheat flour (and the cornstarch and gluten-free flour) out of the Shrimp Creole!

And btw, you got glutened. It will wear off.... you aren't starting over, you're just miserable and angry. Don't get too mad ad Dad....

[LOWNskater52]

Day 6

I have to say that my rapid improvements have slowed down. IDK if it is from being gluted yesterday (very minor-maybe like two or three tablespoons of flour) or if this is part of the withdrawal process. I am still experiencing some dizziness, slight eczema, some throat tightness, and some regurgitation. Even though I do feel better than I did a week ago, I wish it would hurry up!

I'm eating some things that I question are gluten free. Maybe you guys can shed some light on this.

- Heinz Ketchup - It says on their website all of their products are gluten free and use corn products instead of wheat.

- Emeril Lagassee's Seasoning - I put this on my daily chicken breasts. I looked on the label and this is nothing that stands out as gluten.

I also wanted to mention a couple of symptoms that slipped my mind when I first wrote this thread.

Maybe once or twice a week I get a bloody nose. Its never bleeds, I just have bloody snot. I've looked that up on this site and it seems like others have this symptom along with me.

I also have a problem with proper hydration. I seem to get dehydrated very quickly and lose essential electrolytes. With additional research, it shows once again that this is also another common symptom.

Need some inspiration guys!

[pricklypear1971]

Glutening can last a while - 1-2 weeks for most.

Don't use seasoning mixes. I have no idea about Emeril's. You can make his Bam from scratch - look it up.

Try a Neti pot for your bloody sinuses. Nose bleeds are another story, I can't help there.

The dehydration I don't know - most need a lot of water after glutening.

[LOWNskater52]

So I just ate some carrots and my stomach has vecome a little upset and my throat is a little tight. Sucks right now. Not sure what's going on but will keep ya posted

[Familytradition]

Just wanted to jump in and share in the misery. I have been gluten, dairy, egg, soy, yeast free for almost 8 months ( minus a few mistakes ). One of your first posts reminds me of when I ingest MSG on accident. It causes me all sorts of hell. Anxiety, irritability, rage, migraines, racing heart, etc. Might be something else to be mindful of. I hope you get to feeling better soon!

[LOWNskater52]

Day 7

So if I had to put it into percentages I'd say before going gluten free I was at about 45% health. After a week of going gluten free, I'd say I'm at around 70% health. This is a pretty good size leap in health that I am pretty happy about. I just hope that after another week I can be back closer to 90% or 95%.

Symptoms I started with:

- Constant Heartburn/Indigestion (especially in the morning)

- Constant Pounding Heart (All day every day)

- Racing Heart after meals (especially after gluted meals)

- Anxiety/Depression

- Adrenal Fatigue

- Eczema (all over my right foot and a little on my hand)

- Esophageal Spasms

- Blood in Snot

- Constantly Dehydrated

- Inability to exercise

- Throat tightness

- Allergies to stuff I was never allergic to before (marijuana )

Symptoms after one week gluten week (I'm hoping withdrawal symptoms):

- Dizziness

- Inability to focus/concentrate

- Dark circles under my eyes (especially in the mornings)

- Lots of gas

- Minimal Heartburn/Indigestion

- Joint Pain (In the hips and knees)

- Fatigue

- Blood in snot

Symptoms that have improved:

- The eczema on my right foot and hand is about 90% gone.

- The heart pounding is 90% gone.

- The heartburn/indigestion is 80% gone.

- Racing heart after meals is 100% gone.

- Anxiety is 65% gone.

- Throat tightness is 50% gone.

- Esophageal Spasms are 35% gone.

I hope the improvements keep coming and that this dizziness is just a withdrawal symptom.

I'll keep everybody posted.

[LOWNskater52]

Day 8

Not much is different today guys. The eczema on my right foot and hand has pretty much not changed. Still having some esophageal spasms, eye floaters, regurgitation, and fatigue. And I still have some dizziness. It feels sorta like I've reached a healing plateau.

I have an appointment with my natural/holistic doctor to discuss ways to speed up the healing process. My hypothesis right now is that my natural doctor told me that what your body can't process or remove is stored in water soluable water. Since I've got sick I've packed on about 30 pounds (160-190) of fat which means I'm storing a ton of gluten in water soluable fat. As I keep losing weight (I've lost 8 pounds already), gluten stored in this fat is being processed and removed from my body.

I hope I'm right.

[LOWNskater52]

Day 9

I think I am regressing a little bit. My throat is a little tight today, having alot of regurgitation/indigestion, having the occasional esophageal spasm, and my eczema is still lingering (still 75% gone though). I'm not sure why I have regressed. I think I am going to try removing corn from my diet (I still eat a lot of Heinz ketchup with my baked chicken breast) completely along iwht the gluten.

I have also been eating steamed green bean from the Publix (a supermarket here in the south) deli. I know that they do use the green bean pans for mac n cheese, gravy, and stuff like that but I also see them wash the hell out of those pans so I don't know if that is factoring in.

I have an appointment with my natural doctor today to discuss this.

[pricklypear1971]

You need to stop letting other people cook for you, especially in a restaurant/deli setting.

Buy some beans and cook them at home.

And you may have another food allergy. Eating out will NOT make it easier to figure out. There's a time for restaurants, but now isn't it unless absolutely necessary.

[LOWNskater52]

I think you're right.

I am going all home cooked from now on.

[LOWNskater52]

I also wanted to mention I have been having more bowel movements daily than I usually do. Back when I was gluted I was having 1 bowel movement per day. Since I went gluten free I am having 2-3 movements a day.

The stools have also been bright green. Not sure what that means. I have also started a multi vitamin and probiotic (20bill). Both are gluten free.

I just got back from my natural doctor and he said that you have to be gluten free for three months without any small slip-up in order to get back to 100%. Sounds like I got a long way to go...

[LOWNskater52]

Day 12

I feel sort of bleh today. I had terrible gas, acid reflux all weekend along with esophageal spasms and shortness of breath. I have had this SOB on and off since this whole ordeal started back in Aug 2010. I have multiple vitamin panels and all test have come back normal. No anemia, no vitamin b12 deficiencies.

As I was writing this I think I just got Gluted again! My dad came into my office with some pieces of steak. I asked "Whats on this" and he said "Just salt and pepper". I take a few bites and they are soaked in worcestershire sauce. I checked the label of the sauce and it the only thing that looked like it might have had gluten was the distilled vinegar. I will never eat another single bite of food from him again. This I swear.

[pricklypear1971]

Day 12

I feel sort of bleh today. I had terrible gas, acid reflux all weekend along with esophageal spasms and shortness of breath. I have had this SOB on and off since this whole ordeal started back in Aug 2010. I have multiple vitamin panels and all test have come back normal. No anemia, no vitamin b12 deficiencies.

As I was writing this I think I just got Gluted again! My dad came into my office with some pieces of steak. I asked "Whats on this" and he said "Just salt and pepper". I take a few bites and they are soaked in worcestershire sauce. I checked the label of the sauce and it the only thing that looked like it might have had gluten was the distilled vinegar. I will never eat another single bite of food from him again. This I swear.

Distilled vinegar is fine for most people with gluten issues. That said, it may not be for you.

We use Lea & Perrins and I think I'm fine with it.

You are correct the biggest problem here is that your Dad isn't being honest with you.

You may need to consider you have other food issues, or something else going on. Also, it's still early and many people have a week or two of withdrawal (and bad symptoms) before things improve.

Are you eating a well rounded diet? Are you avoiding acidic foods? I ask because I have to do that when my stomach gets acidic, and drink a ton of water. Keep some gluten-free rice crackers around and munch on them to calm down the acid.