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How Long Will It Take For Me To Get My Energy Levels Back?

vb10

By vb10
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

vb10 Newbie
vb10
Posted

Hi, after four years of suffering I was diagnosed with a celiac disease. My main symptom was extreme fatigue. Honestly, it was so bad, I could not even wash dishes - I was so exhausted. Most days I would spend in bed, could not really do anything.

Even though my blood test came back negative, my doctor told me to go on a gluten free diet. I have started my diet on August 21, 2011. I wish I could tell you that I have started feeling better right away. Even though I was no longer bedridden, my energy levels were still very low.

Then I developed all kinds of other food allergies. To escape it all, I went Paleo on October 22nd. I also developed a severe gastritis and am still suffering from it, even though I am taking Prilosec.

My energy level is somewhat better, but, let's put it this way, I am not an Energizer bunny and not sure I will be one any time soon.

Could you please let me know: is this normal? It has been good four months and I am still not 100% better. How long does it usually takes to heal and to be your normal self in terms of energy?

THANKS!!!

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Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Hmm. It sounds to me like you still have something going on. Have you been tested for H. pylori? If that was negative I'd be willing to bet you are still eating something you are intolerant to. I'm eating GAPS (food list is close to paleo) and finding tomatoes are not agreeing with me. Since you're already paleo you might look at GAPS. It's a starch/sugar-free gut healing diet which would add rich broths, fermented foods, and probiotics to help heal your gut. Open Original Shared Link

burdee Enthusiast
burdee
Posted

Hi, after four years of suffering I was diagnosed with a celiac disease. My main symptom was extreme fatigue. Honestly, it was so bad, I could not even wash dishes - I was so exhausted. Most days I would spend in bed, could not really do anything.

Even though my blood test came back negative, my doctor told me to go on a gluten free diet. I have started my diet on August 21, 2011. I wish I could tell you that I have started feeling better right away. Even though I was no longer bedridden, my energy levels were still very low.

Then I developed all kinds of other food allergies. To escape it all, I went Paleo on October 22nd. I also developed a severe gastritis and am still suffering from it, even though I am taking Prilosec.

My energy level is somewhat better, but, let's put it this way, I am not an Energizer bunny and not sure I will be one any time soon.

Could you please let me know: is this normal? It has been good four months and I am still not 100% better. How long does it usually takes to heal and to be your normal self in terms of energy?

THANKS!!!

Have you had your thyroid hormones (TSH, free T3, free T4, TPOab and RT3) checked? Hypothyroid can cause fatigue.

Also how are your iron and B12 levels? Low amounts of either can cause anemia and fatigue.

Also acid blocking drugs will prevent your stomach from absorbing the iron from the food you eat. We need acid to properly digest and absorb nutrients from our food. I was misdiagnosed with gastritis and given acid blocking drugs (tagamet, zantac) years ago. Then I developed all kinds of digestive problems which didn't resolve after going gluten free (and eliminating other diagnosed allergens). So I was given a stomach acid production test which showed I had hypochloridia or insufficient stomach acid production. After that was treated I slowly improved my iron and B12 levels by just eating foods containing those nutrients, because my stomach could finally digest those foods.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Hi, after four years of suffering I was diagnosed with a celiac disease. My main symptom was extreme fatigue. Honestly, it was so bad, I could not even wash dishes - I was so exhausted. Most days I would spend in bed, could not really do anything.

Even though my blood test came back negative, my doctor told me to go on a gluten free diet. I have started my diet on August 21, 2011. I wish I could tell you that I have started feeling better right away. Even though I was no longer bedridden, my energy levels were still very low.

Then I developed all kinds of other food allergies. To escape it all, I went Paleo on October 22nd. I also developed a severe gastritis and am still suffering from it, even though I am taking Prilosec.

My energy level is somewhat better, but, let's put it this way, I am not an Energizer bunny and not sure I will be one any time soon.

Could you please let me know: is this normal? It has been good four months and I am still not 100% better. How long does it usually takes to heal and to be your normal self in terms of energy?

THANKS!!!

You posted this on another thread:

I don't eat dairy, grains, legumes, eggs, nightshades, nuts, oils and a whole other bunch of foods.

No processed foods.

All I eat is cabbage family vegetables and tubers (carrots, rutabaga, etc), grass-fed chicken and fish.

So... why am I so low on energy?

I count calories to make sure I eat enough every day (around 1800 calories).

So... what is wrong?

I think you are missing some nutrients with this diet.

vb10 Newbie
vb10
Posted
  • Author

Have you had your thyroid hormones (TSH, free T3, free T4, TPOab and RT3) checked? Hypothyroid can cause fatigue.

Also how are your iron and B12 levels? Low amounts of either can cause anemia and fatigue.

Also acid blocking drugs will prevent your stomach from absorbing the iron from the food you eat. We need acid to properly digest and absorb nutrients from our food. I was misdiagnosed with gastritis and given acid blocking drugs (tagamet, zantac) years ago. Then I developed all kinds of digestive problems which didn't resolve after going gluten free (and eliminating other diagnosed allergens). So I was given a stomach acid production test which showed I had hypochloridia or insufficient stomach acid production. After that was treated I slowly improved my iron and B12 levels by just eating foods containing those nutrients, because my stomach could finally digest those foods.

I had my thyroid, iron, B12 and everything else tested. Everything came back fine. I don't have anemia or anything like that. I was diagnosed with gastric erosion based on my gastroscopy, so I believe it is the correct diagnosis.

How were you treated for hypochloridia, if I may ask?

vb10 Newbie
vb10
Posted
  • Author

Hmm. It sounds to me like you still have something going on. Have you been tested for H. pylori? If that was negative I'd be willing to bet you are still eating something you are intolerant to. I'm eating GAPS (food list is close to paleo) and finding tomatoes are not agreeing with me. Since you're already paleo you might look at GAPS. It's a starch/sugar-free gut healing diet which would add rich broths, fermented foods, and probiotics to help heal your gut. Open Original Shared Link

I was checked for H.pylori, I don't have that. But thanks for the link :)

vb10 Newbie
vb10
Posted
  • Author

You posted this on another thread:

I don't eat dairy, grains, legumes, eggs, nightshades, nuts, oils and a whole other bunch of foods.

No processed foods.

All I eat is cabbage family vegetables and tubers (carrots, rutabaga, etc), grass-fed chicken and fish.

So... why am I so low on energy?

I count calories to make sure I eat enough every day (around 1800 calories).

So... what is wrong?

I think you are missing some nutrients with this diet.

Oh, I forgot to say - I also eat some fruit (pomegranates, persimmons and blueberries) and grass-fed lamb.

What nutrients am I missing?

The reason I don't eat anything else is because it does not agree with my stomach. I only eat what my stomach can handle.

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Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

How did you come to choose 1800 calories? That's not a lot if much of what you are eating is hard-to-digest protein. You may need more carbs or fatty foods for nourishment and energy. It's impossible to say what else is missing that might leave you tired on your fairly limited diet.

Has your doctor given you any clues about what caused the gastric erosion? NSAIDS, prescription drugs, etc.?

vb10 Newbie
vb10
Posted
  • Author

How did you come to choose 1800 calories? That's not a lot if much of what you are eating is hard-to-digest protein. You may need more carbs or fatty foods for nourishment and energy. It's impossible to say what else is missing that might leave you tired on your fairly limited diet.

I eat around 1800-2000 calories. I get fat from meat/chicken/fish and mostly tubers (carrots, rutabagas, beets) and fruit.

Has your doctor given you any clues about what caused the gastric erosion? NSAIDS, prescription drugs, etc.?

I never ever took any prescription drugs or NSAIDS. I don't drink or smoke. The only bad things I did was eating chocolate or desserts almost daily.

I actually asked my doctor that question. He does not know, but I think it is related to me being gluten intolerant. I had gastritis two years ago and it all started with me eating more bread. My doctor also said it looked like I had it for a long time, but I just did not know about it because those symptoms were masked by my gluten intolerance symptoms.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I bet that GAPS diet I linked to above will help heal your stomach. Most of the foods you're eating now are the ones recommended for healing! You just need to add the probiotics, bone broth, and fermented veggies like homemade sauerkraut. Bone broth especially, since the gelatin is supposed to be protective for your stomach.

vb10 Newbie
vb10
Posted
  • Author

I bet that GAPS diet I linked to above will help heal your stomach. Most of the foods you're eating now are the ones recommended for healing! You just need to add the probiotics, bone broth, and fermented veggies like homemade sauerkraut. Bone broth especially, since the gelatin is supposed to be protective for your stomach.

Thanks for the link, I checked it out. I eat less foods that are allowed by the GAPS diet. I basically follow a very restrictive version of GAPS-allowed foods that do not bother my stomach.

I bought some bones so I am going to make a bone broth.

I am making sauerkraut as we speak. As for probiotics, not sure which ones are gluten-safe.

My questions is: how long will take for me to heal since, when I was diagnosed being gluten intolerant, I was practically bedridden and thought I was dying from some mysterious illness.

Why is my recovery not steady (not better every single day) but goes in leaps and bounds? Is that normal? I am ready to wait as long as I know I will recover from it at some point.

Thanks again for answering.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I'm going in fits and starts, with periods of setback. My TCM doctor says to be patient with chronic illnesses, and that recovery takes time. It goes in cycles, like the yin-yang symbol. Sometimes we have "black" days, sometimes "white", sometimes in-between. If you are having more good days than you were a couple months back, you are on the right track. There is no answer as to when you will be fully well, because it's so individual.

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