Jump to content


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

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

Things I've Noticed Since Going Gluten Free

Finally-45

Recommended Posts

Finally-45 Contributor
Finally-45
Posted

I imagine most of us swarm the celiac websites for symptoms we didn't even know we had, so I thought it would be interesting to note some things I've noticed now that I'm on the dawn of my 6mo anniversary:

Expected improvements:

Better absorption of nutrients (taking less Vit D and iron than initially)

Less stomach aches

White Blood Cell count improved; I was within normal range for the first time in my life by the 4th month.)

Unexpected improvements:

Calloused feet significantly reduced.

Softer hair.

Hardly any acne

No indigestion when eating spicy foods or onions

Reduced need for bifocals

Get this, my eyes used to always feel sensitive. Like they were always tired. All gone.

Better energy, I can climb stairs without feeling winded so easily

Muscles are not getting sore so quickly

Joints don't ache at all.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Avalon451 Apprentice
Avalon451
Posted

That's great news! Hope you continue to improve and enjoy life more.

My endoscopy is tomorrow, so this is my last night before going completely gluten-free. I'm thinking I should take before/after pictures?! I'm looking forward to seeing what improvements I can make in 6 months. Your note is very encouraging!

tom Contributor
tom
Posted

It is pretty amazing how many "symptoms" we didn't think were symptoms become apparent when they go away w gluten-free diet.

I'm usually reluctant to tell non-celiacs that my vision improved & my shoes fit better lol. Plenty of straightfwd symptoms went away, no use talking about extras that seem nutty/dismissable.

BabsV Enthusiast
BabsV
Posted

Congrats!

I go in next week for my 6 month blood test...and I think I need to make a list of all the overall improvements going gluten-free has resulted in for me. I'm still boggling at my fingernails which used to rip and tear easily and took forever to grow out. I'm now trimming them every week because they are growing great guns and are stronger then they ever have been. Amazing what 'problems' I had that I didn't even realize were problems...

biancanera Newbie
biancanera
Posted

It's weird, right? I've been gluten free over a month now myself and it's weird how much has changed. For me it's been:

No more muscle pain

Clear of acne

No more migraines

I used to have this really intense agoraphobia I dealt with every single day but in the last few weeks it hasn't even made an appearance

My system is moving regularly if you know what i mean... :P

No more nausea or pain after eating!

Some of these things have been a problem for me since I was 10 years old, so it's crazy to think I've been poisoning myself all this time. I'd had every mri and cat scan and blood test known to mankind since I was that age and they've never had an answer before now.

I wonder how many people out there are sick every day and don't know why.

jcronan Rookie
jcronan
Posted

It

Finally-45 Contributor
Finally-45
Posted
  • Author

"One strange side effect I have noticed is that my skin tone seems brighter-- and my cheeks seem to have a regular flush of color."

I read that hyper-pigmentation has been seen in people with Celiac disease. So it is possible that your skin may appear lighter or that you won't get discoloration so easily.

Women with Celiac are also more prone to urinary tract infections. I used to get them ALL the time until I learned to reduce my sugar intake and sodas years ago. I even went on the Yeast Connection diet for a long while. (Which cuts sugar and starches; increases healthy organisms in the gut.) It is funny to my husband that I RAVED about how good I felt when following that diet and now we know that I was actually just feeling better because I significantly reduced gluten-containing foods. I still keep soda and heavy sweets out of my diet though. My skin was pretty healthy then too. That book has sold like crazy in the past, much to doctors dismay; it would nice if the doctors actually tried to explain why some people really feel good following a yeast-free diet than to simply criticize it. We might heal more people.

I also recall when I went through a phase of fasting and trying to eat nothing but fruits/veges/nuts/herbs and light oil, that people kept saying my skin looked vibrant. Boy do I wish I had tracked my patterns, I would have figured it out sooner.

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.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Scott Adams
      0

      Why Celiac Diagnosis Still Takes Years—and How to Change That

    2. JoJo0611
      - JoJo0611 posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      0

      Awaiting Biopsy results

      I have had my endoscopy this morning with biopsies. My consultant said that it looked like I did have coeliac disease from what he could see. I now have to wait 3 weeks for the biopsy results. Do I continue eating gluten till my follow appointment in three weeks.
    3. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to emzie's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Stomach hurts with movement

      Hi @emzie and welcome to the forum. Perhaps could be residual inflammation and bloating that is causing sensitivity in that area. I was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2013 and I remember some years ago my sister telling me around that time that she had a lady in her church, also a coeliac, who had real pain when she turned her torso in a certain...
    4. emzie
      - emzie posted a topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Stomach hurts with movement

      Hi! One of the usual symptoms I have with a gluten flare up has deviated a bit and I thought I'd search for advice/opinions here. Also to see if anyone goes through similar stuff. Monday all of a sudden I got really bad pain in my stomach (centre, right under the chest, where the duodenum would be located). I ended up having to throw up for 2 hours, my body...
    5. Flash1970
      - Flash1970 replied to Ginger38's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      3

      Shingles - Could It Be Related to Gluten/ Celiac

      Hi. So sorry to hear about your shingles. There is a lidocaine cream that you can get at Walmart that will help numb the pain. That's what I used for mine. It can't be put near your eyes or in your ears. I hope your doctor gave you valacyclovir which is an antiviral. It does lessen the symptoms. If it is in your eyes, see an ophthalmologist. They have...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,454
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    jscal6
    Newest Member
    jscal6
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • JoJo0611
      Awaiting Biopsy results

      By JoJo0611 · Posted

      I have had my endoscopy this morning with biopsies. My consultant said that it looked like I did have coeliac disease from what he could see. I now have to wait 3 weeks for the biopsy results. Do I continue eating gluten till my follow appointment in three weeks.  
    • cristiana
      Stomach hurts with movement

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hi @emzie and welcome to the forum. Perhaps could be residual inflammation and bloating that is causing sensitivity in that area.  I was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2013 and I remember some years ago my sister telling me around that time that she had a lady in her church, also a coeliac, who  had real pain when she turned her torso in a certain direction whilst doing exercises, but otherwise was responding well to the gluten-free diet. As far as I know is still the picture of health. I often end up with pain in various parts of my gut if I eat too much rich food or certain types of fibre (for some reasons walnuts make my gut hurt, and rice cakes!) and and as a rule, the pain usually hangs around for a number of days, maybe up to a week.   When I bend over or turn, I can feel it.  I think this is actually due to my other diagnosis of IBS, for years I thought I had a rumbling appendix but I think it must have just been IBS.  Reading the experiences of other sufferers, it seems quite typical.  Sensitized gut, build up of gas - it stands to reason that the extra pressure of turning can increase the pain. When I am glutened I get a burning, gnawing pain in my stomach on and off for some days - it isn't constant, but it can take up a few hours of the day.  I believe this to be gastritis, but it seems to hurt irrespective of movement.   Anyway, you are doing the right thing to seek a professional opinion, though, so do let us know how you get on.   Meanwhile, might I suggest you drink peppermint tea, or try slices of fresh ginger in hot water? A lot of IBS sufferers say the former is very helpful in relieving cramps, etc, and the latter is very soothing on the stomach. Cristiana
    • emzie
      Stomach hurts with movement

      By emzie · Posted

      Hi! One of the usual symptoms I have with a gluten flare up has deviated a bit and I thought I'd search for advice/opinions here. Also to see if anyone goes through similar stuff. Monday all of a sudden I got really bad pain in my stomach (centre, right under the chest, where the duodenum would be located). I ended up having to throw up for 2 hours, my body was trying to get rid of something from all sides and it was just horrible. Since then I havent been nauseous anymore at all, but the pain has stayed and it always worsens the moment i start moving. The more I move the more it hurts, and when i rest longer it seems to dissapear (no movement). I've had this before, but years ago I think around when I first got diagnosed with coeliac, where each time I moved, my stomach would hurt, to the point where I went to the ER because doctors got freaked out. That only lasted 1 night though, and Now it's already wednesday, so 3 days since then, but the pain persists and remains leveled. it doesn't get crazy intense, but it's still uncomfortable to the point I cant really go out because Im afraid itll turn into a giant flare up again. I couldn't think of where I could possibly have been glutened at this bad of a level and why it hasn't passed yet. I went to the GP, and as long as I have no fever and the pain isnt insane then its fine which I havent had yet. Tomorrow im also seeing a gastroenterologist specialized in IBS and coeliac for the first time finally in years, but I thought I'd ask on here anyway because it still hasnt dissapeared. It also hurts when someone presses on it. Maybe it's just really inflamed/irritated. I'm just frustrated because I'm missing out on my uni lectures and I do a sports bachelor, so I can't get behind on stuff & next to that i'm also going to go to the beach with my boyfriend's family this weekend: ( 
    • Flash1970
      Shingles - Could It Be Related to Gluten/ Celiac

      By Flash1970 · Posted

      Hi. So sorry to hear about your shingles. There is a lidocaine cream that you can get at Walmart that will help numb the pain.  That's what I used for mine. It can't be put near your eyes or in your ears. I hope your doctor gave you valacyclovir which is an antiviral.  It does lessen the symptoms. If it is in your eyes,  see an ophthalmologist.  They have an antiviral eye drop that can be prescribed.  Shingles in the eye could cause blindness.  I was unsure whether you have celiac or not.  If you do,  follow the diet.  I believe that extra stress on your body does affect everything. Shingles can recur. If you start getting the warning signs of nerves tingling,  see the dr and start taking the valacyclovir to prevent a breakout. If I sound technical,  I am a retired pharmacist. 
    • Scott Adams
      celiac disease and braces

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      You are right to be proactive, as research does indicate that individuals with celiac disease can have a higher predisposition to enamel defects, cavities, and periodontal issues, even with excellent oral hygiene. While many people with celiac successfully undergo orthodontic treatment without complication, your caution is valid. It may be beneficial to seek a consultation with an orthodontist who is familiar with managing patients with autoimmune conditions or who is willing to collaborate with your daughter's gastroenterologist or a periodontist. They can perform a thorough assessment of her current oral health, discuss your specific concerns about recession and decay, and create a tailored hygiene plan. This second opinion could provide a clearer risk-benefit analysis, helping you decide if addressing the cosmetic concern of the lower teeth is worth the potential risks for your daughter, especially if they are not currently affecting function or her confidence. 
×
×
  • 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.