Fell Off The Wagon.

[Brittany85]

Today is day 17 for me and two days ago I was getting ready for a dinner out at a Chinese restaurant where I knew I would probably not be able to eat anything so gave in and ate my favorite chips- Barbeque Baked Lay's. The ingredients lists wheat as a flavoring and I ate it anyway. I knew I would probably suffer the consequences in some way. To my surprise, I did not get a stomach ache. (I had slipped and ate Red Vines on day 5 and had a stomach ache and felt like crap for hours afterward. The day after the chips, yesterday, I had a migraine almost the entire day.

Is this a common result? Did I react this way because my body was getting used to living without gluten and it overreacted?

[UKGail]

Getting a migraine is one of my primary symptoms of a glutening, just from cross-contamination or (for me anyway) by inhalation of gluteny cooking fumes.

[kareng]

I haven't really gotten a migrane since I was gluten free for a few months. (Knock on wood) So, yes, a migraine can be from gluten. It cam be from other things like hormones, too.

You're so early into the gluten-free diet and have had 2 "cheats" already so you really haven't been gluten-free for 17 days. I think its too early to blame everything on gluten. You need to get the diet under control and allow your self at least a few months to heal. Those were the 2 "glutenings" that you know about, but everyone has 1 or 2 other foods they don't realize at first. Rice Kripsie Treats, soy sauce and Corn flakes are a few that I see often trip people up.

Give it some time.

[ndw3363]

Me too - migraine is the first signal that I ate something I shouldn't have. And they are so specific - unlike any other migraine I've ever had. And I could take the whole bottle of advil (obviously I wouldn't), and it wouldn't touch it. It was as if my brain was telling me that there are no short cuts and I just had to ride out the pain and try to never do it again. It does get easier...hang in there. I still have days where all I want to do is just rebel completely and dive in, but I don't. I'm undiagnosed which makes it a bit harder for me too. I tried doing the gluten challenge to get tested again, but I just can't deal with how I feel - so I'll just stay away.

[UKGail]

Yeah, that's it. I can't take anything for it, except possibly one dose at the outset. It doesn't touch the pain at all. I also get bad nausea, and medication when I have a migraine/glutening just makes it worse.

As for temptation, I don't feel it. My migraines and nausea/sickness with body aches and pains are so bad for a day or two (I am typically fit for nothing in bed) that I have zero desire to risk another episode.

[Brittany85]

  On 2/22/2012 at 9:08 PM, kareng said:

I haven't really gotten a migrane since I was gluten free for a few months. (Knock on wood) So, yes, a migraine can be from gluten. It cam be from other things like hormones, too.

You're so early into the gluten-free diet and have had 2 "cheats" already so you really haven't been gluten-free for 17 days. I think its too early to blame everything on gluten. You need to get the diet under control and allow your self at least a few months to heal. Those were the 2 "glutenings" that you know about, but everyone has 1 or 2 other foods they don't realize at first. Rice Kripsie Treats, soy sauce and Corn flakes are a few that I see often trip people up.

Give it some time.

Okay, I suppose it's more realistic to say 17 days of attempting to be gluten-free. I have been careful about everything that I eat. The slip ups have been pretty deliberate. I have found comfort in fresh foods like the fresh pico de gallo and guacamole I made this morning, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, simple salads, etc.

I'm also undiagnosed. My mother has celiac disease and I know I don't handle gluten well. My husband thinks I'm a hypochondriac because I haven't been tested.

[kareng]

  On 2/22/2012 at 10:24 PM, Brittany85 said:

Okay, I suppose it's more realistic to say 17 days of attempting to be gluten-free. I have been careful about everything that I eat. The slip ups have been pretty deliberate. I have found comfort in fresh foods like the fresh pico de gallo and guacamole I made this morning, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, simple salads, etc.

I'm also undiagnosed. My mother has celiac disease and I know I don't handle gluten well. My husband thinks I'm a hypochondriac because I haven't been tested.

I'm just trying to point out that you are just starting, so lots of body parts might be messed up.

It will be hard if hub won't go along with you.

[Katrala]

  On 2/22/2012 at 10:24 PM, Brittany85 said:

My husband thinks I'm a hypochondriac because I haven't been tested.

"Cheating" will make it harder for your husband to take your seriously.

[eatmeat4good]

I used to get migraines all the time. For a few years they were daily. The migraine that happens with gluten is the worst, but they don't happen to me anymore unless I get CC'd accidentally. Don't listen to those who say Hypochondriac...because gluten really can give you all of kinds of symptoms. But this is your husband and it may be a problem if you are sensitive to cc and he kisses you after eating gluten. I had a hard time learning this one. But experience is a good teacher.

I laugh now at my mistakes when I was newly gluten free. We went out to eat right away. Halfway through the meal, I realize my rice has those little vermicelli strings of pasta in it. And I was sitting there chatting away about how good I feel being gluten free! I ended up in bed with a migraine for days. ugh.

Hang in there, but yes, you should know that your symptoms can change over time.

[IrishHeart]

  On 2/22/2012 at 10:24 PM, Brittany85 said:

I'm also undiagnosed. My mother has celiac disease and I know I don't handle gluten well. My husband thinks I'm a hypochondriac because I haven't been tested.

Your chances of having celiac are pretty good. Your mother has it and you have symptoms consistent with it. It's not an "over-reaction", it's a reaction to gluten. I had migraines most of my life. Not anymore!

A hypochondriac doesn't "make up" migraines and it's too bad your husband feels this way.

It will be difficult to get support from him if you intentionally cheat AND have to put up with his skepticism while you feel lousy.

Just curious....why not get tested yourself?

[Brittany85]

  On 2/26/2012 at 12:42 AM, IrishHeart said:

Your chances of having celiac are pretty good. Your mother has it and you have symptoms consistent with it. It's not an "over-reaction", it's a reaction to gluten. I had migraines most of my life. Not anymore!

A hypochondriac doesn't "make up" migraines and it's too bad your husband feels this way.

It will be difficult to get support from him if you intentionally cheat AND have to put up with his skepticism while you feel lousy.

Just curious....why not get tested yourself?

I have come to the conclusion that I do want to be tested so that I know exactly what I'm dealing with. I just posted a question about how to do that in the Pre-testing board. I don't know if I have become more sensitive to gluten since changing my diet or it's just that I'm more aware of it, but I've gone back to gluten a bit (in preparation for testing) and I start to react within minutes. Is it really all in my head?

[IrishHeart]

  On 2/26/2012 at 1:18 AM, Brittany85 said:

I don't know if I have become more sensitive to gluten since changing my diet or it's just that I'm more aware of it, but I've gone back to gluten a bit (in preparation for testing) and I start to react within minutes. Is it really all in my head?

The more important question is....Do YOU think it's all in your head?

Does it happen when you eat other foods?

But, no,to answer you-- I don't think it's "all in your head." That is something many of us heard --or had implied to us--for years. That we would make this stuff up. I finally said to someone "How do you "make up" hair loss, 90 lbs. weight loss, muscle atrophy,severe vitamin deficiencies, insomnia, miscarriages,etc."

And whenever anyone suggests this to you--ask what is my motive? why would I make this up? that usually silences them.

The only way you will know is by dietary exclusion, but to be tested, you need to be consuming gluten for the test be valid.

[eatmeat4good]

It's not in your head, it's in your gluten foods.

You challenged it often, now you just have to figure out how to believe it or get tested.

[Brittany85]

Thanks. It's just nice to be around others who are going through this. I'm on the gluten challenge- eating a big bowl of pasta right now. I'm using this time as a "last hurrah" for the gluten foods that I love.

[IrishHeart]

  On 2/27/2012 at 1:58 AM, Brittany85 said:

Thanks. It's just nice to be around others who are going through this. I'm on the gluten challenge- eating a big bowl of pasta right now. I'm using this time as a "last hurrah" for the gluten foods that I love.

Sweetie,

I ate a big bowl of pasta and homemade meatballs last night. Delicious!

Wheat pasta is not the only pasta in the world.

Not one person I know who is a WE (wheat eater) can tell the difference when eating rice or corn pasta.

You have got to look at this gluten-free diet as an answer to your health problems, not a death sentence!

We all eat non-gluteny delicious goodies. Except for phyllo dough, I have found substitutes for everything.

Good luck with your testing, but remember the only thing that matter is how you feel OFF gluten.

IH

[Brittany85]

  On 2/27/2012 at 2:05 PM, IrishHeart said:

Sweetie,

I ate a big bowl of pasta and homemade meatballs last night. Delicious!

Wheat pasta is not the only pasta in the world.

Not one person I know who is a WE (wheat eater) can tell the difference when eating rice or corn pasta.

You have got to look at this gluten-free diet as an answer to your health problems, not a death sentence!

We all eat non-gluteny delicious goodies. Except for phyllo dough, I have found substitutes for everything.

Good luck with your testing, but remember the only thing that matter is how you feel OFF gluten.

IH

Yes, I believe it's just something I have to get used to. Actually, I've found that since making a conscious effort to stay away from gluten, I've gotten the hang of it and now have to figure out how to eat gluten every day. I know it's not the end of the world. I know I'll be fine gluten-free. I'm much more inclined to eat whole foods when gluten-free anyway.

Aw, man. This challenge is making me all kinds of funky. I feel like I'm in a fog.... UGH.

[IrishHeart]

  On 2/27/2012 at 5:15 PM, Brittany85 said:

Aw, man. This challenge is making me all kinds of funky. I feel like I'm in a fog.... UGH.

Sorry, kiddo---that's always one of my first signs--I call it Gluten Head hell.