Need Advice On Elimination Diet Please

[Allytta]

Hello everyone, I am trying to diagnose if I am gluten sensitive. So far my GP hasn't been involved, because I don't have concrete evidence to go with and would like to complete elimination diet on my own first. I am very hesitant about asking for blood tests, but have already had thyroid panel done and I do have thyroid antibodies and need have it checked once a year. So some autoimmune activity going on. I have noticed my tummy activity decreasing, having to go to the toilet 5-6 times a day, frequent diarrhoea, weight gain, depression, low energy, headaches etc. So I decided to go gluten free for 2 weeks, couldn't last that long and went off it a week later and have been having the worst time. Runny tummy, stomach aches... few days before that my housemate had the same symptoms, I think he might have had a stomach bug. Maybe i got it too? So fat I've been grain free for 3 days now, it's getting slightly better, but I also started taking probiotics yesterday as diarrhoea was driving me insane. It helped a lot. So now I'm not sure how to continue, go grain free for 30 days and start introducing them one by one to see how I react, or just start having wheat right away? I have trouble imagining going 30 days without gluten, as I also struggle with weight and am what you'd call addicted to food. I already started dreaming of sausages, and pizzas and everything I can't eat. Please, any advice or support will be appreciated.

P.S. Even though undiagnosed, my grandma is suffering from what is a serious gluten sensitivity, the reason's it's not diagnosed is her doctor never heard of it and I am the only person who told her she might have it a few weeks back. My sister went gluten free and has very big digestion improvements. Trying to educate my parents as well, as dad has metabolic syndrome.

[basilicious]

  On 2/23/2012 at 4:47 PM, Allytta said:

Hello everyone, I am trying to diagnose if I am gluten sensitive. So far my GP hasn't been involved, because I don't have concrete evidence to go with and would like to complete elimination diet on my own first. I am very hesitant about asking for blood tests, but have already had thyroid panel done and I do have thyroid antibodies and need have it checked once a year. So some autoimmune activity going on. I have noticed my tummy activity decreasing, having to go to the toilet 5-6 times a day, frequent diarrhoea, weight gain, depression, low energy, headaches etc. So I decided to go gluten free for 2 weeks, couldn't last that long and went off it a week later and have been having the worst time. Runny tummy, stomach aches... few days before that my housemate had the same symptoms, I think he might have had a stomach bug. Maybe i got it too? So fat I've been grain free for 3 days now, it's getting slightly better, but I also started taking probiotics yesterday as diarrhoea was driving me insane. It helped a lot. So now I'm not sure how to continue, go grain free for 30 days and start introducing them one by one to see how I react, or just start having wheat right away? I have trouble imagining going 30 days without gluten, as I also struggle with weight and am what you'd call addicted to food. I already started dreaming of sausages, and pizzas and everything I can't eat. Please, any advice or support will be appreciated.

P.S. Even though undiagnosed, my grandma is suffering from what is a serious gluten sensitivity, the reason's it's not diagnosed is her doctor never heard of it and I am the only person who told her she might have it a few weeks back. My sister went gluten free and has very big digestion improvements. Trying to educate my parents as well, as dad has metabolic syndrome.

Welcome to the board. I'm sorry you aren't feeling well, and this stage can be really overwhelming, especially since you don't feel like your usual self. Rather than doing a very strict elimination diet, one suggestion would be to start a food journal and monitor how you feel after meals. (Keep in mind that there will likely be a bit of variation in how quickly you respond to disagreeable foods, so try to identify trends rather than reading too much into how you feel directly after each meal.) After about 30 days, you should be able to identify whether gluten or other foods make you feel bad.

As for your food addiction, I know that must add another layer of stress to this. However, my advice would be to try to step back, take the focus off food and shift the focus to your body's wellness. Ultimately, it's not worth it to think about the foods you can't eat...you won't feel as deprived if you focus on properly nourishing your body. When you prioritize nutritious foods in balanced quantities, the imbalances and junk fall by the wayside. Also, try to focus on the healing power of food rather than your emotional connection to it.

Hope this helps. Best of luck!