Is It Possible To Catch Celiac Disease Early Enough?

[Mnicole1981]

I have always had a weak stomach. Whenever I would have diarrhea, I would just say it was my nerves. I used to get so sick after eating Pizza Hut, that I just ate thin crust cheese and for about two years, I have not had any pizza. I would get these bouts so bad that I wasn't able to breath and would have asthma attacks. It would literally feel like my lungs were itching. Two of my sisters have the same problem.

Last June, I found out I was anemic. Shortly after that, the DH showed up. I really didn't start having any gastrointestinal problems until the end of February. I was bad then, but it went away. Started up again at the beginning of April and that is when it got really bad. Now I find out that I am hypothyroid and Vitamin D deficient. I was put on 50,000u for 12 weeks? My B12 was above normal.

I have cut out gluten completely now, but I also believe I am intolerant to soy. I had tuna in the pouch on Udi's sandwich bread and was sick within an hour of eating it and that is probably because of the vegetable broth it is in.

I guess I will have to continue living off of Rice Chex, eggs, and tilapia. Last night I had tilapia, half of a baked potato, and some sauteed cauliflower. Pretty sure the cauliflower has given me indigestion this morning.

[MitziG]

I am a little confused as to the title of your post as it doesn't seem to relate to the text?

I do know you are new to the gluten-free diet, and can reassure you that in the beginning, it seems like all systems just go "haywire" it is pretty common to feel worse before you feel good. Stick with your bland diet for a few months, then start adding in the things that bothered you before. Once your gut heals enough you may stop reacting to them.

[Mnicole1981]

I guess I forgot to include the question. Is it possible that I caught it early enough to not have any extensive damage? If that makes sense... everything just seemed kind of gradual. I got my asthma diagnosis at 14, GERD/hiatal hernia at 22, anemia at 30, but before this year, I had never been at the point where I was scared to eat and feeling as bad as I felt.

[Takala]

Yes, of course, there are people who are older than you who have gotten much better.

You may have to continuously keep re- tweaking "the diet" in the beginning, to get the hang of what works with your individual needs.

I can't eat commercial cereals in the am anymore, and be worth a darn. I can, however, eat real foods and feel much better. This means fruit, nuts, coconut milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, vegetables, anything not very high carb. In the beginning, I avoided all dairy. I went thru a phase where I tried the new gluten free cereals just for nostalgia's sake, but after the initial thrill, I got over it. Reactions to soy are common. I don't do well with flax, and I've learned the hard way not to eat gluten free commercially baked goods with the stuff in it, last Thanksgiving week was my last slip up on that, and I think it may have permanently cured me of the "oh, just one piece won't matter" attitude.

You may have to shop around at the fancy health food stores to find tuna that does not have **** garbage in it, or just get some frozen, and bake it up for the week. Be sure to rinse off all meat, fish, and chicken with cold water before cooking it, especially if it is out of the butcher case. You may want to try "wild caught" fish, as tilapia is farm raised and will have been fed grains and probably soy.

Try eating the cauliflower with pure apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Maybe some tumeric to aid digestion. (not my favorite vegetable, but whatever you want to try.... you could steam it, then add coconut milk and curry spice, also, or some yogurt ) You can also put cinnamon on broccoli, and it is surprisingly good that way.

[pricklypear1971]

You've got a lot going on.

Give yourself time, lots of time.

Eat as fresh as you can, as much as you can. If something bothers you don't immediately assume its a new intolerance. In the beginning, it's just weird.

I've been through stages where sugar bothered me, fat bothered me, heck - THE SUNRISE bothered me.

Your thyroid can be affecting things tremendously. I assume you are now supplementing?

Keep a food and symptom diary. It helps tremendously. If a single food bothers you don't eat it. The diary will help you pinpoint a pattern.