Need Recovery Help Please.

[razzle51 0]

Does this diet make you tired all the time... I does me ...

[Adalaide 362]

I have been exhausted for so long that it's pretty much a way of life for me. Before being gluten free I'd find myself sleeping 12-20 hours a day at least 4 days a week, usually more like 5 or 6. Now I find that only happening about twice a week which is awesome. I still don't have the energy to do much and am quite easily worn out but at least I'm awake more than I'm asleep. If you're new to all of this, it can take your body time to adjust. If you aren't, I'd highly suspect that you have additional health issues and should address that with your doctor. (Assuming your doctor isn't as moronic as many of our doctors are.)

[BabsV 19]

The longer I've been on the diet the more energy I've had. It does take time to heal but you also might want to look at what you are eating. I found that I needed to up my protein consumption and eat several small meals a day -- with 2-3 oz. of protein at each sitting. Yes, I felt like I was eating all the time for a while but it made a huge difference and I didn't crash in the afternoons. Stick to natural foods like meats, veg, fruit, cheese (if you can tolerate dairy), eggs, etc. and skip the gluten-free replacement foods except for occasional 'treats.'

If you haven't had it done, have your vitamin levels checked -- deficiencies can cause tiredness. Also, I was slightly anemic when I was diagnosed...that cleared up after about 3 months which helped me gain more energy.

Good luck and stick with it. It does get better.

[dani nero 50]

Does this diet make you tired all the time... I does me ...

Do you take any supplements?

[razzle51 0]

no cant take supplements . they make me sick . I get my blood checked 3 times a year and everything is ok for now...

[BrandiS 0]

what all are you using/doing for your fatigue? i am extremely fatigued ALL the time but at the same time deal with insomnia? doesnt make much sense if you ask me! lol

[Lori2 27]

Going gluten free cured my insomnia--totally. And it's also made a big difference in my energy level.

[robertwilburn35 0]

I have been gluten free (baring a couple of oops moments) and at first I was tired. I found out part of my problem was sleep apnea. Which was wierd to me but cpap helped. I forced myself back to exercise and over the last two months I feel better than I have in years. I was exercising before I found out my problems but now I feel better than I did then.

[CanineGluten 22]

Your tired? lol yoi need tp do intermittent fasting. Or simply try this. Dont eat for the first 3-5 hours after waking. Just drink tea/coffee whatever. Trust me you will have so much energy it becomes the opposite problem.

It might take a couple days, but basically your body will come to like and expect.. and you wont even be hungry. And this is a weak version of IF. (intermittent fasting).

Also get rid of dairy and grains for a few days to kick start it.

[IrishHeart 1,640]

Celiacs suffer from malnourishment from malabsorption and a serious lack of nutrients and vitamins --and the last thing you want to do is starve your body even more.

Fasting is NOT a good idea. Do not do this.

You're fatigued from being ill for a long time, hon.

Your body will start to rebound the longer you remain gluten free and your gut heals. This recovery takes time.

Be sure to HYDRATE. Drink water.

EAT PROTEIN with every meal, snack frequently and enjoy good healthy fats. You need Omega 3s.

Hang in there.

[razzle51 0]

not doing anything for fatigue . I went to bed last night at 7 pm and woke up about 1 hr ago.. it is now 10 am . I am going to try to eat more protein.... I have only been on the diet 3 and half weeks . guess I need to stay on it a little while longer .....

[IrishHeart 1,640]

I have only been on the diet 3 and half weeks . guess I need to stay on it a little while longer .....

If you are a Celiac, you need to stay on it for LIFE!

Your body is essentially re-booting itself. It's getting rid of gluten, toxins, and the villi heal and you absorb nutrients again. The fatigue will lift.

If your folate, iron and B-12 levels are fine and your thyroid is functioning properly, then I would say, just hang in there.

Sorry, I know it is not easy, but it just "is what it is"-- until it isn't. I get it. I was slugging through life like a walking zombie for a while there, and I COULD NOT sleep most nights at all. Some celiacs are raging insomniacs. I prayed for sleep.

Rest up; your body obviously needs it.

Try to be patient.

[razzle51 0]

I have been on this diet and now having serious constipation . does anybody else , thats why I thought more protein....

[IrishHeart 1,640]

I have been on this diet and now having serious constipation . does anybody else , thats why I thought more protein....

C is common. You take out all the gluten grains, and now you've got less fiber coming in.

Eat whole grains, brown rice, apples, fibrous veggies (leafy dark greens) and drink lots of water.

Take a probiotic every day.

You are going through all the phases we all went through.

Was your thyroid checked??

[deb445 5]

What about eliminating all grains? Including corn. I only mention this from personal experience - I was still reacting to corn gluten, but didn't know it. I stopped eating it just to prove to myself (and my sister who suggested it - she is celiac) that it was NOT affecting me. I've had no desire to test it by eating it again, as I feel so good off of it. I keep saying that maybe I'll try corn again, but not until I get through my TO DO list, because I'm finally getting stuff done!

[CanineGluten 22]

Yes why not just reducing eliminating grains even for a period of time.

Irish Heart, IF is the only thing that has allowed me to be decently healthy for 4 years even though I was still eating whatever I wanted. Because when I personally fasted during the day, my body would speed cleaning.. seriously eating all the time is basically food addiction, and eating to subdue energy.

Have you ever been a raw foodist? I have.. once you so that you know that cooked foods slow you way down.

That is why the warrior diet recommends undereating basically all day on cleanaing fruits/veggies... with a feeding window..

point being he needs energy. he needs cleansing. and i bet he could speed up his recovery also.

[razzle51 0]

yes Thyroid is fine I will look for a probiotic . thanks

I was thinking about Flax seed oil ??

[IrishHeart 1,640]

yes Thyroid is fine I will look for a probiotic . thanks

I was thinking about Flax seed oil ??

Try the dairy free, gluten-free Culturelle. It is backed by research and contains lactobaccilus GG. Custom probiotics multi-strain is also very good.

Taking a tablespoon of ground flaxseed in a big glass of water ( 16 oz.) every morning and evening will help your motility immensely. It is also loaded with EFAs (essential fatty acids) that we require.

Most celiacs are severely dehydrated, hon.

Ditch the sugary colas, etc. for a while and drink pure water all day long.

Serious constipation--meaning you do not go for days in a row--can make you very tired indeed.

I sound like a poopologist, but I can assure you, I had more bowel problems than you can imagine-- my entire life --and I took the time to research the gastrointestinal tract and how celiac disease develops and trust me when I tell you, INFLAMMATION is the culprit. You can eliminate foods, add foods, juice foods, and douse yourself with various fermented foods and expensive supplements and herbals until the cows come home, but if you do not knock down the inflammation first and repopulate the gut with good bacteria, you will not have much relief.

Been there/ done that. My GI tract was in flames from my mouth to rectum. I tried all the things people recommend: peppermint (Burned me), aloe (same thing) fermented foods (vomited and had D), juicing foods (vomiting and bloody D) raw foods (came out whole--both ways-- and caused bleeding), etc. etc.

So, no ---I do not think doing any of these things is particularly helpful when you are still very ill from celiac. If you want to try them in a few months, go for it. I know many people who are happy on the paleo diet.

Here is the bottom line: you are still healing. Fasting is most definitely not the answer right now. Your body is already in starving mode from celiac and it needs nutrients.

Hope you feel better soon. I had awful fatigue at the beginning and once my folate, B-12 and D levels came up with prescription-strength doses, and my bowels straightened out, I had more energy.

My life-long "IBS" and GERD?---is GONE.

[IrishHeart 1,640]

Irish Heart, IF is the only thing that has allowed me to be decently healthy for 4 years even though I was still eating whatever I wanted. Because when I personally fasted during the day, my body would speed cleaning.. seriously eating all the time is basically food addiction, and eating to subdue energy.

I am glad this works for you, but this is not what a malnourished celiac needs right now.

I do not think eating healthy proteins and veggies and fruits is a "food addiction".

I think of it as fueling my body which was starved for years because of malabsorption. I was DYING from celiac. I had lost 95 lbs. and I was very ill.

The last thing a malnourished body needs is LESS food.

I would NEVER, EVER recommend that a newly diagnosed celiac who has been suffering from malabsorption

and is still in starving mode take in LESS food and/or fast.

Do you understand what happens to a body with serious malabsorption? If so, you would never recommend this to someone.

A celiac can always go on a paleo/primal diet after healing the the gut first. Foods need to be cooked properly when someone's gut is still raw and lacking digestive enzymes.

[kareng 2,144]

Yes why not just reducing eliminating grains even for a period of time.

Irish Heart, IF is the only thing that has allowed me to be decently healthy for 4 years even though I was still eating whatever I wanted. Because when I personally fasted during the day, my body would speed cleaning.. seriously eating all the time is basically food addiction, and eating to subdue energy.

Have you ever been a raw foodist? I have.. once you so that you know that cooked foods slow you way down.

That is why the warrior diet recommends undereating basically all day on cleanaing fruits/veggies... with a feeding window..

point being he needs energy. he needs cleansing. and i bet he could speed up his recovery also.

Celiac is an auto immune disease. Eating any gluten, starts an immune response. Your " theory" that we can eat gluten as long as we fast after is wrong. Fasting will not stop the immune reaction. It will not " flush" out antibodies that are destroying us. Many people on here are tired due to side- effects of the inability to absorb nutrients in a damaged intestine. Side- effects like anemia. Denying them nutrition will not make the anemia or other vitamin deficiency better.

Your assertion that we should just cut down on the gluten grains is harmful. As we know, any amount of gluten can trigger the auto immune response. Saying that bingeing and fasting has kept you healthy is obviously incorrect. Bingeing and fasting is considered an eating disorder. The fact that the binge makes you anti- social is more evidence you are not well.

Fortunately, the posters on here are smart enough to realize this.