Thanks For Being Here

[Marie1976]

Hi all

Just wanted to say thanks for being here! I have gotten so much support from this forum. Everyone who has responded to my posts, and also just reading everybody's posts lets me know I'm not alone in all this CRAZINESS!

I was happy in some ways to be diagnosed with celiac because at least now I know what's wrong with me. And it's not a fatal disease. All I have to do is not eat gluten (ha ha -- did I think that was going to be so easy? I didn't realize I was going to lose all tolerance for it after quitting it, and not be able to be in the same f-ing room with it!)

I thought a diagnosis was the answer to my problems because I'll just stop eating gluten and yay I'll feel better. Not the case. My main symptom has gotten better but now I've gotten all new symptoms and to make matters more confusing, I don't know if my problems ARE even celiac symptoms or something else. (Right now I'm suffering from depression, fatigue, extreme irritability. Whether I'm being glutened is anybody's guess.)

Anyway. The doctors act like a diagnosis is the end of your problems. They're not real helpful. "You have celiac disease. Don't eat gluten." And then they send you on your way. I guess they assume we will all go home and google it and end up here, where we get answers from real people who have been through this stuff.

Whenever I have questions or feel like NOBODY UNDERSTANDS ME, I can come here and find someone on this forum who has gone through this and it makes me feel better.

Thank you.

[dani nero]

I thought The same thing only to find out becoming gluten free was only the beginning.

As you stated however,at least we know what the problem is and how to fix it and ita not fatal. we can also go to dieticians for help but the experience that exists here is all we need: )the members are like human celiac encyclopedias and not only do they communicate but also feel compassion.

[NickMcKinnis]

Hi all

Just wanted to say thanks for being here! I have gotten so much support from this forum. Everyone who has responded to my posts, and also just reading everybody's posts lets me know I'm not alone in all this CRAZINESS!

I was happy in some ways to be diagnosed with celiac because at least now I know what's wrong with me. And it's not a fatal disease. All I have to do is not eat gluten (ha ha -- did I think that was going to be so easy? I didn't realize I was going to lose all tolerance for it after quitting it, and not be able to be in the same f-ing room with it!)

I thought a diagnosis was the answer to my problems because I'll just stop eating gluten and yay I'll feel better. Not the case. My main symptom has gotten better but now I've gotten all new symptoms and to make matters more confusing, I don't know if my problems ARE even celiac symptoms or something else. (Right now I'm suffering from depression, fatigue, extreme irritability. Whether I'm being glutened is anybody's guess.)

Anyway. The doctors act like a diagnosis is the end of your problems. They're not real helpful. "You have celiac disease. Don't eat gluten." And then they send you on your way. I guess they assume we will all go home and google it and end up here, where we get answers from real people who have been through this stuff.

Whenever I have questions or feel like NOBODY UNDERSTANDS ME, I can come here and find someone on this forum who has gone through this and it makes me feel better.

Thank you.

Concerning what you said about doctors, my experience was exactly the same."Good news! you have celiac disease now you can just avoid gluten, here is a list of ingredients you can't have... here's the bill" Unfortunately, I didn't really start googling until later

Sorry to hear about your depression/irratability/fatigue. I have been gluten free for just over two years now and I seem to get glutened just enough to keep those particular symptoms around. I hope you get the relief you are looking for.

[1desperateladysaved]

I understand about the MD just sending one on their way. I wish it were so easy. I too am experiencing new reachtions and wondering what on earth? I too look at the forum and discover I feel the same things as everyone else.

[Adalaide]

Oh gosh, doctors... my doctor (who I love) actually told me he probably knows less about celiac than me and sent me home and told me to find info on the internet. He didn't hope I did, he TOLD me to! Now I bring him resources so he can give information to his other celiac patients.

You're right, everyone here is awesome. They convinced me I wasn't crazy and that diagnosis isn't the end of the world, it's the beginning of living again. If we have to figure out so much on our own at least we all have each other to get us through.

[Googles]

"You have celiac disease. Don't eat gluten." And then they send you on your way.

This is exactly what my Dr. said when I was diagnosed. And it was over the phone no less. Then she was like, we'll send you to a nutritionist. Who was only able to give me list of foods (an outdated list) and said there was nothing else she could do for me. I left that appointment and cried before I had to go back to work. (When there really wasn't a break as I worked at the same hospital that my Dr. was at.) This site saved my sanity when I felt like there was no way I was going to understand what this all meant.

[Lisa]

Keep a food journal. You might be able to find what's bothering you. Limit your dairy and get a full metabolic panel done to check for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

And healing takes time.

[beachbirdie]

I thought a diagnosis was the answer to my problems because I'll just stop eating gluten and yay I'll feel better. Not the case. My main symptom has gotten better but now I've gotten all new symptoms and to make matters more confusing, I don't know if my problems ARE even celiac symptoms or something else. (Right now I'm suffering from depression, fatigue, extreme irritability. Whether I'm being glutened is anybody's guess.)

Anyway. The doctors act like a diagnosis is the end of your problems. They're not real helpful. "You have celiac disease. Don't eat gluten." And then they send you on your way. I guess they assume we will all go home and google it and end up here, where we get answers from real people who have been through this stuff.

Some people have found it can take weeks to months before feeling better on the diet. I just started gluten-free in mid-May, and for 3 weeks I was depressed, angry, irritable, moody, achy and very fatigued. Not so much now! Some people DO experience very real withdrawal symptoms, which makes sense since gluten acts in similar fashion to opioid drugs in many people!

Hang in there, it will get better! And as you've found, there are wonderfully supportive people hanging around here!

[jnh380]

Hi all

Just wanted to say thanks for being here! I have gotten so much support from this forum. Everyone who has responded to my posts, and also just reading everybody's posts lets me know I'm not alone in all this CRAZINESS!

I was happy in some ways to be diagnosed with celiac because at least now I know what's wrong with me. And it's not a fatal disease. All I have to do is not eat gluten (ha ha -- did I think that was going to be so easy? I didn't realize I was going to lose all tolerance for it after quitting it, and not be able to be in the same f-ing room with it!)

I thought a diagnosis was the answer to my problems because I'll just stop eating gluten and yay I'll feel better. Not the case. My main symptom has gotten better but now I've gotten all new symptoms and to make matters more confusing, I don't know if my problems ARE even celiac symptoms or something else. (Right now I'm suffering from depression, fatigue, extreme irritability. Whether I'm being glutened is anybody's guess.)

Anyway. The doctors act like a diagnosis is the end of your problems. They're not real helpful. "You have celiac disease. Don't eat gluten." And then they send you on your way. I guess they assume we will all go home and google it and end up here, where we get answers from real people who have been through this stuff.

Whenever I have questions or feel like NOBODY UNDERSTANDS ME, I can come here and find someone on this forum who has gone through this and it makes me feel better.

Thank you.

Hi Marie,

Just wanted to say that your post echoes my own experience very closely. I am now exactly 3 months into it and have been struggling with a lot of ups and downs. I now know exaclty what a glutening reaction is, but most times cannot pinpoint what it was I ate. I know I should be hypervigilant and only eat things I know are ok, but it is really easy to get a false sense of security when something says its gluten free. Lately I have been having problems with the cross contamination. Grilles, pans, toaster, etc.

At the three months I have felt soo much better it convinces me I am celiac for sure, but then the next day I will have a really bad reaction to something and I gets me anxious, depressed, and doubting all over again. It is such a roller coaster sometimes. But I can see that I have made improvements in three months, and I am excited about the improvements I will see in the next 3 months. It is a long process and I know there will be more ups and downs along the way.

The hardest part is going through it without much information. Nobaody knows how you specifically will react to the diet changes and how fast you recover. This guessing game can lead to a lot of self doubt and insecurity. Just have faith that you are going in the right direction and someday soon you will see small improvements turn into big improvements and maybe you will eventually forget how bad you once felt. I feel like I am halfway there.

[DianaMReid]

I have just been gluten free for a little more than a month, finding out I had celiac disease was a shock. I am glad I found this forum and know that there are folks having the same issues and feelings that I am experiencing. I also have become very depressed and just tired when I get home from work. I keep thinking my energy level will improve but it has not with being gluten-free, like everyone says it will. Again,I am thankful that this medium exists and I am sure will be adding posts and questions now.

[Strawberry-Jam]

give it time. it took 9-12 months for me to feel, like, normal on a regular basis

except now i'm sick from some kind of contamination a few days ago, yaaaaaaaay (not)

luckily each new exposure doesn't set you back for years since the reaction is proportional to the exposure

cheers and feel well ok

[Lisa]

Great comments!