Am I Regressing?

[Jen H]

Hi everyone,

I found out I have celiac disease over a month ago. I've followed the gluten-free diet faithfully since then and I was feeling better after 2 weeks. I am starting to have stomach pain, nausea, brain fog, and exhaustion again and I was wondering if it is normal to have symptoms during the healing process? Did anyone begin to make progress and then have symptoms again?

Jen

[rmmadden]

Jen,

This happens all the time. I've been gluten-free for 9-months now and I still go up-and-down with the symptoms. Everyone is different blah, blah, blah....you know the drill by now. I'm hoping that as time goes by and my intestine's heal more that I can live without celiac disease occupying my EVERY THOUGHT. That being said I honestly don't believe I'll ever be without some celiac disease related symptoms going on so I just try to make the best of it.

Best of Luck!

Cleveland Bob

[Jen H]

Thanks, Cleveland Bob. I have been so careful about reading labels I'm becoming paranoid. It took about a year for doctors to figure out my diagnosis, so I guess I can't expect my symptoms to go away overnight. I"m just glad to know that this is a normal part of the process.

Jen

[drewsant]

Hi everyone,

I found out I have celiac disease over a month ago.  I've followed the gluten-free diet faithfully since then and I was feeling better after 2 weeks.  I am starting to have stomach pain, nausea, brain fog, and exhaustion again and I was wondering if it is normal to have symptoms during the healing process?  Did anyone begin to make progress and then have symptoms again? 

Jen

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was doing great for about a month, then the last week or so I've had big stomach problems again, and missed parts of 2 days of work, today included. I'm starting to feel a little paranoid as well, or that I really don't have Celiac and it's something else entirely.

[ravenwoodglass]

I was doing great for about a month, then the last week or so I've had big stomach problems again, and missed parts of 2 days of work, today included. I'm starting to feel a little paranoid as well, or that I really don't have Celiac and it's something else entirely.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Check diligently for a source of cross contamination or a hidden gluten source. Have you made your kitchen gluten-free or are you trying to cook in a gluten filled kitchen? Make sure you get a new toaster and clean like the health deptartment is coming if gluten containing foods are still in use in your home. It is best for the newly diagnosed to try and avoid fast food places, as a former head chef I can attest to the fact that some food service workers are not all that cooperative about observing the things neccessary for us like changing gloves and wiping serfaces before preparing our food. Don't drink soda out of a speed bar, if you go out for a beverage make it in a can or bottle to be safe. My son kept getting sick whenever he went to play pool, we finally realized it was the speed bar at the tavern he played at. Don't lose heart, contamination is all over out there, I learned the hard way that unless it is labeled gluten-free I need to call the company before I consume. Good luck.

[KaitiUSA]

I have been gluten free for almost 2 years and it took me a while to get back to normal. I would go a week feeling great and then have a few bad days. I was so up and down for quite some time.

Just make sure everything is gluten free(not only food but products like cosmetics, shampoos, soaps,lotions, etc)

Other than that you just have to give your body some time. Just think about the years of damage and chaos that your body had to go through fighting it. Now your body is healing and it can be a long and hard process. Everyone is different with times it takes for symptoms to go away.

[Jen H]

Thanks for the replies. Do you think am I unintentially glutening myself or is my body just taking time to heal? This is probably a dumb question, but why are the soda speed bars potentially harmful? Is it because other sodas have gluten in them and there can be cross contamination? Do you eventually get to a point where you feel healthy almost everyday?

Jen

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks for the replies.  Do you think am I unintentially glutening myself or is my body just taking time to heal?  This is probably a dumb question, but why are the soda speed bars potentially harmful?  Is it because other sodas have gluten in them and there can be cross contamination?  Do you eventually get to a point where you feel healthy almost everyday?

Jen

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is not just the cross contamination issue, although thats enough, Many fountain mixes are formulated differently from the stuff you buy in the store., most places won't stand on their head for you to read the labels and it's kind of a safe not sorry senario. Also for me I don't know what is in Sanitabs that are used in the 3rd rinse (read they sit in this, it is not rinsed off) and I have always gotten an upset stomach from bar glasses. Take heart though you will feel better, it takes us each different amounts of time to heal but healing will come and this is a great place for advice. I know I have learned a lot from everyone.

[Jen H]

Ravenwoodglass,

that's funny you mentioned the soda fountain. When I go out to a local bar with my friends I usually get a sprite. Each time I come home with stomach pain. I never put it together. I kept mentioning it to my husband, but we both thought it was just coincidental. I'll have to bring my own from now on.

Jen

[drewsant]

Check diligently for a source of cross contamination or a hidden gluten source. Have you made your kitchen gluten-free or are you trying to cook in a gluten filled kitchen? Make sure you get a new toaster and clean like the health deptartment is coming if gluten containing foods are still in use in your home. It is best for the newly diagnosed to try and avoid fast food places, as a former head chef I can attest to the fact that some food service workers are not all that cooperative about observing the things neccessary for us like changing gloves and wiping serfaces before preparing our food. Don't drink soda out of a speed bar, if you go out for a beverage make it in a can or bottle to be safe.  My son kept getting sick whenever he went to play pool, we finally realized it was the speed bar at the tavern he played at.  Don't lose heart, contamination is all over out there, I learned the hard way that unless it is labeled gluten-free I need to call the company before I consume. Good luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I live alone, and don't have anything in my house tht has gluten to my knowledge. I don't even own toaster, don't eat bread of any kind to be toasted anymore. I've been eating basically just fruits and vegetables, and fresh meat. And gluten-free chocolate, otherwise I'd probably go crazy. Checked my shampoo and soap, and all is gluten-free, and I don't wear makeup, so not getting it there. I'm thinking it may be something else, because I did really well for almost a month. I think i'm going to start keeping a food diary and symptom diary to see if it may be some other food that I have an intolerance to.

[Tigg]

Hi everyone,

I found out I have celiac disease over a month ago.  I've followed the gluten-free diet faithfully since then and I was feeling better after 2 weeks.  I am starting to have stomach pain, nausea, brain fog, and exhaustion again and I was wondering if it is normal to have symptoms during the healing process?  Did anyone begin to make progress and then have symptoms again? 

Jen

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow same kinda guestion I have. I have been gluten-free since MAR 2000. At that time I lived on a small barrier Island in NC. The availablity of just simple luxury foods such as premade sandwich foods, pasta...ect... was VERY limited. Although I never was hungery. Made everything by myself. A yr. and a half ago I moved to a larger city with more available premade foods. Plus noted a change around that time in the safe and forbidden list.

I gained 50 lbs....in 6 months! I look pregnant! BM habbits are approx. 5 lose stools a day.

What have I done wrong? Have the same as you...stomach pain, brain fog and exhaustion.

Anyone can help us.......???? ideas????

Tig