Maybe This Gluten Challenge Is Too Challenging For Me...

[heathenly]

Including today, I have eight more days of eating gluten. I've been back on it for a mere six days, and I'm not sure I can hang much longer. I feel like a big baby for not being able to just suck it up. Yesterday I almost cheated by NOT eating gluten.

Your experiences with a gluten challenge? Is it just this miserable? I'd feel better to know it wasn't just me.

[GlutenFreeAustinite]

Hi! I'm sorry you're in pain and suffering. I've been on a gluten challenge for two and a half months, and I completely understand. I am absolutely miserable, and if you truly are celiac/gluten intolerant, it will be miserable (unless you're asymptomatic). But you don't have to eat gluten at every meal,and you don't have to gorge on it either. If it gets too bad, stop eating it if your doctor is okay with it. I've managed to stay with it, hang in there.

[ravenwoodglass]

Talk to your doctor. Depending on the severity of your symptoms when you reintroduce gluten some doctors will stop the challenge and give you an 'official' diagnosis.

For some a gluten challenge just makes them a little ill, some feel awful but can still function and some will be incapitated. Only you can judge whether or not you can continue. Depending on how long you were gluten free and how much healing has taken place 2 weeks back on gluten may not be long enough to show anything on an endoscopy anyway. Even if it doesn't give you positive test results you now know the answer as to whether you can tolerate gluten or not.

[tom]

I feel for ya, but did chuckle a bit seeing

...Yesterday I almost cheated by NOT eating gluten.

...

At least you didn't lose your sense of humor.

[heathenly]

I've been on a gluten challenge for two and a half months, and I completely understand.

You must be amazingly tough. I'm in awe.

[~**caselynn**~]

Hang in there!!! I know it's a miserable situation but hopefully you'll get accurate results in the end! Snaps to you both, that's not easy to do!! ?

[heathenly]

ravenwoodglass, if two weeks isn't enough, I'm not giving it another shot. I'll just go on my merry way, gluten-free.

I'm trying, tom.

[heathenly]

Hang in there!!! I know it's a miserable situation but hopefully you'll get accurate results in the end! Snaps to you both, that's not easy to do!! ?

Aw, thanks! Tomorrow is my last day of gluten, and it feels like a monumental achievement to have been back on gluten for this long (ha, ten whole days? seems far longer). I feel wretched.

[GlutenFreeAustinite]

You must be amazingly tough. I'm in awe.

Haha thanks. It comes and goes in cycles for me. Like I'm miserable for several days/weeks and then I can almost convince myself that I feel normal again and then sick once more. I'm gluten-free for good now, after breaking out in a horrible rash that isn't gone yet and I suspect won't be until after I am gluten-free for a while.

[heathenly]

Haha thanks. It comes and goes in cycles for me. Like I'm miserable for several days/weeks and then I can almost convince myself that I feel normal again and then sick once more. I'm gluten-free for good now, after breaking out in a horrible rash that isn't gone yet and I suspect won't be until after I am gluten-free for a while.

I think I know what you mean. I've almost forgotten how much better I felt without gluten. The proof is in my weight gain, bloat, and messy house due to my total lack of energy.

My brief foray back into gluten land is over. Had my endoscopy today. The bonus was the nurse who had a sister with Celiac-- she slipped me a flier for a local gluten free bakery! Didn't know we had one!

Downside was my son commenting on my "bloat dress"- said it looked like something my mother would wear... ha. He was right.