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How Do I Know If I'm Healing Or Ingesting Gluten?

megsybeth

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megsybeth Enthusiast
megsybeth
Posted

I've been gluten free for just over two weeks and overall I feel great. I feel so much happier and more energetic. But my digestive system is definitely working some kinks out. I'm not in a lot of pain but I have more gas and cramping than I ever had before going off gluten. I know changes and discomfort are par for the course but I also want to know that I'm healing.

I think I'm doing pretty well on the diet. I can't do the whole stay at home for months and eat squash and chicken breasts but I'm careful about where I go out and talk to the people there and I think I'm on top of the foods. Is discomfort and gas and well, not quite diarrhea but not quite not diarrhea, if that makes any sense, normal after the diet?

I know a lot of us have lactose intolerance. Like I said my discomfort isn't that bad but am I damaging my gut if I ingest lactose before my body's ready? Should I cut it just in case?

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shadowicewolf Proficient
shadowicewolf
Posted

Quit worrying, you're fine (no seriously, stressing out about it does NOT help at all). It takes time for the body to heal. Most of us take months before we resemble anything normal. If you have no issues with dairy, then don't cut it. Some do, some don't. Just because they do, doesn't mean that you have to.

1desperateladysaved Proficient
1desperateladysaved
Posted

If you are be careful with your die,t and keep on working your analytical mind, sooner or later you will figure it out. I am 6 months gluten free and I can sympathasize with the confusion. I am having more of what I think is my body working on repair. I am only guessing what is going on. If the guess doesn't seem to still be flying tomorrow I will make a new guess.

Diana

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

HI,

Are you taknig probiotics and using digestive enzymes? The start of the diet can be rough. Things are changing in yuor gut and that can lead to upset/poor digestion. If you don't improve in a month you should consider changing something.

megsybeth Enthusiast
megsybeth
Posted
  • Author

Thanks, everyone. I don't mean to seem like a worry wart but I'm one of those people who didn't really have GI issues recently befor the diagnosis (I think I've had celiac undiagnosed for thirty years and had stomach pains when younger). So I've gone from pretty much nothing to being very aware of the lower region of my digestive system. Very aware.

I am taking a probiotic. I have my first appointment with a celiac specialist on Monday and have been waiting to invest too much in supplements and probiiotics until she weighs in.

SMDBill Apprentice
SMDBill
Posted

Megsybeth, I've been lactose intolerant my whole life. I avoided milk and suffered the consequences when I had cheese (plain, processed, block, pizza, tacos, etc.). When I went gluten-free I hoped that the probiotic and changes in my diet would lessen the lactose intolerance, but it seems to have actually enhanced it, unfortunately. I drink Lactaid instead of regular milk but the cheese still gets me. What I did was tried a dietary enzyme for lactose intolerance. They come in different strengths, but I tried the Up & Up from Target because it was pretty strong. I had zero issues after having an egg and cheese omelet, which previously would have caused quite a few issues. Could that be a possibility that could help you enjoy the dairy without harm? I think mine were 12 pills for less than $3 and they have larger quantities available. I just wanted a small one in case they didn't help.

Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted

Hi Megsy

2 weeks is early days. A little gas and (almost) D is nothing to worry about too much. Keep at the diet, and things should settle down. You're healing, and your gut is adjusting to the fact that you aren't feeding it what you used to.

You can, as others have suggested, take probiotics and a good digestive enzyme (make sure both are gluten-free). That will help you digestive system adjust.

I'd wait 6 months until you worry about whether something else (like milk) is bothering you. But to be honest, even if you're perfectly gluten free, we all get a little bloated sometimes.

Happy Healing!

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kater Rookie
kater
Posted

Hi!

I'm new here, I was just officially diagnosed last week after a positive blood test and biopsy. I've been eating gluten-free for about a month, since right after the biopsy. I can sympathize...people keep asking me if I feel so much better now, but I haven't really noticed any change yet. I'm hoping that I'm not eating anything cross-contaminated, but I have heard that it can take a while for everything to heal up!

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      my IGG is 815 IGA 203  but tTG-Iga is   <0.4!!!!!!!!!!!!!   oh my god- 13 days of agony and the test is negative?  I don't even know what to do next. There zero doubt in my mind that I have an issue with wheat and probably more so with gluten as symptoms are dramatically worse the more gluten a product has   I am going to write up the history of my issues for the past few years and start a food/symptom diary to bring with me to the GI doctor in March.   I googled like crazy to try to find out what other things might cause these symptoms and the only thing that truly fits besides celiac is NCGS   but I guess there are some other things I maybe should be tested for ...? like SIBO?   I will continue to eliminate any foods that cause me distress (as I have been doing for the past couple of years) and try to keep a record. Can anyone recommend an app or some form or something that would simplify this? I have a very full and busy life and taking the time to write out each symptom name in full would be tedious and time consuming- some sort of page with columns to check off would be ideal. I am not at all tech savvy so that's not something I can make myself ... I'm hoping there's some thing out there that I can just download and print out   do I give up on testing for celiac with such a low number? I am 70 yrs old I have been almost completely off gluten for the most part for about 2 yrs. I had a meal of vital wheat gluten vegan roast,  rolls and stuffing made from home baked bread and an apple pie- and had the worst pain and gas and bloating and odd rumblings in my gut etc - almost went to the ER it was so bad. I was thinking, since I'm spilling a lot of calcium in my urine, that perhaps this was a kidney stone (never had one before but there's always that first time, right?)    Saw my endo on Jan 20th and after hearing the story about the symptoms from eating that holiday meal, she suggested doing a gluten challenge. She said 2 weeks was fine- she said stopping it in the middle if symptoms got bad was fine- In the meantime I'd read that 2 weeks was not enough- called and argued with the nurse about this, but ultimately decided to stop the gluten on the 13th day and get the test done because I was in too much pain and almost suicidal and knew I could not continue.   so.............. that's where I am now I have had no bread since Sunday. I did have some rolled oats today and had some gas and bloating afterwards I did have some wheat germ in a smoothie on Tuesday and had a stomach ache later that night.   but overall I feel so much better! all the joint pain is gone! the nausea is gone. The stomach pain and gas and bloating are going away. Still a bit gassy but no more of that horrible odor. wow, that would clear a room if I was out in public!  I see a GI nurse March 4th  I hope she'll be able to help sort this out! can you think of what my next steps might be?
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