SillyBoo

I cannot eat eggs, dairy, or soy. I'm in the midst of an elimination diet right now, and sadly (but not unexpectedly) reacted to corn. Nightshades are also suspect, but I haven't put them to the test yet. However, after avoiding them completely for the past 3 weeks, the joint pain is gone. I will miss potatoes and tomatoes the most. :-( When I first got...

While I totally agree with the other responses about needing to take your celiac diagnosis seriously, I would like to add another perspective on how to move forward: Dealing with Celiac requires a change of mindset. As awful as it seems right now, you are fortunate to have discovered the cause of your misery. And you have the incredible blessing of having...

I agree with Monklady - potlucks are from the devil! I used to try to take something and participate, but then there's the issue with cross-contamination. That meant that I had to be first in line (looking like a total piggy) or skip eating, even what I brought. Now I either bring my own food or eat before I go. I focus on the socializing, not the food. If...

Thanks!

Does anyone have any tricks for getting past the symptoms in less time?

I use the Whole Foods 365 brand Rice Milk, and haven't had any problems with it.

It's important to communicate REALLY well with your hubby. It can be so hard for others to truly comprehend what's going on, and especially to grasp how long it takes to recover and become fully functional again. I was diagnosed 3 years ago. Initially my husband seemed very supportive and helpful, but after a while he perceived my lack of energy as lack of...

Yes, it is quite likely related to the celiac. I went through something very similar (at age 51!), as the worst of my symptoms were neuro. My memory was horrible, forgetting things like the day of the week, hesitating when I introduced myself to someone (because I had to remember my name), and all sorts of work-related and family-related details. After 2...

Going off of gluten does, indeed, lessen the "brain fog" and increase mental clarity. Before I was diagnosed 2 years ago, I had a job that required very high-level critical thinking skills, and got to a point where I really couldn't do my job very well. Over time, my mental skills have mostly recovered. On good days, I really am back on top of my game. There...

Yes, gluten makes me extremely sleepy. But I found that sleepiness also results from eating anything else to which I have developed a sensitivity, subsequent to the gluten, such as dairy, soy, beans, nightshades, and chocolate. You might want to check out what other foods may be causing the problem, in addition to continued sleuthing into possible sources...

Oh, my gosh! I have had those since I was a kid, too, but never had a clue why. Of course, my doctor was equally clueless. I am now 52, and gluten-free for a year and a half. Mostly, they are gone. In fact, right now I have none at all (Yippee!!!). I found it helpful to also cut out all dairy.

I have only seen a Family Practice doc, Anna Rooney, in Boulder about Celiac. I was going downhill for a long time, and finally went to see her when I was too ill to work. I hadn't even considered Celiac since my symptoms were not predominantly GI-related, but she did! She diagnosed me based on the blood tests and response to a gluten-free diet. I am extremely...

I found that my heartburn and reflux disappeared in the first month or so after going gluten-free. However, that was one of the last symptoms that appeared for me before I was diagnosed. The longer-standing problems seem to take longer to resolve, in my experience. Was this a primary symptom for you? If your reflux persists, you might consider checking...

I guess I'm a bit more of a rebel than some. I would definitely take my entire meal in to the restaurant, and basically dare them to do something about it (in a very polite way, of course ). Last summer, I was attending a birthday party for my MIL at a restaurant, and they were quite fine with me bringing in my own food because they didn't want to...

I know that there are quite a few gluten-free vegetarians, but please don't get discouraged if it's difficult at first. When starting a gluten-free diet, it is very helpful to keep it simple -- whole foods, cooked veggies, limiting yourself to very safe foods. Hopefully, you will be among those who can do that without meat, but if not, you can almost surely...