Alison R

I'm a 31 yr old Texas girl, and was diagnosed with "benign familial tremor disorder" 1998, I couldn't tolerate the medication they gave me and I wasn't willing to let the neurologist shove two long metal rods into my brain and a battery pack in my chest, so I went off caffeine and have just dealt with the shaking for over ten years. At 20 I was hospitalized due to an allergic reaction to soy, so no soy since 1999. My health seemed okay......until I got pregnant soon after I turned thirty.

After a second miscarriage last year the dr. found a 5.5 cm fibroid. My now ex-obgyn wanted to immediately do a hysterectomy. I said no. Removed meat with antibiotics and hormones in August of 2010, and my fibroid has shrunk to less than 2 cm as of November.

I managed get away without surgery again, but other things have not been the same: I have lived with almost no energy....sometimes sleeping 18 hours a day (Mom thought it was depression...but I don't feel depressed just exhausted), I've been forgetting things and have to write lists for everything, and not only have my tremmors gotten worse, but I have been having mild seizures and seeing spots several times a day.

I have always had minor GI issues and bloating, but still I did not connect possible celiac, in fact I had never even heard of it until December 27, 2010.

My fiance has had his own issues, an itchy skin rash on his thighs for 5 months, foul gas most of his life, and recurring IBS-like issues to name a few. We spent Christmas day with his family and I knew he would have some issues because none of the food was healthy.....everything was breaded, veggies were nowhere to be found, but I didn't expect days of him stuck in the bathroom and missing work. He thought it was a virus, I thought otherwise and did a google search. Thank goodness for google! I wanted him to go get a celiac panel done immediately, he's dragging his feet, but we went gluten free anyways on Jan 4th.

In just over a week we can both notice a difference. Not only has his rash started to subside, his gas and other intestinal issues have gotten much better, AND I'm feeling quite a bit better too!

Energy is rising, my sluggish digestive system is getting more regular, AND I haven't had any seizures in two days, I'm not shaking, and I'm not seeing spots. Maybe it's too early to say these things are gone for good, but I'm not waiting for a diagnosis for me....removing gluten has helped too much. I'm not saying I'm back to the old me (not even near it), but I'm hoping to get back to working full time soon.....and who knows - maybe I'll even be able to start running again in the next few months. This year is beginning to look bright for us and I hope to be a healthy, all be it caffeine-free, gluten-free, soy-free, bride later this year.

If anyone has great gluten-free cake recipes, I'd love you to pm them to me.....I am now planning to make my own gluten free wedding cupcakes....I'd like our family to know that gluten free can taste good. (Especially since I think several of them are probably celiacs themselves.)