Going gluten-free

MrsLannister

I'm one of those people who feels strongly that people should not cut foods they like from their diet, but I have recently decided to try gluten-free anyway. The reason for this is that I have had some symptoms that have gotten progressively worse over the last year and a half to two years. These include: constant pressure and jabbing pain under my lower left ribs, irregular bowels, stomach pains, lower abdominal pain, mental fog and memory issues, severe fatigue and tiredness (I've been spending sometimes 12 or more hours in bed and still feel too tired to function), and other symptoms that would not be polite to share. Anyway, I'm at my wits end with all of this and decided that maybe I had developed a gluten sensitivity, since I have seen where other people who have had these exact same symptoms found that gluten intolerance was the culprit.

I decided to go gluten free a few days ago. I figure I can try it for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. After the first day, I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache, sore throat, and feeling flush and feverish. I thought maybe I was getting the flu, but the next day my symptoms had lessened. I still had a headache, but my throat was only a little bit sore and I didn't feel feverish. Today is the third day. My head was hurting this morning, but nothing like the first day. My throat feels fine and everything else seems okay.

I already have a lot more energy, but I also did start taking a multivitamin at the same time, so that may account for the extra energy. Not sure. I still have the pain in my side and the abdominal pain and stomach cramps, though.

Today I went shopping and picked up a bunch of gluten-free flours. Tomorrow I will try making some gluten-free bread. Maybe I can make this gluten-free thing work. If I continue to feel better, I think it will be worth it.

SherryTeach

Did you ever see a doctor about these symptoms? This sounds pretty serious to diagnose on your own.

MrsLannister

I don't have insurance and haven't had anything at emergency room levels, so no, not yet. I'll qualify for something that I can actually afford after the first of the year, though, and then I will see what a doctor says.

Brittneyaline

Be careful if you're trying to diet and go gluten free. I have Celiac and fatty liver so I had to go gluten free+low fat because it damages my intestines to have it in my diet and I can say that it has been a CHANGE. They have a lot of replacement foods for things like pasta and bread, there are gluten free bakeries that make good bread and goodies( the store stuff is usually packaged cardboard). However, Most of the gluten free prepackaged foods are very high in calories and "denser" than their wheat counterparts. Its very easy to gain weight rather than lose it. I personally didn't feel better until a few weeks later after starting gluten free but if you have an intolerance you'll know, especially if you cut it out and accidentally eat it somewhere (nightmare!!).

Good luck to you!
If you have questions or want to chat about it feel free to message me!

SLLRunner

I'm one of those people who feels strongly that people should not cut foods they like from their diet, but I have recently decided to try gluten-free anyway. The reason for this is that I have had some symptoms that have gotten progressively worse over the last year and a half to two years. These include: constant pressure and jabbing pain under my lower left ribs, irregular bowels, stomach pains, lower abdominal pain, mental fog and memory issues, severe fatigue and tiredness (I've been spending sometimes 12 or more hours in bed and still feel too tired to function), and other symptoms that would not be polite to share. Anyway, I'm at my wits end with all of this and decided that maybe I had developed a gluten sensitivity, since I have seen where other people who have had these exact same symptoms found that gluten intolerance was the culprit.

I decided to go gluten free a few days ago. I figure I can try it for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. After the first day, I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache, sore throat, and feeling flush and feverish. I thought maybe I was getting the flu, but the next day my symptoms had lessened. I still had a headache, but my throat was only a little bit sore and I didn't feel feverish. Today is the third day. My head was hurting this morning, but nothing like the first day. My throat feels fine and everything else seems okay.

I already have a lot more energy, but I also did start taking a multivitamin at the same time, so that may account for the extra energy. Not sure. I still have the pain in my side and the abdominal pain and stomach cramps, though.

Today I went shopping and picked up a bunch of gluten-free flours. Tomorrow I will try making some gluten-free bread. Maybe I can make this gluten-free thing work. If I continue to feel better, I think it will be worth it.

I hope you've been to the doctor with all those progressive symptoms. If not, get there now. Don't diagnose yourself as having a gluten intolerance. It could be something else completely unrelated.

Spreyton22K

I have been gluten free for over 2 years after struggling with very similar symptoms as you have described....along with the one's which you omitted I went thru various testing from Doctors including Specialist......results were not conclusive in that Thank God I wasn't struggling with Celiac disease but due to extreme allergies to wheat etc etc I was advised to give gluten-free living a try to see if my problems eased....which thankfully they did. I too remember with 'fondness' the awful week I had coming off said suspects it was not pretty.

I was wondering tho have you been to your Doctor for any testing. Perhaps even a inspection of your tummy and bowels would be in order to exclude any nasties.

I wish you the very best of luck as you explore the World of Gluten-free.....if you would like a buddy who has some experience and maybe ideas for recipes please feel free to message and friend me.

Karen :flowerforyou:

Sorry have reiterated about seeing a Dr....but can see that is a difficulty for you.

Brittneyaline

I hope you've been to the doctor with all those progressive symptoms. If not, get there now. Don't diagnose yourself as having a gluten intolerance. It could be something else completely unrelated.
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I agree with this too since you'll need to be eating gluten when they test you for intolerance or celiac. I don't know what area you're in but University of Chicago does free Celiac testing sometimes( I dont know if its all the time) you might want to check your local clinics as well, some may work with you for payment to at least get you in to a doctor and make sure its not something more serious.

ldrosophila

I don't have insurance and haven't had anything at emergency room levels, so no, not yet. I'll qualify for something that I can actually afford after the first of the year, though, and then I will see what a doctor says.

as soon as you can try to see a doctor. The pain can be related to many numerous things from chrons, IBS, diverticulosis...a number of GI problems

Mangopickle

Hello, doctors take cash. Most doctors will give you an excellent work up for $75-$125. NP's and PA's are even cheaper. All labs offer reduced pricing for indigent patients. Our local imaging center has a cash menu that offers really reasonable prices. Don't assume you can't afford reasonable care.

ndj1979

OP does not believe in cutting foods from diet, but is cutting said foods from diet…oh the irony!

kemit1976

I went gluten Free a year ago, I did not go to the Dr, but I also know from my sons specialist he stated that, the best way to find out if you are sensitive to something cut it from your diet for at least a month, and then bring a small amount back in and see what happens. I to have many of the symptoms main poster has said, It best thing I have done. I asked about having it diagnosed with tests and he stated that test don't always show and these days they are telling people to do the above. this is in New Zealand, there are many great websites out there I use http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/ and http://www.kingarthurflour.com/ for the recipes. and others two of course, I buy my bread not that I eat much of it.. my son does and I make all my own foods.. It is way better for you and cheaper also... I also buy pasta, and cereal, but everything else I make. I have planted lots of veges and berry bushes and fruit trees, to help supplement my eating, if it is packaged you need to read the label. if it is fresh off a tree I don't.. makes life a lot easier. I can tell when I have eaten gluten I can see my tummy extend . good luck with your journey.

20Grit

Be careful if you're trying to diet and go gluten free. I have Celiac and fatty liver so I had to go gluten free+low fat because it damages my intestines to have it in my diet and I can say that it has been a CHANGE. They have a lot of replacement foods for things like pasta and bread, there are gluten free bakeries that make good bread and goodies( the store stuff is usually packaged cardboard). However, Most of the gluten free prepackaged foods are very high in calories and "denser" than their wheat counterparts. Its very easy to gain weight rather than lose it. I personally didn't feel better until a few weeks later after starting gluten free but if you have an intolerance you'll know, especially if you cut it out and accidentally eat it somewhere (nightmare!!).

Good luck to you!
If you have questions or want to chat about it feel free to message me!

I agree with ^^^

Snicklefritz81

I went gluten Free a year ago, I did not go to the Dr, but I also know from my sons specialist he stated that, the best way to find out if you are sensitive to something cut it from your diet for at least a month, and then bring a small amount back in and see what happens. I to have many of the symptoms main poster has said, It best thing I have done. I asked about having it diagnosed with tests and he stated that test don't always show and these days they are telling people to do the above. this is in New Zealand, there are many great websites out there I use http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/ and http://www.kingarthurflour.com/ for the recipes. and others two of course, I buy my bread not that I eat much of it.. my son does and I make all my own foods.. It is way better for you and cheaper also... I also buy pasta, and cereal, but everything else I make. I have planted lots of veges and berry bushes and fruit trees, to help supplement my eating, if it is packaged you need to read the label. if it is fresh off a tree I don't.. makes life a lot easier. I can tell when I have eaten gluten I can see my tummy extend . good luck with your journey.

Yes, this. I've been told, and read numerous times(through various Dr.s) that the testing for a gluten intolerance is not the best way to determine the problem. Food restriction is.

I would stay away from the gluten free substitutes, they are high in calories and low in actual nutrition. Eat plenty of the foods found on the outsides of the grocery stores...give yourself about 3-5 weeks and you'll see how you do, with introducing it back into your diet.

Good luck! I'm gluten free for a year here, and it's still and up and down road for me!

MrsLannister

I've been doing it for a little over a week and already feel much better. I'm still sleepy a lot, but not nearly as fatigued. For about a year it felt like I had a lead blanket over me and every single thing I did took tremendous mental and physical effort. Now I feel so much better it is amazing. My head is clearing, too. I'm a math/cs student and my last semester was a disaster, because I simply could not think at all. I am usually a straight A student and last semester I failed all my classes, because I couldn't get out of bed and when I did I couldn't think or figure things out. I couldn't even write simple programs because the code looked like jibberish and I've been a programmer for 15 years! And it was Java, a language I know very well. (Now I know how the students I tutor feel!)

I don't really miss gluten. I make my own gluten-free bread and it is better the any glutenous store-bought bread I've ever had. The biggest problem I have had is that every once in a while I go to get a cracker out of habit, but I can live without crackers. I didn't even really miss the pumpkin pie over Christmas.

foxy2320

First off, to everyone telling her to get to the doctor right away, that may not be the best thing for her. I've had two celiac panels done in the past year, and both of them have come back negative. Finally I decided to go on the gluten free diet while I waited for the results of the most recent test. The first few days were awful...stomach aches, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, etc. It has now been almost 4 weeks and I feel a ton better. My blood work has come back negative, again, but twice now I've accidentally been "glutened" and my upper abdomen was tight and painful for hours. My doctors just say that not all sensitivities/allergies will show up on blood work, and an endoscopy is the only sure way to tell. I'm not going to put myself through that, and the docs all agree that if my multiple symptoms are markedly better on a gf diet that I should stay that way. Even through the holidays I've managed to lose +/- 5 lbs, which is awesome. I also feel like the gluten sensitivity may have been hindering my weight loss for several years now. When your body can't absorb nutrients, it goes into starvation mode and stores everything it can. When you're not actually starving and it goes into starvation mode, it holds on to things it doesn't need. My doctor didn't agree, she said that people with gluten issues were underweight and malnourished, not overweight like me, but my low vitamin levels tell a different story.

I say all that to say this: If you're going to do a gluten-free diet, do it 100% and give yourself time to adjust. People can be addicted to carbs/gluten, so it is like going through withdrawal for some people. And like others have said, when possible stay away from "gluten-free" alternatives to something that is naturally made from flour (bread, pasta, etc.). For one, the gluten free breads that I've tried have been expensive and gross, and the other things offer little to no nutritional value. Stick with fruits, veggies, rice, beans, meats, and you'll do much better.