Gluten free?

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captainlindarg
captainlindarg Posts: 229 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anybody discovered they have a gluten intolerance and gone gluten free? I've been considering trying gluten free to see if it helps me/some symptoms I've been having that may or may not be related to that. I was wondering if anyone had any stories to share about their personal experience switching to gluten free?

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  • kac7700
    kac7700 Posts: 125 Member
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    I try to stay gluten free as much as possible. I get boated and very ill and when I cut out gluten, those symptoms resolve. I try to stay naturally gluten free, don't purchase gluten free products that are meant to resemble products that would have gluten. It's easier than you think. There are times when I give in and have that bun with the burger or hot dog but I'm prepared for two days of not being well. Cut it out for 4 or 5 days, then slowly add it back in, if you're symptoms reappear, you're probably intolerant.
  • Frappuzzino
    Frappuzzino Posts: 342 Member
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    I don't know if I have gluten intolerance, but I definitely don't feel the greatest when I eat too much gluten. In the month of August, I did eat alot more gluten than previous months and didn't lose a pound. Before, I never ate pasta or breads and hardly ate grains, but I let up in August and somewhat regret it. I ate a piece of homemade pizza one day, and the crust filled me up so much. After one small piece I felt bloated. :( Definitely avoiding gluten as much as I can now. It makes me feel ill even thinking about it, lol.
  • lennykat
    lennykat Posts: 89
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    I am right now about 3 weeks mostly gluten free. I cut out bread first, that seemed to be what was making me feel horrible. I also cut out pasta-- I tried out some pasta last night and well-- had to take a pepcid first thing this morning. I've also switched from beer to white wine if I'm having a drink. That has helped too.

    Overall it has been the best decision ever. I don't know if I'm seeing that much of a difference as far as weight loss is concerned but I sure do FEEL a whole heck of a lot better. I also don't look 6 months pregnant! So much so that when I see my DR. in November we'll be discussing this issue.
  • CrazyDaisysMommy
    CrazyDaisysMommy Posts: 472
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    I'm finishing my first week of gluten free, and I cannot even describe how much better I feel. When I eat wheat flour based foods, my tummy bloats out to where I look 8 months pregnant and I'm in such pain. I am eliminating gluten for the next three weeks, and then if needed I will begin to eliminate other common offenders until my GI tract is happy and healthy. I suspect that I will remain gluten free for the rest of my life though, so I'm exploring recipes and websites for ideas on how to ease into it. I already made black bean brownies that were so, so, so good! I have only had two battles this week: one with dinner rolls at my friends wedding and last night when I was face to face with my favorite pizza, but I'd rather go without than live with the discomfort. Good luck!
  • ObviousIndigo
    ObviousIndigo Posts: 382 Member
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    You can actually get tested for a wheat allergy with a simple blood test now but the catch is you have to be incorporating gluten into your diet at the time of the test or it won't show up. Just cutting it out of your diet and then bringing it back in will cause upset stomach anyways due to your body not being prepared to process it. Gluten is very hard for the body to digest at the best of times. If you feel it is gluten causing the issues and don't want to get tested then cut it out but be prepared to leave it out of your diet permantently then as the symptoms get worse the longer you have been without it.

    I am celiac and have been gluten free for 4 years. I feel SO much better in every way but when I get gluten accidently... wow do I get sick!! And it's not just stomach upset. I get stuffed up, wheezy, itchy, aches, headaches....

    Just be prepared for the effect it will have on you later is all I am saying:)
  • therobinator
    therobinator Posts: 832 Member
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    To the OP, you might want to check out this link: http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2011/08/30/book-review-wheat-belly/

    And to those who experienced an improvement in symptoms after cutting out gluten.....would just feeling tired and dehydrated be a symptom of gluten being bad for a person? That's the only symptom that I can put my finger on for myself....I eat right all week, and then one day I eat a bagel and maybe some pizza, and then feel like crap (dehydrated and tired). Does this make sense an effect of a gluten intolerance?
  • LexyDawn
    LexyDawn Posts: 113
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    I have a gluten allergy. When I stopped eating it I felt like a different person within 3 days... it was amazing.

    My symptoms were: Chronic fatigue, extreme brain fog all the time, bloating, irritability, muscle weakness, indigestion, and it was also causing other food allergies, namely dairy.

    I've been off of it for a couple of years now, it was hard at first, but once you develop new habits its super easy. Most restaurants now have gluten free options, or whole gluten free menus.

    I say try it and see if you feel better.
  • sezp
    sezp Posts: 69
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    I 'became' gluten intolerant while living in Japan and went completely gluten-free over there for about 18 months. There are no substitute products available there so I had no choice. I then stayed GF when I came back to England and all in all, it's been about 4 years now since I started the GF way of life.

    I recently read an article about how someone living in Japan got over the intolerance and gradually re-introduced gluten to their diet, so I tried it out myself. I started very gradually in May and although I still avoid pasta or pastry wherever possible, I now include gluten in my diet as normal. Obviously it's different if you're celiac, but I'm soooooo pleased I've managed to resolve it - especially since I was getting sick for 2-3 days whenever I accidentally ate any gluten before.

    Give it a try and see how much better it makes you. Good luck!
  • KHaverstick
    KHaverstick Posts: 308 Member
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    The only way to know for sure is to have testing done by a physician. If you're going to do that, though, don't cut out gluten before getting tested, because results will not be accurate.

    That being said, I cut out gluten several months ago, and feel much better. I have less joint pain, and less GI issues. When I first cut it out, I could slip up here and there and still be ok, with just mild symptoms. But if you are sensitive/intolerant to gluten, the longer you go without it, the more severe the reactions can be when you do have it. Last month I had a very small bite of something with gluten in it (trying to get my toddler interested in eating it), and I felt absolutely terrible...missed 2 days of work.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
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    I was suffering from some pretty severe headaches, bloating and just a general sense of malease all the time when I went in for allergy testing and found out I was allergic to wheat.

    I decided to go completely gluten-free and since then no more headaches, less bloating and I feel better.

    Gluten-free is NOT an easy diet. It can even encourage weight gain!!! Believe it or not... Many people gain weight after initially taking the plunge.

    That said, if you're willing to try it... why not? Give it a few weeks and see if you feel better. If you do! Great!!! If you don't... then try something else.
  • VickiMitkins
    VickiMitkins Posts: 249 Member
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    I am gluten intollerant. I went GF about 2.5 years ago. I had all the traditional symptoms of celiac (gas, bloating, alternating diareha with constipation, pain in the lower abdoment...etc) since I was a child. I was tested for celiac and my tests were negative. However, given my symptoms resolved when I went GF, my doctor and I conceeded that I was significantly gluten intollerant. My symptom have significantly resolved since going GF. I find that it is not that difficult to do - but you do need to learn what to look for on food labels. We have generally gone to a modified whole food diet in my house. We don't try to incorporate very many GF substitutes for things like bread or cookies. At first we did, but they are not that tasty and are expensive. Not to mention that many are high fat, low fiber foods and really are not that good for you. I do use GF pasta, but try to find options with whole grains like brown rice and flax. I don't suggest going GF just to lose weight. If you symptoms are signficant, I suggest being tested before going GF. IF you are not eating gluten for a while before testing you might get a false negative. The only reason I mention this is that if you are celiac, you must completely cut out gluten. A person with celiac who eats gluten will continue to cause damage to the intestinal tract. However, if your symptom are mild, go ahead and give it a shot for a couple of weeks. Istarted noticing a difference within a few days of going GF. Now if I eat gluten, I know ifor about 2 days. Even just a small amount will get me.

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