Eating Gluten and symptoms
herblovinmom
Posts: 425 Member
How do you all restrict yourself from gluten filled foods? I have been “mostly” gluten free for a year. I have a stress eating problem and sometimes I give in to the gluten temptations. I know that it will make me feel crappy but that apparently isn’t enough to keep me gluten free 100% of the time. How do you all do it?? I just stress ate a cinnamon roll that my son baked earlier today. I resisted them all day until I caved, had one bite just to see what they tasted like as they were a limited time flavor and next thing I knew I was finishing the whole thing and thinking about eating the other. I immediately, within 20 minutes, had to use the restroom. And I know I will have pain, bloating, and inflammation in my joints tomorrow and possibly a headache. Any tips would be helpful... sorta of just venting, sort of a binge issue which is another group and sort of needing advice from the long time gluten free people.
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Hi @herblovinmom... I've been strict Celiac GF for 10 years, and wheat free for several before that (we weren't sure at first if it was just a wheat sensitivity, but results showed it is Celiac disease.)
Honestly there is nothing like joint and muscle pain, GI issues, and total exhaustion (for weeks or months after a single small bite or crumb of something with gluten) to do it for me. Plus, in my case, asthma and skin breakouts.
Read this article https://mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/celiac-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20352220 and ask yourself why you would mistreat yourself and put yourself in danger? Perhaps it might be useful to talk to a counselor or therapist about this to help with the self-punishment binge issues as you intimated. Try to get your family to help you by not having gluten products in the house if that causes an issue. Suggest they eat that kind of thing on their own or with friends when they are out somewhere, not at home. I make GF food for both my husband & myself although he is not Celiac. If he wants a baked goodie, he goes out to a coffee shop or restaurant for it.
Try to focus on delicious foods you can have, fresh fruit parfaits, Lindt dark chocolate, rich & creamy New York style cheesecake, fathead pizza - crust made with cheeses and almond flour (an amazing favorite of mine), garlic prawns dipped in butter, baked stuffed potato, Mexican enchiladas with pure corn tortillas, Thai food with rice noodles, Sushi with tamari or Bragg's aminos instead of traditional soy sauce, Indian Butter Chicken with fluffy basmati rice and savoury veggies, Roast chicken with mashed potatoes or herbed rice and freshly steamed veggies, a beautiful juicy steak done to your liking on the barbecue, fresh caught baked salmon or cod loin with lemon & dill mayo. Wine, tequila, rum, brandy, real potato vodka, hard apple ciders, I could go on and on.
Here are some bloggers to help with food ideas: https://blog.feedspot.com/gluten_free_blogs/
It's like quitting smoking, or giving up hard drugs, or avoiding peanuts if you are allergic - how badly do you want to live and participate in life?
Don't give up, just keep getting as clean as you can, and READ ALL LABELS! Sending you a hug, I do feel your pain.
For more detailed medical information, check out the Medscape articles thread in our MFP Gluten Free group: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10104290/medscape-medical-professionals-continuing-ed-site-celiac-disease-gluten-sensitivity-articles/p12 -
By the time I figured out I was celiac I had multiple vitamin deficiencies which resulted in my being sick constantly. I would break out with shingles over and over, repeated bouts of strep, UTIs, ear infections, mono, the flu....it was awful. In addition my hormone levels got so out of whack I was having full on periods every two weeks which would last over a week so it was nearly constant. I also get a rash so I was itchy 24/7. Then of course the GI issues that normally come with it. So I guess it's the fear of going back to that life that keeps me on target. Also my husband doesn't mind eating gluten free at home with me and only indulging when we go out somewhere.
Also somewhat of a mental exercise but I kind of equate gluten with something like rat poison in my head. For instance when I help my granddaughter with her dinner roll or sandwich at a restaurant I immediately wash my hands just like you would if you'd been in the garden using weed killer or rat poison. Also I think it's just from long term negative associations but sometimes I even think the bread aisle of the grocery store smells sickening.2 -
I was 37 when I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease I had probably been living with it for many years with out knowing it. At that time I felt so horrible I'd do anything to feel better. I had migraines, my joints swelled so bad near the end I could hardly walk and needed help getting up from the floor, my stomach pain was debilitating, nausea, dizziness.....I basically couldn't function. I was hospitalized a few times because I was anemic and deficient in many vitamins and minerals.
If not for being diagnosed I could have died of the malnutrition.
Once diagnosed and I knew what the issue was, I was willing to try anything. After just a couple of weeks it was like a miracle, I still had a long way to go but almost all of my symptoms were greatly reduced.
I was also told that if I continued to eat gluten, not only would i feel terrible, but I was increasing my risk of lymphoma.
At some point, if the health ramifications aren't enough then I think you may not value your life enough or have an addiction. I would say counseling might be appropriate.1 -
Thank you for the advice and information. I’m a gluten free newbie, my endocrinologist suggested I try it to see if it would help my Hashimotos. My husband has issues with gluten so I am accustomed to preparing gluten free dinners. I guess I was experimenting with my body. It had been so long since I had any gluten I guess I wanted to see what would happen. It’s the same thing that always happens in one way or another. I must be crazy. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. 🤦🏼♀️ hopefully I’ll remember for the future... thank you for sharing your personal experiences with me. I appreciate it 🙂1
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2111403/Among autoimmune disorders, increased prevalence of CD has been found in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, autoimmune liver diseases and inflammatory bowel disease. Prevalence of CD was noted to be 1% to 19% in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, 2% to 5% in autoimmune thyroid disorders and 3% to 7% in primary biliary cirrhosis in prospective studies. Conversely, there is also an increased prevalence of immune based disorders among patients with CD.The pathogenesis of co-existent autoimmune thyroid disease and CD is not known, but these conditions share similar HLA haplotypes and are associated with the gene encoding cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4.
Screening high risk patients for CD, such as those with autoimmune diseases, is a reasonable strategy given the increased prevalence.Treatment of CD with a gluten-free diet should reduce the recognized complications of this disease and provide benefits in both general health and perhaps life expectancy. It also improves glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and enhances the absorption of medications for associated hypothyroidism and osteoporosis. It probably does not change the natural history of associated autoimmune disorders.
There's more, but studies show a tie between autoimmune diseases and Celiac Disease. I have Fibromyalgia and hypothyroid too, besides CD.1 -
@canadjineh yep...I have Rheumatoid arthritis as well as celiac.
@herblovinmom don't feel bad about your slip up! It's natural to want to be sure it's a problem! Also it's natural to hope that it is not a problem! In a way it's kind of good that you tested it and got it out of the way because now you know for sure what symptoms it causes so you can be aware when dining out if you've been glutened...so you'll know which places are careful and which aren't!1 -
Hi everyone! Hope we're all as healthy as we can get (relatively speaking) one month into 2020. So far so good on my end, it's just all the elderly parents health issues and a regularly scheduled IV drip of antibiotic at the hospital that hubby needs due to MRSA. Seems like I have 4 people to take care of besides myself. Ahhh well, carry on, people.
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I shared this on another thread but I went GF for my wife, who had debilitating Fibromyalgia. Turns out it helped her tremendously, but when we got glutened in Mexico years ago, I reacted WAY worse than her and got the classic Celiac blisters on the rear. Turns out I'm Celiac and was in denial for years, though I had signs.
I never eat gluten any more. Not worth it. Immediate rear rash (blisters), monster headache overnight and then I feel like I got ran over by a truck the next day and sometimes the following day.
Yes, my wife has thyroid issues and Fibro and is 99% better now. She also found out she was allergic to cow dairy. Also, many with Fibro have genetic issues -- she has MTHFR -- a genetic defect which limits her ability to convert standard synthetic B vitamins to useful nutrients her body needs, so she takes a full spectrum Methyl B vitamin. Other than that, we eat healthier just by avoiding gluten and cow dairy, though she can eat sheep, goat and A2/A2 dairy in limited quantities and be fine.
Chemicals are a big deal for her as well. We avoid any toxic cleaning chemicals and she's very careful about makeup and skincare. Also inside pools are a big no no for her (nasty chemical byproducts).
My issues I ignored all cleared up as well -- mostly eczema all over my back but also I would have bloody stool often, a terrible sign that I just brushed off. Probably TMI, but 10 to 15% of undiagnosed Celiacs die. Many from colon cancer. I truly believe that going GF not only was a big part of reversing my wife's Fibro, but also might have saved my life.2 -
Good to meet you @MikePfirrman and wife. Your wife sounds exactly like me - same issues except MTHFR which I haven't been checked for. I have taken all the B's (extra) for most of my life anyhow.
Glad you two are doing better! It never pays to 'ignore' medical issues. We know they don't go away on their own....1 -
You can try juicing celery at least 4 days per week. It has allowed me to eat pretty much anything without having any uncomfortable symptoms.0
