What are gluten intolerance symptoms? Are people with gluten intolerance just fussy eaters with a new excuse for their picky food habits?
Research shows that gluten sensitivity in some form, including celiac disease and mild gluten intolerance, affects approximately 15% of the US population. These statistics are likely to be similar in Western countries with similar health issues and dietary patterns. Are you one of these people? How do you recognize gluten intolerance symptoms?
First of all let’s identify the difference between celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is an immune reaction, a severe sudden onset allergic reaction, to the protein called gluten. This is commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. While celiac disease is initially an auto-immune disorder, it is also a disease of malabsorbtion, because essential nutrients are not absorbed. Therefore one of the most devastating symptoms of long-term undiagnosed celiac disease is malnutrition.
Gluten intolerance often has a slower onset than celiac disease, and may be hard to diagnose due to the broad range of symptoms and causes.
If you imagine a continuum of gluten intolerance symptoms, celiac disease is usually at the most extreme end with immediate autoimmune reactions. Some people with celiac disease may not have symptoms, but internally malabsorbtion and malnutrition can erode health over many years. Both celiac disease and gluten intolerance can be exacerbated by emotional stress, infection, surgery, pregnancy and childbirth. Every individual with some level of gluten intolerance or allergy may experience different shades of symptoms, hence the challenge for medical practitioners to diagnose.
So what are the specific symptoms of gluten intolerance and
celiac disease?
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorbtion e.g. low iron levels
- Gastro-intestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)
- Fat in the stools (due to poor digestion)
- Aching joints
- Depression
- Eczema
- Head aches
- Exhaustion
- Irritability and behavioural changes
- Infertility, irregular menstrual cycle and miscarriage
- Cramps, tingling and numbness
- Slow infant and child growth
- Decline in dental health
Undiagnosed for long periods of time, food intolerances have been found to contribute to diabetes, bowel cancer, anemia and osteoporosis.
Why are gluten intolerance symptoms so varied?
It is still a bit of a mystery; gluten intolerance and allergies affect adults and children in a variety of ways, but we do know that the less stress the better.
Anecdotal evidence suggests emotional trauma and stress play a large role in worsening of symptoms. Some studies have shown that there is a lower chance of developing celiac disease, the longer a baby is breastfed; the later they started eating gluten containing foods and the less gluten containing foods they ate. However completely avoiding gluten through pregnancy and in a child’s younger years may also increase allergic reaction, as the developing digestive system does not recognize the substance at all. Perhaps a moderate approach is best when preventing celiac disease, especially if there is a genetic predisposition. Mother might reduce but not eliminate gluten foods when pregnant, breastfeed for a longer than average period, and introduce low gluten grains as first foods for baby.
How to diagnose celiac disease and gluten intolerance?
Until recently it was challenging to diagnose celiac disease because the symptoms are varied and similar to other diseases. For example, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue, iron deficiency, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal infections can all have similar symptoms. In fact there may be a cross over between gluten intolerance and some of these illnesses; an individual may have a combination of issues worsened by unsuitable food choices.
Now doctors test for raised levels of certain auto-antibodies in their blood. These antibodies are produced when the body senses a dangerous intruder allergen, like gluten. If the results indicate an allergy to gluten the doctor may perform a small intestine biopsy. This will reveal the damage to the villi in the small intestine. It is important to eat an ordinary diet including gluten, before being tested.
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I have celiac and do my best to stay gluten free. Occasionally I get rashes that last for several days. Any recommendations for ointments or topical treatments is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Is your rash itchy? There are lotions like Eucerin itch relief that could provide relief.
I use Benadryl in the liquid form. There is a bottle i get, then there is this application stick i have in my purse. Works right away for the rashes and itching
Thanks, i talk to my doctor tomorrow. I want know what he think of that before.
I know this sounds strange but my 9 year old son gets severe eczema from gluten and after trying all the child approved steroid cremes we finally found Boudreaux’s Butt Paste…..it’s a diaper rash creme similar to Desitin, but it smells much better. It is the only thing that works to relieve the itching and the “funky”, unexplained rash.
Where does the rash appear?
In the past few years I have steeply developed a harsh gluten intolerance. I am sixteen years old. Going from eating an entire pizza to myself to not even being able to have a bite of bread without feeling the consequences is a rough deal, I really cannot stand this Celiac disease bullshit. It is such a hindrance to even go out anywhere, because you know that as soon as you’re handed a menu at a restaurant, that half the menu is off limits due to your useless body that can’t digest a carbohydrate as common as gluten, for christ’s sake.
I feel sorry for anyone else that has to deal with this.
Hi Sam. Welcome!
It does make life difficult, that’s for sure. But it is a great thing that there are so many more food choices coming on the market every week and that there is a new awareness about gluten intolerance.
Im right there with you. Im 15, and I used to cry in the restarunts and grocery stores, but it gets better. I promise :)
Why would you eat an entire pizza by yourself?
My daughter who is a 16 year old type 1 diabetic has all of a sudden developed an internal itch in her feet, legs, hands and tummy. Wondering if anyone has had similar sensations who also suffers from type 1 diabetes
Hey, everyone,
I’ve been down below reading the comments, and there are many people who say they’ve been tested for Celiac disease, only to get a negative result. They express their frustration because, they say, they still have symptoms of gluten intolerance. And well, you can have gluten intolerance even if you don’t have Celiac disease, but many of you want to know FOR SURE if that’s what you have.
The best way to find out if you do have a gluten intolerance is to do the home test. This is what you do:
1. Eliminate all wheat products from your diet, including the related grains such as rye, oats, wheat germ, etc.
2. Eat none of the wheat products for 7 whole days. You can do it for 14 days if you wish, but 7 should be enough.
a. (don’t be surprised if for the first few days you have headaches and feel more tired. This is just a side effect of the detoxing your body.)
3. On the 8th day (or the 15th…), eat wheat for breakfast and wheat for lunch. Pay attention to your reaction. It could take up to a few days before you get a reaction.
4. If you are going to test oats, rye, etc. also, wait 2 days after your wheat test, so that you don’t mix up any symptoms from your first test with your second one.
Good luck:)
Is there a website out there that tells you what foods have gluten or is it just all wheat products have gluten?
It is all wheat, rye, oats barley and all what comes from them:like MSG, beer, vodka, whisky. Basically you have to check the labels or what is made of for everything you eat, drink and even for the cleaning products like soap and shampoo.
This is some what true. You also have to watch out for things like carmel coloring, like in sodas, modified food starch-this could also include gluten. You also have to ask your doctor if any of your meds contain gluten. Gluten is also found in toothpaste. I want to say in 2004 or 2006 there was a law passed that said that all allergies have to be listed on the packaging of products. I talked to a dietician (sorry for misspell) and she said that it was for a couple of things but did not include wheat products. She said that some companies are nice and do tell you that if thier product contains gluten or not. Also be careful!!! I have seen foods that have been ok’ed by the National Celiac Foundation (I think that’s the right name), the packaging that has gone through them will have thier mark on it, but I have seen this mark on the package and then read that the product may have been processed in a place that processes wheat products. If you see this, this is WRONG! That needs to be reported to the foundation for celiac’s. Before the food can get their mark from the foundation, there should be no worries about it if its been in a plant that processes wheat. Gluten free is Gluten free. I hope this information adds to what you said Ariana and answers for anyone else.
SAM! I HEAR U!!!
Its ridiculous!
I have found a great cream for itchy skin, it really works.
Renew™ Intensive Skin Therapy
http://www.melaleuca.com/ProductStore/ProductSubCategory.aspx?id=79
You also need to drink LOTS of water and apply this lotion after your shower or bath.
To Sam,
I have a mild gluten intolerance, maybe you should have a positive mindset? Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise and it’s your body’s way of telling you to eat healthier. If you stick to a more organic diet, you won’t even have to worry about gluten.
Even people who don’t have celiac disease will avoid gluten, it’s a filler. I know for myself I’m glad I have a gluten intolerance instead of a brain tumour… it could be a lot worse!
Or, you could have neither, like the other 90+% of the population…
You think 90% of the population have NOTHING wrong with them? You need to open your mind. It could be A LOT worse.
You are so right.
my daughter is 21 and has been lactose intolerance for my years and now is gluten intolerance it is very hard to my food for her if you need to use soup in a recipe its got MSG or wheat or dairy in it is there a book out there that shows how to substitute foods that she can not have . thank you
I feel for your daughter. I’m 25 years old and have been lactose intolerant for the past 10 years and only discovered last year that i have an intolerance to gluten. Feels like i can’t eat anything. Actually they say that people who are lactose intolerant are more inclined to being gluten intolerant, life is funny like that.
My daughter is 8 and has been intolerant to milk for a while, just found out she is intolerant to gluten and allergic to wheat and eggs. I am at a loss what to feed her. How do you tell a kid who has had to give up ice cream and cheese last year that she now can’t have the other good stuff! Hope she doesn’t become allergic to anything else! Good luck with your daughter!
Jeanne,
Just found out a great substitute for ice cream. You can take bananas, peel them and then freeze them. After they are frozen, put them through a juicer with frozen blueberries or strawberries, etc. Kids love it and it’s very healthy.
There are many substitutions for ice cream and cheese… if your daughter is lactose but not dairy intolerant than she may be able to eat hard cheeses that do not contain a lot of lactose, the same goes for yogurt. Frozen yogurt should be fine or try ice-cream made from rice or soy milk they taste delicious i.e. vanilla ice cream from Rice Dream!
hey, I am lactose intolorent and so is my husband and 3 kids. my son(3) has peanut allergy, my husband has issues with eggs wheat peanuts and maybe gluten. I also have a MSG allergy, for soups or cassaroles that call for cream of mushroom soup in them I make my own. chop onion and mushrooms with some butter, add flour whatever you use, cook for about a min. then add lactose free milk. it works just like the can stuff. without the tummy and head problems!
I also have just recently discovered I am lactose intolerant. After two weeks of avoiding all dairy I still had some symptons. A friend who has celiac disease suggested going gluten free to see if that would remove the remaining symptons, even giving up my Guiness (I am Irish). After only 10 days all symptons were gone. This after 3 plus years of illness at 50 years of age. It’s been a tough adjustment, but is much better then the horrible way I felt. So hang in there. With modern food processing, more and more people are having these problems and the food industry will soon start to increase the production of safe foods for us. Just keep pressing forward.
Do you have arthritis. I ask because I have had a major flare up and also for the first time had a major flare up of psoriasis which I never had before. I am have signs of gluten and lactose intolerance and so does my son. Arlene
Try pure coconut oil for skin itching and rashes. Health food stores carry it, it’s inexpensive and works!
for rash i recomend Mexana powder (polvo mezana)..i had a rash that no doctor cured after i came back from a cruise. i am gluten intolorance. so my momma told me about this powder. they sale it in farmacy, walmart ect. so i tried it..God it really worked. it works also for babies summer rashes btter than any other baby powder. mexana is a medicated powder sold over the counter..Mary
My mom swore by Mexana powder for a lot of problems. It’s been around forever, so is obviously good stuff! -I had forgotten about that! Thanks for reminding me! I’m going to get some for rashes and itching that I have.
oh and podwer mexana also works and used for deorent. i mean works better than a deoroent. can u beleive that???
I’ve never heard of it. I’ll have to look it up! Interesting!
When I was a baby, I was very ill and if it wasn’t for the celiac diet, I might not be here due to malnutrition. I grew out of it as a really young child. When my little brother was born, he had the same problems but thankfully as I was the previous gineau pig, they knew what to do with him and he too grew out of it (my older brother never had intolerance of gluten issues). When my dad quit smoking at age 40, he developed all of the same symptoms as my brother and I had and was ill for many years (until he decided to take up smoking again, however he never had any previous issues with gluten intolerance until he quit smoking). I often wonder if I still have intolerance issues with gluten and wonder if anyone else out there has ever experienced anything quite similar to this.
I am curious if I am intolerant to gluten. Ever since I can remember, I have had weight issues and now, after having my children, even when I work out, I don’t lose body fat, only inches. After 5 months of working out, 4 days a week, 2 hours each time, my body fat % is still the same. Also, I find myself, irritable, down (not depressed but down), tired, foggy brain, mild headaches all the time, I have low iron too (diagnosed by a doctor), high cholesterol,
and inflammation (hands, feet are inflammed and the skin on my face isn’t the best either).
I don’t over eat, but do have whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, cereals, etc…daily.
I am wondering if anyone who has been diagnosed with gluten intolerance has these say symptoms, and would you have any recommendations.
Thanks
Try looking up candida I thought I was gluten intolerant, only to find, I have Candida Albican. This is a bad bacteria build up in the body. this has a trillon symptons. Now I’m on a diet for Candida, plus medication, and I can hardly eat anything. Candida has given me brain Fog, dizziness, heart palpatations, acid reflux, bloating, gas,headaches, fatigue, just to name a few. It is absolutley horrible. It also causes you to gain wieght, and lose any regardless of how much you work out , and if you lose anything while dieting it comes right back, so check it out. Hope you get to the bottom of the problem.
Sounds like polycystic ovarian syndrome to me, I would recommend finding Dr who specializes in this as other docs may dimiss your symptoms!! Good luck
There’s a book called “The Yeast Connection.” It will set a lot of people free with it’s information!! Look for it. Many will recognize themselves in many of the people described in this book who have a problem with this!
I had the yeast problems to where I was really bloated from one week to the next. I’m past menopause so it wasn’t the monthly PMS/period issues. I did some research online and found an articles about Candida buildup in the intestines rather than the usual places in the body. A light went on over my head and knew that’s what was going on. I bought some Candex capsules to fight the problem and they really work. I’m also going to try the gluten test to see if I’m sensitive to that as well. I already know I have leaky gut so have to take some supplements for that as well.
I eat the wheat for breakfast & lunch on the 8th day then do I avoid gluten again, & just wait & see if there’s a reaction to the wheat I ate that 1 day?
That would be me. After I stopped eating gluten i can tell I am almost back to normal. Now I am a pozitice person, I can say happy, no headackes, not tired anymore, lost some weight (not spectacular but, on the other hand, I could say that I eat more – I guess my body was drained of minerals and vitamins and now is trying to catch up). It’s not easy but it is worth to try see if this is your problem. Go 1 week without and you can notice the difference right away – first should be the headackes to go, then you’ll feel more energetic and so on… You might notice more changes than you realize right now that could be from gluten. For example my skin looks more radiant, no bruises, my hair stopped falling and looks healthier, no bloating, no diahreea, no heart palpitations, I breath better, I sleep better and so many more.
Issues w. Weight….check for hypothyroidism, which often occurs in the same people as gluten intolerance! Ii have both, lost twenty pounds over a year once I started thyroid medicine. Get ALL the test s not just master hormone , there are three to four test s, educate yourself, advocate for your rights as a patient! You’ll feel much better
I have had mild headaches every day since last summer and i have a mild rash on my tummy, hands, legs and feet. I have not been able to take off any weight for bout 7 months or so now. and i walk every day and exercise at the gym 4 times an week. I have also had the runs 3 times week every week and have been bloated for months now. So i am making the effort to go to the doctors and see if i can find out what is going on with me.
I had trouble with gluten, and did not know it. When I was little I can remember not liking cerial, it made me feel funny. No one believed me. I do not over eat, and gain weight on diets, like weight watchers. I tried the atkins diet a couple of years ago and lost weight fast. I noticed when I started eating gluten again I started getting itchey again, I did not notice I was not itchey when on the diet. I am following a no gluten diet now. I still eat like I want but no gluten at all. I am loosing weight again about 1.5 lbs a week, and I noticed again my skin is not itchey. I am thinking I am going have to stay gluten free for the rest of my life. This is sometimes hard but to not itch is great.
to Caroline:
My daughter’s hands itched after eating chocolate and mine itch after too much chocolate or pineapple. I assume we am sensitive to these foods. Take stock of the diet, you may find the culprit, good luck.
Jill
2 things…
If I have a hint of gluten I break out in rash type acne all over my face and back.
My mom gave me some of Arbonne’s anti aging line and it heals my face faster than anything. I used to have scars and remnants of the acne/rash for up to 2 weeks… now… it goes away in 2 days. so I love it! It’s called RE9 advanced. (It’s formulated gluten free… as well as most of their products! )
http://www.arbonne.com/RE9Advanced/
Also… Uno’s Chicago Pizzeria has a gluten free pizza. If you get it for pick up/take out… you buy the first one for $11.99 and get the second one for $2 extra. So 2 gluten free pizzas for $13.99! Sometimes I’ll eat an entire pizza!!!!
Lastly…
I’ve found that Taking fish oil pills really helps with the mental affects that gluten has on me.
got to love the fish oil, I use it for my kidneys!
knowledge is power. i found out by accident that i’m gluten intollerant. explains alot. i found out cause i was diagnosed as type2 diabetic and decided to research diet options. most doctors are 20yrs behind the times and recommend 80% carbs. i refuse to believe that eating 80% of what causes high blood sugar is the answer, so i cut out All carbs. thats wheat, oats, rye flours. i may start eating potatoes again but thats beside the point. nothing but meat and vegitables(lower carb stuff). well if a dozen things i’d suffered from went away!! i did’nt realize a couple more till i saw this site. my digestion is fantastic, no gas no pain no grumbling, mood is better, schizo halucinations almost gone, i dont ache like an 80yr old man in the morning, sinuses totally cleared up, shooting pains in hands and feet and cramps gone, feeling more energy and less weak, and i forgot about the itching i’d get under my inner ankles that i’d rub till i tore the damn skin off and take a month to heal! type2 may save my life, and with proper diet i may end up off the drugs and live naturally. (N.B. when i was a kid i wanted drugs, now i’m 44 and want to get away from the damn things ;)
If I am not gluten intolerant and cut out gluten, will I have a reaction if I were to accidentally ingest gluten again?
My nutrionist/chiropractor has told me to definitely eliminate gluten. I’ve read that there is a big chance the blood test will come back negative since I have already eliminated gluten. I did however have an accidental “glutening” that gave me a reaction (upset stomach, face broke out, hands and feet itch). Just wondering if this is normal for everyone or just if you do indeed have an intolerance.
I guess I am looking for confirmation that all this is not just in my head! I have had plenty of symtoms for “nothing” for quite a while.
It sounds like this should be it.
My reaction is worse now if I accidentally ingest some gluten than it was before, when I was eating.
Sigh…. I believe i am mildly allergic to wheat, is that considered gluten intolerant? But i am also allergic to a butt load of things such as milk, soy, fish, beef, pork, potatoes, carrots, apples, plums, and there’s more but i don’t fill like getting into it. Oh and I’m mildly allergic to it all and i think my allergies could be getting worse because i eat them still. I’m trying to cut them out of my diet but i do not have the money, and space in my refrigerator to keep all my food. I thought life was hard enough and it just got a whole lot harder
goofyflutist-
I am right there with you. For a couple of years I would wake up feeling nauseous every morning. Then it got worse and I felt sick all the time. I also had mild face acne. I had a doctor tell me to stay off of wheat for my face acne…to my surprise not only did my acne clear up, but so did my sick stomach!
Now, I’ve been tested for Celiac Disease and a wheat allergy and everything comes up negative. But I know I feel better avoiding it, so I do. In the past year I’ve had three strange allergy attacks that sound similar to yours…upset stomach, itchy hands, then it moves to my face and ears and I get a rash all over. I wonder if it’s wheat related…I’d never considered that before.
It drives me nuts though, not being able to have the things I love. I’ve been avoiding wheat for about three years now. Sometimes I don’t care anymore and I give into pizza or something……if I have a lot….then I really pay for it later. But every once in a while I’m able to have a piece without getting sick.
I just wish I knew if I was allergic to wheat or not. I feel like it would be a lot easier for me to avoid wheat if I knew for sure.
Im rite there with you – Been having that major itch on my face, tummy, hands and feet. I have been getting mild head aches more often and then i would get the runs and end up on the toilet more often after i eat anything with bread wheat rye. I have been having this prob 4 bout 7 mnths now. I have to break down an go to my DR. b.c im not the skinny minnie type and i cant even loose weight with all the exercise i do at the gym on the weekly basis. I have had really low energy and i really hate being this way ya kno.
Someone recommended the Atkin’s diet (‘Robin,’ I believe) for weight loss…
Being somewhat of a biology nerd, I feel that this needs to be brought to light:
The Atkin’s diet is essentially a heart attack (and a kidney, liver, and bone antagonist as well) waiting to happen.
When a person removes carbohydrates from his/her diet and consumes high amounts of protein instead, the body goes into Ketosis. In layman’s terms, when the body can’t pull energy from carbs, it’s initial reaction is to burn through ketones which are found in stored fat. Again, ketosis is an immediate and therefore short-term response.
If you lose weight on the Atkin’s diet, it is mostly due to Ketosis and will be short-term (weight will be regained).
High protein/low carbohydrate diets absolutely starve the human body of nutrients leading to severe loss of energy, muscle loss, and a plethora of other side-effects associated with malnutrition.
No doctor in his right mind would recommend this diet.
Now Atkins diet is not 100% protein. Just doing it you get enough carbs to survive. You have your carbs from cereal and also in vegetables and fruit there is lots. If you have an office job, don’t exercise too much, drive a car and spend your time in front of the tv, computer, or reading – then you don’t need a slice of bread a day if you’ve already had your fruit and vegetables. Now if you are working in constructions get your loads of carbs as you need them. Is that easy and it’s called applied biology for nerds.
I get headaches when I eat wheat bread, but no other symptoms. Does this mean I have celibacy disease?
Well, perhaps Celiac disease, but “celibacy” disease? Only you know that for sure ;)
Hi folks!
Ever since I was about 15 yrs old (am 32 now) I have suffered from joint pain. My skin is mildly itchy all over (when I was pregnant I broke out with a rash all over my chest, trunk and legs, and it went away about 2 months post delivery) I do tend to get headaches and have also been diagnosed with IBS. I sometimes have unexplained reactions to foods like pizza, ceasar salad dressing, eggs and milk. I will feel nauseated, or be running to the toilet to do the other. LOL …
My mother was diagnosed with Colitis many years ago, but she feels as this diagnosis is not correct as she has obtained second opions from docs who say she doesn’t have it. I see that Celiac disease can be hereditary. Now I am wondering if both my mother and I have some kind of sensitivity to gluten.
I feel everyone’s frustration with this as the tests can come back negative. I am afraid to go to my doctor because I feel like I am always in his office for some symptom or another. He is very “old school” and seems to just treat symptoms rather than want to investigate the cause, and I don’t think he takes me very seriously.
I have a husband and a 2 yr old, so eliminating gluten out of my diet will be tough if I’m having to buy special food on top of the already “too long” grocery list. Especially if I don’t know if I have a gluten sensitivity!! So SO frustrating!!!!
I have had two cases of very painful cramping-wind and I could hardley move after eating garlic bread and toast and I have alot of stress over last two weeks…does this make me gluten intollerant?
It has been a battle for me for the last 2 years. Food made me feel sick so I started eating less and less and noticed I felt better. Hunger would take over and I would “cave” and eat. It’s not until I was free of the pains, the gas, the bloating and the overall sensation of feeling sick all the time (I omitted carbs) Once I felt better I thought whatever I had was gone and I would eat a bowl of spaghetti with my kids and would come off nauseous immediately. The bloating soon followed and it would take 24-48 hours to feel better, to feel “skinny” again. I would also omit fats to help my stomach recover from the digestive pains.
I have read up on my symptoms and found that I could be intolerant to Gluten; I tested this theory and ate potatoes, rice and rice noodles. None of them would hurt me. I went to subways the other day with my kids and had a 6inch on whole wheat and honey oats bread. I paid dearly for that mistake the following day (sever bloating and feeling sluggish and nauseous)
I know now I am intolerant to gluten, yes it does suck that I am limited to certain foods but this will force me to eat better. I am in the early stage of self diagnosis and therefore my diet is poor, lacking nutrients and vitamins, since my diet is mainly 3 food dishes I constantly make not being educated yet of what I can eat. I bought a gluten free cookbook and hope to learn how to make my own “breads” free of gluten (since it is so expensive to buy these items at the grocery store)
I would love a forum or support group to talk to others about this and get ideas on how to deal and cope with this.
Good Luck to everyone, this was not easy to diagnose, very long journey of self awareness…
Mys
Do you have any signs of arthritis or psoriasis have had flare of both, ever had psoriasis before. I have had periods of depression too. I wonder now if this is all part and parcel of the allergy. Arlene
Hello! I am now trying a gluten free diet as well….around middle school is when it all started! I was tired a lot and always had a stomach ache. I ate a lot but never felt full. In february of my junior of college I developed an itch with some hives all over my legs, stomach, arms, back…but worst on my legs. I itched so much that I have scars! I went to the allergist/immunologist and they did some blood test which included celiac…it was negative. He told me to take zyrtec, which helped but not with the stomach issues. I get sick almost on a daily basis, I also went to the GI specialists who did a colonoscopy which is negative for anything as well. I did some research of my own and now believe that gluten intolerance is the reason for my symptoms. From what I understand, gluten intolerance does not show up on the blood test when testing for celiac. So I am starting the diet, which has seemed to be working very well so far!
You literally made me cry. You’re story is identical to mine. I didn’t have the colonoscopy but I had a camera ran down to the back of my throat to my stomach. Every single test was negative. I’ve been dealing with this for 3 years, since the beginning of high school, and god I hope this diet works for me, as well as you.
I feel for both of you, because it was a Sat. and suddenly I got the same ol pain in my stomach. It was so bad that I had to go to the ER…..again. Someone even said I thought you looked familiar….pretty bad. They ran every kind of test and CT scan……..nothing. From Sat on, I couldn’t eat anything but one of those small cups of jello and a few sips of water without getting sick. I did this until Tues. I had severe pains again and ER again. They called the GI doctor and actually got me in the next day. The dr looked at me and my mouth and said to get to the hospital, I was severly dehydrated. This was Wed and Fri I had an upper and lower GI done. Nothing. I am now waiting for test results from the biopsy to see if its celiac. I’ve had so many tests done and nothing wrong…….I have been crying because I am guessing that it will be nothing again. I have read some people say that when they went off of gluten, they got headaches, I’ve been getting those quite a bit and maybe my system is clearing its self out now. I am so tired of the bloating, nausia, dry heaves, diarreaha, and that god forsaken pain in my stomach. I hope all this goes away eventually by not eatting gluten. It is one week from when I first got sick this go around and I almost ended up in the ER again for pain…….shouldn’t this have stopped by now if it were gluten intollerance? I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. When will this end?
Am going through the same thing, No energy, suffering also with arthritic flare up, feeling emotionally drained. I really feel it all has to do with the gluten and lactose intolerance. If so the suffering I have experienced for years is going to change. If so I will be so grateful for all who have written on this sight. Arlene
Hi I was tested for Gluten intolerance at Enterolab and the result was positive. So I started my gluten free diet for the past 3 months and so far I am not feeling any different. In fact some days I am feeling worst than ever. I don’t know what to do more… very discouraged!
I’ve developed lactose and egg intolerance with stomach pain when eating meat of any type over the past several years. I was Dx’d with IBS over 20 years ago. I went vegan last year with some improvement in symptoms but since I used seitan as my main protein source, the bloating, abdominal distress, diarrhea and anemia exacerbated.I’ve also developed tingling, nerve pain and twitching in my extremities and left side of my face. My neurologist suggested celiac disease, but I’ve had so many doctors insist that was not the case. But I began to explore the web. I’ve decided to try gluten free to see if there is improvement. Within 24 hrs I went from 5-7 times a day BM’s to just 2. Some improvement in energy. Day 4 some withdrawal symptoms occurred, Migraine and nausea. But I’m perserving, it can only get better. Thanks for your info.
Carin,
Some of your symptons sound like mine – have had IBS the last few years. Dr.’s have given me numerous blood tests for Celiac Disease – came back negative. Been told take more fiber – eat more fiber. Everytime I eat more fiber like bran or wheat I have problems with diarrhea and going too much. Have been very frustrated about my condition feel like I am a prisoner in my own home. I will try going without gluten and wheat. Will be checked in March by an allergist for food allergies.
I went to the dermatologist a few months ago for several skin issues and she after examining the rash on my right arm asked me if I had issues with gluten.
I also have bloating and stomach issues when eating wheat. I felt better after a week of not eating breads and items with gluten but find it very difficult to go without many days but suffer if I do eat wheat… Any suggestions for gluten free products?
so many of you have questions, and i would like to respond to a few, i was born allergic to milk, which has since turned into a mild intolerance to dairy. Eating the hard cheeses with less milk fats does work to alleviate those symptoms… i started with my issues in highschool with acid reflux and widly ranging weight. i would go from a size 4 to a size 12 in 6 months. When i was in culinary school in college, i was tiny, and when i came home to carb central, meat potatoes and lots of bread, i ballooned. i always just thought it was calories, now i am not so sure. i think you can give yourself a diet that is very safe easily, make your own dressings, eat salads, and spend a bit more time to make some bread gluten free for yourself. there are a ton of products out there, so when you have a craving for a pizza, try and make your own crust, and here is my trick, if you start having a reaction, take 2 benedryl… works wonders for me…oh and yes Tons of water. over time i have found i can find out really fast if the menu or ingredient list lies, i will have a reaction if there is the smallest amount of flour, and i used to think it was just white flour, now it is progressing into wheat in general. I am not letting that rain on my parade, the food business uses wheat because it is cheap, not because it is the most nutritional, or even easiest to grow! world wide we are just used to using it, so keep looking for the products, believe me they are all out there, and so if you have to have your cereal and bread only at home where you know it is safe? well then, at least you can still have it! i would say the best thing to do is to stock up on the things that can be your substitutes, like gluten free brownie mix, or gluten free bisquick mix, rice dream ice cream, and they have fantastic sorbets now, for those of us that have the milk problem too… here in pa my favorite store is wegmans, they have hands down the best selection of all, at the best prices, and shop around online! get a great rubbermaid and your rice flour can last you months!
I recently had a blood test for celiac, but it came out negative. Nonetheless, I am of the mind that my issues must be at least a food allergy. Every time I eat bread product, as well as a few other random foods, I ITCH all over my body. I also get mild headaches that stay with me all day. My stomach always feels crampy and bloated and I’m not even going to get into my issues with the other end of digestion! I have constantly struggled with weight loss since I was a kid. So, now I’m gonna try the gluten/bread free thing. Hopefully it works, because this is getting to be extremely irritating.
I have a 7 year old daughter who had been having bad headaches, stomach aches after nearly EVERY meal/snack, and daily runny BMs (she calls it ‘going #3). Her pediatrician had her tested for Celiac, but the results came back negative. We’re waiting on allergy testing to see if we can better pinpoint what her real allergies are. In the meantime, we’re trying to maintain a gluten-free diet for her. If she goes 2-3 days without any gluten, she can get away with having a couple of regular waffles or a soft pretzel with no problems. However, she has to go at least a couple of days without gluten before she can ‘cheat’ and have a little, then it’s back to gluten-free foods.
We’ve discovered Udi’s gluten-free breads are the closest we’ve found to ‘the real thing’. She’s really relieved that she can have a peanut-butter sandwich with her classmates at the lunch table, and still feel ‘normal’. Cheetoes, tortilla chips and corn tortillas are gluten free too, as well as Cocoa & Fruity Pebbles! Good luck out there!
HELP……IM A CELIAC AND GOT INTO SOME GLUTEN BY ACCIDENT…I’M VOMITING AND LEFT WORK EARLY BECAUSE I’M HAVING SUCH A VIOLENT REACTION…..WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP IMMEDIATLY??? ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED
I have had stomach problems as long as I can remember, but the older I got the more severe it was. I think I first started having to leave work because of severe stomach pain about 10 years ago. I also started having joint pain in my hands. I was diagnosed with IBS and got a prescription for an anti-spasmodic drug – which did really help after a couple of hours. It wasn’t a daily thing, however, so I didn’t really try eliminating anything from my diet. It just seemed unpredictable. About 3 years ago, my symptoms began to get rapidly worse. I had so much joint pain that it hurt to write my name or to lift a cup of tea into the microwave. I began dropping things. I quit a job that required a lot of daily travel because I felt so sick (I thought it was stress). Finally my husband heard a program about someone who had almost the same list of problems as me, and they were diagnosed with celiac disease. He suggested I look into it, so after a little online research I tried cutting out gluten. I felt better within a week – it was really dramatic. I was fortunate to have a newly graduated doctor who had done his graduate thesis on celiac disease.
wendie: I have had this happen too. The only things that give me any relief are Maalox advanced extra strength – helps with the nausea and bloating – and of course Immodium AD. A hot shower or bath or heating pad on my stomach seems to help the stomach pain – or at least feel good anyway. I usually treat myself like I have got flu – clear fluids, and only eat rice for a day or two.
Having unexplained numbness in my hands in the middle of the night, and tingling in my hands during the day. Had all tests done, nerve tests, mri, blood work, sugar levels are normal, and nothing. Could this be from a gluten sensitivity? Did go on a carb elimination diet which helped my stomach bloating and discomfort, but tingling remains for the most part but not as bad.
I found when I was in college I was getting this extremely bad rash where I would wake up scratching all over my body until I was bleeding, my doctor had diagnosed me with neuro-dermatitis and put me on atarax right away. It helped a lot with it, but it kept on coming back in little patches, especially on my arms and my legs. For about two years I kept on getting bad stomach aches, had gained about 30lbs, fatigue (I would sleep 11-12 hours a night! if not more), and found that if I needed to go to the washroom I needed to go NOW! It got so bad that I was eating Imodium on a daily basis! I would only drive long distances in the middle of the night just in case I couldn’t make it to the next town to a washroom :( The more and more I had read into gluten intolerance I decided to try going gluten free, I can honestly say I have not had a rash since! I have also lost 20lbs, but I find that I still can get sick from time to time. Especially if I eat eggs or too many tomatoes.
I have recently found out when going gluten free you shouldn’t cut out all grains, I have been putting Quinoa, and Millets on top of my salads, along with a gluten free dressing. I found a great grocery store that carries all kinds of gluten free muffins, breads, pizza, cereals, pretzels, pasta, cookies, cereal bars, BBQ sauces etc… I could go on and on, its more expensive eating this way, but I can honestly say I feel so much better!!
Hi everyone. Just thought I’d add my bit. I’m 58, diagnosed CD 8 months ago. It had progressed to the point where there were so many things wrong with me I thought I was going to die or at least become severely incapacitated. I became aware of stomach issues at around 30. Instant diarhea at supper was quickly attributed to the milk I was consuming and I removed much of the lactose from my diet. I was a heavy beer drinker and resolved myself to the idea for many years that the diarhea I would have the next day was normal. I also somehow convinced myself that the rancid odor of my BM’s was normal (not being one to go around and compare odors). In my 40′s I started to get hangovers from my beer drinking and slowed it down to around 2 or maybe 3 bottles in an evening.
Funny thing I noticed was it didn’t matter how many beers I had the hangover was basically the same. I’ve always been a huge buffet fan loading my plate 3 or 4 times with everything and more. Lucky for me these places have bathrooms. I thought it was normal to have to use the bathroom right away after eating such a large amount but it never dawned on me that it wasn’t normal to eat so much.
3 years ago I was sitting at the dinner table and had a lovely roast beef dinner and another run to the bathroom incident occured. This time the the excrement was a black black tar looking substance floating on the top. I felt like all my energy was being drained and went to bed. The next morning the same thing occured and I went to the doctor who rushed me to the emergency. I was in a cold sweat and had lost a large amount of blood in my stool. My first blood transfusion, scary stuff. Diagnosis Helicobacter Pyloria a nasty bacteria that somehow found it’s way into my guts and thought it would be a great place to live. So no one knows where it came from but the prescription they gave me got me back on track……sort of.
I maintained my diet (a fresh loaf of french bread every day–most of it for me) and a wide array of gluten-filled foods. I did quit drinking beer after the helico incident (mostly because my taste buds got all messed up for a while) but I noticed I was still getting the same hangovers. It still didn’t click for me.
My symptoms did not seem related. I’d been falling asleep on the couch at 8:00 for years. I’d fall asleep sometimes while visiting with friends. Diarhea, well that’s normal for an indulgant guy like me right? Foggy thinking, guess I smoke too much pot, probably normal too. Irritable, who me. Confrontational, what are you talking about. Now what about my lower back pain that I live with every day and I just can’t stand it anymore? 3 degenerated disks. Normal too I guess.
So everytime I do the slightest bit of physical labour all my joints ache for the next three days. Well Ger you are 57 years old. Normal I guess. Pockets of fat growing under my skin on my neck and other places. Doctor says people get those and its normal. Feet or fingers go numb. Write that one off to poor circulation. It’s normal, I smoke. Tingly fingers. must have something to do with that circulation and smoking thing. Sure had a lot of teeth chipping and breaking lately. I guess that come with age.
HOW STUPID ARE WE? Do you have to get like me and feel so rotten that you feel like selling your business and maybe your house and slip into early retirement mode feeling like a bag of shit.
I’ve been on this gluten free diet now for 8 months. All of the above mentioned symptoms have COMPLETELY disappeared even the puss pockets drained off and are gone. I am full of energy and feel 20 years younger. I can now drink milk and eat ice cream ( I was never lactose intolerant, it was the gluten making me unable to digest the lactose). I would always cough up phlem but this has stopped. My sinuses have cleared up. No more visits to the Chiropractor. Endless energy. Clear head (even after toking) and while we’re on that subject I controlled my nausea from the upset stomach for many years with a few puffs in the morning. I love to sing and apparantly I’m pretty good and I have a huge karaoke collelction. Many songs I could not hit the high notes on before I can sing with no problems now. My voice has improved tremendously. Oh yeah, my teeth didin’t get better. They used to be so nice.
WANT TO FEEL YOUNG AGAIN? STOP EATING GLUTEN POISON! I believe this advice applies to everyone. Thanks for listening to my long-winded speech.
hello,there, iv’e just been advised by my sister , who is gluten/lactouse intolarant, to try her non gluten diet, been 10 days now , and the signs are good, Did your have any chest problems at all, siness or asthma at all , any rhinitas, mine was classed as chronic, colds were long drawn out affairs that seemed to last for ever, and now i find i am alergic to ALL the english medicine i’ve been given..my 1st hubby used to say that illness q’d up for me, and it really felt like it, plus like you i see a chiropractor , regulaly .hope you understand all this , as sometimes it feel as if i’m an invalid, and i’m not
I have had problems with my stomach for a few years now but have seemed to become more prevalent lately as I have upped my bread intake in an effort to gain some weight. I was diagnosed with a a small hiatal hernia five years ago along with acid reflux. I always drank a couple of beers every night and would have loose stools every morning. I had to have another couple of scopes, colon and endo, this fall and malabsorption was found to be a problem. I ask the GI doctor if I could have a problem with gluten and he said no. I told him since I had stopped drinking beer my inflammation of the feet had improved. He just blew it off. Of late I have been stressed and developed eczema and a yellow tongue when I have never had anything like this before. As I mentioned I have consumed much more gluten in an effort to gain some weight. I am wondering if gluten sensitivity or intolerance could be the problem? Any advice would be appreciated.
Oh yeah one more thing I am now 165 lbs (5’11″) My “normal” weight has always been 200 lbs and got as high as 250lbs when I was 35. The “spare tire” stomach that would just never go away is also gone. Too bad I have to be 58 to fianlly enjoy this. This has been a real eye-opener. Dandruff is gone too.
Glad to hear you’re feeling better Gerry!! Its amazing the complete turn around in the way you feel when you cut out the gluten!! Totally agree it’s poison, I couldn’t tell you the amount of blood tests, surgeons, ultrasounds etc etc I have had and seen and how many different medications I have taken. I have been gluten free since December and couldn’t feel any better… And when I talk to people about the energy increase, and the better moods and just better life improvements, they think it’s weird because I have cut out so many carbs from my diet. I remember when I was getting to my worst back in october and november my sister said to me that she was concerned about my depression because when I was around my nephew I wouldn’t have energy to play with him and I would never smile, she said to me it appeared I was emotionally and physically dead. I’m 5’6″ and the highest weight I ever was, was 178lbs I really struggled to bring my weight down to 167lbs, especially since I could never sleep enough and I had no energy. Then since I have went gluten free I weighed myself a few days ago and now 146lbs!! I am so happy to have my life back!!
I agree with you Suzie! It’s hard to put on a happy face when you feel like that. I’m happy to report that I also have had a total emotional turnaround. I am now a happy and nice guy and not at all the grump I used to be. Mother’s Day is going to be a challenge as we are taking her to a Chinese Buffet. They have a celieac menu but it is only safe if there is no cross-contamination. Fingers crossed. The hardest part for me will be to have to avoid the buffet. I tried a couple of restaurant meals right after starting my celiac diet but I got sick. Haven’t be to a restaurant again in 7 months. Oh well this one’s for mom. Glad to hear your doing so well. I see you consume a lot of processed products that claim to be gluten free.Have you had any reactions? I’m finding that I do not necessarily trust the gluten-free labels and have been reading stuff on the internet that supports my theory. I’ve been keeping it very basic with virtually no processed foods or sauces etc. Meat, fish, poultry, potatoes, vegetables, eggs etc. I had a few unexplained reactions unttil I went this route. Has anyone else had unexplained reactions to supposedly gluten-free products?
I have been reading that a lot of people have had the blood test for gluten sensitivity and it has been negative. Apparently this is very common and misleads people into thinking gluten is not a problem. I went to Dr. Kenneth Fine’s website and learned that the definitive test for the broad spectrum of gluten intolerance (from sensitivity all the way up to full blown Celiac Disease) can be readily diagnosed by a single stool sample sent to his Enterolab. For more information, check out his website: http://www.finerhealth.com From there you can access his lab and the tests offered. The website has expert information on gluten intolerence, microscopic colitis, Celiac Disease etc. He seems to be a well published Gastroenterologist at Baylor University with impeccable credentials who sincerely wants to help patients get to the bottom of their symptoms and live a healthy life.
I’ve read the same thing about false negatives Sue Q. Thanks for sharing the info.
Hello everyone,
Long story short my sister inlaw who is a Dr. in the fight against acutane causing her to have horrible prbs and have celiac disease. She met my brother who she found out had gluten allergy and dairy. They both are living with them and are having to be very creative in there cook.
I myself have been struggling for a long time that I was not gluten sensitive….well comes to find out i as well have dairy and gluten allergy! I get itchy and bm’s .. My husband is not but we are both in college and i’m lucky ive found out soo soon . What we did is we tried for a MONTH GLUTEN and DAIRY free and i went back to eat and felt miserable!! Even more so itchy!! I sometimes have gluten sneak in but i just get a rash!!
HOwever once going on the gluten and dairy free my weights balanced out and i have lost 30 lbs…. the weight loss doesnt work for all but its soo much healthier to be!!!
Just be careful Gluten is sneaky and just because the lable says “GLUTEN free” doesnt mean it comes in other forms also loook for cross contamination lables and that might be whats causing some of the things too!! also lots of times if you have gluten allergy an dairy …you might have to cutt Soy out as well!!!!
The best thing to do is trial and error…that’s all drs will say to do !! Go without for a few weeks at time then back on and see if youve an outbreak or sypmtoms!
Thanks!
When I was a kid, I wouldn’t drink milk without a fight and when I was 8 had my ‘tummy’ cleaned out and found out I’m not to have dairy.
I also wouldn’t eat eggs voluntarily and finally after losing my omelet one morning I was no longer required to eat eggs for breaky with family.
I hated sandwiches as a kid. If they were in my lunch, I tossed them.
Kids know :) I’m now 35 and can’t eat dairy, eggs, wheat or gluten. Thankfully I love Asian food. Japanese and Thai are my favs :) can’t beat fish and rice. But it is very tough. Sometimes I have to leave the supermarket because there are tears in my eyes. The food I want I can’t have and the food I cam eat I get bored with or can’t afford. I love soft food…creamy, warm and lovely. Rice noodles, clams, pepper and basil don’t compare with linguini a la vongole, tortilla chips with plain yogurt, salsa and peppered hamburg isn’t nachos…BUT it sure beats the feeling of eating the real thing :)
Keep your heads up guys, there are more and more of us and eventually manufacturers will have to make changes as eventually no one will be able to eat their food :)
I am doing a paper for my education degree about how teachers and school need to be educated about students with celiac disease.
Does anyone know where this statement from this website came from??:
“Research shows that gluten sensitivity in some form, including celiac disease and mild gluten intolerance, affects approximately 15% of the US population. “
Hi Tobi,
“Research shows that gluten sensitivity in some form, including celiac disease and mild gluten intolerance, affects approximately 15% of the US population. “
I would be interested in seeing the source of that information as well. I’ve read that it’s around 1 in 133 that suffer from celiac disease and a lot more suffer from gluten intolerance but is that percentage actually that high?
Cheers!
I am wondering if there is a link between quitting smoking and the onset of wheat/gluten problems. (My google search came up with the message about the time someone’s father quit smoking and he got very sick). I have smoked since I was 14 and quit at least a hundred times. I am a type A and am able to take the quitting and may start to feel somewhat better after two weeks. But, by the time I feel I am a non-smoker, I start having problems with severe exhaustion and fatigue. I have suffered from shortness of breath for 6 years… since I first quit for a total of 6 months when training for a 10K. I used to live on 4 or 5 hours of sleep but by the time I’ve quit for two months or so I can’t stay awake at night, have trouble getting up in the morning and fall asleep at my desk in the middle of work. I’ve also developed additional issues that I feel are related to lack of oxygen… severe eczema on my hands and back of neck, Raynaud’s, joint pain, muscle aches, along with the shortness of breath, fatigue, and exhaustion. Only after I’ve started smoking again do I start to have some energy. The last two months I’ve felt like I did 15 years ago and I’m getting a lot done. But that is WITH smoking and with LIMITING wheat. But I really want to kick my bad habit without becoming a bon bon eating couch potato. Most of our family diet is meat and vegetables, tho we don’t avoid bread and potatoes or even sweets if we feel like it. Last night I was a little tired and no one home so I had two PBJ’s on whole wheat and 4 cookies. I was dozing off in the middle of a project after and couldn’t stay awake after 10pm and still keep dozing a little today. Wheat really must be the problem. I will try to avoid wheat and then quit smoking again. I really just wanted to know if there were any other smokers/ex-smokers that make it past the physical and most of the psychological issues of quitting smoking and then start having problems afterwards with fatigue, exhaustion or anything else. I have asked my GP and my Allergist if there is something smoking does to the body that could block something else that’s negative but they think this is all in my head. My GP calls it my “Mystery Disease”. I’d love to hear from someone having similar difficulty with quitting smoking.
this is a problem that i did have! i battled it with supplementing myself with something that gave me energy, the nicotine in your body is fighting your fatigue, and you have a very high tolerance for your nicotine since you have been smoking so long, it is taking that 2 weeks for your body to use up all of its nicotine reserves, and once they are gone, you are so tired you feel like you cant possibly stay awake, right? but you still have all of your wheat in your body making you tired! 1st cut back on your wheat, dont feel bad about your smoking, for now, it is getting you through the fatigue. once you have detoxed from the wheat, like 3 weeks, then start to slowly wean yourself off the ciggarettes, first by just taking longer to smoke them, make your cigarette break 15 minutes later, during this time, give yourself a supplement that will give you energy. I came across this by accident, so i had been trying to loose weight by taking diet pills that increase energy, green tea supplements or the like, not that i reccommend that particular course, b-12 complex or cinnamon could work just as well or perhaps bitter orange. anyways, i found that when i was taking the supplement i did not need the ciggarette, and i went all the way down to one ciggarette a week, before weaning all the way off. Be patient it did take about a month to finish the cigarette part, but it was so worth it, this way it gives your body what it wants, and a supplement that even your dr would tell you is safe to take everyday, although you may not feel you need any more energy once you are done! wouldn’t that be fantastic!
Hi Readers…I’m so happy that I finally found out why I have been suffering with stomach pains, headaches and ect…for about 6 months. I have been to doctors, ER and hospital and no one could give me a diagnois. I finally decided to google gluten intolerance and found some very interesting information. By reading the testimonies only gave me hope of what I may be dealing with. I decided to go gluten free…I started yesterday…praying that I will finally be free of aggrevation and pain. Wish me blessings!
I always suspected gluten intolerance but was amazed at the symptoms I had that I would have never attributed to it. I think I have suffered on everything on the list except for maybe 3 of the symptoms.
Once I start a Gluten free diet, how long until I should notice some improvement?
Give it a full 2 weeks. They say usually a month but we noticed a change in my husband after 2 weeks. Be rigorous about it. Check labels, look for a gluten free marking and careful that many products while not having gluten in them are processed in plants that process wheat and gluten.
hi ive been in and out of my doctors and hospitals for a year now .the trip to the hospital last night a new doc meantioned cialac disese or gluten intolerence never heard of it before.looked it up and to my suprise i had 8 ofthe 12 signs.i go for blood work tomorrow for this .wish me luck i was begining to think i was going crazy.oh my to go without a headach for a week will be amazing.migraines all my life.and to hopefully shed the other problems will make my life so much more enjoyabe.again not sure if this is what i have but it sure sounds like it thanks dr woodsl
Hi, I’ve been struggling with a number of unexplained symptoms for about 4 years. My doctors have been puzzled, and have drawn so much blood it’s ridiculous in an attepmt to figure out what’s going on. I’ve been diagnosed with anemia, poor nutrient absorption/vitamin deficiency, hair loss, edema (probably related to poor metabolism of proteins) poor sleep, breathing problems, depression, and digestive problems to name just a few. Finally, a week ago I had lunch with a friend who told me about her sister (after suffering for years with complaints similar to mine) being diagnosed with celiac disease.
My friend gave me a copy of the elimination diet her sister is using and said, just try it for a month, it won’t hurt you and it might help. I started it on Monday. Wednesday was the first day in months that I made it through the day without an episode of difficulty breathing. Thursday night I fell asleep without trouble and slept for 9 hours. By Friday, the edema in my hands and feet was gone. Today is Saturday and I can’t wait to see what new symptom I can cross off my list!
How do I get a copy of the e.elimination diet? I suspect my daughter may have this- she has many of the symptoms…thanks for your help.
ok so what is this elimination diet, I am sure that i have glutin problems, and i need a diet to go by completely, please help
very good info, thank you all.
Rob
omg i got like 10 of the symptoms. i’ve been through almost a year and a half of everyday stomach pain and its constant bloating constant gas its like i never get a rest. i thought it was an anxiety problem because all my blood work has always come back normal they did stool samples etc. im going out of my mind. i became an accidental anorexic for a year and dropped from 170 to 120 pounds. i kno force myself to eat because i was getting extremely scary looking and i been getting headaches bad bubble guts especially after i eat anything with pasta so horrible and i been a lil lactose intolerant. like im up now because im in pain and i cant sleep. i got an endoscopy and colonoscopy done everything came back normal- just my luck- but my biopsy results came back that it shows that im intolerant to gluten possibliity. they didnt give me a list of what i can and cant eat so if anyone has one can u please lemme kno? thanks look me up on facebook if you have it i really need to get on it. the internet isnt much help. my name is heidi grundberg izanangel on fb
Everyone is becoming Gluten sensitive… Maybe the real cause is from companies like Monsanto? with All the Genetic modified experiment crops they produce… Soy, Corn, Wheat, Tomatoes, Potatoes, etc… Maybe something is not compatible with our health and those crops should be tested long term before we are force fed them. FDA should atleast require labeling what we are eating so we have a Choice!!!
Thank you for bringing this up. I have maintain the connection of all that you mentioned for many years. Rarely are specific health or enviromental events isolated. My belief, through years of research, is that all events, circumstances or occurrances are related and connected. I encourage self-advocacy in the doctors office, after all it is your body.
I found out oats do not contain the kind of gluten usually associated with the wheat, barley, and rye group. In fact, oats are a great food and help with regularity. It may have been included in that group as oats are sometimes processed in the same facility as wheat, thus rendering them a potential risk to someone who has celiac disease.
Just a thought…If one takes time to inform the public, then proper use of the language lends itself to better readibility. The article would be more clear with the use of a few commas, and the proper use of a hyphen in “gluten-containing” foods and “low-gluten” grains. Also the antecedent is unclear in the sentence describing blood tests. Why would a doctor test his own blood for auto-antibodies?
I agree with Jack. So many people today are having issues with digestion and depression etc. I believe our food needs to be tested or if FDA is not interested in helping protecting people from genetically altered food it is time that people start getting organized to pressure them to do their job.
I am also trying to detect my “gassy, bloating,” problem following the majority of snacks and basic meals. Anyone out there also belching constantly to relieve gas pain? Also, where do I find “the process of elimation order that Terri mentioned ,above? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Pamela E.
Thanks for the helpful information. My friend’s son has most of these symptoms! I’m sure that changing his diet would make a big difference.
I did a trial and error on gluten intolerance and wonder if it may be Celiac. My question to you folks is this: after talking gluten out of my diet I have felt like a new person. I don’t even care about the wheat containing things I used to eat because the gastric distress; headaches; achy joints’ bloating and malaise is virtually gone. However! On accident, I ate something that had wheat in it. I felt like someone was standing on my gut! And, it is SO true that stress and anxiety make this worse. Anyway, can someone tell me if the symptoms are WORSE if you eat gluten containing products on accident? I think that happened to me. Eating out is almost scary now. Someone please help me here!
Stephanie,
I did the same thing…eliminated gluten and felt so much better. However, I ate pizza one night when my husband ordered it for the family and awoke to a stomach the size of a six month pregnant lady. It lasted three days! Everyone around me was in shock when I went to work the next day. My family thought I was exaggerating until they saw the picture. I too am wondering if this is a reaction to gluten after being off of it for a month or so.
I did a trial and error on gluten intolerance and wonder if it may be Celiac. My question to you folks is this: after talking gluten out of my diet I have felt like a new person. I don’t even care about the wheat containing things I used to eat because the gastric distress; headaches; achy joints’ bloating and malaise is virtually gone. However! On accident, I ate something that had wheat in it. I felt like someone was standing on my gut! And, it is SO true that stress and anxiety make this worse. Anyway, can someone tell me if the symptoms are WORSE if you eat gluten containing products on accident after having been gluten-free for an extended period of time? I think that happened to me. Eating out is almost scary now. Someone please help me here!
Hello,
I have had celiac for about 6 months now and have been doing really good, gained a few lbs.( not crazy about that) but my question is how do i know if I have been “Glutened”? Help me please!!!!!!!!
Tracy, I would guess you could get 100 different answers on how people can tell if they have been “glutened”. I get an overall sick, flu-like feeling- achiness, exhausted, memory fog- I feel like a limp noodle. Plus I get a patch of psoriasis on my scalp. (I hear a lot of people have a psoriasis patch that pops up.) I also have extreme anal itching and feel like acid has been poured on that part. My symptoms are really obvious even if I get a scant amount of gluten. Good luck!
Wow!!! Thanks Shannon.I guess that I haven’t quite been “Glutened” yet.All though I did have a real bad case of diareaha one time after not thinking and ate a meatball, I was up all night lucky to make it out of bed.I did have to call off work that day.Thanks again Shannon.
I was having digestive issues and right side pains for well over a year, so I went to the doc. He had no clue what the problem was, and never even considered gluten. After doing some research, I cut gluten out of my diet and two days later all of my problems had gone away. The next time I went back to the doc, I told him and he tested me for celiac disease, which I came up negative. I don’t understand why they can’t figure out that gluten can still be causing problems even if you aren’t a celiac. Needless to say, I will not be eating gluten ever again!
Check labels on your food! It doesn’t have to say “gluten free.” Just make sure there is no wheat, barely, or rye included in the ingredients. It is tedious but it becomes habitual.
I do however find that i can drink any beer and be symptom free, but the moment i eat gluten i react. Any one have input on this?
I have been diagnosed with being gluten intolerance and diffently when i keep the gluten out of my diet i feel great but then i think oh a little bit here and there wont hurt me well was I wrong i feel like crap everytime i eat anything with gluten in it it takes about a wk or 2 to get to feeling better but learning all i can about it truly helps out alot so i guess no matter what no more gluten ever for me hope you all get to feeling better,
I have Hashimoto’s Disease (autoimmune thyroid disease) and began looking for a connection between horrible acne on my neck and Hashimoto’s. I also tried to find out why I would get so tired, bloated, and gassy after eating carbs. During my research I stumbled on a website that made me think gluten could be the problem. I have eliminated as much known gluten as I can from my diet and my issues have disappeared! I talked to my endocrinologist about my symptoms during my visit last month and he thought I might have Celiac’s so he added that test to my bloodwork. His reasoning was that if I had it the antibodies would show up there. I told him I felt like it was more of an intolerance because I don’t seem to have issues with cross-contaminationlike some do. I told him I was still going to avoid gluten as much as possible even if the tests came back negative just because I felt SO much better after cutting it out. He felt pretty sure I had it, but luckily my test came back negative so it is just an intolerance. I used to be a huge bread and cake person. Now I don’t miss it at all because of how bad it makes me feel. Oh, and I had horrible neck stiffness. It was hard for my chiropractor to pop my neck it was so bad. After about a month of being gluten free the stiffness was completely gone. Cutting out gluten has made such a difference in my life.
Hello Rnichols: would you please let me know which website you were on which brought you to the connection between autoimmune conditions, gluten intolerance, inflammation, and severe acne? Whilst reading your post it was as if I was reading something that I could have written, except that one of my autoimmune conditions (I have a few) is Grave’s Disease, not Hashimoto’s. Any assistance to reach the site to which you referred would be greatly appreciated.
Hi,
My husband & I started a gluten free diet as recommended by our naturopathic doctor. I did a lot of research to find this kind of doctor because natural is the way I want us to address our health & weight issues. Together with the diet we are on VEGAN vitamins & supplements. It has been 6 months & we couldn’t be happier with the results. My husband lost 43 lbs., eliminated the need of Prevacid & Cingulair & has more energy. I never had a single migraine episode, no more hypoglycemia, period has been regular & lost 22 lbs. We rarely get sick & if we do, sniffles are all we get. Everything is hard the first time you do something new as with GF diet but the benefits are immeasurable so goodluck to all of you…
Shannon
Were you diagnosed with Celiac? I am just curious. I have all the symptoms of it too. My antibody test came back negative, but i had been eat gluten free, know i need to redo it. My HLA-DQ2 test came back positive so I do carry one of the two genes associated with Celiac Disease. I ask you because I have the horrible stuff on my scalp too. I ate gluten today just out of frustration and I have had abdominal pains all week so I said screw it. NO bueno, now I just want to cry and so fatigue and brain fog and much more.
It really is amazing to read all of this. I started having strange issues back in April. I was going to through a stressfull time at work opening a new restaurants and I was very busy and definitely not eating properly. All of a sudden, I started becoming constantly bloated and gassy. After I ate anything, I felt the need to run to the restroom. I has a noticable larger stomach from the bloating and felt like I was gaining weight, even though I wasn’t eating much. I was told by friends that it may be diverticulious. I did some research and it sounded like it could be possible.
I went to urgent care where the doctor examined me and took blood. After discussing symptoms and looking at blood results, he said he couldn’t see anything wrong. He told me it was from stress and working too much and told me to relax a bit and eat more fiber. So I did…..lots of gluten. And the symptoms got worse. It had been a month of frustration and discomfort.
I decided to do more research and came across Celiac and Gluten Intolerance websites and it just clicked. I had all the symptoms and even had not associated some of the symptoms with the stomach problems. Things like fatigue, hair loss and joint pain. It was amazing.
I immediately went on a gluten free diet and all of my syptoms went away within the week. It was truly a miracle. I had forgotten what it felt like to feel good again. I am enjoying my gluten free life and have no problem staying away from the gluten. I would take the lack of it over the pain anyday! I also had to test this once and ate some bread one day. I felt fine that day, but the next day, I was a mess. The cramps, burning and bloating came streaming back and made me buckle over. Guess I’m doing something right by cutting it out!!
Well folks, I am so glad you all have figured out something that makes you feel so much better. Last autumn, my then 25 year old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease after eight years of intestinal problems which had gotten increasingly worse. She also, at age 16, had two grand mal (old term) seizures. The E.E.G. came back negative for epilepsy, which one of my brothers has, but the seizures did not continue. However, being diagnosed with failure to thrive as a child (who ate everything) and quite skinny, she began to gain weight (50 lbs at a height of 5’2) have fatigue, headaches, and get all pale and pasty looking. She always thought she had gotten food poisoning when she went out or was becoming lactose intolerant vomiting/diarrhea and intense bloating. Well, she had a friend who worked at a health food store and she thought maybe it was gluten. She turned up positive and felt better within days, has lost her “toxic-bloat” appearance, has a sparkle in her eyes and lost My younger daughter began having full blown seizures at age 14 and both girls had seizures/fainting after illness a couple of times as little kids the doctors shrugged off. I insisted my younger daughter get tested for Celiac and to her doctor’s surprise she tested positive for the disease last winter. She has been on A LOT of anti-seizure medication which has many side effects. She is, with the supervision of her neurologist, very slowly tapering off her medication over the next year or so to determine if a gluten-free diet is her best bet against her seizure disorder; or even the cause. Seizures and other neurological problems ARE one possible side effect. I am now gluten-free (couldn’t eat pasta, etc. before anyway). Go figure! I’m going to specialist next week to get checked since I don’t eat gluten but I want to know how much/if it is the cause of my problems, too. My first test came up negative by the General Physician perhaps because I don’t eat hardly any gluten so it wouldn’t show up. I’ve been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, depression, migraines, severe asthma, and allergies to quite a few things most of my adult life. As a kid, I was freakishly thin and sick a lot. Hope this clears things up some for me, too! Just glad my girls figured it out at a young age so too much damage has not been done to their systems.
I wish the best to all of you!
Sorry about the writing error above right after ‘…sparkle in her eyes”…
. To clarify… my older daughter had gained 50 pounds from age 16-25, and over this last year, by eating a gluten-free diet and taking supplements (no weight-loss diet or extra exercise) has lost 30 of the 50 pounds and is very close to her weight before all of this really started getting worse, which happened when during her teen years she worked at a bakery and a pizza parlor (gluten-hell). I know I wrote a lot but if it helps some folks…:)
I had been suffering with bloating and chronic flatulance and sudden weight gain for years but couldn’t understand why I was happening until I did a blood type test and finally discovered that my blood type(O)is generally wheat and gluten intolerant and lactose intolent.eliminating it from my diet I’ve lost weight,toned down and feel better than ever..
I’ve been having flu-like, fever, chills, stiff neck, fatigue, feeling weak symptoms off and on for the past 8 months. I just don’t feel healthy. I used to run 4 to 5 times a week up to 5 miles per session and now I feel fatigued and out of breath by the time I get to the top of my stairs in my house. I’m thinking I may have a gluten intolerance. I’m going to see the doctor tomorrow, but if he is anything like the other doctor’s mentioned in this post, he will probably look at my blood work results and tell me that nothing is wrong. I’m seriously thinking about trying the gluten-free diet because I’m tired of feeling like an achy 86-year old man instead a 36 year old who should be and feel much healthier than he is. Any comments/suggestions would greatly be appreciated. Thanks!
Like most everyone else, I tested negative for every symptom in the doctor’s list, however, for some of us the combination of gluten and lactose (as in cereal with milk) is the real problem. Dairy should be ingested completely separate from gluten loaded starches, and iron rich proteins. Last but not least is the yeast in our favorite breads that aggravate to the problem. I would suggest visiting a nutritionist to make sure there is no lack of important nutrients in the diet, as a result of removing certain foods. Remember some gluten rich grains are high in vitamin B group, life is too busy to overlook wholesome nutrition, In the meantime I am reaping the benefits of separating the two components in my diet. Good luck and good health to all. Thak you
BOY I AM WITH YOU JACK AND BONNIE. HOW IN THE WORLD COULD ANYONE BE FREE OF A GLUTEN PROBLEM WHEN ALL MOST ALL GRAIN PRODUCTS ( CARBOHYDRATES ) SOLD IN THE FOOD CHAIN STORES ARE FROM A DERIVATIVE OF WHEAT. CEREAL, PIZZA, COUSCOUS, SEMOLINA, ALL BAKED GOODS, BREAD, SPAGHETTI AND ON AND ON THANKS TO THE LOBBYISTS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT CATER TO THEM WE HAVE VERY LITTLE REAL FOOD SOLD IN THE GIANT FOOD CHAINS. ITS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT IF YOU EAT TOO MUCH OF ANY PARTICULAR ITEM YOU DEVELOP AND ALLERGY.
AT THE VERY LEAST EVERYONE SOONER OR LATER WILL HAVE AN ALLERGY OR AN ADDICTION TO GLUTEN. THAT IS ALL WE ARE” “ALLOWED” TO BUY AND THAT IS ALL THE CHAIN STORES ARE “ALLOWED” TO SELL. WAKE UP AMERICA!!. IT IS NOT YOU. IT IS THE FOOD WE ARE “ALLOWED” TO BUY WITH THE BLESSING OF MONSANTO. THE MOST EVIL OF COMPANIES HOW FREE WE ARE? WHAT A JOKE. THE FDA CARES? I DO NOT THINK SO. THE BOTTOM LINE IS CALLED GREED. THE FOOD COMPANIES ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING YOU EAT MORE, GET FAT, SICK AND EAT MORE AND MORE. STUFF WITH NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE WHATSOEVER ARE THE BIG SELLERS. DO NOT FALL FOR THE HYPE. IT WILL COST YOU YOUR HEALTH.
Diagnosed as Gluten intolerant and Candida. Symptoms experienced : loss of weight,constipation (in spite of me eating vegetables everyday and drinking 2 litres of water a day, bloating.
This wa happening for 5 years and several tests were done -blood test,colonoscopy 3 times tested, Endoscopy 2 times and these tests did not pick up anything. I finally went to a Colon Hydrotherapist and she gave me a small container that I had to pass stools ansd this was sent to a Laboratory and after 2 weeks the results came. This confirmed that I was gluten intolerant and I had Candida. she recommended that I see a Nutritionist who put me onto vegan supplements which is very costly and gave up eating bread,pastas etc.
No sauces eg, tomato sauce,Mayonnaise, vinegar,Alcohol,wines,fizzy drinks, the list goes on.
Stopped eating fruit and sugars for 6 month’s. This was to clear the candida.
Is there any other test can be performed to confirm that one is gluten intolerant ?
Would appreciate some feedback.
This is my fourth day going gluten free, and I can’t begin to tell you how phenomenal I feel. Soooooo……tonight I have roast beef and veggie soup for dinner . . . not a problem except the soup’s base was a thin gravy (i.e. made with flour). Within 20 minutes I’m beginning to feel bloated and nauseous. In mere minutes after that I’m “tossing my cookies.” NOW I KNOW FOR SURE!!! Flour-related food is sooooo not worth it. I realize I’m just at the very beginning of my journey, but going gluten free is so worth it compared to how sick I get when I ingest anything gluten.
Hi, this is a new discovery for me and I don’t know for sure if I have a problem with gluten but it is all adding up. I was watching the documentary “Forks over Knives” a few days ago and was almost ready to go for it (eating all vegan) until I read a review on the movie and also, my husband was not thrilled with the idea. Then I read a Bible verse saying that in the end times people will tell you to not eat meat (I think it was in 1st Timothy) but God said (in the same verse) there is nothing wrong with the animals we eat but to give thanks when we eat them. Anyway, so I was then researching diets online and came across the gluten free diet. I have heard of it, pertaining to people with autism, but thought it was a lot of poppy cock. I got to reading, and low and behold, I have several of the symptoms of the intolerance. I am 46 and so I have had this all my life I imagine. I can remember in my past, for a while there, I was having several bowel movements in a day and I also remember having some times where I was living on Imodium AD. Let me back up a bit though; at age 19 or 20 I had allergy testing done and I am allergic to almost everything that can be breathed in including grass, which grains are. I was always miserable with a stuffy nose and could not breathe, developed asthma as a teenager, had a few ear infections, and started gaining weight, my hair started turning gray. I had bad acne. I had always been “emotional” and had problems socializing. By the time I was 17 I had social anxiety. So after testing I got allergy shots which took care of the asthma pretty much, and some of the hay fever. I could not tolerate the shots very well. My arms always swelled up like grapefruit and I got hives and couldn’t breathe. My weight continued to slowly climb (I’m only 5’3 and so any extra weight shows). I got married and had our daughter (who incidentally, has atypical autism) then I had 2 miscarriages. I was diagnosed with depression and had panic attacks. My stomach was and still is, at this point, large, as is my face. Right now I weigh around 158 and I should only weigh 110. As far as eating wheat and oats, I don’t seem to have immediate reactions except for after eating oatmeal or other oat cereals such as “Life” cereal, I get diarrhea about 2 hours later. When we lived in an apartment for 7 years we had no dogs or cats but did have parakeets most of that time. And of course I am allergic to feathers. We are clean people and do not smoke. My husband is a clean freak. So in our apartment that was clean and free of cats and dogs, I still had bad allergies. It got so bad that I had to have surgery on my sinuses. One time my ear had so much water behind it I could not hear at all. We do have a dog now, but we dust and vacuum all the time and I am miserable. My ears ring very badly. Allergy medicines do nothing. I am tired, have diabetes, anemia, sleep apnea, dry skin, no real rashes but yet my arms are red and bumpy. They don’t really itch; kind of a dry skin itch but not the type of itch I get when I come into contact with animals. My legs have always been dry every since I was a little girl. When I found out I had diabetes, about 3 years ago, I followed my diet of reduced carbs and lost 20 pounds. I was so happy about that! But then the weight loss stopped. I ended up gaining 15 pounds of it back when I got a babysitting job but then after I quit I lost it again. That is another area I have trouble with, having jobs because I can’t concentrate well or I have some sort of blow up. I feel that is why my social anxiety developed because I have always been so slow at doing tasks and I used to get yelled at by teachers and early employers because of it. I am wondering if I have ADD too. Mainly I want to lose weight and get so I am feeling better, not like I have to return to bed 2 hours after I get up. I so HATE using the cpap mask at night. It is hard to feel like I can really fully relax while trying to sleep with that thing on my face. I am on day 2 of no wheat or oat products. I heard gluten can be in things like ketchup but if I at least stay off oat and wheat cereals, pasta, and breads, I’m hoping to see a big change.
I have self-diagnosed myself as gluten intolerant for over 3 months now. I do feel less bloated and less pain and discomfort, but I have other stomach issues as well and I would love to be confirmed gluten intolerant. Are any of you familiar with the tests out there that determine which foods you are intolerant to? They seem to be given only by holistic doctors and nutritionists rather than medical doctors. I’ve heard of several of them, but I am trying to figure out which I should take…which is real and which is just a scam. One test was offered on Groupon recently and I called and they said you put your hand on part of a computer and it “reads” your intolerance through your palm….sounded like a joke to me, but I’m not sure a blood test is any better. Have any of you taken any of these tests?
Hi Marney,
I’ll be taking this test in January – to tripple check!
http://enterolab.com/StaticPages/Faq.aspx
Wow, these comments have been more helpful than most Medical essays!
Like so many here, it has been the same life-long struggle of pain for me. I had it all, from Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, to crumbling teeth and constant stomach/back pains. (and recently VERTIGO! Spinning and throwing up for a month straight, and of course doctors recommended no stress, fluids and CRACKERS… I almost died) Countless doctors… countless blood tests… one more frustrating than the other and back to square one with every new doctor – must be pregnant! they all say at first, laughing. I Self-diagnosed for wheat intolerance a month ago (I’m now 27… and a NEW person!) Even the anxiety feeling of ‘dread’ in my belly, which held me back SO MUCH in life… gone.
Since going Gluten-Free, I had a downright EUPHORIC first week, but then I had a lot of withdrawal symptoms too it seems – so I wanted to put this out there. If you feel this – keep going! It’s a good sign it’s working, and It gets better. Though I may have had bad Candida overgrowth as well (had in the past) and when i ‘detoxed’ this can cause them all to die faster than the body can expel toxins… which results in feeling like crap.
but this is temporary!
I’m half dreading the Xmas feast… but there’s always something you can eat. Now, thinking of a new year is exciting! I’m looking forward to the rest of my life… like a NORMAL PERSON :))))
Fay,
I am associating most closely with your post, about the feeling of “dread” in the stomach and such. I don’t get the irritable bowel movements that are typical of celiac; my current problems that make me think I have a gluten intolerance are shaky hands, constant headaches, lethargic feeling. Can you post a list of foods that you are able to eat? I feel like I cut things out but may be missing some of the key foods contributing to my general crappy feeling.
CeraVe cream is great! My dermatologist recommended.
I have been mostly wheat-free for 2 weeks now. Sometimes eating a little bit because we run out of grocery money so I eat what’s in the house. I’m not exactly sure if I am intolerant. I guess I would have to be checked by a doctor. I try not to overeat or eat junk but I have been turning toward more potatoes thus eating potato chips more often, or corn chips. I do have a long-standing problem with binge eating or “pigging out”, like when I get started on a chip item or m&m’s I can’t seem to stop. I can’t afford to buy special gluten free food so I substitute for other foods. I have not had any bread (except for a bun at McDonald’s), no pasta whatsoever, only a few cookies, no pop tarts, doughnuts, pizza, etc. So I have slowed way down. Trying to eat more veggies, yogurt, and cheese as a substitute. So here is the problem: I’m GAINING weight or at least have not lost even 1 pound. Like I said, when I cut down on my carbs for diabetes, I lost 20 pounds, and so by cutting down on bread items I figured I should lose some weight. It is true I don’t exercise much. My nose has not been as stuffy, but yesterday, for apparently no reason, it suddenly stuffed up really bad. I ate 2 sausage patties and then realized maybe they had cereal fillers. But today I ate a few chicken nuggets (desperate) and a few small cookies: no stuffiness. I don’t know what the stuffiness was all about yesterday then. Also I found out that the Kelloggs corn flakes I have been eating have malted flavoring in them. I checked the store brand corn chex type cereal that I had in the cupboard and was eating: Malt flavoring. So I bought some real Corn Chex. They are gluten free. I am having a terrible time with ringing ears and ear congestion so I may need to see my doctor. Might have ear infection, contributing to a tired feeling and no weight loss. Also 2 days ago, for no conceivable reason, I was urinating and losing tons of water. Did not drink extra coffee or other drinks. I did not lose any weight from it.
I do not have a lot of intestinal problems except when I eat oats. I mostly have allergic rhinitis, a redness to my arms and face, no energy, sleep apnea, diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, a bit of joint pain, and problems focusing/add type problems. If I have been allergic/intolerant to wheat and oats all my life, would it take several weeks to get it out of my system? I feel like I am “crazy” also. I accidently turned on the wrong stove burner and the plastic cereal keeper (with oatmeal in it, ha ha) had been left sitting on the stove and it melted and a big mess happened. My house was filled with stinky smoke! My daughter was really concerned! Strange dreams going on too. I feel like I am going wacky and I don’t know if it’s because it is hard to eat wheat-free especially when I have a problem with overeating, or it’s because I’m going through a withdrawal. Any follow-up comments are welcome.
For the ringing in the ears, I’ve been using OCEAN SINUS IRRIGATION — from CVS and probably other places. It comes in a can like hairspray and you squirt it up each nostril. A saline solution; no drugs. Do this over the sink because it runs out and you’ll want to blow your nose, The gurgling in my head — both sides — sounded like the inside of a boat going down. Really helps.
As for gluten, I stopped a few days ago because of severe joint/muscle pain and I’m feeling better day by day.
There is a enzyme called DPP IV that digest gluten and is normally let off in the small intestines. You might try it or Gluten-Zyme by Country Life. There also is on by Enzyme Therapy called Gluten Defence but was not as good for me.
my girlfriend has had a very tuff couple of years. she has hoshimotos disease and also is gluten intolerant. her symptoms are lack of energy, cant sleep, very moody joint pain ,alway has tuffy nose, and weight gain. she is like a totally different person than the girl i met four years ago. i think sometimes she doesnt even remember who she was because she seems to be content with how she feels. i wish i could just get her to cut out gluten for 2 to 4 weeks to show her how much better she would feel. because she never feels good! im willing to do this with her and hopefully she will do this because from doing some research i know this isnt goig to be easy. it is a total life change! sometimes i feel like i care about her health more than she does. i would appreciate any comments. thank you for letting me vent
Travis,
I believe that I am gluten intolerant as well.For the last 9 years, I have had weight gain when consuming wheat products, constipation, been extremely irritable, bad headaches, and a whole slew of other negative symptoms. Several months ago I tried a food plan called Eat Right For Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo and I lost weight and started feeling better. However, I had to start consuming wheat products again for the last month so I can be tested for both Celiac Disease and Crohn’s Disease . Since I have started consuming wheat products again, I have felt miserable. Eat Right for Your Blood Type has made a world of difference for me, so you might want to get on their website and check it out.
All of these comments have been extremely helpful. I don’t feel so isolated with this pain, brain fog, lack of energy. Last September I started Dr. Esselstyne’s diet for the prevention and reversal of heart disease. This put me on the fast track with nightshade vegetables, which I didn’t know made arthritis pain WORSE. So I stopped eating eggplant, potatoes and tomatoes, Which in turn had me eating more breads, pastas, corn. The pain returned big time, but differently, A few days ago, I went gluten free and 60% of the muscle and joint pain (incl. bursitis) disappeared. Am so happy that there is something I can do because the doctors were of NO HELP. Not one mentioned nutrition except to cut out saturated and trans fats which is common knowledge anyway.
I’ve been reading through the comments and decided to see what others would do with my situation. For about 4 years now I suffer from a pain ( like a cigarette being held on my gut) that comes and goes under my right rib cage. Now I am constantly complaining about an upset stomach and nauseousness. In the past I have had the blood work and genetic testing done for Celiacs, which was all negative. Then I had two endoscopies done, the first being positive for celiacs and the second being negative. Now I am contemplating cutting gluten out of my diet for awhile to see if my stomach pains will cease but I’m afraid too since I had two different diagnosis’. What would you do?
@kristy
I would cut the gluten, it is def worth a try…..and its not going to hurt you to try gluten free even if you are not celiac, I have an intolerance which honesly is getting worse and worse, I use to be able to eat small without issues but now even a crumb or slightest taste of something with gluten and I am bloated, gassy, and sick stomach instantly it sucks!!! but it is sorta a blessing in disguise as now I eat sooo much healthier because I am avoiding starches and refined sugars. It really is not all that bad breakfast is the most changed for me as I loved my toast and dipping eggs so unless I have gluten free bread on hand (which I dont always) I usually have yogurt (not that diet crap either the nice thick balkan style yogurts or organic yogurts but I never get that junk with aspartame I use to eat it and got horrible headaches from the stuff) and i keep a massive bag of frozen berries in the freezer that i throw on top the night before so it is thawed and i am happy with it like that…….and rice has become my new best freind as it is naturally gluten free and goes well with so many dinner options I prefer basmati or wild not a fan of brown rice though blehhh. n e ways I got a bit sidetracted here but def try the gluten free diet its worth a shot and is not a bad health move either way my sister is considering going gluten free with her fam since I was diagnosed intolerant only because she says it sounds really healthy :)
I have been diagnosed with yet another autoimmune disease. I have Fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s Disease, Lichen Planis, and Ulcers in my bladder. After reading these post, and with the encouragement of my daughter who is gluten free, I am now ready to change my diet. I’m not sure if I have enough self control to say “no” to gluten products but I’m willing to give a try in order to get my immune system back. Thanks everyone.
Can Anyone help me…for the last couple years whenever I eat certain wheaty breads my stomach burns so bad and now its been happening with most breads. Ive always had a hard time with lactose but I can eat chips and other things with gluten in it so I’m wondering if the burning stomach and diareah would be a symptom of gluten intolerance?
I have so many symptoms, i feel so bad. I think i’m going make a free gluten diet.
My pain is to the right about 2″ in and up from my hip bone. I thought it might be an ovarian cyst. That was ruled out as was anything colon related. I’ve done small tests myself by limiting bread products and without realizing it will slip up with crackers etc and have the pain worsen. I haven’t narrowed down all the foods containing gluten but to stop this pain, it would be world discontinuing the foods. I didn’t realize acne could be a symptom. I’m 56 and was wondering where this was coming from! All this started, as far as I know, about 6 months ago.
Hi! There are products out there for both gluten intolerant/CD and diabetices in mind. Check http://www.mywildtree.com/135801/. Send me an email if you are interested in receiving more information. The Wild Tree products are all natural, have no preservatives or artificial any thing. There are gluten free bread mixes and spices and herbs that have no gluten in them also.
THanks Pam Redfern
My daughter is having a stomach pain that shoots up to her chest. The endoscopy was clear. All other blood work is normal. Doctors unable to diagnose the problem. Could it be Gluten sensitivity
Hi, I have to wonder if I might of developed a gluten intolerance. With certain foods I eat I have stomach problems they have been going on for years, I told my doctor my symptoms and he said it could be Ulcers so he gave me medication for Ulcers it seemed to get better for a little while. But my bowels have never been exactly right. The other day I ate Subway, and that night i had bad diarrhea, I don’t know if it was from the bread or not. I always have gas, and occational stomach cramps, and I got to thinking that everything I eat that normally upsets my stomach contains gluten, like pasta, pizza, etc. I always thought it was the tomato products that would just irritate my ulcers, but now i think it could be the noodles and bread, does stomach roaring, pains under the ribs in front and back, lower abdominal pains, constipation, upset stomach, and occasional diarrhea seem like common symptoms of gluten intolerance? My stomach doing that with Subway the other night was a first, so I don’t know if it was that something on the sub wasn’t good, because I did taste the lettuce and onions all night long.
I have a question – I am on a quest to lose weight. I have heard a lot about the benefits of going gluten free…
Some have said on here that you just need to give up all gluten for 7 days (or 15 if you would like) and you should feel amazing – more energy, sleep better, feel better, etc. I know it varies for everyone!
So, two questions:
1.) Is 1-2 weeks really long enough to give up gluten, and then test for a reaction??? I thought that I would have to go at least a whole month…
2.) Is it at all strange that I (I HUGE wheat LOVER!!!! Bread, pasta, CEREAL, etc – I love it all – oh and I stopped eating beef, pork, and all fish when I was 10, so wheat is a big part of my diet) don’t feel any different after 13 days of being COMPLETELY wheat and sugar free???? I actually feel more exhausted… :(
HELP!!!! =)
Summer, the reactions vary. You NEED to eat fish to get the Omega oils (3, 6 and 9) that you need to survive. Try Tilapia. In fact, I can’t think of one reason why you’d quit eating such a health thing… Stay off the ham, avoid beef, avoid chicken. I would avoid gluten for 3 months and THEN test for a reaction. Also, look at your fingertips. Do you have faint prints? Do your prints have lines in them? Then you probably have a gluten intolerance. Why are you sugar free? YOU NEED SUGAR, just don’t over do it. And avoid things like Splenda at ALL COSTS. I love ceral too. Switch to goats milk (its gluten free whereas cows milk has gluten in it), and eat RICE cereals like chex/fruity pebbles/rice crispies, and CORN cereals like cornflakes/chex. Stock your cabinets with healthy natural herbs like oregano, italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, parsley, I could go on forever. Eat lots of salad, fruits and vegies. Personally, I like pineapples in my salad sprinkled with some pepper and turkey shreddings! :D As to your question about fatigue, it varies for everyone. I read in many places that sometimes when you quit gluten you get worse before you get better. It happened to me. I spent months feeling like a pile of useless poo. Now I’m so energetic that I don’t know what to do sometimes! Haha! Please email me if you need more help. :) Stay healthy! *hugs*
One thing I can tell you is that you should not go off gluten before you get tested. Get tested while you’re still consuming gluten or the test will be worthless.
don’t eat any refined foods, your body needs fat, protein, and carbs (the carbs turn to glucose (blood sugar) so you don’t need to eat any sugar. stop eating table salt it is bad for you! buy celtic sea salt or redmond real salt. and exercise. You will be slim trim and beautiful.
Honestly i dunno whats wrong with me. I feel like everyday i itch to death and i break out in hives constantly, my body is also swollen …. and i have noticed it more when i eat wheat. I have no insurance and cant afford the doctor. What should i do
Jessica,
I don’t have insurance either. I’m also experiencing symptoms of a food allergy and so I am trying out a gluten free diet to see if my symptoms change at all. I will be trying this GF diet for at least 3 weeks. It can’t hurt to try it and that way when you do eventually get to a Dr. you can explain the results of your diet experiment. Best wishes to you.
Thanks for this, I think many of my friends have health issues affected and caused by gluten intolerance. Hopefully sharing this link will alert some of them. Also, I’ve notice that people with blood type B or AB have a higher intolerance to gluten-filled foods. Gluten nearly killed me multiple times, but I’ve been gluten free for almost a year now! :D I feel better than ever.
If you think a gluten free diet will work then don’t hesitate at all, I don’t think you need to be tested for it because if you feel better without gluten then it’s worth it, when I was about 6 or 7 my tummy started feeling really horrible and I had a burning feeling in the top of right of it so I tried a gluten and wheat free diet and I’ve been fine ever since, I’m now 14. Once I ate a few crumbs of biscuit at a party to see what it tasted like, one day after I was in so much pain, so I’ve never wanted to eat another wheat biscuit again. And a really important thing that not many gluten free people know is GLUCOSE SYRUP and GLUCOSE-FRUCTOSE SYRUP CAN BE MADE FROM WHEAT, my family only realised this when my mum became very ill and had breathing problems, as soon as she stopped eating foods with those ingredients in she was fine. So if your very sensitive to gluten it would be a very good idea to avoid glucose syrup and glucose fructose syrup!
I’ve eliminated it but i still have problems, it’s only been a few weeks though. So i’m sticking to it for now. And yeah i get really bad chest pain, and it can make it hard to breath. I’m glad im not the only one. This gives me some hope that this is what’s wrong with me.
Hi there, so i have tested negative for celiac disease but i have a lot of the symptoms. Though mine tend to appear late in the day. I have been doing gluten free for a couple weeks now and i know it can take quite awhile to see any difference in how you feel. But i still haven’t seen any difference. Wondering if anyone else has gone through this too. With no feeling of better even weeks into trying to eliminate it. Because i feel i could be making all this effort for nothing and it turns out that’s not the problem. I get the bloating especially right under my ribs with heartburn and gas and it can even make my back hurt. Diarrhea usually once to every couple weeks and i get fatigued at least once a week which can make a simple job feel like it takes forever. I do get headaches but not too often, maybe once a week. So pretty much i’m just trying to get anyones response who maybe has had the same thing as me. Thanks!
Hi, i eat a diet high in gluten but don’t have any symptoms but around once ever 8 weeks i suffer from 3 days of absolutely excruciating abdominal pain to the point i wish i was dead! i was wondering how severe the cramps actually were from gluten intolerance and whether anyone else experiences the pain at such distant times and when do symptoms normally show on a gluten diet? is it always straight away? Thanks.
I recently found out that I’m allergic to oats. Since learning this I have become more aware of what I eat. Before I stopped eating oats I had the following issues: Gastro-intestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)
head aches, exhaustion. When I don’t oats I feel better, but I have also noticed that I’m have many of the same problems after eating other gluten, although I have tested neg. for “gluten allergies”. When I don’t eat gluten my concerns go away. Should I be tested for Celiac Disease?
I have been severly itchy for about 2 month now. I have no real bad stomach pains or diarrhea just extremely itchy all over my body. I’m starting to be gluten free and wondering if anyone has ever experienced the same. I have normal bloating nothing to bad. And had allergy testing done and everything came back negative. I’m miserable right now and doctors can’t find answers! I’ve been on rounds if steroids and Zyrtec trying I calm the itching but nothing is really working. Then when i stop itching I wonder if it’s from the Zyrtec or being gluten free does anyone have suggestions??
I would check your house for mold. That can make you very itchy.
My infant daughter is gluten intolerant. I buy Pamela’s amazing bread mix and Pamela’s pancake and baking mix. I love it! You can get it from amazon for about the cheapest. It’s a must have! they make great cookies and the pizza crust is well….wonderful :)
Hi All
I suffered from symptoms of IBS for over 20 years, I was overweight, bloated, tired all of the time, my joints ached, I suffered from insomnia and my teeth were terrible. After visiting many doctors, the last one told me to carry immodium with me and eat more fibre! Yeah, like that is going to help! I was thoroughly fed up and very down about the whole deal when I discovered the link between food intolerance and my sypmtoms. I had never had a doctor suggest this to me before. I started a two week detection diet, I cut out gluten for 2 weeks then ate a delicious danish pastry for lunch one day and within 4 hours I was in agony. I knew then that it was gluten I could not eat and after another 3 weeks of not eating it I felt normal. I couldnt remember feeling like that for a long time. Seven months later I am sleeping properly, am losing weight and having my teeth fixed! I have no symptoms at all, I am a much happier person. Yes its a pain not being to eat anything on the menu but I find if you call them a few days before most chefs are willing to make you something special. I understand these teenagers being fed up that they are intolerant, but hey, I wish I had known at that age because I would not have suffered for years and lost the best part of my life being ill and feeling like crap.
My problem is that people who are not intolerant have no idea what it is like to be intolerant and I often get raised eyebrows when I tell people I am, they usualy ask me if Its because I don’t want to eat carbs. I tell them no, its because I dont want to vomit all over your lovely carpet or have diaoreah in your beautiful clean white bathroom! They generally understand then!!
Chin up people, there are more of us out there who have yet to discover their intolerance and are suffering like we did, spread the word and educate people.
Best of luck to you all
KP
Ok I may just be parnoid but my 4 month old was having problems gaining weight n she was spitting up all the time doctor told me to give her rice ceral in her bottle so we did she still throws it up and anytime she lays on her stomach she throws up so I thought id try wheat rice ceral n she seems to eat it better but she still throwing up n has developed this rash on her face n chest shes been pooping alot n she just seems slugish to what she was before I dont know what to do I feel like shes to young to hav this n that her doctors will look at me like im stupid but I really would like her tested how should I go aboit it?