katinagj's Blog

I thought it would be good to explain my story to figuring out why my body was attacking me. It was started when I was young(apparently. Neither me or my family noticed anything strange until I hit 8th grade. Though recently figured out that all of my favorite foods from when I was younger were gluten free, and explained why sometimes when I was sick crackers would only make matters worse. As well as why I was constantly in the nurses office with a stomach ache(they always thought I was faking it to get out of class...only I knew I wasn't). Around 8th grade, things got a lot worse. I started having more and more stomach issues which lead to poor concentration and low grades. This continued through out high school, and I also began having panic attacks after getting the shaft from probably the millionth friend. My friends were always starting rumors about me. That never helped things. I didn't have the confidence I think I would have had if I had felt how I feel RIGHT NOW since going gluten free. My mind was always scattered and when I would say something it would be like a string of words dribbling out of my mouth that I couldn't control. Like I just didn't know how to put the sentence out there. My parents thought I had ADD, but the doctor didn't.

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Two years ago, my back starting causing me a lot of problems. And my hips and knees(which have always bothered me) got worse then ever. To the point where there would be days I was walking with a cane or couldn't walk at all. After dealing with it for about a year I went in to the doctors because I just couldn't take it anymore. They ordered xrays, and blood tests(but ignored my request to be tested for celiac). Blood tests came back normal and xrays showed nothing wrong, and they basically just said oh your fine, and dropped me. I continued going to drs. A rheumatologist who told me I have a vitamin D deficiency, bursitis and that I must have just had a viral infection that got better(because at the time I went in I WAS starting to feel better). I also ended up at a endocrinologist after my doctor found a cyst on my thyroid. I prayed that this was what was wrong with me. Just tell me I have a thyroid problem, PLEASE. I want this crap to stop! Nope, just some small cysts that were affecting my body in no way(the one they were worried about actually disappeared later).

I gave up completely on doctors at this point. I had been going in for a year, and I was just tired of getting blood drawn, and having them doing the same tests over and over again. We had started trying to get pregnant in February 09. September, I found out I was pregnant. We were so happy, and it felt like we had waited forever! I miscarried at 6 weeks naturally. We were devastated. Somehow we managed to get pregnant once again the next month(october) but it ended up being a chemical prognancy and I had already miscarried before we even hit 5 weeks. I wanted to figure out, why this was happening. But our doctor stated that they don't do any extra testing until you have had 3 miscarriages. And so we have been trying to get pregnant again ever since hoping that things would just work themselves out and that I could go to full term. But I haven't gotten pregnant.

Two weeks ago I decided to go on an elimination diet. I eliminated every well known allergy from my diet. This included chicken, milk, gluten, and a long list of other things. 4 days into the diet, I cheated with a peice of toast. 2 hours later, I had a severe headache. I went to bed and ended up waking at about 2 am telling my husband he needed to take me to the hospital. The stomach pain was excruciating. I thought something was going to burst. The pain brought me to vomiting, and out came the toast. My stomach continued to hurt badly for an hour or so while I sat on the couch clenching my stomach while sipping peppermint tea(the ONLY lifesaver for nausea for me). Finally after dozing off on the couch I went back to bed and was able to go back to sleep. All I know is, I never want to feel that pain again.

Since going 100% gluten free(and adding everything else back into my diet) my symptoms have gotten much better. My back pain...okay this is the big one... my back pain is completely gone. I went to a chiropractor over the summer, and while he made my upper back feel better my lower back has continued to cause me problems. I couldn't lift, I could bend over, sometimes the pain would connect into my hips and it was excruciating. But, it's GONE. I am shocked still. I got so used to my back hurting that I can barely believe it feels better. I feel better. My energy has tripled. While I normally don't have the energy to do more than a little house work everyday. Over the weekend I cleaned the ENTIRE house. Without even getting tired. I have NEVER been able to clean the house without getting tired. I also organized my cupboards to make it easier to keep my gluten free things away from DHs food and cleaned out the fridge completely. I am constantly realising something that is better everyday.

After I had the food reaction last weekend I did call the doctors and got blood taken to test for celiac disease one week after going gluten free. I am still waiting for results. And even if it comes back negative, I really think I have celiac disease regardless. I think I have proved that with the vast amount of symptoms I had and the fact that going gluten free made me feel SO much better. I think that is enough proof. My doctor is referring me to an gastroenterologist but whether or not I go back on gluten to get the endoscopy. I'm not sure. I probably wont do it. I just don't see how my body could handle it if I had such a bad reaction last weekend?? And feeling so much better now I just don't know if its worth it to go through the pain again just to get a diagnosis. Though I may just lie to my inlaws and say that I did get a diagnosis. When people don't get diagnosed they just think people are just being dramatic...SO NOT TRUE. And SO frustrating...but anyways. That's my story till today..

ETA: I went to Wendy's on Friday and had chili and a side salad with ranch because they are all stated as gluten free. But I still ended up with a headache and was depressed for most of Saturday before feeling amazing again on Sunday. I'm actually kind of curious if maybe the depression and headache could have been from cross contamination? Does it really happen that easily? I mean, I guess maybe they could be using gloves that they used on a burger bun or something then used the same glove to get the salad ready. Do you think it could have happened that easily?