Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

How Can You Tell If Gluten-Free Diet Is Helping?


confusediniowa

Recommended Posts

confusediniowa Newbie

My backstory: I have had symptoms of celiac on and off for 20 years and was diagnosed with IBS in my early 20's. I was able to manage gut issues ok with careful diet, etc. This spring I fractured my arm and found I am B12 and D deficient and have osteopenia (pre-osteoporesis). I got a negative blood test for celiac but know that isn't conclusive so decided to try gluten-free diet. My main question is how will I know if it helping to be off gluten? I have only done gluten-free diet a few days but I am not feeling much different. I am willing to do this for a while but not sure how I will know if it is helping. My main symptoms now are the nutritional deficiencies and the low bone density. IN the past I have had severe cramping, bloating, diarrhea and multiple miscarriages. I avoid foods that I figured out caused problems (raw cabbage, unfiltered coffee, high dairy fat)- should I re-introduce them after a month and see if I can tolerate it better?

thanks in advance for help


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      128,163
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Calvinator
    Newest Member
    Calvinator
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.1k
    • Total Posts
      70.7k

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Kj44
    • mariamccl
      Hi, 25f who recently had a endoscopy procedure to diagnose celiac disease. Mum and uncle are both diagnosed celiacs. I've had symptoms over the past year - headaches that have become debilitating and frequent, feeling faint and nauseous with high heart rate, diarrhea and constipation, anemia, and recently my periods have become almost non existent. My doctor sent me a letter yesterday saying this " biopsies from the duodenum show some very mild features that could be in keeping with celiac disease but also could be due to other causes". I am waiting on an appointment to see him in the clinic to discuss this but in the meantime I wanted to check if anyone else has experienced this? I was eating plenty of gluten before my camera test and for the past 2 weeks have completely cut it out of my diet and I'm seeing changes in my bowel movements for the first time in my life! Headaches, dizziness etc are still there but maybe it takes longer for them to go away? Any help would be so appreciated -  I feel so lost in this whole process!! 
    • trents
      Did your symptoms improve after going on a gluten-free diet?
    • Scott Adams
      Thank you for sharing your genetic test results and background. Your results indicate you carry one half of the DQ2 heterodimer (DQA1*05), which is associated with a very low celiac disease risk (0.05%). While most celiac patients have either DQ2 or DQ8, these genes are also present in people without celiac disease, so the test alone doesn’t confirm a diagnosis. Since you’ve been gluten-free for 10 years, traditional diagnostic methods (like endoscopy or blood tests) would not be reliable now. If an official diagnosis is important to you, consider discussing a gluten challenge with your doctor, where you reintroduce gluten for a period before testing. Alternatively, you could focus on symptom management and dietary adherence, as your gluten-free diet seems to be helping. Consulting a gastroenterologist or celiac specialist could provide further clarity.  Here is more info about how to do a gluten challenge for a celiac disease blood panel, or for an endoscopy: and this recent study recommends 4-6 slices of wheat bread per day:    
    • Scott Adams
      @cvz Thank you for sharing your daughter’s story. It sounds like she is managing multiple complex conditions with great care and diligence. It’s encouraging to hear that she is compliant with her gluten-free diet and that her Addison’s disease symptoms are under control. The addition of electrolytes seems like a thoughtful suggestion, especially given her fluid intake. It’s also reassuring that she hasn’t shown noticeable symptoms from accidental gluten exposure, though it’s understandable how challenging it can be to monitor for such incidents. The unexplained high lipase levels are intriguing—perhaps further investigation or consultation with a specialist could provide more clarity. Wishing you both continued strength and success in managing her health. Please keep us updated on her progress!
×
×
  • Create New...