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Feeling Worse After Being gluten-free?

taffers

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taffers Newbie
taffers
Posted

First, I do have an appointment with a GI next week, but I just wanted to see if this happened to anyone else?

I've been eating gluten-free for about 2 months (diagnosed with Celiac Disease via blood test). I wasn't symptomatic prior to going gluten-free in terms of stomach issues (I did suffer from infertility, mystery rashes and itching, hypostension and anemia), but for the past 2 weeks, (sorry if this is TMI!) I've had watery diarrhea up to 10 times a day and general stomach discomfort, burning, pain, cramps, etc. It does seem to get worse sometimes after I eat, but my stomach is generally unsettled at all times and the diarrhea is all day long even if I don't eat.

Of course every time I look up my symptoms online, the first thing that comes up is celiac disease! But I have been eating gluten-free!!! I guess my question is can you become more sensitive to gluten after going gluten-free? I obviously wasn't very sensitive to it before, but I'm wondering if now having been gluten-free for 2+ months, I am getting much more sensitive so that if I accidentally eat it/cross-contaminate, I'm getting really sick?

Has this happened to anyone else?

The other thing that keeps coming up is Crohn's Disease so I'm hoping it's not that!

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GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

That's very common to become more sensitive to gluten after going gluten-free. It doesn't mean anything else is wrong, it does mean you need to be more careful to avoid cross-contamination

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

I've only been gluten-free for two weeks since my official diagnosis by biopsies. I had been gluten-free for five months prior to my gluten challenge and was a little ill off gluten but not bad - just nauseous. In fact, I definitely felt better ON gluten than off. No symptoms that I was aware of but of course that can change in the future.

The past few days I have had a lot of heartburn and acid reflux as well as nausea; not terrible, just enough to be an annoyance. I imagine it is withdrawal - I also feel incredibly hungry and am constantly looking in the pantry and fridge for something yummy to magically appear! :P

taffers Newbie
taffers
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for your responses!

love2travel: Have you tried shopping at Trader Joe's? I know some people don't think all their gluten-free items are completely safe, but it's been great for me- especially making me not feel deprived! Although, I will say I was eating things that are "made on equipment that processes wheat" which I probably won't do anymore.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

Thanks for your responses!

love2travel: Have you tried shopping at Trader Joe's? I know some people don't think all their gluten-free items are completely safe, but it's been great for me- especially making me not feel deprived! Although, I will say I was eating things that are "made on equipment that processes wheat" which I probably won't do anymore.

We unfortunately have no Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or anything even remotely like them in rural Alberta, Canada. So, I have not been snacking much but have been doing a lot of experimental gluten-free baking. Man, this afternoon I have had the worst craving for something sugary and I don't generally like sweet stuff, much preferring savoury... :huh:

taffers Newbie
taffers
Posted
  • Author

I would die without TJ's! ;)

I try to make things I ate before that are naturally gluten-free so like we'll make tacos with corn tortillas (we spray them with olive oil spray, salt them and put them on the griddle for a few minutes), beans, avocado, egg and green onions (I try not to eat a lot of dairy, as I think that affects me too). Also, I get white fish like tilapia and coat it in brown rice flour (not sure if you can find that in your area?) and saute that in olive oil- very tasty!

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

I would die without TJ's! ;)

I try to make things I ate before that are naturally gluten-free so like we'll make tacos with corn tortillas (we spray them with olive oil spray, salt them and put them on the griddle for a few minutes), beans, avocado, egg and green onions (I try not to eat a lot of dairy, as I think that affects me too). Also, I get white fish like tilapia and coat it in brown rice flour (not sure if you can find that in your area?) and saute that in olive oil- very tasty!

That is what I am doing, too - cooking with naturally gluten-free stuff rather than snacking. And lots of yummy gluten-free baking. And continuing to teach cooking classes, both naturally gluten-free and gluten-free baking. It is a lot of fun experimenting with all sorts of flours! Thankfully we have a store in our town with a large selection of gluten-free flours including teff, millet, sorghum, amaranth, white and brown rice, potato and so on. Brown rice flour is lovely for coating fish. We don't get tilapia here much but sometimes do get sole.

Don't even tell me about the yummy stuff at TJ's - it is probably for the best that I don't know. :P

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