Topic: how long did it take to feel better after going gluten free?
gigimac
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33353
posted
?
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
| IP: Logged |
kgg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5867
posted
I felt better in 24 hours. Diarrhea stopped and my energy improved. But some people don't feel well for quite a while because they go through a withdrawal of sorts.
The magazine Living Without just had an article addressing this.
Posts: 1688 | From Maine | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
The withdrawal should only last about 3 - 5 days. When I was off wheat/gluten 100% and then accidentally got re-exposed via some body lotion, I had terrible joint pain, hives, etc.
It took the joint pain 3 days to going away for the most part, but it's been about a month and remnants of the hives are still there.
I think the full reaction from being exposed can take 3 - 6 months to fully go away. You will be more aware of this once you get off it, and then re-exposed.
But if you get off gluten 100% I would say you will start to feel better in a number of days.
Posts: 631 | From the south | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
You've gotta really do your homework on this because it's in a lot of things. I was told to get off gluten and dairy because the casein protein can do a number on our gut too, and can act like a poison in some.
Posts: 631 | From the south | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was diagnosed with Celiacs about 4 yrs ago by endoscopy. Suffered and misdiagnosed for 40 yrs. I've been gluten free ever since.
Took about 2 wks of being gluten free before I noticed improvement - and what an improvement it was!!!
It takes about 6 mos for the damage caused by gluten to your stomach to return to normal.
If accidently exposed - I know it the next day and suffer for about 3 wks afterward. Severe abdominal pain, diahrea, etc.
Gluten is in so many things that you don't expect. You must read ALL labels, even if you think there would be no gluten in something. Eating out is very dangerous - possible - but you must be very careful!!!
Good luck!
Posts: 250 | From East Coast | Registered: Jan 2013
| IP: Logged |
posted
jjourneys, Do you eat out much? If so, what do you get? I haven't eaten out much since going GF.
Posts: 631 | From the south | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I tried it once about 18 months ago without any relief, (that was because I had a GI infection that was raging out of control).
Another physcian recommended I try GF again, after the infection was controled. Within 3 days, the nausea was much improved. I've been GF since this past July, nausea is way down & much better managed. Only negative is that the GF products tend to contain a lot of carbs (which are not my friends).
At this point, if I ingest any gluten (by accident), I feel it within hours.
I checked with some of my local favorite places to eat, they have some GF options & have told me what's safe & what's not (I give them a food allergen card & they double check it).
Posts: 25 | From N. Texas | Registered: Oct 2012
| IP: Logged |
posted
10 days ( I think I felt better in 5 days, MUCH better by the 10th day )
Be sure to carefully eliminate ALL sources of gluten when doing this!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
gigimac
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33353
posted
most of u who have been helped by going gf have had stomach issues. i don't really have that except some constipation. i wonder if it would still help?
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
| IP: Logged |
Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
quote:Originally posted by gigimac: most of u who have been helped by going gf have had stomach issues. i don't really have that except some constipation. i wonder if it would still help?
Yes, it is worth a try. Constipation is a symptom from which some find relief with gluten-free eating.
Also, neurological issues may improve after months or years gluten-free.
In my case, gluten messes royally with my hormones and causes severe cramps & migraines during my monthly cycle. It also causes my stomach to feel heavy after eating.
The headache and heavy stomach disappeared within a day of going on a gluten-free diet.
For me, re-exposure causes immediate diarrhea & nausea (symptoms I did not have before going gluten-free), a heavy feeling in my stomach, and monthly headache/cramps for any cycle within at least the next 6 weeks.
I also find I get symptoms from airborne exposure, so must avoid restaurants and homes in which wheat flour/pasta has been cooked within the previous 2 days.
If the gluten exposure (airborne or otherwise) amount is big enough, then it can take 6 months or more to recover from a gluten exposure.
And I know of some who say it can take up to a year to clear gluten from the brain, so neuro issues may take years to improve.
Also, some find they can tolerate other foods they could not before going gluten-free. But this can take a while, because the gut has to heal after the gluten leaves the tissues...
And it takes a minimum of 6 weeks for gluten to leave the gut tissue, and another 6-8 weeks minimum for the tissues to heal after the gluten is gone.
So a good gluten-free trial should last at least 6 months before re-challenging the gluten. This is what I did - I went gluten-free for 6 months, then tried a communion wafer. I wish I hadn't tried that wafer...
I've also had symptoms occur from some fresh fruit waxes, so have to buy certain fruits from a farmer's market to avoid the waxes.
The fruit/veggie waxes are not supposed to contain gluten, but there must be something in the wax that is similar enough to the part of the gluten that affects me, and thus triggers symptoms for me.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic