How Long Until You Are Symptom Free?

CKiddings · Guest

I have been trying to be GF for about two weeks now. I have DH and a host of tummy troubles, headaches and I suspect thyroid problems (always tired, cold and have trouble losing weight), anemic and my teeth are overly brittle (they chip and break easily and a couple have just crumbled!) Anyway, I have been trying to learn everything I can about the gluten free lifestyle and what to eat and not to eat ect. I keep having symptoms though. I am thinking that I must be ingesting gluten still somewhere because I am still having break outs with the rash, headaches and the lovely tummy troubles. I was feeling frustrated and wondering if I am ever going to get this GF eating right when I thought maybe symptoms don't go away immediately? Does it take awhile for the gluten to get out of your system? Do they know how long it takes for your intestines to heal so that you no longer have digestion issues?
I have heard a little about gluten withdrawl on the forum, does it include headaches? Just trying to get a handle on this and want so badly to feel better.

Demo · Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 284

It took my 3 year old son a good two weeks before his stomach troubles went away. I have been told by his specialist it can take months before your body is normal after starting a gluten free diet.

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10519 Location: WI, USA

Hi CK,

Gosh, GF only 2 weeks?!? I took me 2-3 months to where I felt remotely comfortable with my food selections and 1 year before I felt "at one with the GF diet" hehehehe. There is a huge learning curve to this. This is not to say, you can't catch on quicker than I...because I'm no rocket scientist. Smile

Figuring out where all the gluten is coming from is a daunting task. It can come from pots & pans, toasters, silverware drawers, double dipping in the mayo jar, meds, shampoos, cosmetics, etc...

It also took many months for some of my symptoms to go away. I want to say my reflux to 2-5 months before it totally went away and I was able to get off meds for it. The abdom pain, gas, bloating, etc..maybe a month or so before I noticed any change there. I wish I would've kept a timeline when I noticed changes!!

Every one is different in how the react and the length to heal. I have seen that DH can take several, several months to completely go away.

I have seen reports where it can take 1 - 2 years before everything is healed completely.

I suspect this is not something that occurred overnight...and not something that will fix itself overnight. Be patient, do the best you can possibly do and go from there.

Hang in there!! Don't give up!!

Smile

_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

Professor · Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 757

I think this topic has variable answers . . . I just did some searching on the web, and most things I read say that within 2-3 days of being truly GF, you should begin to notice some improvement, but complete healing takes a few month, and up to a year or two for people who have had long-standing disease.

Yes, it's VERY hard to learn the GF diet, and the easiest way is to eat "naked" foods (whole foods -- one ingredient, in their natural state) at first.

Post lots of questions for us, and if you want (I've offered this before to others), post what you're eating each meal, and we'll help you look for any hidden gluten.

Hope this helps!

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 3359 Location: Washington State

Everyone's answer will be different, but I noticed an improvement after 3 days. It took a month for my symptoms to be mostly gone. I think it was probably 2 - 3 months before I felt like I was really getting the hang of the diet and was symptom free.

Hang in there - it gets better.
_________________
-Colleen

Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handcart?

M. Shackelford · Guest

I agree that it depends on how long you have had the disease. After being on the diet for six months, I had a 50% improvement in the endoscopy results. That was a year ago. The blood tests came back negative whereas before they were positive. I still have digestive issues but I am also dealing with colitis and diabetes. I was diagnosed two years ago. As far as I know I am gluten free, eating basic meats, veggies, fruits and gluten free products. I have had to be extremely patient with myself knowing that I went undiagnosed for over fifty years before a doctor finally listened to my symtoms and within five minutes told me she thought I had Celiac Sprue disease. This was after years of trying to get help from other doctors. Please be patient with yourself. It will get better!

CKiddings · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 29

Thanks everyone. I guess until now I never realized that gluten was literally in everything. I am learning a lot. Everyday something new. I started buying organic foods thought that would help my severly sensitive system but am realizing that you have to be oh so careful as some of these smaller organic suppliers don't list the ingredients in an easy to understand way. Gluten is considered a natural and often organic ingredient. I have called several companies (even had the health food store call about pizza sauce while I was shopping) to clarify about ingredients. My husband came in to see what I was doing just now and said, "You and your never ending war against all things gluten." He was just giving me a hard time, but ain't it the truth!

jim · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 167 Location: Duluth, Minnesota

I have type 1 diabetes and was also just diagnosed within the last three weeks of celiac disease. At first I was relieved that there was a solution to feeling better. I was tired all the time and weak for about two years now. I also had other symptoms. After 48 hours on the diet I felt better then I had in a long time. A few days later crappy. Now I am wondering if I am getting all the gluten out of my diet. Somedays I'm really not up to par. I don't have a gluten free house hold and am working on seperating my food items from my two young children and wife. After reading stuff on this forum about cross contamination I'm buying my own toaster today.I have read that children bounce back quicker then adults do on the diet. I also read it can be 2-3 years for significant healing in adults. I suppose it varies with everyone and we will heal eventually if consistant on the diet.

CKiddings · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 29

The seperate toaster is a good idea. It got me to thinking about things like jams and jellies, mayo, peanut butter and maragarine. I know my family, including myself are double dippers. I dip the knife in, put it on the bread (for others not myself) and then dip it in again to get more until the bread is sufficiently covered. I am thinking I may get doubles and mark one GF with a permanent marker and then make it clear this one is to be used only by those eating GF. There are many cross contamination opportunities in our home. We've all been gluten eaters until just a couple weeks ago. It would be easier if we were all GF but alas, they are not yet believers in the GF way.

isto · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:20 pm Post subject:

It took me several weeks to feel better. Headache was not a problem at first, but now when I accidently gluten myself, I get EXTREME headaches. Hope you are on the road to good health and feeling better soon!

Danita

CKiddings · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 29

Some wise people on this forum told me to stick to whole foods for awhile and I think that is what I will do. I have been trying to check every single package I buy, and am only ingesting GF ones as far as I know, but still having troubles. Maybe I just need to stick to veggies, fruit and meat for awhile to give my system time to calm down and quite being so sensitive and give myself time to heal.

isto · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:14 pm Post subject:

That really is the best thing. It is HARD to read packages at first and know they are GF. I was overlooking MSG and Citric acid at first! You'll get there!

Danita

CKiddings · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 29

I have been also! Mental note no MSG and Citric Acid. I am so glad
you said something. I learn something everyday. . . everyday. Maybe I should say I retain something new everyday. I am sure I read it or some one must have told me, but it clicked today!

isto · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:52 pm Post subject:

Don't kick yourself too hard, it takes a while before everything starts to stick! There's just SO much to change!

Danita

TenKLady · Joined: 19 Jan 2005 Posts: 121 Location: Westminster, CO

Danita,

Why are you avoiding Citric Acid? I wasn't aware that it contained gluten.

Laura