For years I struggled with crawling skin, drastic mood swings, symptoms that mimiced diabetes, perimenopause, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia even multiple sclerosis.
After years of unsuccessful testing, I gave in, accepted a prescription for Prozac and gave up.
The anti-depressants helped for a while, coupled with an anti-viral (because I DO live with Epstein Barr)
but utlimately, my poop was still weird, and my moods still swung, I was just in too much of a daze to do or say anything about it. My pain decreased...but honestly ALL my feelings were suppressed so that just makes sense.
Each new year brings with it a resolution to lose weight and 2009 brought with it a no-carb diet.
An interesting side effect...I had normal poop, so I just thought the anti-virals were working. My mood swings were decreasing, so the Prozac mustve been doing it's job.
February brought some unexpected guests with wonderful ideas about healing, thoughtful conversation and whole foods...including grains. I indulged, because they weren't processed grains and hey, it was only once or twice...
Three days later I was so exhausted I couldn't move...couldn't even motivate myself to get up out of my chair to pee. The next day I couldn't breathe...panic attacks rolled in like late stage contractions and I couldn't calm myself down...and I was alone; my husband was on a week long vacation and my body was revolting against me.
The next morning I was in the doctor's office...AGAIN.
I had racked my brain for hours ...since I couldn't sleep... over WHAT I had done differently, WHAT had triggered my symptoms.
I had heard the word gluten before
I knew it had something to do with wheat...but had no idea what
The universe kept whispering the word in my ear so I asked...
'Hey doc, could it be gluten'
I could literally SEE the light bulb over her head...or was it relief?
'Yes, yes it could...that would explain all of your symptoms'
So I had the blood tests, and I had the poop tests...and the results?
'You don't throw high enough numbers to have celiac and I doubt you're intolerant'
By the time the results had finally come around, I had been eating gluten free for almost a month and noticed a HUGE difference so I decided, any numbers are numbers and continued with my gluten free diet
I FEEL better
I don't hurt anymore
My husband can hug me without a wince, I have energy, I don't flip out on my kids, hub or drivers on the road, my skin doesn't crawl and my eyebrows don't itch...and my poop is normal (okay sorry I keep talking about my poop but this was a BIG one for me...no one could explain it in the past and no website helped me either, maybe I need to post a more indpepth poop story...but not now).
I went to the doctor recently for Bronchitis and she dismissed my Gluten issues again
Whatev doc
All this to say I read a fantastic reminder this morning on Gluten Free Easily about Non Standard Symptoms of Celiac. *raising hand* yup...I resemble those remarks.
Going gluten free is not an easy task. Anyone who has had to do it will tell you...those of you who have tried simply because it's the latest fad...BAH! It's not the same when you can decide not to do it because it's not convenient. I try to fool myself sometimes with that...
I'm having what I call an 'overwhelm' day...I glutened MYSELF yesterday and I know better, because Gluten Turns off My Filter.
Now...when I saw them, I knew they were too good to be true. But if you followed the link above, you know the possibility of an accidental ingest lurks around every corner so these are handy to have...just in case.
They sorta work. My poop stays normal...but I still get tired, and my filter gets weak.
Problem? I do this to myself on purpose at times...like yesterday when I ate the Greek Lasagna that I intentionally made with regular lasagna noodles. Sometimes the GF stuff is just too far away and too expensive.
Well, at least that's what I thought when I decided to pop a couple of pills and eat the stuff anyway.
Now? Well I have tears behind my eyes, my eyebrows itch, my body is achy and I'm generally just in bitch mode, easily annoyed and not afraid to tell you about it. Sigh.
It DID taste good...but that was the eggplant and olives, not the noodles.
And another great article I read talked about the after effects of a cheat...while I may not feel anything now (physically/digestive) it can take it's toll on me later.
I have to stop cheating myself.
I'm worth the drive and the extra money for the GF stuff...even if the docs don't agree with me.
1 comment:
I'm sorry you've had such tough times. It's too bad you've had to learn the hard way that cheating is not worth it, but you have learned. I can't imagine how bad I would feel if I intentionally ate gluten. I get sick enough from a little contamination. I keep similar enzymes in my purse for times when I eat out or at someone else's home. I hope you're feeling better now.
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