Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Gluten Intolerance
Posted on November 6th, 2008 by alison
The other day I was shopping in Whole Foods when a woman asked an employee where the wheat-free bread was. The employee had no idea so I offered to help. As I led the woman to the alternative bread section she told me that she didn’t feel well when she ate whole wheat, and tries to limit it by eating white bread or wheat-free breads like spelt. Then she told me that she has fibromyalgia.
I asked her if anyone suggested that her symptoms might be caused by gluten. No, she told me. She is on several different therapies, but no one ever said anything about gluten. She ended up passing on buying any gluten-free bread because it was too expensive. She is on disability. The whole situation saddened me, because it was clear that she was trying as best as she could given her financial situation and the information available to her.
We parted ways in the store after I showed her some more products and gave her some suggestions for eating gluten-free. I think she was too overwhelmed to accept any more of my help. We bumped into each other again in the bakery section, where she was searching for something to eat. I showed her the gluten-free options (all expensive) and she reached in a bin and grabbed a muffin. “You know that has wheat in it, right?” I thought maybe she was confused. “Well,” she said, “I have to eat something.” And so she will continue to eat the very thing that is making her sick, because she doesn’t really know any better and can’t afford to try a gluten-free diet.
After this encounter I wondered if a connection between fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and gluten intolerance was well-known. I found that although people in forums and in their own personal websites report how much better they feel after cutting gluten out their diet, some actually being diagnosed with celiac disease after years of suffering with these other diagnoses, the main websites for fibromyalgia (FM) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) make no reference to the possibility that gluten could be the cause. Instead they list about 20 different treatment options, with no mention of a gluten-free diet.
The symptoms of fibromyalgia, gathered from several websites including the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins include:
- Body pain
- Fatigue
- Non-cardiac Chest Pain
- Sleep Disturbance
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Constipation, diarrhea, frequent abdominal pain, abdominal gas, and nausea, acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Chronic Headaches
- Rhinitis
- Depression
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Impaired coordination
- Muscle Twitching
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Numbness and Tingling Sensations (Peripheral Neuropathy)
- Brain Fog (Poor Concentration)
- Morning Stiffness
- Chemical Sensitivity
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Skin Problems
- Joint Disorder
- Urinary Problems
- Widespread Pain
- Dysmenorrhea
- Nausea
- Memory Loss
- Vision Problems
- Weight Gain
- Dry eyes and mouth
Almost every one of these symptoms has been associated to celiac disease or gluten intolerance, yet none of these websites mentions that people should be tested for celiac or try a gluten-free diet. One website says that people with fibromyalgia are at a greater risk of developing a number of other disorders, such as:
- Fertility problems
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Osteoporosis
- Endometriosis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Raynaud’s Phenomenon
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Anemia
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- GERD
- Interstitial Cystitis
- Yeast Infections
- Bruxism
- Low Cytokine Levels
- Hypoglycemia
Again, almost every one of these conditions has been associated with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, another disorder with no known cause, report the following symptoms (according the CDC website):
- cognitive dysfunction, including impaired memory or concentration
- postexertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours (exhaustion and increased symptoms) following physical or mental exercise
- unrefreshing sleep
- joint pain (without redness or swelling)
- persistent muscle pain
- headaches of a new type or severity
- tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes
- sore throat
- irritable bowel, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or bloating
- chills and night sweats
- brain fog
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- chronic cough
- visual disturbances (blurring, sensitivity to light, eye pain or dry eyes)
- allergies or sensitivities to foods, alcohol, odors, chemicals, medications or noise
- difficulty maintaining upright position (orthostatic instability, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, balance problems or fainting)
- psychological problems (depression, irritability, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks)
- jaw pain
- weight loss or gain
Almost all of the above symptoms have been connected to gluten’s effects on the body. Compare to the list of symptoms related to celiac disease or gluten intolerance, and it is astonishing. Also astonishing is the fact that people diagnosed with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue aren’t immediately tested for celiac and, EVEN IF THE TEST IS NEGATIVE, put on a gluten-free diet.
I know someone with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She told me that she had already tried the gluten-free diet. Except that she had wheat sometimes. And that several of her 20+ medications that she took every day contained gluten. She continues to live in pain and on drugs (she is 38 years old).
Tell me, anyone out there who suffers from Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome… Have you been tested for celiac? Have you tried a 100% gluten-free diet for an extended amount of time?
I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, although I also have elevated inflammation markers that cannot be explained. I have been mostly gluten-free for a year now, with more than a six-month stint at one point. I have also been tested for celiac with all of the blood tests available and come back negative. Being off wheat helps, particularly with my digestive issues, but does not affect the pain at all. I’ve had slightly more success limiting carbs in general, but more for energy than anything else.
You may want to check out other food intolerances. SageLab.com does blood antibody testing from many different foods.
Dr. Fabiano MD had Fibermylia himself and wanted to know why. By eliminating tomatoes from his diet he was able to eliminate his symptoms.
Alison,
I was living with body pain and all sorts of symptoms on those lists for a long time. Then diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 4 years ago. Being the type to research into health issues, I came across books and articles that listed my symptoms as a reaction to food allergies. That began the dawning of the light for me. I found out that Gluten Sensitivity is NOT an allergy, but rather a systemic reaction to Gluten. Wow. However, my journey has been a long one- not just because it took me several decades to put all the info together and arrive at the fact that I can’t eat Gluten, but because I then took 8 years to accept it! Not easy in our Wheat based culture!
I had gone Gluten, Dairy, Corn and Potato (nightshades) free 8 years ago and ended up feeling FANTASTIC! But, then slowly I began reintroducing all those products back into my diet and just as slowly regressed back to feeling terrible. That’s when I got my diagnosis of Fibro.
So, springtime this year, I had had enough and went Gluten Free again. All my body pain is gone! (except for the normal soreness following a change in my workout routine) I also have been using much nutritional support, esp. L-Glutamine powder to heal my stomach and intestinal walls, Quercitin with Bromelain and Vitamin C and Acidophilus.
THANK YOU!! for this article.
Now, how do we get this info out there?
I am constantly getting on my “soap box” at the grocery store or out with friends and family. But, -and I understand this- people are unwilling to believe that food is the cause of their health issues. Food that has been touted to have Nutrients, Vitamins, Energy (and tastes so damn good)!!!! Our Dr’s and Hospitals are still completely brainwashed by big Pharma and years of skewed medical school training in nutrition! When I improved my Bone Scan results by being off Wheat and Dairy, both my Gyn and my Internist said the same thing! “oh you have to at least eat yogurt”! They had no ability to absorb what I had REALLY said! THAT BY CLEARING CERTAIN FOODS FROM MY DIET AND THUS HEALING MY INTESTINES OF THEIR DAMAGING EFFECTS, I HAD ACTUALLY GROWN BACK BONE!!!
Yikes!
Thank you again for this article- Well done!
Ann
Thank you for this article at least I know I am not the only one.
My journey began in 2005, it hasn’t been long but it sure has felt like it. I remember vividly during the day I felt so tired and sore, I thought it was maybe related to adjusting to the elevation in Colorado after moving from Canada. Then month after month it didn’t go away and began to get worse. There were all kinds of symptoms that would show up, the first major symptom was numbness and tingling in my feet and hands throughout the day and night. I went to doctors and no one could find the problem. Not one of them asked me what I might be eating? Year after year pasted and I still never gave up that I could figure this all out. I was tested for MS, fibro, and other neuroligical disorders and thankfully everything came back negative. I tried all kinds of medication and found sometimes I felt worse. Well through a stroke of luck and pure smarts I figured out my first puzzle to my numbness…it turned out to be SOY. I was able to figure it out to be that since in Canada alot of processed foods use Canola oil and since having moved to the US that is when it started. Bingo I was so elated to finally figure this out. Now the next problem were my aches in my hips, I was able to figure out it was because of beefand nightshade veggies, so I got rid of those and my hip pain was gone! The final symptom took about 9 months to figure out but it finally clicked. I took out wheat and then eliminated my fatigue and muscle aches! Wow it has been a heck of a year to have finally figured out the huge puzzle, now I am excited to finally lose some weight and get back on track with my health. It’s critical to those reading this that you check your diet and read, read, read ingredients to see if you may have allergies or intolerances to foods. I have alot of food types to eliminate now but it means so much to have my life back!!
I have to eliminate, soy (which is pretty near 90% of all processed foods out there), all red meat, tomatoes, cabbage, all products made with wheat, dairy, and some nuts.
I go back to cooking the way my mother did for me when we were young, making everything from scratch. My peace of mind is so worth it!
Arrgh!! Don’t you wish you could just force people to try? Just give it 30 days and see how you feel? What do they have to loose? I think that unconsciously people choose eating what they want over feeling healthy. So the very thing they think brings them comfort, brings them agony. It’s more expensive, true. I cannot imagine trying to make it work on disability. However, if I was on disability, I also wouldn’t buy a $2 muffin at Whole Foods. I’m such a crab.
Hi there,
I have a question both for you, Alison, and anyone else who might read this, about genetic links? I’m 23 - my father has fibro (so far as I know he hasn’t been tested for the other 2), and his sister my aunt was gradually diagnosed over a period of years with all three - CFS, celiacs, and fibro. My mother is also dealing with what may be Sjogrens, among other issues (which, as you’ve written, has been linked to these other disorders). I’m so young, and a poor grad student, and right now I’m just trying to eat as healthy as I can and go about my business (it has been suggested to me that I might be showing very early signs of a gluten intolerance, and I’m thinking of trying to strike it from my diet for a short period and see if it helps some of my own issues - though the cost, as pointed out, seems a little daunting to me) but I’m wondering whether any of you who have been diagnosed with one or more of these disorders have family members who have been similarly diagnosed? If there are real risks for me, as it is appearing there may be, at the very least I want to be aware of them. And does anyone know if there’s been research done as to whether any of these disorders are hereditary?
I have been disturbed for some time over the compartmentalization of the medical field, and this seems to me the likeliest reason behind the lack of official recognition as to a link between these disorders. There have been enough problems over the last decade ensuring that CFS research dollars get spent responsibly, and ensuring that it get taken seriously as a disorder. Imagine now proposing further research treating these disorders as inter-related? The idea that so many of these disorders may be linked is also rather scary, I think, to a medical establishment that is divided into its various research and funding segments, each of which tends to have little contact with any other. It’s very important then that “patients” get together and start doing their own research, recognizing that some of this stuff is very unlikely to be all coincidence.
So, hereditary? Thoughts?
Hi Adrienne,
One of the interesting things about celiac disease is that it is the only autoimmune disease with a known cause - gluten. There are many doctors and researchers that believe that perhaps gluten is the root of many autoimmune disorders. And it IS genetic.
Is your father gluten-free? It sounds like he should be, especially if his sister has already been diagnosed with celiac.
As for you, I would recommend that you eat gluten-free if it makes you feel better and to prevent further medical problems if it runs in your family. How to eat gluten-free on a budget… if you can’t afford the gluten-free specialty products, there is always rice, corn, potato, meat, cheese, vegetables, and fruit! Make your own gluten-free cookies or brownies from a mix (freeze whatever you can’t eat yourself.)
If you need more help, please let me know!
I don’t have fibro but I am gluten intolerant and sensitive to dairy and sugar. My son, who I am still breastfeeding, is also sensitive to dairy and soy products. So I basically stay away from gluten/dairy/soy/sugar. It can be challenging at first but once I got over the “withdrawal hump” with eliminating gluten, I actually didn’t crave it anymore.
I think the hardest thing for people when they hear that they may not be able to eat gluten is that they are actually “addicted” to it to some degree. And in order to to go gluten-free, you have to be willing to walk through the withdrawal period. This can be very hard if someone doesn’t know that it will get much easier with time.
Also, when you learn that there are SO many things GF people can eat, and learn a little bit about how to bake and prepare foods, it starts to feel like you’re not missing out anymore.
There are so many things that food allergies/sensitivities can cause. I am saddened and angered by the fact that this knowledge is not common knowledge in the medical field and that people are not asked about their diet when they have these symptoms.
For me personally, depression is one of my main symptoms when I eat gluten. This too is not common knowledge that food allergies can cause depression. When I finally put two and two together, I started feeling like a normal person again. But I was upset that after so many years I didn’t know this.
I recently started providing gluten,dairy and soy free menu planners for people who can’t eat these foods. It is a weekly planner people can subscribe to. I am very happy to be able to provide a service that will help people eat foods free of main allergens. If anyone is interested, you can learn more about it at http://www.heartofcooking.com
Thank you so much for posting this article. I hope it is one of many to help people start to realize that they have control over their health by figuring out if they have food allergies.
sincerely,
Sarah Schatz
http://www.heartofcooking.com
I have just been reading up on glutence intolerance as a few things I had read started me thinking that this might be the cause of my problems.
I was diagnosed with transverse myelitis a year ago after my legs and feet went numb and tingly. I was tested for lots of things but everything was negative so I was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, an autoimmune condition causing inflammation of the spinal cord. I had MRIs of my brain and spine and a lumbar puncture, but there was no evidence of this inflammtion. My sypmtoms are just like MS but I am told it is not that. The numbness and tingling is almost gone but I have muscle aches and stiffness which means I have to walk with a stick. I decided to try a gluten free fiet, 2 days go and will keep it up for 2 to 3 months to see if there is any change.
My grandmother died from bowel cancer, which I read can be linked to gluten intolerance. I also have excema, asthma and hypothyroidism.
Ally
Thank you for posting these insights. I suffered for 2 years with chronic localized back pain, general indications of fibromyalgia, and constant fatigue/depression before discovering the surprising link to delayed (IgG) food allergies. Wheat/gluten, dairy, and eggs were the most severe allergies, and I had no idea of the damage they were creating. By strictly avoiding these foods, my pain went away after 6 months, I lost 25 pounds, my fatigue/depression disappeared, and my skin is glowing! For the first time in my life I don’t have blemishes, bloating, and rarely get sick. Last month, I tested my husband and kids and they all have the SAME allergies. (www.usbiotek.com for tests) The kids also have allergy to soy and one has allergy to citrus, which complicates the diet. By keeping them off of these foods they have improved concentration in school and also rarely get sick. My father has chronic inflammation in joints and sinuses and has recently seen improvement by avoiding some foods. I believe there are many factors including hormones, cross-reactive airborne allergens and genetics in the development of food allergies and subsequent chronic illness.
This journey motivated me start a business and website dedicated to tracking multiple aspects of our body and lifestyle for total health - http://www.chartmyself.com
Thanks again and don’t stop promoting health awareness and dietary discipline.
-Shari
http://www.chartmyself.com
I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Three years ago, after gaining 30 pounds and the high blood pressure that went with it, I got off of Elavil and Zoloft. I found out I was gluten intolerate (through saliva tests) and got off of gluten products. I lost 35 pounds and feel so much better. I still have some pain but it is usually associated with weather changes, fatigue, or stress. I also found that the gluten intolerance was causing elevated levels of cortisol which in turn contributed to the sleep problems I’ve had for years. A product called Seriphos has helped keep the cortisol levels in check. I’ve been off of Seriphos for several months now and I’ve had a terrible flare up. I believe the cortisol is a key factor in the muscle pain and sleep problems associated with fibromyalgia. Why doesn’t the medical community know about these things?!!! It’s soooo frustrating!
I have had TMJD and general Myofacial Pain Syndrome for over a year and just took the ELISA/ACT allergy test, which came back negative for wheat/gluten/dairy, etc. However, my medical nutritionist is still advocating a gluten and dairy free diet, saying that many people with chronic pain/autoimmune conditions have less pain/feel better eating gluten and dairy free. If I am not allergic then how could it be creating a pain response in my body? Does anyone understand this and if so can you explain it to me? I’ve been eating gluten-free for two and a half weeks and am just trying to decide whether and why I should continue. Thanks!
So much great information in the comments! I really hope people are reading your stories and looking to diet as a possible answer. It really is too bad that doctors aren’t suggesting food intolerance but doling out prescriptions instead.
Ally,
Sounds like you have a lot of symptoms (and family history) related to gluten. Have you been tested for celiac? I would love to hear your progress with the gluten-free diet.
Kim,
Depending on what antibodies the test was looking for, you could be gluten intolerant and it wouldn’t show up on that test. I do believe you should still try the diet. There is still a lot that the medical community does not understand about how food can cause different types of reactions. One example in my own family is my nephew. He got 2 different types of tests for milk allergy and both were negative, but he reacts to milk in very obvious ways (physical symptoms like feeling cold, red cheeks, runny nose and cough, and also behavioral symptoms). If my sister had gone only by tests, and not by her own experience, she would be quite a miserable mother with a miserable child!
Keep the comments coming… this is really helpful!
Hi! I hope you don’t mind that I have a link to your site.
I thought your advice for Halloween was just terrific and there are so many valuable pieces you’ve written here. So supportive and informative!
We think about some of the same things. One of my best friends has fibromyalgia… When I see even a possibility, I have to make the suggestion!
When people look back 50 or 75 years from now, do you suppose people will wonder - - - If there was even a question or any confusion, why didn’t they just do that simple test for everyone?
Happy holidays!
Hi. I have a 10 year old son. Since he was a baby he has always had very foul smelling, watery diarrhea. When he was a baby I noticed that he didn’t grow much after he was 3 months old. When he was 1 year, I finally found a doctor that would listen to me and tests confirmed that he had the bone age of a 3 month old. A pediatric endocrinologist diagnosed him as having a vitamin a and d deficiency and just told us to over compensate his diet. At 3 he was diagnosed as having ADHD but was unable to take medications for it as they all caused him to be a zombie. At 8 years old, he was still having very frequent accidents, so we were referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist. Blood work and scopes were done and he was diagnosed as having irritable bowel syndrome, which does run in our family. He recommended immodium. He had the screening test for celiac and a biopsy done when he had the scopes and the results were negative. During the last week, he’s been complaining of upset stomach, heart burn, and feeling like he wanted to vomit. I have been considering trying him on a diet that works well for those with IBS. A friend of mine told me that it sounds more like he has celiac disease than IBS. The IBS diet would be bad for a kid with celiac. At 10 years old he is getting embarrassed by his accidents. Could the tests have been wrong? Could he have been misdiagnosed with IBS? I really want him to be happy and healthy but I don’t know what to do or where to turn.
My dad, aunt, grandmother, and myself have all been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, IBS and Fibromyalgia. My sister was also diagnosed with IBS but she passed away at 19 before she was diagnosed with anything else. Could all of this be caused by gluten? Now I’m really wondering.
I’ve been searching through the tons of information online to try and figure out the connection between my physical, emotional and mental symptoms, and the one thing I keep coming back to is food intolerances. I was tested for food allergies which showed a mild allergic reaction to oat and corn, but nothing else. Then my doctor explains that just because I’m not allergic to it doesn’t mean I don’t have an intolerance for it. *sigh*
So as I sit here contemplating an elimination diet, I reflect on the 60 pounds I’ve gained in the last year, the rosacea which is getting worse, the tiredness, lack of energy, irritability, hypersensitivity to touch, and general “not well” feeling… yeah, I can try it.
Not sure what the heck I’ll eat trying to do a gluten-free, oat and corn free, and probably casein free diet (I have a son with Fragile X, and I’ve heard it might help him, too, to do a GFCF diet), but I’ll figure something out!
Wish me luck… and good health.
Wow.
I think I’m in a backwards category. After years of being sick, I did the research, and asked my doctor to check me for celiac disease. I found out after that that my aunt had already been dx’d, and from there relative after relative found they had it, too, and have benefited from GF.
When I went GF, and I mean STRICTLY GF (I also can’t eat rice or potatoes, or bananas) I started feeling better and dropped 30+ lbs, but then the pain issues came back in force, and brought their friends. At this point, eliminating other things from my diet isn’t helping at all (and “safe” foods are so darned expensive and limited, I feel like the lady in the store- well, I have to eat SOMETHING!), and the joint pain (with no swelling or redness) the constant migraines, excessive fatigue and hurting to the touch are getting to be quite debilitating, and I’m only 34. I feel 94. I’m already on a medication commonly prescribed for FM for something else, and it isn’t helping at all, except to ease depression.
I am going to talk to my dr about fibro and tmj, but at this point, from all I’m reading, I don’t know how much help a dx will do for me.
Hi there
Thought I would also share my story with you all.
Had a healthy childhood…. developed Vitiligo when I was 23, (autoimmune), At 34 I started to experience symptoms such as extreme brain fog, tiredness and so on. I knew something was not right, went to doctor, got blood tests, said I was ’subclinical hypothyroid’(autoimune). Went to specialist who basically just said that I was not ‘that bad’ and that I did not need to go on any medication.
My symptoms gradually got worse, and been up and down for 5 years now. I have had some success with a homeopath, and have had regular blood tests every 3-5 months to check my thyroid hormone levels.
During this time, I have also had anemia off and on, and my earlier research told me that Vitiligo can can also be a result of a lack of folic acid and Vit B12 in your body, so I made sure I took suplements to cover this.
Anyway….a week ago, I felt like I crashed again, VERY tired, pains in legs and so many other symptoms of being hypothyroid & anemic. I went to make an appointment to see my doctor and she was not available, so I had to see a new doctor in the surgery.
Suprise suprise….after blood tests results came back, she told me I am gluten sensitive and to go on a strict gluten free diet and also aviod dairy for 3 months.
This was a week ago….I am still shocked to learn that my Vitiligo and Hypothyroid symptoms could possibly have been caused or made worse though my DIET!!! Why is it that no doctor in the last 16 years, has ever suggested that wheat/gluten could be making me ill?
I have now read the links between anemia, hypothyroidism, gluten intolerance and so on…..it blows me away. All I can say is that I am glad I now have this information, rather than waiting another 16 years and becoming more ill.
So here I am….trying to now eat gluten free after one week….easy in some ways, but abit challenging at first!
My father (now passed), actually had rheumatoid arthritis and then passed from cancer. I quiver to think that maybe he was gluten intolerant and was never diagnosed!
Any good recipes out there? I have alot to learn.
Karen
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last March. Soon after, I noticed that when I didn’t eat wheat products I felt much better. The doctor (I’ve since switched doctors) administered the blood test to test for Coeliac Disease, which came out negative. I continued to maintain a close to wheat free diet since then anyways because I felt better. Three days ago I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. While this doctor did not administer any test, she explained that since Fibromyalgia and Coeliac Disease are highly correlated, I have a family history of Coeliac Disease–which is genetic, and it alleviates my symptoms, I can be diagnosed with the disease. In addition, to test for Coeliac disease, you must consume gluten regularly for thirty days (hence why my original test came out negative). My doctor felt that it was unnecessary for me to go through that kind of pain for a diagnosis that would surely come out positive. I wish this kind of information was more accessible to people. As I said, my first doctor (and many others) dismissed my concerns out of hand.
Like many others with CD, I grew up without any allergies and was considered to be very healthy. However, about ten years ago I started having nagging symptoms, including hives, eczema, sinus problems, and fatigue. As time passed other symptoms also arose…depression, neuropathy, joint pain, and finally hearing loss.
For years I went to doctors to find relief for symtoms, especially the hives and depression. I was told that I had acne and dermatitis. I requested food allergy testing and was told it was impossible to do. I had reactions from my antidepressant, and was constantly taking OTC pain meds for body aches. This continued for ten years until approximately one year ago.
My friend had watched my allergies spiral out of control. By December 2007, I had hives everywhere. The most painful were on my eyelids and in my vaginal area. When Angela saw this, she recommended I cleanse for 21 days using Martha’s Vineyard Detox. At first I thought she was out of her mind but by then I was desperate. I agreed to give it seven days and then would re-evaluate.
During this time I was also given a yearly exam and my doctor noticed my HCT was 24. She recommended I start eating meat and was surprised when I told her I eat meat at most meals. When I talked about this information with friends, one asked if I’d been tested for CD.
Back to the cleanse…after one week my skin problems were gone for the most part. I had no eczema on my back. Hives were healing up over all of my body, and I had more energy without caffeine and by consuming approximately 900 calories per day than I had in years. I decided to give it another week, and then ended up completing the cleanse. At the end of the 21 days, I had more energy than I knew what to do with. I was no longer taking OTC pain pills and gave up my antidepressant as well. My sinus problems were completely gone (I had previously had 2 surgeries for chronic sinusitis).
After the cleanse, I decided to continue a dairy-free/gluten-free diet but added in most other foods. I noticed I continued to have sporadic problems with hives so I went to an ND for food allergy testing. I found that I was severely allergic to dairy products (casein and whey),and was moderately allergic to beef, sugar cane, peanuts and pecans, and wheat/gluten.
At the same time my MD ran a celiac panel and then sent me to see a GI specialist who told me my tIGA lab was the highest he’d ever seen. An EGD revealed I had CD.
Since that time I’ve been gluten free/dairy free. I absolutely love not taking meds, drinking pots of coffee to make it through the day, and having a great attitude. I even am no longer anemic. My last HCT was 37! I’m finally back, and I don’t miss wheat too much because of how sick it made me. True, the foods are more expensive, but when I think of how much I save on medication, coffee, and my overall quality of life I don’t blink an eye at the register.
One issue I’m continuing to work on is my hearing loss. I now have steroid injections in my inner ear to help with the 55% hearing loss I suffered over a 3 year span. I bring this up because it is not discussed in forums very often, but my ENT doctor sees it fairly often.
I will add my experiences, and I hope I can understand what to do.
I quit nightshade (arthritis), dairy, soy, sugar, and am now treating a severe yeast overgrowth.
I have Fms/CFS/Myofascial, Hypothyroid, TMJ, dry mouth, and a whole list of other stuff, including IBS since April 2008 that Is VERY painful. I don’t know what to do or what I can eat!!!!!
I had a colonoscope, removed two polyps, sprayed a 10 cm area of infection with antibitiotics, “look elsewhere for pain”, and NO FOLLOWUP APPT. I couldn’t believe it.
Now I am looking at a second opinion at Baylor in dallas.
But meanwhile I don’t know what to eat. GF,SF,SF,DF,CF,yeastfree diet, what else is left? I am IBS-C. I don’t know what to EAT. I swear not to eat anything, but I get hungry. I am taking probiotics.
I wish you could email me with advice. I’ll keep checking the board.
Thanks
Vicki from North Texas