am I gluten sensitive?

October 18, 2009

Hi, I have been struggling with being GF for over 2 months and stayed strictly

to it. Just had company over the weekend and due to stress and fatigue I did

give in and eat some whole grain bread that was not GF. As I had no symptoms

prior to finding out I should be GF I have had no symptoms after eating gluten

this weekend. This leads me to wondering if its all worthwhile.Frankly I am in

my late 60's and healthy. What happened was I had a saliva cortisol test in

August which showed some low cortisol function (due to immense stress) but also

that I tested positive for Gliadin Ab, SigA at 20 with anything over 15 being

positive. I have never had any stomach or bowel discomfort from eating gluten

products in my life. My doctor suggested that as I have auto immune thyroid

function I should go GF because of the test but now I am wondering if its all

worth it as you all know how hard it is so conform to the diet. Frankly have

tried every single GF bread out there that is made in the entire USA and even

some home made and just don't like it Anyway, just wondering what you all

think under the circumstances. Thanks

brit

October 19, 2009

You do not have to have digestive symptoms to have celiac disease:

• In the landmark prevalence study on celiac disease, investigators

determined that 60% of children and 41% of adults diagnosed during the

study were asymptomatic (without any symptoms).

• During the prevalence study, researchers found that 21% of patients

with a positive anti-endomysial antibody test could not receive a

biopsy due to the refusal of their physician to perform the procedure

or the insurance company to pay for it.

• Only 35% of newly diagnosed patients had chronic diarrhea,

dispelling the myth that diarrhea must be present to diagnose celiac

disease.

• Celiac disease affects at least 3 million Americans.

• The average length of time it takes for a symptomatic person to be

diagnosed with celiac disease in the US is four years; this type of

delay dramatically increases an individual’s risk of developing

autoimmune disorders, neurological problems, osteoporosis and even

cancer.

http://www.uchicagokidshospital.org/pdf/uch_007937.pdf

Other autoimmune disorders definitely go along with celiac disease, as do

cancers and other nasties. Although you characterize yourself as healthy,

your body is fighting a battle, and if you continue to feed it gluten, it

keeps your immune system on high alert, which makes it less able to fight

other pathogens. My son was getting strep throat every couple of months

until he went off of gluten; not because gluten intolerance causes strep

throat, but because his body simply couldn't fight the infection.

If you are celiac - and it sounds like you are - then eating gluten will

make holes in your bowels. That leads to other food sensitivities,

inability to absorb the nutrients you need, cancer, etc. It's really not

worth it. Try to base your meals around naturally gluten-free foods,

instead of trying to find the perfect loaf of gluten free bread. Fruits,

veggies, rice, potatoes, beans, stuff like that.

Pam

On Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 4:07 PM, abrit38 <abrit38 wrote:

>

> Hi, I have been struggling with being GF for over 2 months and stayed

> strictly to it. Just had company over the weekend and due to stress and

> fatigue I did give in and eat some whole grain bread that was not GF. As I

> had no symptoms prior to finding out I should be GF I have had no symptoms

> after eating gluten this weekend. This leads me to wondering if its all

> worthwhile.Frankly I am in my late 60's and healthy. What happened was I had

> a saliva cortisol test in August which showed some low cortisol function

> (due to immense stress) but also that I tested positive for Gliadin Ab, SigA

> at 20 with anything over 15 being positive. I have never had any stomach or

> bowel discomfort from eating gluten products in my life. My doctor suggested

> that as I have auto immune thyroid function I should go GF because of the

> test but now I am wondering if its all worth it as you all know how hard it

> is so conform to the diet. Frankly have tried every single GF bread out

> there that is made in the entire USA and even some home made and just don't

> like it Anyway, just wondering what you all think under the

> circumstances. Thanks

> brit

>

October 19, 2009

Congrats on finding us on this list Brit! It is a good idea to reach out for

ideas from people who understand what you're going through, and we sure do!

Yes, going gf can be very challenging, and you need to believe it's worthwhile

to make the effort. So, since you say you are healthy, I wonder if you have

been carrying symptoms for so long, you think of them as normal?

I lived with a low grade headache most of my life until I went gluten free and

it vanished. Being free of that discomfort was amazing! It was only after it

went away that I realized I had lived with it to some degree for 30 years!

After 6 weeks of the gf vegan diet, I also lost the advancing arthritis in my

hips. There are MANY possible symptoms, and problems with thyroid function are

definitely associated with it.

What are the symptoms of your problems with thyroid function? Are you tried a

lot? ... maybe even depressed? ... have trouble with excess weight? Lots of

people begin a gf diet feeling that way and gradually regain a whole new level

of energy and optimism. However, being 100% about it is necessary to get the

effect. If you have been only making on-and-off attempts, you won't have been

getting what you can from it.

In any case, it really is up to YOU to decide if it's worth it. My own mother

had been very disabled with severe and advancing osteoporosis, which went into

remission on a vegan gluten free diet. She stuck with it for about a year.

During her year of eating gf, she went from being house bound and creeping

around slowly with a walker, to walking freely again without even needing a

cane. The transformation was totally wonderful!

Despite such clear, positive results, it wasn't worth it to her. She returned

to her old habits and gradually declined again to the state at which she

started, and died shortly after. I begged her to return to the diet that had

given her a new lease on life, but she wouldn't... or maybe couldn't. For her,

eating what her friends were eating was actually more important to her than her

own health and life. Sad, but true.

Deborah

Hi, I have been struggling with being GF for over 2 months and stayed

strictly to it. Just had company over the weekend and due to stress and fatigue

I did give in and eat some whole grain bread that was not GF. As I had no

symptoms prior to finding out I should be GF I have had no symptoms after eating

gluten this weekend. This leads me to wondering if its all worthwhile.Frankly I

am in my late 60's and healthy. What happened was I had a saliva cortisol test

in August which showed some low cortisol function (due to immense stress) but

also that I tested positive for Gliadin Ab, SigA at 20 with anything over 15

being positive. I have never had any stomach or bowel discomfort from eating

gluten products in my life. My doctor suggested that as I have auto immune

thyroid function I should go GF because of the test but now I am wondering if

its all worth it as you all know how hard it is so conform to the diet. Frankly

have tried every single GF bread out there that is made in the entire USA and

even some home made and just don't like it Anyway, just wondering what you

all think under the circumstances. Thanks

brit

.

October 19, 2009

Thank you both for responding.I just wasn't sure if the saliva test Gliadin

results were worth worrying about but apparently they are, thats what I wanted

to be sure of. OR someone suggested to me that I go back on gluten for a month

and then have blood drawn to negate any doubt? What do you think or is the

saliva test I had proof enough? Thanks again

, Deborah Pageau <dpageau

wrote:

>

> Congrats on finding us on this list Brit! It is a good idea to reach out for

ideas from people who understand what you're going through, and we sure do!

Yes, going gf can be very challenging, and you need to believe it's worthwhile

to make the effort. So, since you say you are healthy, I wonder if you have

been carrying symptoms for so long, you think of them as normal?

>

> Deborah

>

October 19, 2009

From what I have heard, a positive on the saliva test is pretty reliable.

Anyone with experience here?

Pam

On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 7:39 AM, abrit38 <abrit38 wrote:

>

> Thank you both for responding.I just wasn't sure if the saliva test Gliadin

> results were worth worrying about but apparently they are, thats what I

> wanted to be sure of. OR someone suggested to me that I go back on gluten

> for a month and then have blood drawn to negate any doubt? What do you think

> or is the saliva test I had proof enough? Thanks again

>

> --- In

<%40>,

> Deborah Pageau <dpageau wrote:

> >

> > Congrats on finding us on this list Brit! It is a good idea to reach out

> for ideas from people who understand what you're going through, and we sure

> do! Yes, going gf can be very challenging, and you need to believe it's

> worthwhile to make the effort. So, since you say you are healthy, I wonder

> if you have been carrying symptoms for so long, you think of them as normal?

>

> >

> > Deborah

> >

>

October 19, 2009

A friend of mine was just diagnosed with celiac by small bowel biopsy. She

is still in denial and wanting to do all kinds of other test because she

doesn't have any typical symptoms. She does have thyroid problems, constant

headaches, chest pain, all kinds of neurological symptoms, aches and pains,

arthritis, I could spend a day listing things she's constantly complaining

of! Oddly she has eaten my gf foods with me for years now whenever we get

together for lunch because she wanted to be supportive to me. And she likes

everything I've fed her! Now that she's told she has to go on the diet, she

acts like it's the end of the world!

You can continue to go through test after test while continuing to damage

your health. You can stick to the diet, which becomes quite easy and

enjoyable once you adjust and your taste buds change. Or you can ignore it

all and live in denial eating poison everyday. The choice is entirely up to

you. People know smoking is bad for their health but millions of people

smoke everyday. Same difference!

For me, it is absolutely worth it! Most of my life I spent with my head in

the toilet. As a kid I was always sick with strep, ear infections, chest

colds, pneumonia, sinus infections, etc. I went to so many doctors, mostly

specialist! Test after test with no answers! I diagnosed myself after

reading an article in a magazine. It took me 4 years to find a doctor

willing to listen and do biopsy testing. That whole time I stuck to the gf

diet because I got to the point in which I literally could not swallow food.

I still have bone pain. I'm one of the few people who continues to have some

symptoms even though I strictly adhere to the diet. They are quite mild in

comparison though and I honestly eat better now than I ever did before!

Knowing what is safe to eat...what won't make me sick, has opened a world of

food possibilities that I never dreamed possible before! I rarely ever eat

bread and I don't miss it at all! Ethnic foods with lots of herbs and spices

are quite satisfying and fulfilling as well as good for the immune system.

More and more products are coming out for us. I have been experimenting with

recipes and hope to publish a book within the next year, and many of the

recipes I will share with the group here! This group has been a great

support system for me and many others as well as creative inspiration for

creating meals.

I wish you good health!

Jae

On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 9:39 AM, abrit38 <abrit38 wrote:

>

> Thank you both for responding.I just wasn't sure if the saliva test Gliadin

> results were worth worrying about but apparently they are, thats what I

> wanted to be sure of. OR someone suggested to me that I go back on gluten

> for a month and then have blood drawn to negate any doubt? What do you think

> or is the saliva test I had proof enough? Thanks again

>

> --- In

<%40>,

> Deborah Pageau <dpageau wrote:

> >

> > Congrats on finding us on this list Brit! It is a good idea to reach out

> for ideas from people who understand what you're going through, and we sure

> do! Yes, going gf can be very challenging, and you need to believe it's

> worthwhile to make the effort. So, since you say you are healthy, I wonder

> if you have been carrying symptoms for so long, you think of them as normal?

>

> >

> > Deborah

> >

>

October 19, 2009

Getting a clear positive Gliadin test is pretty persuasive information, in my

opinion!

False negatives on tests are relatively common but positive results are usually

accurate.

Since you are asking, I suggest that you take the test seriously and go

gluten-free 100% (no trying!) for a month, and then re-evaluate.

You've already lived many years ON a gluten diet. If you want to see some

improvement in your life/health, you need to make some real changes.

It's up to you. My vote (if I have one) is for you to do what you know you need

to do and stop looking for a way out of it. :-)

Wishing you all the best, Deborah

Thank you both for responding.I just wasn't sure if the saliva test Gliadin

results were worth worrying about but apparently they are, thats what I wanted

to be sure of. OR someone suggested to me that I go back on gluten for a month

and then have blood drawn to negate any doubt? What do you think or is the

saliva test I had proof enough? Thanks again

, Deborah Pageau <dpageau

wrote:

>

> Congrats on finding us on this list Brit! It is a good idea to reach out for

ideas from people who understand what you're going through, and we sure do! Yes,

going gf can be very challenging, and you need to believe it's worthwhile to

make the effort. So, since you say you are healthy, I wonder if you have been

carrying symptoms for so long, you think of them as normal?

>

> Deborah

.

October 19, 2009

Thank you for sharing the story about your mother. I'm sorry she chose to

neglect her health. My mother is the same way! I passed your story along to

her in hopes that she will gain some inspiration to take care of herself

before it's too late. It's difficult to watch someone you care deeply about

do that to their self. Unfortunately that is the choice they made and we

have to accept that.

{hugs}

On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 12:14 AM, Deborah Pageau <dpageau wrote:

>

> Congrats on finding us on this list Brit! It is a good idea to reach out

> for ideas from people who understand what you're going through, and we sure

> do! Yes, going gf can be very challenging, and you need to believe it's

> worthwhile to make the effort. So, since you say you are healthy, I wonder

> if you have been carrying symptoms for so long, you think of them as normal?

>

> I lived with a low grade headache most of my life until I went gluten free

> and it vanished. Being free of that discomfort was amazing! It was only

> after it went away that I realized I had lived with it to some degree for 30

> years! After 6 weeks of the gf vegan diet, I also lost the advancing

> arthritis in my hips. There are MANY possible symptoms, and problems with

> thyroid function are definitely associated with it.

>

> What are the symptoms of your problems with thyroid function? Are you tried

> a lot? ... maybe even depressed? ... have trouble with excess weight? Lots

> of people begin a gf diet feeling that way and gradually regain a whole new

> level of energy and optimism. However, being 100% about it is necessary to

> get the effect. If you have been only making on-and-off attempts, you won't

> have been getting what you can from it.

>

> In any case, it really is up to YOU to decide if it's worth it. My own

> mother had been very disabled with severe and advancing osteoporosis, which

> went into remission on a vegan gluten free diet. She stuck with it for about

> a year. During her year of eating gf, she went from being house bound and

> creeping around slowly with a walker, to walking freely again without even

> needing a cane. The transformation was totally wonderful!

>

> Despite such clear, positive results, it wasn't worth it to her. She

> returned to her old habits and gradually declined again to the state at

> which she started, and died shortly after. I begged her to return to the

> diet that had given her a new lease on life, but she wouldn't... or maybe

> couldn't. For her, eating what her friends were eating was actually more

> important to her than her own health and life. Sad, but true.