Hi all,

I've been on a trial gluten-free diet for about a month now and I feel worse than ever! I never had the typical symptoms of GI, a friend recommended that I try going without wheat as it has done her a world of good. I also had a nutritionist tell me to cut wheat out of my diet due to thyroid/adrenal issues. I do have Hashimoto's Thyroid disease, and that is supposedly partnered with GI. I was diagnosed with IBS years and years ago. The only real symptom for me now is that my guts are always tender when I press on my abdomen. ALWAYS. So anyway, I thought I would go with the gluten-free diet and I put all my kids on it, too. I do suspect one dd has GI for sure.

Sorry to ramble, I am just wondering why ever since I went gluten-free that I have horrible tummy aches, and pains in my gut, diarrhea, headaches. I have read that most people feel better, not worse! Can anyone tell me if it is normal to feel worse???

Thanks so much for this forum, I've read lots already!

Here are a few questions? Have you eliminated all forms of barley, wheat, oats, and rye from your diet? This means reading every label and checking online or calling the company to verify if something is gluten free? Are you using the same toaster, strainers, pots, and pans? They all contain gluten. Finally, are you still drinking milk/using dairy? Celiac destroys the villi in the small intestine, which among other things, produces lactase to digest milk. It could be the milk making you sick.

What I would recommend doing is eating a whole foods diet, which is just a fancy way of saying not to buy anything with more than one or two ingredients and cooking from scratch. It sounds scary and time consuming, but it isn't. A george forman grill and boil in bag rice will be your best friends. If you do this for a month, I promise you will feel better.

I really noticed noticeable symptoms form gluten and milk after starting low-carb. Before, there was no difference after eating gluten. Some have to come off all soy, too. I get really tired from soy, lasts a while and takes a while to go away after going soy-free.
What do you eat?
Some get bloating and gas from eating all the gluten-free starches because they over-do on them , or the gut is damaged from gluten and cannot yet handle all those gluten-free starches at once.
It took me 7 months gluten-free to wake up one day and feel more energy.
nora