Hi. I am new here. I can't believe everything I am learning. I feel dumb that I didn't put this all together, but I have tried. I feel so sorry for the girl/ woman I have been on gluten. Here's some of my gross and itchy story.

Lifelong TMJ, dislocated hip for as long as I could remember til seeing chiropracter at 19.
At 10 I developed arthritis in my hand. I could not bend 2 fingers. I also began to vomit till I vomited bile. I also would have horrible diarhea. I'm sure many of you know what I mean. I developed arthritis in my kness mainly, and sometimes in my elbows. The worst was at 12. I stopped growing taller at 11. I only grew one more inch after I started menestrating at 11. At 13 I began to feel better. I stopped vomiting that much. The summer I turned 14 I was at camp and got hives all over my face and neck. Bhe summer I turned 15 I was doing real good. I seldom had knee problems. I was overweight. I started cheerleading and my knees couldn't take it. I ended up getting a bone scan when we finally convinced a specialist I had not gotten taller in almost four years. I had been dismissed by everyone as having growing pains(ha). I was always to sick go to he doctor when vomiting, which would pass after about 10 hours. My parents thought I had the flu. My bone scan revealed I still had visible growth plates. They told me I would grow another inch or 2. I never did. I became a vegetarian for the first time at 13. Over the years I thought that is why I stopped throwing up. I threw up the first time like that after eating pork. I have believed my whole adult life that I am allergic to pork and beef, but now I don't know.

I entered what I now know was my honeymoon phase. My digestion slowed way down. I was tired alot. I had mono. People worried about me, I was pale, tired, and sometimes just felt sluggish and wrong. But hey, no vomitting bile and I am pale skinned(Scottish)

At 19 I began to itch from the inside out. I saw a chiropratic who musle tested me and said I should not eat durham wheat. I gave it up and WOW,severe itching gone. I followed this diet for 3 months. I began to eat the wheat again Bam. My left shoulder started hurting horrible. The chiropracter said it was from the wheat. I did not believe him. Now I wish I had. It still hurts 12 years later. I continue on wheat and gluten untill at 25 I got rash on hands. I was pregnant with twins. It got so bad after they were born. They cracked, hurt, itched, bled, got infected. ugh. I remember about the itchy wheat thing, so I stopped eating wheat. But it wasn't easy. At first I saw no quick results , so I ate it. Finally I accepted it took awhile. My skin improved. I did cheat, but it got easier in time. During that part where I had accepted it was the wheat, but hadn't gotten enough out of my system, I got so ill. I went from constipation to poopin attacks. I got dizzy, had panic attacks, my vision would change. It was terrible. I went to the doctor. I told him that wheat caused my eczama. He said ok, he believed me totally. He asked if I had chronic diarhea. I said no, I usually was constipated except when it all came out. He said that if I had chronic diarhea I might have Celiac disease. I didn't know what that was . He explained that gluten ruins the inside of the small intestine. That was May 2003. I replaced wheat with spelt. My rash is pretty much gone and has been a long time. I have been eating spelt at home for a few years, but out and about I don't usually eat gluten. I guess inside I was afraid I might be gluten intolerant and was not wanting to be. My shoulder has hurt for 12 years. I am constipated, have anxiety, depression, muscular caused scoleosis. My physical therapist says there isn't anything structural wrong with my shoulder or back. I get tummy aches and have weird spells where I get brain fog, vision changes, belly aches and usually have to poop. I realized that wheat makes me feel poisoned, but I have been cheating here and there. I never put it together with the joint pain. Recently I have been itching more and more(I always have an itch) I saw a natural health practioner who said I needed to remove gluten. I did. Already feeling better. If only my doctor had realized celiac disease can present as constipation. My neighbor recently got diagnosed via blood test and his GI said it could be constipation too. That's when I realized I couldn't deny it anymore

I feel like I have been on a hamster wheel. I was dismissed by doctors for years, so I didn't trust them at all. I thought maybe my depression caused my problems, or maybe I was crazy.


Just glad to find a place where people understand.
Now that I am going gluten free, I don't want to get the blood tests. I hate needles, have individual insurance(know what it feels to be rejected), anemia and lowblood pressure. Also I never want to eat glutten again now I realize it has been damaging me my whole life.
I would like to try the stool test and get dna. I have 3 kids, never want them to suffer like me.
Has anyone had succes with muscle testing. There is an incredibly experience person here,but I'm not sure about it all

Welcome. I edited your comments to show that I relate. This has been like a miracle for me and I hope it will be the same for you.

Missy's Mom,
Reading your post is like reading about myself. Some of the things we have in common: I stopped growing at at 13 (5'5" instead of 5'9" like expected by docs), joint pain since age 10 with injections and surgeries, mono, chronicly sick, skin problems (keratosis pillaris), anxiety, fatigue. I have been dealing with stomach and GI issues for about 4 years now (that they have been bad enough to take notice), and most recently has gotten to the point where my life is being disrupted. I'm only 25 and afraid to be on airplanes, go on dates, take car trips, etc. for fear that my stomach might "act up".
I have had doctors, several in fact, write me off as another IBS case without ever testing me for anything else. I've taken the medication for IBS, fiber supplements, I exercise 6 days a week, drink a minimum of 50 oz. of water a day, and have a very "healthy" diet. This is what I keep getting told to do, that and not stress, and I swear if I hear it again, I AM GOING TO SCREAM!!! I am trying to get into a doctor to be tested for celiac since I have done some reading, but can't get an appointment until the end of February. I have been ill lately, depressed, tired. My family and friends have listened to me complain so much, but I felt I had to vent to people who might have a clue about what I am feeling.
So thank you for listening to me now, and I am so happy for you that you have been able to get your illnesses under control. Many thoughts for you and your little ones.
OnMyWayToPA

Thank you for replying. My arm hurts thinking about a needle(probably from bad bone scan shot at 15 and then hoping and praying not cancer) I am thinking about the stool tests. Also dna. Just worried about false positive on blood work. How fast does the antibodies start to drop in someone's blood after they stop eating gluten I wonder?

if you're gluten-free then testing won't tell you anything. but if you do have to have the blood test, it's really nothing. it's a teeny pinch compared to the excruciating pain you've been in all your life, and also nothing compared to a bone scan, where they have to insert a needle deeply. if you need to do, i have faith that you can and will :-) but you may not even need too. it sounds to me like you've been pretty sick and have had a heck of a time. but if gluten-free makes you better, there's your answer.

however, spelt is still wheat!!! you need to cut this out of your diet, along with other gluten-containing grains, including rye, barley, and oats.

Thanks. I have stopped eating spelt too. I only just gave it up 9 days ago. So I am thinking I could still get the blood work. I am just being a baby about the needle, have had shots, blood work before. Just wondering the benefits of having this on my medical records. I have independent health insurance and if for some reason if gets dropped, I would be afraid I couldn't get it back.
Mainly my concern is my kids. I have supportive healthcare providers, but don't want my kids to suffer any damage. They have some symptoms(not digestive) that could or couldn't be related