Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Allergies and intolerances

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

Adult Coeliacs. Advice needed.

23 replies

Lagoonablue · 06/02/2015 08:19

I was diagnosed with Coeliacs disease 6 months ago. At the time I was barely 7 and a half stone.since going GF I have gained weight. Which is good as I needed to. However am now worried I will balloon!

Have gained a stone and a half and now want to stay at this weight. I think that for the first time in my life I am going to have to watch what I eat! I seem to have lost all sense of how much to eat as I used to eat loads in the hope of gaining weight. This was before Coeliacs suspected

Did anyone else experience such rapid weight gain? And where did it end?!!!!!

OP posts:

CMOTDibbler · 06/02/2015 14:43

I was diagnosed as an adult, but wasn't underweight before.

Sounds like you were really malabsorbing before, so I guess the bad news is that you are going to have to watch what you eat now!

Original poster

Lagoonablue · 06/02/2015 16:29

Thanks for reply. Mt weight gain has been really rapid. I am due to see a dietician soon and will discuss with him/her. I am no good at willpower unfortunately and have never needed it before!

OP posts:

glutenfreecake · 06/02/2015 20:25

I think your body will be trying to make up for the malabsorbtion, I think it is common to gain weight, I did, but then I needed to, now I find I do put on weight when I don't want to (eg over Christmas), but if I eat sensibly I can maintain a steady weight. I'm sure your dietician will be able to advise you

Original poster

Lagoonablue · 06/02/2015 20:56

Thanks.

OP posts:

0ellenbrody0 · 07/02/2015 20:08

That happened to me. I put in a stone and a bit in the year after diagnosis. Tbh, I was a bit underweight before and am probably now 'normal', but it's still taken a bit of adjusting to!

I was definitely malabsorbing as I had malnutrition, hair loss etc... I just kind of went mad, whenever I could buy g/f goodies (cakes etc) when out and about, I would, even if I would never have normally have bought a cake at that time iyswim.

My attitude to food has settled back down again and my weight has stabilised, but it took a while.

No particular advice, but just to say, it should settle down!

Good luck and eat plenty of fruit and veg (naturally g/f and not full of crap like most g/f food is!).

Original poster

Lagoonablue · 07/02/2015 20:34

Thanks. I too had hairloss and severe anaemia. Am tons better now and suppose I eat more now too. Recognise eating GF cake just cos it's there! I need to reign it in!

OP posts:

bringmejoy2015 · 10/02/2015 15:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gnushoes · 12/02/2015 10:53

Hello - can I ask questions please? I had the biopsy a month ago and am waiting for the results. I was surprised that they wanted to test for coeliac (I was v anaemic, hair loss, but put that down to heavy periods) but now realise I have stomach pain and diarrhoea and had done for a while.
So have gone on GF diet while I wait and now 2 weeks in. How long does it take to start feeling better if that is the problem, please? Any advice? Have also been in the can-eat-anything-and-not-gain-weight camp so wondering about that too...

MuddhaOfSuburbia · 12/02/2015 12:03

I saw the OP and was just about to write glutenfreecake's post

it is a bit alarming. I was generally 1-1.5 stone lighter than I am now, pre dx. You do have to watch yourself and change habits- I was always a seconds-and-thirds kinda gal. I was famous amongst my friends for being a greedy guts enthusiastic eater- and skinny

gnushoes everything you list points to coeliac

it does take a while to work. I remember wailing after two weeks of negotiating gluten free meals 'but it isn't even wooooorkiiiing'

iirc it kicks in a bit on week 3, then just gets better. And easier. You might find you have a B12 deficiency, so tablets might help- or your gp might want to give you an injection

good luck- there's loads of advice on here.

bringmejoy2015 · 12/02/2015 15:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Lagoonablue · 12/02/2015 19:31

Took about 3 weeks until I started to feel better. My symptoms were subtle though.

OP posts:

gnushoes · 12/02/2015 22:50

Thanks all. I am being pretty careful, reading labels, have some idea of where gluten might hide but fouled up this evening when we defrosted a Thai curry we cooked a few weeks ago - which, unusually, had packet flavourings which might well have had gluten in. Sigh.
Got a really sore stomach today, with pain in my left side and under my ribs, and feeling sorry for myself - but suspect if I go back to the GP they'll say can't do much without the biopsy results. So it's nice to hear what the rest of you experienced hands are saying.
I did have iron pills which made me feel much better but then I started getting the stomach pains and blamed those initially - haven't started taking them again yet but probably should.
I did read through lots of the GF threads on here and found them really, really useful.
Glad you're all feeling better!

bringmejoy2015 · 13/02/2015 07:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MuddhaOfSuburbia · 13/02/2015 09:23

yy to the thai curry being a likely culprit

lots of packet things contain gluten BUT that said wheat thickeners etc seem to be gradually being replaced by corn, potato starch etc. I've noticed that in the last 5 or so years since my dx

things are actually quite a bit easier than they were in this respect (assuming you're in the uk?) -even eating out is slightly less of a minefield than it used to be as people are a bit more aware of coeliac disease/gluten

I used to get the [blank face] a lot more often than I do now. Don't get me wrong, it can be a pita. But it is getting better!

bringmejoy2015 · 13/02/2015 09:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gnushoes · 13/02/2015 10:17

Yes- I've read the threads about having to get bread on prescription, etc. Seems a lot better now. I'd just like to know for sure really (though the gippy tummy I have just had post my mouthfuls of Thai curry do tend to suggest gluten may no longer be my friend). Shame. I make lovely sourdough bread.

bringmejoy2015 · 13/02/2015 11:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gnushoes · 13/02/2015 12:06

2-4 weeks by the sound of it. Already been waiting for 4. I guess the honest answer would be: my iron goes through the floor and I can't run anywhere...

bringmejoy2015 · 13/02/2015 12:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MuddhaOfSuburbia · 13/02/2015 13:22

I just hate looking like I'm Making A Fuss

if you like making bread, you could try getting a breadmaker? I know it's not the same. But home made gf bread at least smells nice, though it's a lot more cakey in texture than 'real' bread. It's a lot nicer (and cheaper) than shop gf bread at any rate

gnushoes · 13/02/2015 13:54

I might do that Mudder if this turns out to be the future. Not an expert on this at all yet, so why would I need a bread maker to do it? Have made a pizza base with Doves Farm flour using the hand mixer so far (and found it particularly nice with goats cheese, yum)...
Now having blood tests for ovarian problems (cancer?) and thyroid. Oh, the joys. With luck it'll all be a weird bag of coeliac symptoms...

gnushoes · 13/02/2015 13:54

Oh and thank you everybody for allowing me to hijack the thread and giving such helpful advice. Didn't mean to do that but it all feels a bit odd and inconclusive at the moment.

MuddhaOfSuburbia · 13/02/2015 14:05

I did try doing manual loaves but they all turned out the size and texture of house bricks- you might have more luck than me

Fingers crossed (also:likely) that it's CD. I had loads of tests for loads of different (alarming) things- when I got my coeliac diagnosis I grinned in the consultant's office like I'd won the lottery

the symptoms you list all point to it. Good luck

Flip