Gluten intolerance

[ThatsABitExcessive]

If I suspect I may be gluten intolerant and I stay away from gluten for a full week - am I likely to see any changes in that time?

You should do. Just be sure to check everything gluten is found in the most bizarre things.
what symptoms do you have?
avoid it it completely id think you’d be less bloated/gassy/nauseas

I did - I noticed a difference after 3 days. It was a huge difference - I had only intended to try being gluten free for a week, and that was nearly 3 years ago now!

Bloated, chronically constipated, tired all the time, always feel terrible after eating a sandwich!

Im praying i have a similar experience! What were you symptoms that made you try it?

it’s definitely worth trying. Gluten free substitutes have definitely got better in taste and texture but they can be quite expensive.
warburton GF rolls are actually very nice as are their wraps if you still fancy a sandwich style lunch.
I have a mild intolerance and don’t strictly avoid it but DP is celiac so when we’re together I tend to eat GF and feel better for it.
GF lasagne sheets are actually nicer than regular ones in my opinion.
Hopefully if you try it you do notice a positive difference.

I cut it out for a few weeks and felt loads better but to have a true test you have to eat it. I did and felt terrible. The test showed I wasn’t gluten intolerant but I am sure there’s something there.

I would avoid GF substitutes as well at first. GF pastas are usually fine, but GF breads, cakes, crackers and biscuits are usually loaded with things that can also upset your stomach, like xantham gum, psyllium husk and soya derivatives. Wait until you're certain cutting out gluten works for you before consuming these additives, otherwise you won't know for sure what it was that upset your guts.

I also have NCGI, and find that I'm vastly better off simply eating foods that are naturally GF, and minimising GF foods that incorporate additives in order to mimic a gluten-rich food.

I think you'll notice in a few days. Are you ok with what you can eat?

You might notice some relief but realistically it takes weeks if not months for your body to recover from eating foods it is intolerant to.

Have you been checked for coeliac disease? If not make a GP appointment and don’t cut out gluten. They do a blood test and you need to be eating gluten for the results to show you have an issue with gluten.

if you cut it out then you won’t get a proper diagnosis. For coeliac you then cut gluten out fully once you know you have to. Really worth finding out as there are long term implications of being an undiagnosed coeliac.

(from someone who was disagnosed in late 20s after feeling funny for quite a while)

also if you have coeliac it takes at least 2 weeks in my books for you to be clean of it and feeling your best once you’re allowed to cut gluten out

I noticed after a few days, the tiredness was very obvious

I would get episodes of having a really upset stomach around once a week, with stomach cramps that would make me break out in a cold sweat and go dizzy. It was like having food poisoning or a stomach bug every week. I would also feel really tired and run down all of the time and in general just seemed to have IBS-like symptoms. I've not had any of that in 3 years, apart from once when I accidentally had gravy that had wheat flour in. Three days after stopping gluten it was like an instant switch and now I have no IBS-like symptoms and no bloating. I never have to think about my stomach, whereas before my life and plans all revolved around how my stomach was feeling that day.

I feel really lucky that all my issues had such a simple fix. I do miss Krispy Kreme doughnuts and a proper French baguette but nothing is worth the pain I would experience.

ime yes. Dreadful bloating and IBS eased within days. I don’t eat highly processed ‘gluten-free’ foods, I just avoid bread/cake/biscuits/pasta, and eat rice and potatoes for my carbs. I no longer fall asleep in the daytime - hurrah!

@puppyy8and @Vargas do you mind me asking did you have any tests because I tested and it wasn’t saying I had an issue with wheat but I feel so much better since cutting it out.

I had a virus a few months ago and ever since react badly to certain foods. Still undergoing investigations but gluten/ wheat is definitely a trigger and since stopping eating havent had the extreme reactions (diarrhoea, vomitting, passing out) except when I was accidentally 'glutened'. Problem is, doctor tested for coeliac when I hadn't been eating gluten for a month or two so whilst it triggered for wheat, it didnt definitely diagnosed coeliac. Doctor says no point in eating gluten to get tested again as I 'clearly have a reaction' so won't do it - is there any point testing to definitely getting a coeliac diagnosis or should I just say when asked that I have non-coeliac gluten intolerance (NCGI)?

Have you had a blood test for coeliac disease? You ought to see your GP and get tested before giving up gluten.

Often a blood test won't reveal coeliac and you need a scope down to test. You need to be eating gluten for this so discuss it with your GP.
I became gluten intolerant in my early 60s. I have dermatitis herpetiformis which means gluten causes me a rash. There are coeliac in my family so l had the gene and l believe a virus l had or Covid triggered it. Are there any coeliac even in your extended family.
Since going gluten free l get violently sick if l even have a small piece. It's a struggle but getting there

I had to take all my waistband elastic in after a few months.

Get a test for caeliac disease. It will take longer than a week to feel better.