Good evening y’all! I hope you are having a good week so far and hope it stays pleasant! Just think, we already made it through two days of the week, so we are almost half way there!
Y’all already know I have been battling with what I thought was a nasty stomach bug, but after doing a little research I do not think that is the case anymore. Of course I haven’t seen a doctor about it because I do not have insurance, but I think I figured it out on my own. I am about 99.9% sure I have developed Gluten Intolerance. I guess that is actually a good thing because understanding what is 
going on and understanding how to handle it will provide me with some relief or at least I hope it will! Obviously I am not a doctor, but I think I am familiar enough with the body I have lived in for almost 38 years. I am going to share with y’all what I have learned and please if you have any other helpful tips or ideas, please let me know!
I first want to clarify a few important details I have learned! Gluten Intolerance is often confused with other issues, like Celiac Disease or food allergies, but there are some differences and similarities. Gluten is a protein found mainly in wheat, barley and rye. This protein can cause digestive problems like gassiness, abdominal pain or diarrhea. With food allergies, the immune system overreacts to a particular food causing various reactions and levels of severity. Celiac Disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that can damage the small intestines, but Gluten Intolerance almost mimics this.
Signs & Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance:
- Bloating: This is when the belly is swollen or full of gas after eating. This is very common and does occur in 87% of individuals with Gluten Intolerance.
- Diarrhea, constipation and smelly feces: About 50% of individuals with gluten intolerance deal with diarrhea and 25% experience constipation. This is when you would experience inflammation in the gut after eating gluten. This damages gut lining, leading to poor nutrient absorption.
- Abdominal Pain: This is something else that is very common with Gluten Intolerance. 83% of individuals living with this intolerance experience abdominal pain.
- Headaches: About 10-12% of the Western population experiences migraines. People with Gluten Intolerance are prone to migraines.
- Feeling Tired: This is also being very common, leading to 60-82% of individuals with Gluten Intolerance experience this. People with this condition are prone to
fatigue and tiredness, having very low energy. Gluten Intolerance can cause iron-deficiency anemia. This is a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s tissues - Skin Problems: There is a blistering skin condition called Dermatitis Herpetiformis, which is a manifestation of gluten-sensitive enteropathy, commonly known as celiac disease. This is not as common and can improve once on a Gluten-Free Diet!
- Depression: Depression is not as common and only affects 6% of those living with
this intolerance. People with digestive issues seem more prone to both anxiety and depression.-Even though depression is not too common, there are a few theories for how Gluten Intolerance can lead to depression.*Abnormal serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter allowing cells to communicate and is commonly referred to as “Happiness” hormones.
*Gluten Exorphines, these peptides are formed during digestion of the gluten proteins. The gluten proteins may interfere with the Central Nervous System, which may raise the risk of depression.
*Changes in gut microbiota. This is increased harmful bacteria and decrease beneficial bacteria increasing the risk of depression.
- Unexplained Weight Loss
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia: This causes symptoms such as low blood volume, fatigue,
shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, pale skin and weakness. - Anxiety: This can affect anywhere from 3% to 30% of people worldwide. Involves feelings of worry, nervousness, unease and agitation. People with gluten intolerance are more prone to anxiety and panic disorders.
- Autoimmune Disorders: Even though Gluten Intolerance is a separate issue from Celiac Disorder, I thought it would be good to share this as well. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder causing your immune system to attach the digestive tract after consuming gluten. Typically people with gluten intolerance also have another autoimmune diseases to cope with.
- Joint and Muscle Pain: There is a theory that people with Celiac Disease have a genetically determined over-sensitive or over-excitable nervous system. Gluten exposure may cause inflammation in gluten sensitive people. This inflammation may result in wide-spread pain, including joints and muscles.
- Leg or Arm Numbness: Neuropathy symptoms involving numbness and tingling in the arms and legs.
- Brain Fog: This issue affects up to 40% of those with Gluten Intolerance. Forgetful, difficulty thinking, feeling cloudy and mental fatigue.
After learning more about this the things I deal with almost make more sense in a way. Battling with stomach issues for over on month, numerous headaches/migraines, 
constant feeling of fatigue, obnoxious levels of anxiety, nervousness, worrying and quick agitation, dizziness at random times, weakness, joint and muscle pain, numbness and cloudiness in my mind. I always blamed so many of these symptoms on Multiple Sclerosis and maybe that is still the case, but maybe it is a Gluten Intolerance causing more of it.
I am doing my best right now to change my diet, but it really isn’t easy. I bought several gluten-free products at the grocery store, clementines and carrots, but honestly have not seen much of a change. Logically, I have only been trying this for a couple of days and I know it takes time for this type of change, but at least I am trying! Do y’all have any advice you would be willing to share? I know you always have great ideas and fantastic suggestions that I do appreciate!
Thank y’all for stopping by my site today and I am sorry this was a little longer than most of my posts, but there was so much information to share. I hope you have a lovely and relaxing evening and of course I hope you are feeling well! I know it often takes me longer to respond to your comments, but I promise to respond as quickly as I can! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort and many positive vibes!
Always, Alyssa
Fightmsdaily 
Reblogged this on Survivors Blog Here.
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You could be onto something! I wondered if I myself had gluten issues a few years ago, and I went off gluten. I’ve got to warn you–there was withdrawal. Once you’ve gone a week or so with no gluten, your body’s going to be unhappy and beg you for bread. It’ll go away if you can outlast the bad feeling. For me, it felt like L’Hermittes sign all day long and general weakness. Good luck!!
With me, I went back on gluten after a year. I didn’t notice a huge change afterward, but going off of it made me realize that I was eating too much bread. I hope you see better results!! 🙂
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It is really strange, but I am trying this. It sucks to only be able to eat fruit and nuts at lunch, but we will see if it helps. I did buy gluten-free bread and it isn’t all that great! I also thought it could be an allergy to dairy. When I was a little girl, I was in the hospital a lot because of milk. Now I don’t drink milk, but I do eat cheese. Maybe that is what is causing my issues.
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Hi i have never found a really nice gluten free bread until recently. Its a fruity spicy loaf and i have one slice for my breakfast with marmalade its lush. I drink coconut milk fortified with B12, vitimin D.
I know i am sensitive to gluten at the highest rate as i have had tests done. gluten and wheat, and weirdly enough bread yeast.
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That is great you found a gluten-free bread that doesn’t taste like cardboard. What is the name of it? I am doing my best to keep everything gluten-free, but it isn’t easy.
It is crazy, I never knew I was sensitive to gluten and haven’t had any tests, but since keeping things gluten-free, I am doing so much better!!
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It’s a nasty thing. Try eating gluten-free products for a while so you can be sure. For one thing, it’s more expensive, but if you find the diet beneficiary, that’s all that matters.
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It really is a nasty thing, but I am trying. I bought gluten-free bread when I was at the store and it is not all the great, but maybe I will adjust. All I have been eating at lunch now is fruit and nuts. I normally do not have much of an appetite, but now I get hungry way more. I just hope this will solve some of my issues, If it doesn’t, I will try something else.
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That’s what we have to do. Try. Something eventually has to work.
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You know I really couldn’t agree more with you!
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🙂
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Sorry to hear your gluten intolerance. M has a wheat intolerance and took us a while to make the connection!. we’ve adapted with no wheat products, bread, pasta, cookies, cakes etc. M makes flat breads using spelt flour, but from your list it may contain gluten. There are other flours out there which are gluten free, almond flour, rice flour. Careful if you use jar sauces etc as they may contain gluten. We’ve found pasta in the UK which are gluten and wheat free and are really nice, lighter and full of proteins. Chickpea, red lentil and green pea pasta. They are really nice and don’t taste as they sound if you know what I mean. I was actually going to blog about them tmrw!. I hope you notice a change in symptoms and even feel a bit better after you eliminate gluten. Let me know how you get on. 🙂
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Thank you so much! I am trying to change my diet and even bought gluten-free bread the other day. On my lunch break at work, I only eat fruit and nuts, normally I am still hungry. I do just hope what I am trying will help. How do you make flat breads? I am definitely going to have to look for gluten-free pasta because when I do cook I make pasta like foods. I am looking forward to reading you post about this and please forgive me if I am slow at commenting. This full-time work thing makes me SO tired. I actually wrote this post over the weekend and waited to post it until I thought it was good enough. I always appreciate you and your kind words! I hope you are having a nice week!!!
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Sorry for my late reply! Hope work is going well, and it’s not too tiring for you. Re the gluten, adjusting is hard with anything, but you will get used to it. I’ll PM you via fb re the flat breads as I’ll have to ask M when he comes home from work! Haha. I’ve been so slack with my posts, so hopefully will post in the next day or so re foods. Wisjing you a lovely week and I hope you start to feel better soon re the adjustments to food. 😊
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No worries and definitely no need to apologize. I am SO far behind right now because working full-time is super tiring and I have had a really LONG week!!! I have been doing well with gluten-free foods. I do not really eat much, but never really have. The bread I found that is gluten-free isn’t all that great and I really need to find something that doesn’t taste like cardboard. I hope you had a good week and you have a fantastic weekend!
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Very interesting i learnt a lot. Never really understood it much before
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If you are not gluten intollerant it is unwise to follow a gluten free diet, I’d recommend a test to confirm Alyssa.
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I do know you are right ,but I still do not have insurance and the test would be pricey. I am slowly trying this to see if anything improves and if it doesn’t I will know I am not gluten intolerant.
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Alyssa, check out the FODMAP diet, info online, you could be allergic to these foods, I was having similar issues and it helped me to rule out some foods, and a blood test then confirmed i’m not coeliac. Best of luck.
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Thank you so much for this.I will definitely check it out. All I can say is, since changing some of what I eat, my issues have improved. I guess it could be a coincidences though.
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Well it would be great to discover that was the problem and just adapt to new eating habits – I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this is the case for you Alyssa.
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Thank you so much! Trying different things may actually work. I can say since changing what I eat have improved the nasty symptoms! Hopefully things will continue to go well!
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Fingers crossed this works for you and you can avoid trips to the doctor or costly meds to control the problem.
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So far things with my stomach have improved. Drinking a yogurt drink for breakfast and fruit for lunch is working. Honestly, I am not that great with dinner yet, but I will keep trying!
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That is good news Alyssa – you’ve got this! Fingers crossed it works out for you with this regimen instead of meds and doctor visits.
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It’s amazing how much better I have felt lately. My stomach issues were awful and now it seems to have calmed down. I went to the grocery store today and bought fruits, gluten-free snacks and the yogurt drink I like. I am working on figuring out what dinners should be considering my husband can eat anything. Doctors can be helpful at times, but they are insanely expensive and really love to push more medications. I figure, I take enough medications now and do not want anymore! I hope you are having a lovely weekend!!!
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I agree with you – less meds if possible and if you can do this naturally, all the better. I follow a woman in Canada – she is an elementary school teacher and has a gluten intolerance and often mentions gluten free cookbooks and products. I seem to think she has a spot on her site that mentions products, but they might be only available in Canada. I will look around and pass on any info to you. Your husband will probably benefit from the gluten-free diet as well. I’d miss bread the most I think. I decided to pop onto AJ’s site and here is a list of her favorite items, though some may be Canadian:
https://countdownto95.wordpress.com/favourites/
I searched on AJ’s site and found several posts about Gluten-Free cookbooks, but these two she mentioned by name. She also has a dairy-free allergy so buys cookbooks that work for both GF and Dairy-Free. Here is that post for you to see Alyssa:
https://countdownto95.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/three-bags-full/
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WOW, thank you so much for this information! I do think my husband will benefit from a gluten-free diet. Neither one of us eat healthy and I do think it is time to change. I mean, we aren’t getting any younger and the more toxic foods we eat could cause of life to be shortened, but who knows. Also, thank you for providing the links you have shared.
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You’re welcome Alyssa – if you want to ask AJ any questions about a gluten free diet, I’m sure she’ll be happy to help – she is very nice, in her 30s, like you and has a contact me page … good luck with it. I’d be happy to mention it to her as well that you’re going to contact her, let me know okay.
I’m going to shut down now, just let me know okay?
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I really appreciate you telling me about her. I definitely want to contact her because I do need suggestions. I have been doing ok with the gluten-free thing, but still question so much. I tend to have this fabulous yogurt drink for breakfast, fruit for lunch and I have found crackers and pretzels that are gluten-free. Please forgive me for being so far behind. I am working on getting caught up!
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Geeseh. Isn’t MS bad enough?
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My goodness, you would think so!! Of course a doctor didn’t tell me this, but research does great things! I have read it is common with people who already have a chronic illness and I am sorry to say, that just isn’t fair at all! I have changed my diet, so I hardly eat anymore and things have improved. Hopefully things stay this way and I will continue to adjust!
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A really thorough post that I’m sure will be ‘food for thought’ for a lot of people who have similar symptoms. Gluten intolerance is a tricky one. I think a lot more people are probably ‘gluten sensitive’ than any official figures would suggest. Then there’s intolerance and even distinct allergies with life-threatening effects. A lot of the time it’s the case of an elimination diet to see whether gluten is the culprit but as you’re sadly finding it’s not easy. In the UK the price of gluten-free and other ‘free from’ foods can be ridiculous. There are home tests for food allergies and intolerances; I wonder whether it’s worth checking the price of something like that? It may give you a better idea of where you’re at because you may find it’s a combination of intolerance with other sensitivities like to dairy (though hopefully not!) xxxx
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Thank you so much! I was SO sick of dealing with constant stomach issues and just needed answers. It is amazing just how much information you can find online if you know the right things to search for. Since eliminating gluten from my diet, well for the most part, my symptoms have improved drastically. I honestly eat the bare minimum daily. For instance at lunch I only eat clementines and carrots. For breakfast I tend to drink this yogurt drink and this has helped a lot. Dinner is when I start failing, but at least I am trying. Gluten-free foods in the states is insanely expensive, but hopefully I can find coupons! I am a bargain shopper! I am also sensitive to dairy products, but it hasn’t been as bad as the gluten issues. As always, I appreciate your comment and know you are brilliant.
I am sure I have said this before, but I want to visit the UK in the worst way!!!!!! I love everything I have read about the UK and know someone that might be moving there for work soon. I might have to become better friends with this person so I can have a place to stay!!! xxxx
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I’m a bargain shopper too, pretty much don’t buy anything now unless it’s on sale or I have a coupon! It’s so good to hear your symptoms have already improved to a degree that’s noticeable, that’s amazing!
I don’t know why you want to visit here, it’s cold & grey. Any part in the UK in particular you fancy seeing? It would be incredible to meet up one day though if ever you did pop over the pond to England, or I could ever afford a trip over there. Alternatively, and I can’t remember which state you’re in, but I’ll happily swap you! 😉
xxxx
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I hate paying full price for things because everything is insanely expensive. I check prices at various stores and go with the place that is the least expensive. I just went to the store, well actually two different stores because of prices. I bought several different things that were gluten-free!! I am thrilled that my symptoms have improved, so I guess I will just continue with the gluten-free diet.
The pictures I have seen of the UK look so pretty! Is it always cold or is it just winter right now? I would love to visit England someday!! We just moved from NC to SC, so now a hug difference. The way people in the south view things isn’t the best. It seems like people are just not open minded, which is horrible. I am a very open minded and equal person! I hate how racist people are now. Healthcare in the UK is free, right? I would be very willing to swap with you, but it would be so much better to know someone there to hang out with!!! I hope you are having a lovely weekend!! xxx
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Hi alyssa the bread is made by Genius, spicey loaf. Its lush. i am in the UK though.
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I wish there was something like this in the states, but it seems like most good things do not stick around in the states.
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Pingback: Things I didn’t know about Gluten Intolerance! — Fightmsdaily – HealthNuts.club
What if, our immune system’s strengh towards against chemicals synthetics was responsible for directly causing (gut bowl) malfunction..
I believe this already existing chemical synthetic immune (dis-ease) within the (gut) may well be responsible, for to what may change, the actual amount to how well our (gut) can then tolerate..
(Intolerance towards food) especially unnatural or processed food or drinks..
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Thank you for sharing this information. This was very interesting to read!
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A pleasure. 😉👍
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I used to think the depression part was my imagination as I’ve been prone to it. But no, depression can definitely be a symptom, I’m glad you wrote about this.
I passionately believe there is more to this than meets the eye and pesticides have a big impact. This is simply from my own symptoms and noticing different synchronicites. Check out the article I wrote on this. I really would love to find out from other people if they notice anything similar. I am in the middle of doing an experimentation with this and will keep my post updated.
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Depression is a very real thing and it seems like not many people will take the time to understand it more. I am definitely going to check out the article you wrote, I am sure it is fantastic!!
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Great! here is the link https://empathinthecitylondon.wordpress.com/ for some reason my username gets led to a deleted website.
Yes, lots of reasons for depression, so its helpful for those that are confused about the cause to be aware of some of the lesser known triggers such as gluten for those sensitive to it.
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Thank you so much for sending me the link. I started reading earlier but then my attention was needed on something else. I promise you, I will finish reading this before going to bed. What I have read so far was incredible and very helpful!!!
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