I am aware that there is a group for those who have chosen a gluten free lifestyle. But many newcomers are very skeptical. If removing gluten from your life has improved your well being would you please share how with everyone here (I know you hae done it before so if you just want to add your hyperlink, I will gladly settle for that). I am really looking for the short version.
WHAT SYMPTOMS WENT AWAY (OR DECFEASED IN FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY) WHEN YOU WENT GLUTEN FREE? HOW LONG DID IT TAKE. WERE THERE OTHER CHANGES IN MEDS OR LIFESTYLE THAT COULD EXPLAIN THE CHANGE IN SYMPTOMS.
Hi Ann
By removing gluten my mind is clearer. IBS is much less if not gone. Joint pain is much better. I ate some wonderful cake last night not gluten free. I am having a lot of bloating and gas. I feel fatigue today. When I don’t eat gluten everything functions better. For me grains in general are problematic. I enjoy rice corn and beans. A lot for my body to process.
I felt a difference in 2 weeks.
I have been waiting for someone to ask this. Last year I watched a webinar from Jill Harrington who has written the book "The Lupus Recovery Diet". After watching this hour long webinar I decided that I was going to try it. In mid December I decided I had had enough pain and started eating "whole" foods - meaning ONLY vegetables and fruit. Within a week the pain was gone and I lost 10 pounds to boot! From what I understand 18 years ago Jill could barely even walk and now today by following this "way of life" she has not taken a single pill and plays tennis 3 hours most days of the week. I can tell within a day when I've eaten something I shouldn't and I tell myself that it's not worth the pain to eat that. Can it really be that simple - that it's what we eat that causes the Lupus (and many other diseases)? I'm convinced and I highly recommend getting the book and changing your diet. I don't take Prednisone any more and am going to ask my Dr. when I go in August if I can start eliminating the Plaquenil. Anxious to hear how you do!
I don't believe gluten is a problem with everyone with Lupus. I have been gluten free for months at a time, even on only I.V. fluids for months, and it didn't change my symptoms at all.
You are probably right - depending on the severity, combination of other issues, etc. It worked for me and hope it works for others as well. Along with gluten free I also practice 100% vegan. There are many "versions of veganism" like vegan cheeses and other things. I don't eat dairy, meats, flours or anything - only fruits and vegetables.
I started a week ago and feel no better or different. I’m on the “total elimination diet”. I’m doing almost all organic as well. We will see how it goes.
After 3 years of cluster migraines and daily headache I went gluten-free. (After trying absolutely everything without relief.) Within 2 weeks all migraines/headaches gone! I’m not sure that my headaches had anything to do with lupus. Being gluten-free did not relieve my fatigue or joint pain,
I tried going gluten free and I did lose weight but I don’t think I felt different I have read books that it’s really going grain free and it can reduce inflammation but I didn’t feel like it did… Also some people need meat kinda goes with eating right for your blood type… Anything white like flour, sugar, and rice are not good because of the reduction of nutrients and the generic engineering but I think it’s all based on the person and what other health issues you have
I always lose weight when off bread, grain, and rice and nuts are an amazing substitute filler that are all natural and great with many recipes or great snacks! But unsalted only!!
Thanks for caring enough to ask. Bringing home Mom from hospital on Monday after I learn how to feed her through a feeding tube and deal with a catheter and colostomy. She is not out of the hospital for more than a week or 2 until she has to go back for another stroke or bowel blockage. She is so complicated health wise now. She can't talk or swallow. They did't want to put her in a nursing home because only nurse's aides work there and the local care is not intensive enough for this level of complication. I know I can learn how to work the things, but I am concerned about being one sick person doing care 24 hours a day, when the hospital had 6 people caring for her 24 hours a day, and they only had to do it for 8 hours at a time. I'm already exhausted and in so much pain. Checking out options for help today and tomorrow. It would be awful if I had more heart problems serious enough for the E.R. and she would be here alone, unable to communicate, or if I even passed out, she could not call 911 for me. Scary, but the things I imagine are ALWAYS worse than the actual reality, so I just need to calm myself down and trust in God. Bless you Ann.
I was having daily migraines, severe pain all over fairly often, and frequent diarrhea. My gastroenterologist recommended that I go gluten free 3 days before Thanksgiving! Believe it or not I found enough products on the shelves plus recipes online to make a full (tasty!) gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner, and within 2 weeks, my migraines had nearly disappeared. The other symptoms took longer, but that was in 2008, and my pain is SO much better now than it was then, plus my gastric issues are greatly reduced by six months out. There were no med changes during the two week period that would explain my sudden lack of migraines, nor were there any during the following six months that would explain my decrease in pain and gastrointestinal problems. My very first sign that I've been glutened is usually a headache, following by running to the bathroom. But I should add that he person who mentioned going GRAIN-free is right on the money... I'm now grain free and feeling even better! And losing weight! Which did not happen when I was just gluten free.
By working in medicine and reading and studying topics such as this. I can say all reparable studies I have read about gluten free, say it only benefits people with celiac disease. All other media et al... are just marketing it for the money. In other words it does nothing, except maybe psychologicly makes people feel they are doing something good for themselves, and throwing good money away on things that give no benefit. The only people that gluten free helps is celiac disease.
With the paleo diet my daughter has put her lupus in “remission” in that she has none of her former symptoms and was able to slowly go off of her plaquenil. It has been two years of great health for her. I have not been so lucky but I still follow paleo diet. Some people think that the paleo diet is just eating lots of meat, but it really isn’t. It is basically eating real food. If it has a label (in general) you shouldn’t eat it. Paleo is also gluten free. It has not helped my joint pain but has helped some gastro issues and skin issues. It has also seemed to decrease my migraines. Everyone is different. My philosophy is that if it doesn’t harm you and may potentially help then it is worth a try!
I had severe stomach cramping to the point that I would cry and want to pass out. None of the doctors knew what was wrong. I do have gastroparesis, but that doesn’t affect the lower gut. So these episodes of cramping painful passing out stomach aches I would get sometimes four times a day. When I eliminated gluten, it took maybe a few months, & I don’t have those type of stomach aches anymore. If I get one its very infrequently. But it was at the point where it was ruining my life, and severe pain
