RECENTLY DIAGNOSED! 26yr old female, anyone in the same boat??

Hugs, Chikimeo!!

It's a long journey to finally be well, but your healing is already starting!  It's SO overwhelming, isn't it?? And your body is depleted! Makes it so much harder to handle it all - the everyday stuff and the major life-style changes.

Sorry your partner isn't supportive Hope he or she comes around!  Meantime, let's focus on you!

So, your iron is too low - when that's better, you'll feel somewhat better, too! How about your B12? Every Coeliac should be checked for B12 deficiency, and also vitamins A, D, E & K.  But, it's rare that it even gets done...so don't be afraid to ask. (Oh, and calcium, too? Eh, couldn't hurt!)  I don't have CD (my son does) but my low B12 alone is enough to knock me on my keester with no energy and lots of fog/neuro issues/pain/fatigue...it's rough! I wonder if you have that on top of everything else???

Honestly, I think venting is fine! Some others may not feel that way, but I need an outlet for my frustrations so I can move on...often.   As long as it helps you do just that...move on...then yes, come and vent! ALSO, come here for HELP!  There's a society that you can join - and a FB page to help, too. I live in the US so I'm not sure where to send you, but search in these forums and you'll find more info. 

This is a marathon, so pace yourself. If you weren't a big eater before, that won't change soon (but may change when your gut heals in 6-12 mos or so). Biscuits and shakes aren't going to really sustain you, though. Is there any whole food you like - fruit, veggie, lean protein? Red meat may be your friend, between the iron & b12, if you can manage it. Studies show that peppermint tea helps the gut to heal...if you prefer to drink over eat that may be good for you to try.

You have so many changes to make. Before you eat out/take out, be sure your own kitchen and pantry are safe for you. Get new, dedicated GF equipment like colander, cutting board, toaster & maybe cookware (like if your pots/pans have scratches/ridges). If you're near a health food store, tell them what you like to eat and ask for recommendations as they may be in a good position to help you find safe alternatives that you'll actually want. Do you have a friend-of-a-friend or distant relative with CD or gluten issues? Call on them for suggestions - it's such a huge help even if it's just the name of a take-away or one restaurant. 

Don't be afraid to tell people! You don't want to carry on, but in a professional way, let your clients know what you're dealing with and what you will be overcoming to be able to better serve them. Same for your partner, in a way - since you'll be in better spirits, with better energy and memory and appetite for life! It won't happen overnight and it won't be all progress, you'll have setbacks too. But it will be much, much better!  In four months, you'll breathe again, in six months you'll feel even better...and on to about a year. Keep seeing your doc, go for all the blood work you need and stay strict about your diet.  It's HARD WORK, but it's SO worth it!!

Speaking of great hairdressers, I'm off to see mine soon! Did you know that B12 deficiency can switch off the body's mechanism to pigment strands of hair? Wish I knew that when I started graying in my teens...ah, too late now!

MORE HUGS!

A

 

It's worth joining Coeliac UK.  Apart from a lot of information about CD, they provide a directory of suitable foods and if you download the app you can consult this on-line and also look up suitable restaurants in the neighbourhood..  I tend to do my shopping for groceries on-line because it is easy to specify gluten free and get a list of suitable products, it just makes life a little easier.

So far I have managed to find all that I need although some foods that I would like, such as a decent, crusty baguette, are not available GF and many that are available are more expensive than non-GF versions - up to a factor of 4!

Hi Chikimeo, Believe it or not you are a very fortunate young lady :-)  I had a lifetime of symptoms which gradually caused other auto-immune problems such as Hypothyroidism and another one whose name escapes me at the moment.

I was so ill that I was twice diagnosed by GP's with Muscular Dystrophy, which I didn't follow through with testing because I didn't want to know how or when I was going to die !

I ended up bypassing my GP and going direct to hospital (long story) where they discovered the Hypothyroidism and told me that I had got as close to an afterlife as anyone had a right to. However it took several years more for me to self-diagnose Coeliac disease, confirmed by blood test and biopsy. The GP missed it all!

Long story short, through all this I still managed to run a successful photographic business (with an 8 month sabbatical due to doctors orders) and I am now a slim, athletic and energetic 60 year old, feeling better than I've ever done in my entire life and more like a 16 year old with, hopefully, many more healthy working years ahead.  Needless to say, I love my Gluten Free diet , such a very small price to pay for good health.  Once you've had your biopsy you will need to check your bone density and your blood vitamins and minerals, which will have been affected due to the malabsorbtion in your small intestine.  Because auto-immune responses are affected, you may also need to keep a wary eye on your Thyroid levels as time goes on. Ask your doctor for these tests if he hasn't already suggested it.  Also, because it tends to be genetic you should recommend that your immediate family members have a blood test.  The essence of this message is that it's really not a big deal once you've been tested and life will only get better :-)  I hope this is helpful to you. With best wishes, Mark

Hi Chikimeo,  sorry you are feeling so low, anaemia can do that to you easily.  If you want to feel less tired faster, apart from following the diet which will slowly get rid of the coeliac antibodies in your system, ask your doctor if you can have iron injections instead of the tablets.  I found that the tablets are useless until your intestines are healed because you won't absorb them, and they will just upset your bowels.  The iron injections are not fun but each one raises your blood count by one unit and you quickly get to the stage when you are feeling more human.  Plus you will have spectacular bruises on your behind to show off to your other half to get some sympathy.  As far as the food is concerned, it is a case of searching to find something you like.  I love the triple seeded Genius bread which is as a bread addict is the best tasting i have found.  There are loads of things in the supermarkets for coeliacs, shop around different ones to be able to see the full range available to you.  Most of your usual foods can be made in a gluten free way.  Just put in a google search for gluten free and the name of your fav food, you will be inundated with advice and recipies.  I know you must be feeling resentful and frustrated at the moment, but wine and most chocolate is gf so indulge yourself.  XX