Omg something is finally looking up.

I've been gluten, casein and lactose free for just over a week now. I have been very strict and cautious about it. The first two days I felt really ill but in a different way. After that I slowly started feeling like a new person. Then I accidentally shoved a bite of gluten down my throat. Just didn't even think. A few hours later I felt like I had aged 500 years in every way imaginable. The next day was awful ( yesterday ).

Something else happened tho. And it's really hard to say if it's related or not, so I'm gonna to just take it in stride. But yesterday I went completely ballistic on my boyfriend, like I'm not usually like that ever. For those of you that know me, I'm usually pretty calm and mild. I ve been like that when manic sure but not often. It was horrible. He tried to tell me I was being irrational and acting ill, finally it clicked, and omg I was completely way way off. Like lost touch with reality there. I know I have read about the gluten bipolar mania connection. So I don't know if that's because I ate the gluten, I wasn't having a mood issue before hand. My mood has been a bit low, buy that's because of circumstance more than anything. I'm lucky that my bf is very understanding of my condition most of the time.

Anyways I was relieved to see a drastic marker at least physically when the gluten was consumed. I will be extremely strick and hope I make drastic physical improvement, I think I'll give it a month and then introduce the gluten once and see what happens. I'm definitely one of those people who likes proof. It's a hard diet to follow, but this is giving me a lot of hope right now.

Glad to hear that maybe you found a food trigger. I often wonder about that myself.

There is a lady at my work who makes amazing gluten free cookies. You can't even tell the difference. She has celiac so she is also very strict with her diet.

Thanks Dark Heart! Ive tried the gf diet before and didn't have a lot of luck, but I'm not sure I was being careful enough. I made some cinnamon buns that were pretty good once. If they were eaten immediately or they turned to stone. It's definitely a challenge. I hope my cooking skills improve.

My dr's suspect celiac too, if I improve I will try my kids on it as they have all the symptoms I have and are failing to thrive big time. Or maybe I should just try them and see how they do. My oldest son who is 13 is in the 2nd percentile height and weight wise. It would be nice to see some growth for them.

Has he been tested for celiac? I think there is a specific test. Where I work we often see people with celiac who were recently diagnosed, and they all have been tested somehow.

Yea, Anika!
(Oh! And I will send over the email stuff from my sister to you via PM.)

Anika! That's great awful news! WoW, have heard of a "mixed bag" but you take the cake!

Sorry...
no cake, right?

Haha Roadie

Thanks IZ !!! Very much!!!

I have been tested three times with blood tests which have common false negatives, my new dr looked over my blood tests and said that I have IgA deficiency which will give a false negative, you are born with the deficiency and can't fix that. He said my first dr should have caught that. I've had abnormal biopsies, ugh taken from the lower intestine not upper, where you would look for celiac. He told me to try the diet again and see what happens. You can also have gluten sensitivity without celiac. So the diet would be the only way to factor that out. So far all the tests for celiac can have false negatives for various reason even the biopsies. So they have been moving towards genetic testing to see if you carry the genes.

For myself I feel I have been poked and prodded enough I do not want to go back for more. My GI sad to say is one of the worst dr's I have ever seen. And he is the only one in our town. After my very traumatizing colonoscopy experience with him, I will not be seeing him again. I could try to get my kids to a different city. My dr has been stubborn about testing them so far.

I'm glad you're seeing improvement! My husband has told me I should try a gluten free diet to see if it will help. Sounds like it's worth a try!

It's worth a shot right! A diet change is hard but easy at the same time if it helps. Thank you!!!

IZ, thank you so much for taking the time to get me all that info, and please thank your sister too. Wow that was so nice, and very appreciated !! I'd love some of her recipes, that really is nice. I do eat meat but only fish or chicken breast.

I'm so happy, I just got a text from my bf saying we are going on a little trip. With his parents to some hot springs. His parents bought an old victorian inn down there and we will being staying there. It hasn't been occupied in years, but sounds like an adventure. I never go anywhere much so I'm pretty excited and the kids are pretty excited as well. only what to eat while I'm away, buy I'll figure something out. Annnnnd I better keep a lid on my behavior!!!

Leaving first thing in the morning! Annnnd I found a cheap antique cabinet and hutch online pretty shabby chic, it's blue, perfect for my house and CHEAP!! Been looking for a few years. Holy smokes, it's my day today!!! Should I behave badly more often?? Haha

Really glad you're seeing results AND having a great day! You deserve to catch a break my friend

I am going to look forward to your updates. This may mean I can drop lithium at some point and be fairly stable. I only see stability on this drug but its messed up my metablism. Or even drop it enough that I can takr below maintaince levels. This gives me hope.

Anika !!!!
Im soooooooooooooooooooooooooo Happy for you!!!!!

Wow, so much good stuff all at once! Yea! You deserve it! Have fun on your trip!

I'll be sure to pass your thanks on to her. She cooks regularly, as in consistently(!), which always amazes me, because I am so terrible with that. Seems everything is all or nothing with me, lol(!) She's an eminently practical person, so I imagine her recipes would tend to be pretty straightforward. Like you, she gardens. And lives in a very small town. Well, actually outside, quite remote. And very northern climate to boot! It struck me these things you have in common and how the small town thing can make things trickier in terms of options, so it should be a good match!

Anika, I am SO happy for you! You deserve to have things looking up for a change. Congratulations!! Enjoy your trip and may things continue to look up.
Hugs, Buggs