Help! Need some help with Anti-Depressents!

[Martha]

Hi Naty,

When I decided to go gluten-free, my husband was getting ready to leave on a 5-week trip, so I waited until he left to start. That was in early October last year. I got my Enterolab results showing that I was sensitive to dairy and soy the week before Christmas last year, and decided to wait until after the holidays to eliminate those from my diet, just because it would be easier to do it when we weren't having company, special food, etc. I figured a few more days wouldn't make that much difference. Kari got her results just before Christmas too, but she made the opposite choice from me, and immediately eliminated her intolerances from her diet.

I didn't have any depressions issues, and was semi-controlling the D just by eating coconut, so for me it seemed an okay way to do it. However, when I did eliminate gluten, diary, and soy from my diet, I did take it all out at once. No "cheating", or thinking that just a little bit won't matter, or taking it out gradually. I'd rather just grieve once for what I can't eat rather than grieve a little bit each time I take something out of my diet.

It was a surprisingly easy thing for me to give those things up, and I feel so much better that I am not tempted at all to eat them. I hope that you can see enough of a difference in how you feel that gluten will not be tempting to you, either.

Best of luck, and Merry Christmas.

Love,
Martha

[sarkin]

I felt the same way, Martha - halfway measures make things harder for me. I did the "immediately, all at once" method - but I was ferociously ill, and would have done almost anything to make it stop at that point.

Katy, I can see how it would be harder when you don't have that obvious feedback of "eat this, feel awful" to persuade you. I also agree with Martha - it's a rough time of year for adding an extra errand to the list, much less essentially starting over again with recipes, shopping lists, cooking - etc. Giving yourself time to prepare could be very helpful - especially because, as Martha points out, 'reducing' gluten really doesn't do the trick.

A friend of mine was asking last night whether I might 'outgrow' this (the way some childhood allergies are outgrown). I assured her that not only do I highly doubt it, but I never mean to find out!

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas, and are able to go into the new year feeling better and better,

Sara

[Sharaine]

Dear Katy,

As far as how I chose to go GF/DF, I just did it. When I found this board and learned about the correlation between gluten and CC/MC, I knew I had to try. And once I did, my symptoms got better. Granted, I take Entocort, but there is no question that GF/DF has improved my life tremendously. I sleep better, awaken rested, am less anxious, I've lost 15 pounds, and am less bloated. Note, I still get bloated if I eat something I shouldn't. Today I had baked beans at lunch that were GF, but the beans themselves are giving me lots of rumbles and trips to the bathroom tonight.

I researched online and especially on this board what to look for when reading labels. Like Sara and Polly pointed out, there are hidden glutens in many things. Even in supplements. It's hard, but with tenacity and willpower, the search for GF gets easier.

Good luck. May your Holidays be bright. Oh, and you might try to focus on eating things you KNOW don't have flour (wheat, rye, barley, or oats) during the Holidays. You'll likely still get some gluten, but if you consciously avoid those foods you KNOW have gluten, you'd be starting your journey to GF early (before the new year).

Hugs, Sharaine

[natythingycolbery]

It's been a while!

So, since I last posted the following has happened.

I have cut back, but not completley cut out Gluten, as I don't do going 'cold turkey very well' work is absolute torture, but getting easier. I'm hoping to be completley gluten free by march time as I am definatley seeing an improvement in my digestive health.

My wrists- they have established it is not neurological or any form of RSI so am now working up the energy to go back to the Doctors to be reffered on for more investigations.

Mental health issues are odd- I have been to see a Shrink and now see a 'crazy person nurse' to help with that aspect of my life. They actually cannot decide what MH problems I currently suffer from, always reassuring! I think they did narrow it down a bit. They also decided to not give me meds yet, but have got a list of about 3 they may be able to give me.

Hope you are all well.

naty x