Woohoo! Hubby going GF for 2 weeks!

draperygoddess · Post by **draperygoddess** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:24 am

Zizzle,

How great that your husband decided to do this on his own--then you're not in the hot seat! I don't remember having significant gluten withdrawl symptoms, but I do know that food, in general, is just not as big a deal anymore. Used to be, I had to eat every 3-4 hours or I would get lightheaded and nauseated. My blood sugar was really out of whack. Now, I just eat when I'm hungry, and I rarely overeat anymore. There are times I miss the taste of something, sure, but I don't have the cravings I used to. And I felt so much better after changing my diet, no food was worth going back.

My girls both went GF for awhile, but neither saw a difference, so they are back to eating "normal" now. However, I have decided to cook GF whenever possible for the whole family (they all like GF pasta, and other substitutions I've made go unnoticed). No more snack crackers, either. I am finding that the kids are happy to eat GF if it's what's available, so I just stopped buying as much gluteny food. (They are still fixing sandwiches on regular bread or flour tortillas, and eating regular cereals, though.)

I remember the first GI symptoms showing up when I was around 13, so I am watching my two teenagers closely.

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 9:57 am

Yesterday was day 3 from him, and boy did he complain about withdrawl symptoms!! I remember it the same way - major brain fog, lightheadedness, fatigue. I think I recall feeling better on day 4. He went to Whole Foods and bought a bunch of GF snacks - chips, Larabars, Glutino bagels (yuck!! corn starchy!). Of course he didn't ask me about which brands were best, except for the bread mix (Pamela's). God forbid he ask me for advice!!

I made a carb-heavy dinner - pork tenderloin, spinach, baked potato and roasted butternut squash. I figured it might help to wean him down from carbs slowly. I assured him that within a day or two he won't care whether he eats at all. I hope I'm right!

Then he said he didn't think he could do this for the rest of his life, never have another burger, good pizza, sandwiches, etc. He wondered why he was attempting this at all. I told him it was the "drug" talking. Again, he only committed to try if for 2 weeks.

He knows his options are either GF or lo-carb dieting if he wants to lose weight. I think he rationalizes that with GF, he can still enjoy corn chips, french fries and other treats on occasion without "cheating." I hope GF means he'll lose the cravings and thus have an easier time limiting calories. I also hope he notices more energy, less bloating, better mood, etc.

My one fear -- what if when he reintroduces gluten, he ends up with stomach upset and D, when he went into this with no tummy troubles to speak of? Then he'll blame me...even though he did this trial on his own terms.

Post by **tex** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:54 am

Zizzle wrote:God forbid he ask me for advice!!

Sounds like he's a typical macho male.

Zizzle wrote:Then he'll blame me...even though he did this trial on his own terms.

You could always respond by pointing out that he should have asked.

Tex

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 12:05 pm

Sounds like he's a typical macho male.

BINGO!!

[/quote]

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:21 pm

Zizzle, I have gotten those same symptoms just going on a very low carb diet. I felt like I had the flu and the third day was the worst. You're right though, the cravings will go away as long as he doesn't eat a bunch of carbs. Potatoes and rice both bring me cravings.

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:23 am

Yep. It's called the "low-carb flu."

Post by **tex** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:44 am

I once tried to do a no-carb diet, when I was recovering. I gave it up along about the third day, because of the generally lousy feeling, and the ketosis, (my breath smelled so strongly of acetone, that I was afraid that everyone would think there was something wrong with me). LOL.

Tex

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:27 am

Except he's not lo-carb yet, just gluten free. Gluten withdrawl symptoms are very real. I suppose most people here feel so sick when they try it, they don't even notice the withdrawl symptoms!

http://www.livestrong.com/article/24628 ... -symptoms/

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:43 am

I'll watch for those symptoms with my DH, but so far so good. I looked at the article on the 20 best things in the super market link on your link and was happy to see that with the exception of edamame and brussel sprouts, that's pretty much all I eat.

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 3:39 pm

Those are the foods I love best. I can't eat eggs, almonds, yogurt, soy and more. It really bugs me!

draperygoddess · Post by **draperygoddess** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 4:03 pm

I suppose most people here feel so sick when they try it, they don't even notice the withdrawl symptoms!

I'm sure that's true--we felt so bad already, how would we notice fatigue/achiness/nausea/headache/etc.??[/quote]

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 5:25 pm

I wonder if it's that way with other things? For example, I thought I was glutened on Wed. at Outback. I had a hamburger patty with a little bit of lettuce, a couple of pickle slices, a few apple slices, and some grapes. They didn't have any veges I could eat. The next day I was in really, really bad shape, and didn't start really feeling better until yesterday. No norman, but no real D until Friday or yesterday.

I had allowed a little cheese to creep back into my diet by putting a slice of Velveeta on my hamburger. My 17yo's birthday was Monday, and I had eaten a couple of slices of her birthday cake, which meant rice, of course, cream cheese frosting, and lots of sugar on top of my DH's b-day cake last week (more rice and sugar). I decided on my b-day to stop with the dairy, and I was going to stop with the sugar but when you get a couple of GF, SF chocolate mint candy bars for your birthday... But I have cut down on the sugar.

I don't see how I would have such a severe reaction after 24 hours w/o dairy when all I was having was about an ounce of Velveeta on my hamburger patty. And although I cut back on the sugar, I haven't abstained from it.

But reading about the effects of gluten-withdrawal has made me wonder...what do you think?

Post by **tex** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 6:32 pm

I think much more than 24 hours would be required before withdrawal symptoms would start.

Grapes clean me out, (still), but they do it within a few hours, usually. FWIW, it's not unheard of to be glutened at Outback.

Tex

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:10 am

Update: Hubby is on day 7 of eating GF and doing OK. He said he lost 4 lbs in the first few days but thinks he gained it back. I notice his face looks much leaner. He had bloated jowels before, and they seem to have deflated. Weird! He is still suffering with fatigue - like go to bed at 9 pm and sleep 10 hours. I find that curious, or worrisome. Not sure why GF would cause that. Maybe he's in major detox mode??

He's buying more GF junk food than I ever have. We had a superbowl party last night and he ate lots of meat (GF wings and pulled pork on Udi's new buns (delish!), he drank lots of Dogfish Tweasonale GF beer (double-delish!!), and topped it off with a GF ice cream sandwich. Not exactly a weight loss regimen.

But he happily shunned all the desserts brought by our guests.

I think he's noticing it's not as hard as he expected. It's also a good test of his willpower. We went to dinner at a fine intalian restaurant with friends and he was so proud to refrain from gobbling up the bread basket. He's realizing there are more worthwhile foods to enjoy than bread...like dark chocolate and peanut butter, apple slices with cottage cheese, etc. Yes, he's eating more dairy than before...lucky for him, he can.

Post by **tex** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:22 am

It sounds as though he's treating it as an adventure, rather than a challenge, which, IMO, is the best way to look at it. Good for him.

Tex