fredastbury
New member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2014
- Messages
- 2
- Reason
- DX FIBRO
- Diagnosis
- 04/2006
- Country
- UK
- State
- Yorkshire
I had all the symptoms: brain fog, tiredness, headaches, depression, joint pain, muscle pain and colitis (IBS) and was eventually diagnosed with FM. Then I found out that celiac disease has the same symptoms. I had a blood test but I passed it, however, I tried out a gluten free diet anyway and three weeks later all my symptoms cleared up.
I don’t have FM after all. I have what is called None Celiac Gluten Sensitivity which has the same symptoms and the same cause (gluten) as celiac but it is not an allergic reaction and cannot be tested for. The only way to diagnose it is with a gluten challenge. The good news is that, like with celiac, a gluten free diet gets rid of the symptoms. NCGS has only been recognised in the last three years so your doctor may not be aware of it and I would recommend everyone with FM to try a gluten free diet for a month. Most Celiac websites have a section on NCGS and there is plenty of advice on what not to eat.
Talk to your doctor first though, they will arrange a blood test. I wasn't celiac so I was put on a gluten fast. It took me three weeks to see any benefit and my symptoms actually got worse during that time. Another thing, weird though it seems, you get cravings for things your allergic too so I felt hungry a lot more than usual because my body was missing the gluten. Three weeks later all my symptoms cleared up. I then pigged out on gluten and two days later I was all crocked up again.
I'm sure there will be lots of people that a gluten free diet won’t help. However, I'm equally sure that there will be more people like me who have been wrongly diagnosed. During the ten years I suffered with FM and colitis, I saw five doctors and nine specialists and not one of them made the connection with gluten.
I know this is not the answer for everyone but I am living proof that it is for some. Believe me, it's worth checking out. It’s a pain having NCGS but trust me, it's a hell of a lot better than FM.
I don’t have FM after all. I have what is called None Celiac Gluten Sensitivity which has the same symptoms and the same cause (gluten) as celiac but it is not an allergic reaction and cannot be tested for. The only way to diagnose it is with a gluten challenge. The good news is that, like with celiac, a gluten free diet gets rid of the symptoms. NCGS has only been recognised in the last three years so your doctor may not be aware of it and I would recommend everyone with FM to try a gluten free diet for a month. Most Celiac websites have a section on NCGS and there is plenty of advice on what not to eat.
Talk to your doctor first though, they will arrange a blood test. I wasn't celiac so I was put on a gluten fast. It took me three weeks to see any benefit and my symptoms actually got worse during that time. Another thing, weird though it seems, you get cravings for things your allergic too so I felt hungry a lot more than usual because my body was missing the gluten. Three weeks later all my symptoms cleared up. I then pigged out on gluten and two days later I was all crocked up again.
I'm sure there will be lots of people that a gluten free diet won’t help. However, I'm equally sure that there will be more people like me who have been wrongly diagnosed. During the ten years I suffered with FM and colitis, I saw five doctors and nine specialists and not one of them made the connection with gluten.
I know this is not the answer for everyone but I am living proof that it is for some. Believe me, it's worth checking out. It’s a pain having NCGS but trust me, it's a hell of a lot better than FM.