Last Day!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I realized that it's been forever since my last post. Not too much has occurred since then, except for the fact that today is my last day of ever having to eat gluten by choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited, and regardless of whether this is gluten sensitivity or Celiac, I am no longer going to ingest this poison of my own volition. Needless to say, my diet has gone to pot since I've allowed myself free reign to eat whatever I want that has gluten in it since starting tomorrow, I no longer am going to be eating those things. Here's hoping the fatigue, the clumsiness, the lack of ability to focus, the pain in my side, the GI problems, and the problems I've been having with my skin clear up. I noticed yesterday how blotchy my skin is from just these past few weeks. I can't believe that there is that much difference between a non-gluten diet and a gluten one. Let me upload the pics for you so you can judge for yourself.

Time for Thomas the Tank Engine

Just a week and a half more of this self-inflicted torture of eating gluten. I'm so glad it's almost done. I've already started considering cancelling the endoscopy just so I won't have to put up with this anymore. This week, the wheezing started. I couldn't even walk half a mile before I was breathing heavily. That's just pathetic when just a couple of weeks ago I ran 6 miles and was barely winded! Now the pain attacks in the side are getting more frequent. It's not to the point of agony yet, but it'll get there soon enough. Is it really worth all this pain on my body to know whether or not I have Celiac disease? But since I'm so close, why give up now? It's time to start telling myself "I think I can. I think I can. I know I can," because I know I can do this. Time to dig deep and find out what I'm made of, I guess. I will get through this and then I will be gluten free for the rest of my life. If others with supsected Celiac disease can push through this, then so can I.

Day Six aka Bread Baby

Day six of the gluten gorge fest is almost to an end, and the symptoms keep piling up. Yesterday I noticed some super dark circles under my eyes that make me look as though I haven't slept in eons (that or that look like my boyfriend has taken to using my face as a punching bag. Definitely not the case. Poor guy. Good thing the glasses hide the circles.) Also, I noticed yesterday that I'm becoming withdrawn almost immediately after gluten consumption. I stop participating in conversation and just sit quietly, lost in my own little world. The worst thing, though, is now I look like I'm ready to give birth. And in a way I am, only this time it's not to a real baby, thankfully, but to a bread baby. I am so bloated right now and actually look like I'm about five to six months along. Those are the only new symptoms today, thankfully. Just a couple more weeks until I'm done forever with this nonsense!

Day Three

Not really too much new in terms of symptoms to report today. It's only day three, but I am not experiencing exhaustion. I normally sleep about seven hours a night with no naps throughout the day, and so far today I have taken a one-hour nap and a two hour nap. This is on top of sleeping perhaps 8-9 hours last night. The sad thing is, I'm still tired. Also, the wheezing I had before is started to come back. I just climbed up the stairs and was starting to wheeze. Fun. At least I'm one day closer to the endoscopy with biopsy!

Traveling and Going Back on Gluten

Sorry for the long delay in posting. I went back to Indiana this past weekend for a good friend's wedding. Congrats to those two! It's so nice to see two people who are so in love decide to bind themselves together in such a way if that is their desire. :)

While I was traveling, I only got sick once thankfully. The unfortunate part was that the two friends I was traveling with bore witness to what contamination does to me. I was thrashing around on the bed, crying, and clutching my side for some time before the attack wore off. Thank God that was the only time I got sick while traveling!

Now, however, it's back to eating gluten. I started yesterday, and I have to say that I am surprised. The pain has been bearable, to say the least. It is a lot less than when I only ingest a miniscule amount of gluten. The flip side is that I seriously look like I'm drunk. Since I started eating this nefarious protein again, I have been experience some neurological problems. I have a tingling sensation in my hands and feet and have a very difficult time maintaining my balance. I have had to have by phenomenal boyfriend spot me and hold on to me every time I use stairs because if not, there is a good possibility of me falling either down or up the staircase, depending on the direction I'm going. Also, the haze in my brain is slowly setting back in. My attention span is beginning to decrease. Then there are a couple of GI problems as well. I won't go into too much detail, but should anyone read this who might consider getting tested, I'll include what happens to me. That doesn't mean that you'll experience my symptoms, but I sincerely hope they provide you with a starting point. As for the symptoms, my stomach gurgles right after I eat bread/gluten containing products. It is a veritable symphony. This morning, the changed in bowel habits started. I went from being constipated for a couple of days, which meant I should have had hard stools, to already having one easy bowel movement this morning.

So, one day down, 20 or so more to go before the procedure. Part of me wonders if getting an official Celiac diagnosis is worth the possible insurance hassle of having a pre-existing condition for insurance purposes, but then by not having it, how much do I hurt myself and my future kids. Thoughts?