One week later...

So a week after taking wheat back out of my diet and I'm still feeling the effects. My joints are aching almost constantly and my muscles don't seem to be fairing much better.

I thought I would try a bit of light exercise and ended up with cramping calf muscles and had to stop. I'm persisting though, did some more today. I feel like my muscles have deteriorated and have been replaced with fat.

Also after the two weeks of wondering where my stomach symptoms had gone... well they are here. Hopefully its getting it all out of my system finally. I want it out of me!

Seem to have a cloudy head too... not sure how else to describe it. Find it hard to focus and keep mixing my words up... feel confused sometimes. Its very strange.

On wards and upwards though :) I am feeling better each day. Its slow progress but I'm getting there!

Day 14

Its over! Had my blood test and the nurse said he thinks 2 weeks is plenty. Hearing so many different things is confusing. On my notes it said 7-10 days. Well its done now. Get the results on Monday.

I've gone back to my gluten free diet. Still pretty rough at the moment. Legs ache and my joints are painful. The tiredness has lifted ever so slightly. I don't feel quite as lethargic.

For the last few days I started to feel so full and bloated I'm glad I can stop now because it began to get quite painful. Amazingly I've only gained just over 2lbs. I look and feel huge so assumed I had put in like half a stone! So that's a bonus.

Now to recover, hopefully in time for going back to work and my course.

I've done it!

Day 13

The last full day done! Just breakfast tomorrow then the blood test!

I still felt full and bloated when I woke up. Stomach pains too. I'm so glad today is the last one... seriously not sure I could bloat any more... I feel so close to exploding!

Today:
- no crashing out :)
- headache
- stomach pains
- bloated
- lower back and hip pain
- kinda upset stomach but not too bad
- lethargic
- lack of concentration
- queasy
- light headed
- heart racing

I cannot wait to have a nice salad tomorrow or soup... something light. I'm feeling pretty crappy at the moment.

I wonder how long it will take for me to start feeling more myself...

Day 12

I had pasta for dinner and it feels like my stomach can't possibly hold anymore. I feel huge and I'm so bloated. I look pregnant! ...pasta is evil.

I don't know how people can possibly do this for the 6 weeks or even 3 months some doctors recommend. I feel like I'm so full of wheat that I'm ready to burst.

So today:
- queasy
- full/bloated
- lethargic
- headache
- dehydrated
- stomach pains
- dizzy
- light headed
- heavy legs
- racing heart
- shooting pains in stomach
- lower back ache

Blood test Wednesday. I must fit more in!

Day 11

Struggled to sleep again last night... insomnia? Wonder if that is a symptom.

My anxious feelings are continuing. Had heart palpitations today and a racing heart. I'm glad this is over soon. I don't want all those old feelings to come back.

Today:
- headache
- queasy
- dry skin
- aching legs/hips
- fatigue
- heart palpitations
- crashed out
- heavy muscles
- anxious feelings
- stomach pain

Thought my crashing out was getting better but today it hit hard after my roast dinner (big thank you to my boyfriend for cooking it for me, it was really tasty!). But better again this evening.

I can't wait for this to be over!

Day 10

I struggled to sleep last night because of pains in my elbow and shoulder joints. When I woke up I felt wobbly and dizzy.

Having said that today has been a better day. Less crashing out and I've been able to get up and do more.

...no movement 'down below' so still feeling bloated. I'm feeling like a balloon at the moment.

Today:
- heavy muscles
- pain in my lower arms
- headache
- backache
- joint pain
- tired/achy
- neck pain
- racing heart
- uneasy feeling

I'm surprised at how close these feelings match how I used to feel at uni when I didn't really know what was happening. I used to get so ill and just didn't know why.

I'm so glad I can end these feelings this time.

Day 9

A better mood today. Still got those anxious/uneasy feelings going on, but I'm trying to be more positive about what I'm doing. I will deal with things one step at a time.

I'm still surprised my stomach hasn't been upset so far but then I'm not going much at all so it seems to have gone the other way. Not my usual symptoms.

Today more of the same but my crashing out hasn't been as bad:
- heavy muscles
- shoulders hurt
- arms ache
- crashing out
- stomach cramps
- bloated
- uneasy feeling
- drowsy
- headache
- neck ache
- joint pain

5 more days to go!

Day 8

All of my old anxious and uneasy feelings I used to feel have returned. I always thought they were down to having anxiety issues... but I'm thinking the food I was eating could have caused some of these feelings or maybe made them worse.

I've also been quite tearful today. Having found out I could be doing all of this and its not actually anywhere near long enough has left me feeling low. My mood is so easily affected at the moment.

Today:
- backache
- right wrist pain
- clicking joints
- feel low
- feel weak
- anxious/uneasy feeling
- pounding heart
- crashing out
- light headed
- dry mouth
- queasy

Just plodding along at the moment. Eating and sleeping and just getting through each day.

Day 7

I'm half way through!

I think I have accepted the fact I seem to be crashing out after eating now. I've stopped trying to fight it and plan my day around it.

Had a few friends round and just arranged it for when I woke up after eating. Its funny how we are able to adjust.

Today much of the same... just a little more intense with the aches and pains:
- backache
- neck ache
- joint pain
- crashing out
- stomach cramps/spasms
- fizzy/tingling fingers/hands
- headache
- hazy head
- heart pounding

A friend that came over today said her doctors recommended 6 weeks at least for the blood test to be accurate. I wouldn't be able to work... I can't take 6 weeks off work and do this for that long!

Hoping 2 will be enough!

Day 5

I woke up and I felt hung over, dizzy and with lower back ache. I decided to have a GF breakfast but then thought I really need to do this properly so I had two biscuits afterwards. I almost chickened out!

So today I've had the biscuits, left over curry with naan and salad with a pork pie and a bit of pasta. The sleep/crashing out continued to happen.

After dinner I decided to try and stay awake to see what happened... It wasn't fun. Next time I'll let it happen and sleep. My heart was racing and I had an awful anxious feeling, my limbs felt heavy and my joints (especially my right wrist/thumb joint) ached like crazy. My stomach was painful too which is less after the sleep.

So today its again been much of the same:
- generally feeling crap/low
- heavy limbs
- joint pain
- queasy
- bloated and full even after going to the loo 4 times today!
- headache and neck ache
- stomach cramps
- sleep/crashing out
- chest pains
- racing heart
- anxious feelings

I can't wait for this to be over!

Day 3

Its been a tough one today. I don't think my body likes me anymore. It valiantly put up with everything I've been eating but today its put up a bit of a fight.

I've eaten Shreddies, a sausage roll, slice if cake and a curry with a naan. The naan really wiped me out and caused a fair amount of discomfort, the feeling made me quite panicky. The sleep after this meal was fitful.

So today:
- lots of sleeping/fitful sleep
- shooting pains in belly
- constipation
- tingling feeling in hands/fingers
- headache
- groggy head
- heavy limbs
- cloggy throat
- tingling in my face
- queasy
- dehydrated
- panic feeling

When I've eaten I tend to sleep quite soon after. Its a weird kind of sleep though. At times I'm aware of what is going on around me but I can't respond, like my mind is awake but my body has shut down. It is a very strange feeling.

I usually get an upset stomach with wheat but it seems to be the opposite this time... maybe it is the quantity, but it is equally as horrible!

After only three days its beginning to taking its toll. Only 11 more to go though!

My sisters birthday tomorrow so that will be something to look forward to :)