How long to do you need to be gluten free to know if it is working?

[lucylocks]

Hi

I have been gluten free now for seven weeks and have not notice any improvement in my symptoms.

I have high antibodies, just under top of the range, so thought I would try G.F. Should I have noticed any improvement by now?

Thank you.

[Scazzoh]

It takes six months for gluten molecules to leave the body completely, so I would give it a while longer yet. If you don't feel any improvement, there seems no point persevering. Your antibodies are within range, so you may not have autoimmunity anyway.

[lucylocks in reply to Scazzoh]

Thank you for your reply,

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY 95.770 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 32.02 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

I take 2 grains NDT. and the peroxidase antibody had risen from 27.5 since starting NDT.

[Scazzoh in reply to lucylocks]

They do fluctuate so it's difficult to tell and gluten is not the only trigger: gliadin in dairy, toxic burden including amalgam fillings, untreated infections, parasites, viruses and stress can all cause inflammation.

[lucylocks in reply to Scazzoh]

Oh it gets more and more complicated.

I did have, what I thought was a virus around the time the A.B. rose and a member on here said it may have infact been a hashi attack, but by T3 dropped so I am not sure what it was.

[SilverAvocado in reply to lucylocks]

Lucylocks, being just inside the range doesn't mean you have high antibodies, it means they are low.

That range is for people who DON'T have Hashimotos, anyone whose numbers are outside the range does have Hashimotos. This is the way ranges usually work - being inside the range means you don't have the illness.

[lucylocks in reply to SilverAvocado]

Thank you SilverAvocado.

My antibodies are, as below, both in range but near top of range especially Peroxidase, which have risen to 32 from 27. Someone on another forum said I could have hashi's because they are high in range. This is what is confusing me.

So if Peroxidase were 35 I would have hashi's but because they are 32 I do not.

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY 95.770 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 32.02 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

[SilverAvocado in reply to lucylocks]

I don't know too much about this, because I don't have Hashimotos. But many people on the forum do, so hopefully someone will guide you about this!

I was going going to copy my own results for you to show you what it looks like for someone who doesn't have Hashis at all, but then realised as I have no thyroid it's probably not representative, as the antibodies would have nothing to attack. But mine are very small numbers, often single digits.

I don't know what a 'healthy' person would be expected to look like. But those ranges are somewhat arbitrary, it's fuzzy who has it or not.

The other thing is that this test can have false negatives. Sometimes the antibodies are lower than others, and so the test gives a lower number. But if the test ever shows positive you know you have it. So it may be that if you retest again in the future you'll be able to confirm you have it.

Although most people woukd be happy to have lower antibodies, as the antibodies themselves can make you sick.

[Marz]

Do you have any gut issues ? It is impossible to know what is going on in the yards and yards of gut - sorry I am not metric It took me three years of being gluten free before the anti-bodies lowered - but then I do have Crohns as well. They were also very high at diagnosis back in 2005.

[lucylocks in reply to Marz]

I get lots of flatulence, heart burn, bloating, Now I think about it, my bloating has been less since going G.F. the only thing that has improved.

[Marz in reply to lucylocks]

That means your gut is happier - happy guts are healthier guts

Heart burn is often due to low acid and to do with the stomach - not the gut. Maybe do some reading up on low acid and see what you think .... Also when stomach acid is low foods hang around for too long as they cannot be broken down which can make you feel bloated.

[lucylocks in reply to Marz]

Sorry to sound thick Marz but I thought the stomach was the gut.

[Marz in reply to lucylocks]

youtube.com/watch?v=fidmq0L...(Not working as expected?)

So it is the stomach and the intestines which I usually refer to as the gut - apologies for any confusion !!

IGNORE the chat ! I went for the illustration !! didn't have the sound on - SORRY !

[Scazzoh]

It's a tough call. You could say your antibodies are OK and ignore them, or think, this might be the start of Hashi's and take steps to address it. Your gut sounds like it has improved somewhat. Here is an article by Kris Kressner who is a functional medicine practitioner who takes the view that healing the gut can also heal the thyroid. He discusses the link to Hashimoto's as well.

chriskresser.com/your-gut-m...

I am following the autoimmune protocol (AIP) and wish I'd discovered it years ago.

saragottfriedmd.com/is-the-...

[lucylocks in reply to Scazzoh]

Thank you Scazzoh,

yes suddenly realised when replying my stomach is not quite so bloated.

I will have a read of the links, the AIP sounds interesting.

[Boohbette17 in reply to Scazzoh]

I follow follow Dr.Sara Gottfried MD too! I have no doubt my antibodies halved due to her protocols!!😊

[Scazzoh in reply to Boohbette17]

Haven't heard of her. Will look her up. Ta.

[Boohbette17 in reply to Scazzoh]

Hello & Im sorry to just get back to you

Scazzoh - i fell asleep Im in the US & receive thyroidUK notifications around 2aEST.. Yes! Please take a look at Dr.Sara's website reset360.com or dr.saragottfriedMD.com --- I believe you'll like it 😊 oh! And she's on YouTube & Facebook as well .

Take care🌺

[Scazzoh in reply to Boohbette17]

Will do. Thanks for the heads up.

[researcherUK]

I started to feel better within a week. By the of end it, I had lost 1.75 kg which we all know that it couldn't be fat but water retention and inflammation. Improvement continued. 4 years now and I have never turned back. I ought to add that I was tested and several times for Celiac's and all biopsies, colonoscopies, endoscopies, and blood tests all came negative.

[lucylocks in reply to researcherUK]

Thank you,

I have had two blood tests for Celiac and both came back negative.

I will give G.F. longer and I hope I see some improvement.

[researcherUK in reply to lucylocks]

I was told off by all doctors that I was seeing, once I decided to go GF, to include one of the most famous functional doctors. Their rationales, initially, were that all my tests came negative.

My research indicated that the wheat we have been consuming these days is different from the one that I ate as a child and that it was impossible to fully digested even with a strong and healthy stomach acid levels. So, it stays in the guts, upsets its bacterial balance, and hits on protective 'cheesecloth' within the gut barrier as well as the villi.

Some additional and important factors, if I may add, that will contribute positively:

1/ avoid all grains (rye, millet, spelt, sorghum). Gluten presents itself in around 200 forms/proteins, for example, Gliadin in Wheat; Hordein in Barley, Secalin in Rye, Avenin in Oats.

2/ all stored bought/processed foods and sauces. For example, Ketchup has gluten, certain ice creams, etc.

3/ do not replace gluten with gluten-free replacement foods.

4/Add thiamin, B1 vitamin to your diet. Start with 100 mg and then go up to 300 mg.

5/ Supplement with selenium as selenium-methionine 200 mcg daily and for 6 months. Selenium is a powerful anti-oxidant, help with the conversion of T4 and T3 and has a strong effect on reducing thyroid anti-bodies. Furthermore, it has a protective effect against mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metal toxicities.

Often you need 6 months and bit more to reap all benefits from a GF diet and for the internal inflammation to calm down.

[lucylocks in reply to researcherUK]

Hi

I was also told off by my Doctor for going G.F. he said there was no need for it as I was not Celiac. He said if you are not Celiac then going G.F. is an unhealthy diet and it had been proven by some survey or the other.

Thank you for all the info. I have been eating G.F. bread and yesterday got one by Schar, ate two slices yesterday and two today and feel quite sickly now. Not sure if it is the bread or not.

[Boohbette17 in reply to lucylocks]

Sorry to hear that lucylocks, but I suspect it is the bread. AND I wouldn't be surprised dairy ( casein) you are reactive too. I found out I was 7x to casein(dairy) & 3x to gluten.

[Josiesmum in reply to lucylocks]

I think many people who go GF inadvertently cut out fibre. Fibre is essential for gut health so replace wheat with lots of veggies. Other things which may help are A2 milk (easier to digest than normal milk), probiotics e.g. Biokult, homemade kefir etc. With probiotics, bloating can be worse for a couple of weeks before you see an improvement.

In range antibodies are completely normal so please don't be alarmed at having them!

[lucylocks in reply to Josiesmum]

Hi Josiesmum.

many thanks for replying, I do eat lots of veggies.

I will look at the A2 milk. I do take a probiotic.

As my antibodies are in range, albeit high in range does this mean I do not have hashi's?

[Josiesmum in reply to lucylocks]

My understanding is that your level of antibodies is normal.

[Boohbette17 in reply to researcherUK]

Just want to say Hi to you researcherUK 😃

[researcherUK in reply to Boohbette17]

Thanks so much, Boohbette17, very much appreciated! Big smile, too. Have a great day!

[Boohbette17 in reply to researcherUK]

Thanks! Have a wonderful day too 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Being negative for coeliac doesn't mean much.

A) the blood test is notoriously unreliable. Only endoscopy is true test. But only 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac

B) with Hashimoto's gluten intolerance and/or leaky gut leading to molecular mimicry are the causes. Over 80% that try it say it's an improvement (according to Izabella Wentz)

If you retest antibodies after 9 months they may have started to fall

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/why-changi...

[lucylocks in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for all the links SlowDragon,

I will have a good read this evening.

[maxart]

I would recommend completely grain free rather than just gluten free. There are multiple issues with grains, not just gluten, and grains other than wheat have proteins almost identical to gluten that are equally harmful.

The grain free way is also low carb, with no processed food. You may also need to address damage to the gut that won't heal completely on its own. High strength probiotics will help (at least 30bn CfU and as many strains as possible) with prebiotic Fibre such as inulin.

Phytates in grain also impair absorption of essential minerals, which is of particular importance for those of us with thyroid issues. Lots of this is searchable on wheatbellyblog.com

[lucylocks]

Hi maxart,

mazy thanks for replying,

by grain free, do you mean no rice, no oats?

I do take a very good probiotic.

Thank you for the link, I will have a read of it.