Gluten Free

After having one of the most severe reactions to fluoride today I feel inclined to blog about it. Having been absent since my first post I am annoyed at myself for neglecting this blog. It was supposed to help me document my health and I haven't bothered. 

Anyway today is a new start. 

Five days ago I went gluten/wheat free. I don't know if I'm a coeliac but having read a lot of things about my symptoms I feel it is the best thing for me to do. Since last posting I've diagnosed myself as having a Thyroid problem. Trying to get the doctors to admit it is almost impossible without having 'abnormal' blood tests. My TSH is 1.9 and that's apparently ok, even though it proven most thyroid patients don't feel better until there TSH comes down to at least 1. Am awaiting results of further tests however I'm not holding my breath. 

I live in an area where the water is highly fluorinated. Fluoride is known to suppress the thyroid, (Years ago they treated hyperthyroid patients by bathing them in fluorinated water). Therefore if I'm suffering ill affects of fluoride it's highly likely I've got thyroid problems too. I have 76/124 classic hypothyroid symptoms. But apparently that's not enough to diagnose me. 

What I have found whilst researching is that thyroid patients are recommended to eat a gluten free diet, fluoride toxicity suffers experience problems with gluten and also people who have O blood groups are prone to thyroid problems and should avoid gluten and grains! 

Since I have O blood I thought everything's pointing me in the right direction and started my gluten free diet Saturday. 
My following days have been very interesting.
From Day 1 I noticed no bloating in my stomach and the constant need to eat seemed to disappear. I could also breathe from my nose for the first time ever!
Day 2 was more of the same. 
However Day 3 was different. Even though I felt better within myself things didn't feel right. I began to get stomach pains, and chest tightness like when I had gallstones a few years ago. I researched online and found it probably to be one of the 2 things: Either it was an allergy to a product that was in gluten free foods that I was now readily consuming. Or it was the gluten withdrawals! 

Apparently gluten acts like an opiate. It blocks the brain from feeling pain. So after the first few days of your system being cleansed of gluten, the actual pain you should have been feeling all along suddenly shows itself. Not pleasant at all.  

Decided to persevere for a day, however continued reading made me think twice.
 Will be traveling to New York in a months time for my friends wedding. Also planning a short trip to visit my mum and sister in 10 days time. Thinking its going to be difficult to stick to my new diet in both places I should abstain for now.  Apparently once off gluten it's very difficult to go back, and seeing as I was only on day 5 and at home I thinking the side affects won't be too bad and manageable.

The other consideration was the test for coeliac disease. You need to have consumed a gluten diet for the last 6weeks in order for the test to be accurate. Since I've not yet been tested I can now have the 6weeks of eating gluten, then test when I come back. 

So yesterday evening was my first time back on the gluten. And I could tell instantly there was  a problem. My stomach swelled up to at least 3 times the size. I felt very uncomfortable. This morning I awoke with a sore throat, I hadn't had one since sat. When I had some cereal I couldn't stop sneezing. 

I had been feeling so much better, more energy, clearer brain altho still aching my joints are less painful. Even had a normal period! (that may be coincidence tho)

But one of most severe responses was when u had my shower today. Having suffered rashes for many years, after finding out about fluoride in water I've noticed the connection. And after showering I get rashes all over, noticeably in the places the water hits most. After having not much reaction to  Monday's shower, when I got out today my face was awful. It was bright red and swollen, sometimes it's just a few blotches today it was all over. Never before had I felt them, today it was agony. It was really sore to touch, and my lips were cracked and swollen.
All I can put this down to is that because my body is fighting off the gluten allergy is it more reactive to other contaminants like the fluoride.

So now I am concerned about the regression I know I will make.  The brain fog will return and I'll be a depressed, anxiety ridden swollen mess. However the knowledge that I just have to put up with it for 6 weeks will hopefully ease the suffering. 

I still feel like everything's a bit chicken and egg. Not knowing what came first, the Thyroid problem? The Fluoride? Or was it my blood type? Or even my gallstones 3 years ago? What was the initial factor that sparked off all the others? 
Answer at the moment is I really don't know. I maybe never will. But that won't stop me looking :)