Extreme disability
Unable to Walk without Severe Pain

by Judy
(Tennessee)

After years of pain and various medical procedures / medications, I am finally a self-diagnosed gluten survivor.

I was certain that I would be in a wheelchair very, very soon. I was diagnosed with a severe type of arthritis for a number of years which was the plight of my mother and hers (both in wheelchairs).

NSAIDS were my main prescriptions, although I knew that during my "inflamations," the pills didn't even scratch the surface.

It just didn't make sense to me or my many doctors / specialists that my mobility problems that came and went and eventually were there daily, were anything other than a lower back / arthritis issue. My husband was the one that thought my problems were related to what I ate.

Although originally, I had severe abdominal spasms that left me unable to stand up straight or bend for days at a time, later all the issues became solidly from the hip down to my calves. I walked like a robot in severe pain, could not bend my legs enough to get in the car to drive, could not stand erectly. It felt like it was my muscles, not my joints.....still the arthritis diagnosis.

I was told that my desk job contributed to my issues and that I should exercise more. I tried to exercise; it was excruciatingly tough, but I did try. The fatigue and pain had me crying and planning what I could do without a job and a life of disability.

Finally, at my husband's urging, I asked for a celiac test ---- it came back negative. By the time the test came back negative, I had been on a gluten-free diet for one week and was walking normally.........not perfectly, but 98% better and the pain was virtually gone. I don't care that the test was negative and the doctor told me that my issues were not related to celiac disease.

I KNOW NOW that gluten was causing all my problems. I also know that it sounds crazy to most people (my friends and family), but I DON'T CARE!!! I will NEVER touch a speck of gluten again in my life -- on purpose!!!

I hope that my endless story helps someone else. Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss more. judynak@comcast.net