Still coeliac. Go me.

[simont]

Just came back from the hospital, where I had my six-month follow-up appointment after being declared coeliac in February. I said I hadn't noticed much difference in everyday life since going on the diet; perhaps I need a bit less sleep than I used to, but perhaps not, and not by much in any case. The gastroenterologist pointed out that I was gradually gaining weight in spite of having stopped pigging out on pizza and Chinese takeaways, and that this probably implies that I'm absorbing nutrition better than I used to.

He stated that as if it was a good thing, but it seems somehow unfair to me. If I'd continued to eat pizza and lemon chicken and continued to get fat, fair enough, that's the price you pay for nice food. And if I'd gone on a diet and got thin again, that would be fair enough too. But the net effect of this gluten-free diet appears to be that I'm not allowed to eat pizza and Chinese and I still get fat, and regardless of subtle positive effects on my long-term health I can't help feeling a bit hard done by there.

Oh well. The good news is that he doesn't think it'll be necessary to have me unpleasantly poked and prodded a second time; a routine blood test should be adequate to confirm that my condition has improved as a result of the diet.

Comments

[mooism.livejournal.com]

Absorbing nutrition better? Or worse at burning it off? Oh, I suppose the gastroenterologist probably knows best.

[simont]

Apparently coeliac disease is fundamentally a condition resulting in failure to absorb nutrition properly, so absorbing it better is an expected effect of treating it.

[deliberateblank.livejournal.com]

If the rest of your system has gotten used to your intestines not absorbing nutrients as well, it may well have adapted by making more efficient use of those it does get. It may start to re-adapt now that it's getting more.

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

Hmph. Welcome to the lardarse club. I think my body must have been coeliac in a former life, and is trying to make up for it now..

[christhomas123.livejournal.com]

Are you a big fan of the cheese? It's the cheese that does it. It's lovely but it is simultaneously evil. (Or is cheese out?)

[simont]

I am a big fan of cheese, and cheese is most certainly in. (In fact, it's more important than ever: as a coeliac I am at increased risk of calcium and iron deficiencies and therefore my dietitian recommends that I make sure I eat plenty of cheese and beef. It's not all bad :-)

[christhomas123.livejournal.com]

Cheese & Beef. *drools at the thought of steak covered in cheese*

When I was dieting, it was the cheese that had to go - that's the thing that makes one put on all the weight.

But let's just think about that steak 'n' cheese for a moment... ;o)