My journey with coeliac disease started in 2020, just after lockdown. Before then I had always been active and a healthy weight however, during lockdown things changed for me.
My symptoms started with weight loss, I would struggle to eat meals. For example, I would go to have dinner and after the first few mouthfuls I would feel sick and full.
So I began to eat a lot less, another change I noticed was that after eating food and meals in particular my stomach would make a lot of noises, like a gurgling sound.
Along with that, I suffered from bloating and inconsistent bowel movement. I also was constantly tired, no matter how much sleep I got it was never enough!
After ignoring my symptoms for months my mum asked me why I wasn’t eating as much as she was getting worried about my weight as I had lost all my muscle and was very thin.
I then made a phone appointment with the doctors to find out what was going on with my body. I arranged blood tests at the hospital and I had no idea what the issue would be.
I remember so vividly receiving the phone call whilst I was in TKMaxx with my friend, this is when I found out I had the antibodies for coeliac disease.
This came as such a shock, I had never heard of it and to understand it was to do with gluten I realised my lifestyle was about to have a major change.
It was funny because we always thought my sister would have a gluten intolerance rather than me as she had suffered from bloating badly for a while but luckily for her she does not have issues eating gluten!
I was booked a few months later for an endoscopy for December which would officially diagnose me with coeliac disease, so I carried on eating gluten until then.
The endoscopy was not a pleasant experience, especially during covid having to go through it alone. I was then given the results on my 19th birthday, where I was told I do have coeliac and I will never be able to eat gluten again.
I don’t think people realise how hard that is to be told until you go through something like that yourself. It is such a big lifestyle change and so daunting!
The reason I made GF Together is because I found my first few years SO lonely with coeliac, I wasn’t aware of the community there is online! You really are left to your own devices, once you’ve had the call with the dietitian that’s it, you’re on your own to figure it out!
This is why I want to bring the community of coeliacs together, no-one is alone, no matter where you are in your journey, whether you have coeliac or just prefer to cut gluten out your diet for preference, we are all learning and supporting one another!
I found eating easier when I first left home for university, I shopped at Aldi for all the cheap bits like vegetables, meat and milk and then went to Asda for the gluten free bits! This was how I shopped for my first year, which was not easy and something I know many people do!
But having to cook and feed myself was a great time for me, as it meant I discovered products and the best shops for GF. I also really gave bread a go, before I had always just avoided it as all the brands I had tried were horrible! It was a big learning curve for me!
So, this is why I’m here writing this today, to help others and form a strong community of coeliacs, GF intolerances and those wanting to cut gluten out for their own reasons! The communities and support on social media are amazing and I hope that the future of gluten free products and lifestyle continues to get easier!
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