Who else is gluten-free? Why did you start?

Almost 20 years ago, I was diagnosed with a weird form of inflammatory arthritis. I tried everything to get healthy again but no cocktail of medications helped. My rheumatologist suggested I get social support by participating in a message forum. I got so much important information from that site.

However, there was also a guy who, on every thread, insisted we try the "no starch diet". He was pretty insistent. Frankly, he was annoying about it. I thought, "If a change of diet was important, surely my rheumatologist would tell me about it."

After 7 years of being in a non-stop flare and hardly making any progress, I had to travel with family to Portland, OR for a family event. I figured while there, I'd try the "gluten-free thing" because I was pretty desperate to have anything work. Oregon waitstaff is very allergen conscious. They have to pass a test just to get the job.

After 3 days of eating gluten-free, so many of my non-arthritis symptoms disappeared. My chronic post-nasal drip cleared. My annoying IBS symptoms settled down. I felt mentally clearer. I felt pretty good! I still had arthritis and the associated pain but getting rid of my other health problems was worth giving up gluten products.

A year after I began eating gluten-free, my arthritis went into remission. Now if I accidentally get exposed to a gluten product (it is everywhere, even in make-up and toiletries!), my arthritis and IBS symptoms come roaring back. One slice of white bread would have me laid up in bed for a month.

What's your journey?