Digestive Health Celiac Disease Nutrition How Long It Takes to Feel Better After Gluten-Free Diet By Jane Anderson facebook twitter Jane Anderson is a medical journalist and an expert in celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and the gluten-free diet. Learn about our editorial process Jane Anderson Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH on September 08, 2020 linkedin Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is board-certified in gastroentrology. He is the vice chair for ambulatory services for the department of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, where he is also a professor. He was the founding editor and co-editor in chief of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Learn about our Medical Review Board Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH on September 08, 2020 Print If you're about to start the gluten-free diet, the good news is that many people start to feel better within just a few days. However, that doesn't mean you'll be back to feeling absolutely normal within a week's time. It will take a lot more time to recover completely, especially if you had severe celiac disease symptoms prior to being diagnosed. Symptoms Improve at Different Rates Many people report their digestive symptoms start to improve within a few days of dropping gluten from their diets. Fatigue and any brain fog you've experienced seem to begin getting better in the first week or two as well, although improvement there can be gradual. Other symptoms, such as the itchy rash dermatitis herpetiformis, may take much longer to clear up. Celiac Disease Symptoms Hunger Can Be a Side Effect You may feel constantly hungry during the first several weeks you're gluten-free, and you may want to eat all the time. This is completely normal—it's your body's way of trying to make up for not having been able to absorb food. Your ravenous appetite should calm down eventually. Watch for Hidden Gluten Illustration by Brianna Gilmartin, Verywell You may also find that you feel significantly better for a few days after starting the diet, but then experience a strong recurrence of your symptoms. If this happens to you, check your diet for hidden gluten—it's quite possible you've accidentally ingested some. It's easy to make mistakes when first going gluten-free. Unfortunately, it's normal for your reactions to gluten—even to a tiny bit of gluten—to be very bad once you've gone gluten-free. You'll need to guard against gluten cross-contamination at all times, but don't worry, that soon will become second nature to you. Gluten Sources Unless a food is labeled gluten-free, be sure to read labels and check for the following sources of gluten: WheatDerivatives of wheat, such as wheatberries, spelt, farina, durum, graham, farro, emmer, semolina, khorasan wheat, and einkorn wheatRyeBarleyMaltBrewer's yeastTriticaleWheat starch Foods That Normally Contain Gluten Also, be aware of foods that commonly contain gluten, including: PastaCerealBreakfast foods such as pancakes, waffles, crepes, and biscuitsGranolaBreadsPastries, such as pie, donuts, and rollsCroutonsFlour tortillasCrackersBreadingBeerBaked goods, such as muffins, banana bread, and cookies Focus on Your Gluten-Free Nutrition You may need to address any celiac-caused malnutrition. Lots of people with celiac disease find they have vitamin and mineral deficiencies when they are diagnosed that can interfere with their well-being. Talk to your doctor about what supplements you should consider, and make sure to use only gluten-free vitamins. Why Untreated Celiac Disease Can Cause Malnutrition Feeling Completely Better Takes Time Although you should start to feel a little better quickly, it takes most people who were very sick prior to diagnosis a long time—months, usually—to feel completely "normal" again. Don't get discouraged if you don't bounce back immediately. As long as you continue to see gradual improvement, you're going in the right direction. However, if you don't feel as if you're making enough progress, talk to your doctor about your ongoing symptoms. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Following a gluten-free diet can be challenging. We're here to help. Sign up and receive our free recipe guide for delicious gluten-free meals! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Celiac Disease Foundation. Sources of gluten. Columbia University Medical Center, Celiac Disease Center. FAQs. Additional Reading Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. Diet: Gluten-Free Diet.