Hi To All,
I have submitted my story in as many places as possible in the hopes that others may be helped. I am offering more detail to you because you, like me, are a person with Vitiligo, and you may benefit more from my experiences. I have had Vitiligo since 1980. It started after a particularly stressful period in my life. I also learned that I had hypothyroidism about the same time. Thus, I am a typical person of autoimmune diseases.
I tried some type of cream in the 80’s where you had to be in the sun, but the treatment was more trouble than it was worth. Thus, by 1985, the Vitiligo spread on most of my hands, my elbows, knees and began to spot on the tops of my feet. After another stressful time in my life, 2003, and many migraines since the 1980’s I began to get muscle spasms, and ultimately, within 6 months, could hardly walk due to muscle atrophy. Moving any muscle was painful and difficult. Iron in my body had become extremely low and it was hard to maintain it. I was very depressed and cried daily due to the pain and the limited things I could do, having been a somewhat active person. My lower back began to hurt, I think, because my atrophic muscles no longer held up my structure properly.
After a colonoscopy, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease (another auto immune disease). However, the gastroenterologist said it wasn’t that bad to change my diet to gluten free. A back surgery and months later, my nurse husband happened to see a book, “Celiac Disease: The Hidden Epidemic” by Dr. Peter Green, an expert on Celiac Disease. He recommended that anyone who has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease remove gluten, totally, from their diet. I, also, read from Dr Mark Hyman’s books, that milk and sugar, as well as other foods like red meats are inflammatory foods and since I have an inflammatory disease, I removed gluten totally from my diet and decreased milk, sugar, and red meats. Vegetables and fruits are our best friends as well as other foods and spices. Since 2006, being gluten free, I noticed that very gradually, my Vitiligo began to disappear. My skin began to repigment after years of there being no pigment there. Also, my muscles regenerated over a period of about 6 months since I began the gluten free diet. I can move and walk freely now.
Back to the Vitiligo, now, 8 years later, my skin has repigmented about 60 to 70%. I get very few headaches and no more migraines. I think this is mostly, due to becoming gluten free. I know most people don’t want to wait 5 or 8 years to see progress, but it is important for you to know about my experience. I don’t think it has been researched nearly enough in connection to Vitiligo, and while they are trying to find cures, etc, I have never heard of one eliminating gluten (wheat, etc,) from their diet as harmful.
I hope this is helpful to you.
Sincerely,
Madelyn R.