[SAmama]

I am pretty sure we need to do Gaps as a family. This past week we started doing the full Gaps and I want us to do it for a month or so and then do the intro. BUT we are all struggling. DH is achy and tired. DD's (5 yo) eczema has EXPLODED (she has always had it, nevermind what we avoid) and she wakes up about 5 times a night (normally about twice). DS (16 mos and mostly nursing, eating bites here and there) has been waking up 6 times a night, mostly screaming. Also, they are even more emotional, screamy, fighting and clingy. I feel okay, but not great. The first few days I felt like rubbish. And hungry.

So, is this die-off already? I am baffled, because we are not pure at all yet - 2 cups of coffee still for dh and me, I had mead once last week and a glass of dry wine. Also had dark chocolate once (dh even more!). And we are still doing sprouted lentil pancakes for breakfast (just no honey), a banana a day each and loads of veggies. Also not really more of one thing than before... other than maybe a bit more broth and meat. So, we are not super low-carb yet and we are not overdoing something. Also, we have been gf/cf/sf TF for more than four years, with loads of fat. So, what is up? Anyone ideas?

 

[SAmama]

No-one, really? Any experience that I can learn from?

I am feeling better and more energetic, but the rest of my family is still a mess.

 

[lookatreestar]

i have no clue. we aren't doing gaps but more of primal/paleo but its hard for me to tell die off vs cranky/over tired/getting sick.

 

[Aegis]

We just started GAPS on Monday, so I only have 3 days of experience of actually being on the diet (sorry). I think it's possible it could be die-off. My son had a stomach bug on the weekend, and he would only eat bone broth and the meatballs I boiled in the broth. He ate that for two days (we should have just started him on the Intro then...) and that second night, he woke up very upset in the middle of the night. Last night, my daughter, who is doing a modified Intro with me, woke up screaming as well.

In the GAPS Guide, the author said she looked at emotional changes rather than changes in bowels as a cue to what's going on. I know you're not doing the Intro diet just yet, but maybe it's still applicable on the full diet.

Were there any foods that you completely cut out? We were GFCFSF too, and a lot of the GF foods still have a lot of starches.

Are you doing detox baths? Your DH might benefit from an Epsom salt bath since he's feeling achy. It might also help the kids sleep better at night. On the nights my kids woke up, they hadn't done the Epsom salt bath. Just a thought.

I hope it gets better for you quickly.

 

[Lazurii]

That sounds like die-off to me. I started GAPS last Saturday (we're on day 6 now). I think even with the cheating you're still killing off tons of yeast. I'm so sorry that things are uncomfortable for you guys!

I just wanted to add, listen to your body! The first few days of the diet I didn't want to eat any meat unless it had a lot of fat or connective tissue on it. Thinking about it made me feel ill. So I filled up on fats and veggies and broth. Last night I think I overdid the fat because I wasn't digesting it very fast (kept burping and tasting it, yech) and I almost threw up. Now all I want is meat, veggies, and broth!

And after you start adding more veggies back into your diet it helps out so much. I had some tomatoes today in my soup and it was fabulous.

 

[Ravenlunatic]

Yes it's die off. It gets easier and easier to tell exactly what food gives what symptom and if it is truely die off or instead a reaction to a certain food. Right now, and for several weeks (or months) your body will be going through lots of changes... and so will your emotions and moods (triggered by foods craved & foods eaten). You can go crazy triing to figure it all out since in the begining it seems random sometimes. I think it is. For example you may do GAPS for six weeks and have die off and then feel better, then cheat and recognize a new symptom and then do really well again and then out of nowhere you have pain and nauseau and headaches, or diharia and skin issues and really be baffled. As your body clears out you can have exactly the symptoms of eaten a trigger food. It can be frustrating. Good Luck

 

[raksmama]

It sounds like die off too me too except you say you are still eating bananas,chocolate so I don't think that is it. It is my understanding that die off happens when you cut out all forms of sugar.

I have not done GAPS yet and am intrigued because it seems like a good thing.

 

[Lazurii]

I've had die-off reactions before while still consuming sugars, especially if I'm taking something probiotic like water kefir or sauerkraut.

 

[simplykate]

It's die-off. When I started full GAPS about 16 months ago I didn't cut back on fruit at all and drank a glass of wine every evening as well as coffee in the morning. My die-off was INTENSE for quite awhile, like I was so tired I couldn't get out of bed. And for the first six months and longer I would have rounds of die-off every few weeks. In between I would feel good. Reactions are very individual and you've got to just kind of go with your gut. It's hard at first but SO worth it! Hang in there!

Kate

 

[SAmama]

Wow, thanks for all the replies. I haven't been around for a while, hence the silence. DH and I started feeling better about 10 days into the diet (although still cheating, ha!). Then we traveled last week and had waaay more fruit than we would have here. All of us got grumpy, foggy brains, bloating and DH and I gained weight, in a week! Now we are back home to our broth and fatty meat. The first few days back were hard again and all of us got colds. My kids also got stomach bugs while we were away. Now that we are home DD is finally back to normal, but DS, whose cold is terrible and who is getting four teeth at the same time, is mainly bfding. His diapers at least don't smell so foul anymore, but they are real weird. So, I will go with die-off then, which makes me think we need to take things sort of slow.

Aegis, we have actually been slowing down on grains the last few months. Mostly we had grains for breakfast maybe once a week when we didn't have lentil pancakes and maybe once of twice more, mostly when we were eating with friends. And beans/peas maybe two or three times a week. We did eat a lot of sweet potato and potatoes. I didn't think it would make such a big difference, but I guess we weren't digesting them very well, even with soaking and sprouting.

So, I am actually excited about this, even though we have bad symptoms. We have a lot of healing to do and I know it will take time, which I was nervous about. But now that we have started and seen results, I am very motivated. If all goes well we will do the intro in September, although I will do a modified one, seeing that DS is still getting most of his nutrition from me.