I thought I would post a further update. I have continued on a gluten free diet, now for 18 days, and my PN symptoms are massively reduced. I still have a little bit of residual tingling and numbness, but it is nothing in comparison to what I had just a couple of weeks ago. I am hoping for a further recovery, but I suspect some damage might be permanent.

My intestinal problems have also abated, but the progress is less dramatic. I had daily diarrhea for more than five years along with bloating, gas, and discomfort, particularly at night. Now I have less bloating and gas, and my bowel movements are sometimes semi-formed rather than just runny. I am guessing that it will take more time for my intestines to heal.

Things might have progressed faster if I had not made the mistake of taking a vitamin supplement that contained wheat starch. I did that for five days. I guess it can be tricky to avoid gluten.

I should add that I have not been diagnosed with celiac disease. I went on a gluten free diet because I suspected that celiac or gluten sensitivity might be the cause of my neuropathy. My doctors ruled out out most other causes, and this week they investigated me for cancer but did not find anything. My doctor finally ordered an exam of my small intestine and colon to look for evidence of celuac, but I am in Germany, and my wait for this produre is several months. I think if I waited for an official confirmation of celiac disease before beginning my diet, I would end up with a lot of nerve damage.

Anyway, I am doing well for an old guy who never cooked for himself. I really followed a very benign diet these last weeks, consisting almost exclusively of chicken, fish, cooked veggies, and bone broth. Note that I avoided dairy, grains, legumes, nuts, and nightshade vegetables, so I was pretty close to the auto-immune protocol diet. As my intestines return to normal — like maybe when I have a normal bowel movement — I will add other foods to my diet. I think I probably overdid it with this diet. Probably just about any gluten free diet would have worked.

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