Signs to look for (and how to make them useful)
Symptoms matter most when you can tie them to a pattern.
Commonly reported signs after wheat-heavy meals:
- Bloating and gas
- Abdominal discomfort or cramping
- Fatigue or “sluggish” feeling
- Headaches
- Looser stools or urgency (for some people)
The best way to make this actionable is to track:
- What you ate (portion matters)
- When symptoms show up
- What changed in stool type (Bristol) and urgency
The poop-pattern angle (what to track)
Instead of trying to decode one bad day, look for repeatable correlations:
- Same-day urgency after wheat-heavy meals
- Next-morning loose stools (Type 5 to 7) after late wheat + alcohol nights
- Bloating without a stool change (a different kind of signal)
A simple log can look like this:
| What you ate | Timing | Stool pattern | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat-heavy meal | Same day vs next day | Bristol + urgency | Bloating/pain/fatigue |
Gluten vs wheat vs something else
A lot of people say “gluten” when they mean “wheat.” And even within wheat, different components can bother different people.
This matters because the next step is different:
- If the pattern is mostly bloating/gas, you may be reacting to something that’s not gluten itself.
- If you have persistent diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, or nighttime symptoms, consider evaluation.
What to do next
If you want a clean answer, run a careful test rather than guessing.