AIP Success Story: Vitiligo & Alopecia with Chloe

I love reading success stories of autoimmune warriors on the AIP diet. Their very first steps, the challenges they overcame, all the way to the transformation they experienced. Such stories are encouraging, inspiring, and provide us with the motivation to continue on our own healing journey. It is my privilege to collect and share those stories on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! To submit your AIP success story, click here. To read more AIP success stories like this one, click here.

Chloe couldn’t stand anymore the incredibly dry and itchy skin associated with her autoimmune conditions. She struggled a lot when starting the Autoimmune Protocol, she made mistakes, had no medical support, but she kept on going. Her symptoms are gone now and she is a much healthier and much happier momma!

Diagnosis and Symptoms

• Autoimmune diagnosis: Vitiligo, alopecia, thyroid antibodies present in blood tests, iron deficiency anemia, dermatitis herpetiformis.
• Symptoms: Back 3 years ago I started getting itchy skin all over my body, no rash at this point. I had tests done at the doctors, everything kept coming back clear and I was told it was environmental, maybe something I was using, maybe the cold weather. I was given steroid cream. Sadly, I have realized many GP’s don’t yet recognize the link between diet and illness. During flare-ups my skin would become very itchy, I would get rashes, mild depression, and dry skin.
• How did your symptoms make you feel? How did they impact your life? During flare-ups, my mood is very low and I struggle with being around people.

AIP journey

• AIP start date: 2016
• How did you find out about AIP? What did you think of it when you first learned about it? Did you doubt that it would help you feel better? I read about the Autoimmune Protocol online. I felt a lot of relief that others were also going through what I was going through and that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t remember doubting it, I had read too much and it was too accurate for it not to work.
• At what point did you decide to commit to AIP? What made you take the plunge? What was the turning point for you? I wasn’t able to deal with the itchy skin anymore. It was a no brainer for me to make these changes. My health was suffering. Once I started the AIP diet, the changes I felt were too good to ever go back to my old ways.

First steps into AIP and challenges

• What were the first steps you took? This is where my research began. Months and months of reading. I had entered the world of leaky gut (increased intestinal permeability) and autoimmune conditions, only to realize that my symptoms were a lot more than just itchy skin. I was having bouts of alopecia, vitiligo, chronic fatigue, foggy brain, stomach cramps, dry flaky skin all over my body, unable to maintain iron levels, plus I have the antibody in my blood that will (or so I am told) attack my thyroid at some point in my life.  Acne, extremely heavy periods, cravings, continuously ill with coughs and colds, and no doubt more!
• What were the challenges you encountered when starting AIP and how did you overcome them? Lots of challenges. It took a lot of reading to do the research and a lot of tears. I made mistakes. I was feeling like I was failing. Thinking why me? I had no medical support. I kept on going though and kept reminding myself of the progress I had made. I am very fortunate to have a very supportive husband.

The transformation

• What transformation have you experienced on AIP? Have your symptoms improved? I eliminated gluten and dairy from my diet immediately and within days I noticed a huge difference. I had suffered from severe stomach cramps since the age of about 13, these got a lot worse into my 30’s. Well, to my amazement these crippling cramps stopped. Shortly after that, the itching stopped and my skin started to clear from the peeling and flaking. Followed by……. bundles of energy, feeling happier, no foggy brain (although I didn’t even realize my brain was foggy until I knew what it was like to have a clear head). Then, more long term, no more alopecia! I was able to stop my iron supplements after being on them for 4 years and maintain my iron levels myself. Today I am definitely happier and healthier. My lifestyle change regarding food has been amazing. Challenging? Yes. I am still learning and researching. I follow the AIP diet with some reintroductions. My diet is very much a combination of meat, mainly chicken, vegetables, sweet potato, and fruit. I drink almond milk and am able to tolerate eggs, thank goodness. My daily banana omelet for breakfast is amazing. My diet is very basic. I choose not to eat any of the GF options but maybe in time I’ll have more of an understanding of my trigger foods and introduce more into my diet.
• What would have happened if you had continued to eat/live like before? I’d be very poorly, unhealthy, and overweight.

Bigger impact on family and work-life

The Autoimmune Protocol has been amazing for me and my family too. It really has changed our lives. My husband is very supportive with my diet and has had very positive results for him too. He used to suffer a lot from back pain and knee pain. He can now make the connection between inflammatory foods and what triggers his pains.