Gluten Intolerance and Behavior

Depression, Bipolar And All Other Celiac Crazies

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:57:54 -0800

First of all � I�ve been diagnosed bipolar, so please don�t be insulted by my choice of words.

I�ve suffered (or had suffered) from depression for a large number of years and was diagnosed bipolar a couple of years ago. Been on lithium ever since. But due to recent events I�m starting to wonder.

Firstly: WARNING WARNING don�t do this at home. I was daft enough so check with your doctor first.

My body has been rejecting the lithium medication. I�ve been finding it harder and harder to swallow the meds and then not remembering to take them. And I have been having horrendous problems with my thyroids and not knowing why. The rheumatoid arthritis would get really bad, and then the thyroids would go off. Next thing you know I�m on that �bad drug high� and I�m struggling to get thru the day.

As a result of accidentally reducing my lithium dosage my body was dealing with the whole lithium withdrawal thing. Then I made the conscious choice to stop. (Again, not the best idea, but when you�re desperate you try almost anything.) And now�

I�ve just had a horrendous week. It sucks when you�ve made a really huge stuff up and it�s your fault and you have to make amends. Making amends can make the depression and bipolar worse in my opinion. Usually (years ago) that meant I�ve literally been tied down on the couch for weeks or months with depression. This week tho, NO. Cried myself to sleep but still got up the next day, got into work early, worked my butt off in my job and trying to making amends with my colleagues. (I hope it�s working).

Weird thing: NO depression or bipolar symptoms. My glands are a fraction antsy but I can work with it. My joints are not in excruciating agony but are a little sore. (I�ve had a bad case of rheumatoid arthritis for the last couple of weeks. Real bad.)

I�ve been working on the theory that: candida to gluten (I�m non-celiac but bad gluten intolerant) to leaky gut to rheumatoid arthritis. Stress is a factor but not a trigger.

As I said, bad week emotionally yet dealing with it, no depression or bipolar, and hey, celiac diet so no intestinal issues and small RA and small thyroid. It�s there, but I�m dealing quite happily with it.

Question: has anyone who is celiac or gluten intolerant had the same experience? I know about the whole autism gluten intolerant casein intolerant cases in young children. Can depression, bipolar, learning difficulties (brain fog all over) be a lesser version of this in adults or just �older people�? Ie teenagers and up.

I�m past the point of asking doctors but realise may not get out of it.

Am ultimately hoping to learn that I'm not bipolar but need to acquire as much information as possible. So please share.

JamieSims

Gluten Symptoms (mental) Even When Not Glutened?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:22:04 -0800

Well, lately... I have been having my 'mental' gluten symptoms, without being glutened!

It is the same.. Depression, Severe mood swings, anger issues, mind fogginess and short term memory problems...

I know I am not getting gluten, or else I would be having my other symptoms.

Why is it staying all of the time?

Is this normal?

Please help, this is driving me CRAZY!

How To Make The Stomach Ache Go Away?...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:40:12 -0800

Hi! I am a new member of the gluten free forum and I have been feeling alone in my gluten free, dairy free lifestyle for a while. I'm also bumbed tonight because I accidentally ate some sausage that had gluten in in, and is now making me feel sick. I have been doing this for over a year and every once in a while I forget to read the ingredients and I pay the price. My stomach bloats up like a balloon and I get extremely constipated. Lately I have just been eating the same thing every day to cut back on the risk. Question for everybody.... is there any solutions after accidentally eating gluten to cut down on the pain and stomach discomfort?... I have found Gasx helps a little bit in the past but lately it doesn't seem to touch my stomach discomfort.

And yes, to everyone out there wearing the pregnancy shirts I can relate. Trying to be gluten free as well as starting up yoga have been the only way my stomach has slowly deflated. My husband was always teasing me about it which was horrible ( I had to cut him down to size).

But now I'm just worried that my monotonous daily eating routinue will have to continue forever more....

I would love anybody's advice or bits of knowledge

Stomach Ache After Glutened

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:52:21 -0800

I'd like to share my experience here,
I've had a few accidental bday cakes about 2weeks ago, then.... I started to have fever after few days and
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease about a week ago. I wonder if it's normal.

Cos I've never had it before going gluten-free, I started gluten-free diet about 8months ago,
this is the first time for me to have cake in 8months and I've never thought it'd be that bad.
sigh....I'd not let it happen again...but I do wanna know if anyone has the same exp as mine.
I really don't know what to do right now...I mean who would have thought I'd still feeling sick after 2 weeks....
Please advise. Thanks

Sex Drive After Going Gluten Free

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:02:23 -0700

I'm in a period of experimentation and trying to determine if any outside influences are affecting my sex drive, which has always been quite low. Has anyone noticed any difference in libido after going gluten free (I'm hoping for up rather than down..)?

Got Glutened And Now I'm Clinically Depressed

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:40:40 -0700

Last Sunday night I ate a kale salad with blue cheese. The next day I drank some Floradix, forgetting that one of their varieties has gluten in it. On top of that, it turns out my lipstick has wheat germ in it. Sigh.

First day of symptoms I felt like I was coming down with the flu, had a puffy face, circles under my eyes, and neuropathy in my left hand - nothing out of the ordinary for a reaction. But as the days went by my mood plummeted to a point where I was having suicidal ideation and anxiety attacks. Before I figured out my gluten intolerance/Celiac (never officially diagnosed, but might as well be considering how horribly I react), I was diagnosed with bipolar. Taking gluten out solved that problem. Anyway, I have meds left over, so I've been taking Zoloft and Ativan, which are helping. I also went to the gym and did a bunch of aerobic exercise to help with the anxiety.

Question: am I the only one who responds this badly? How long does it last?

I've been gluten-free and mostly soy and dairy free since March. I know that reactions can get worse as time goes by, but it has only been six months!

Surely I will get hit with this again and I'm scared to death. I've put a call into my shrink to work out a game plan that doesn't include checking me into a hospital.

How Long Is It Before You Feel The Emotional Effects Of Being Glutenened?

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:09:20 -0700

I was curious - how long does it take all of you to feel the emotional effects of being glutened? I got glutened this morning by a bowl of Kix which I believe must have had cross contamination. It's 3 pm now, and I've been feeling teary and depressed already. Whenever I'm accidentally glutened it usually takes a few hours for me to feel awful. I know there's been alot of talk about Kix and if it is gluten free or not. I won't be trying Kix again until if and when they officially label it as gluten free! This is horrible. Once I feel like this it takes at least a week for me to feel better again!

B12 Supplement Vs Adhd Medication?

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:45:12 -0700

Hey everyone,

Just want to say again that I love coming on this forum...feel like I learn something new every time I visit here, and I've been visiting this site a lot more lately. I've realized a lot of things about myself, but there's also puzzle pieces I'm still trying to put together here.

One of my bigger concerns right now is that I am almost positive that I have ADHD (family and close friends have also recommended that I get tested for it and get it ruled out, and I score nearly a 100% on all those self-evaluation quizzes online). So I'm very tempted to visit my PCP and get a prescription for a med that will help me focus more (and settle down a bit).

But I've also heard about the B12 supplements...how that will help individuals who are "borderline low". It's hard b/c I fee like I have those symptoms too (yes, I am eating gluten-free). I've seen a lot of posts from various members on this forum about the usefulness of B12 vitamins in ultimately resolving brain fog, inability to concentrate, etc.

So, here's my question: Do the B12 vitamins help with a brain fog that's constant? Because I actually don't have that constant feeling; I feel that for me it's more intermittent and that it happens sometimes when I don't always expect it. I"m beginning to learn what my triggers are, but I just can't pick up on a set pattern of WHEN it's exactly going to happen. Would a B12 supplement be useful for someone who only has intermittent, unexpected brain fog? Or would taking a long-term medication be better for my body? The gluten-free diet isn't enough; I have so many other intolerances too, and I really can't afford to be getting brain fog episodes at this time in my life anymore.

And would the B12 be enough to calm down my racing thoughts or jumping up every 2 minutes to do/get something that crosses my mind just to forget the purpose of what I was doing...? UGH!! I've always had a hard time focusing and concentrating but I've never been one to be really anxious/jumpy/have bad mood swings until recently.

Sorry for the long post, and thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!!

~ LadyC

Concerned!

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:45:45 -0700

After being nuts for so long because of celiac I feel almost embarassed and extremely hostile about so many things.

It is hard to explain really, I was hoping some people might just understand what I am talking about.

My school basically screwed me, I almost failed out of uni and paid out the ear to stay in. I feel abused and against their system on a fundamental level because basically as I see it I almost died from malnutrition, definitely went insane and had the worst few years of my life under the eye of their establishment... Which has been a huge struggle I am still trying to get money back from classes I did not even go to nevermind the 5 or so that I dropped and paid for in full.

relationships with family and friends have been stressed, went thru a lot of drugs when I was depressed and darned myself up even more.

Now I know to look forward but it is like I have to adapt a new way of thinking while a few years of my life were just written right off.

I am concerned about my capabilities. Am I less mentally able after what I went through? Was my development "retarded" because of the disease.

I guess it is hard to measure these things... But my physical reactions to the experience only leave me guessing about psychological/neurological problems.

Gray hairs, balding at 22... always been underweight finally starting to gain. Was always tired for a while, did not sleep at all for a whole month. Was unable to read at one point because I could not focus on a full sentence and remember it.

I feel so much better now but I realize little things mostly social things which make me feel ... stupid!!!!

Anxiety Gone In Less Than 24 Hours?

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:03:49 -0700

I have been gluten free (self-diagnosed) for over a month now, but the biggest mental change I have noticed is that I no long have high anxiety. It cleared up overnight. Of course I still worry about some stuff like "normal" people do, but nothing like I did before. I was spending all day worrying about stuff that might not even happen. It was driving me crazy! LOL

Is it unusual for anxiety to go away that fast? My sleepiness/fatique cleared up just as fast.

What's The Skinny ?

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:48:09 -0700

What's the skinny on how & why gluten affects our mood or behavior?
I don't understand the connection yet. Can someone please explain it to me?

Thanks!!!

Feeling Almost Worst On gluten-free Diet...say What!?!

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:34:39 -0700

If I have been eating gluten for a while and abruptly stop...why do I find that I actually feel WORST instead of better? For instance, it seems as though I get the initial s/x of the runny nose/congestion (I also have yeast allergies), sore joints, and maybe a little stomach pain (nothing big like n/v/d). I then feel "better", or maybe more like myself, for a couple days but then find that I gradually develop MORE s/x that I know are r/t my gluten consumption, such as fatigue, "brain fog", headaches, increased anxiety and mood swings, etc. These neurological s/x always seem to last for the longest in duration.

But, if I stop eating gluten, shouldn't I be feeling better initially? Does anyone else experience "long-term" symptoms, so to speak, after eating gluten?

Or is this my body's natural "withdrawal" reaction from gluten intake, so to speak? When any individual eats gluten, I know there are exorphins released in the body that react with certain opiod receptors, and it is possible for some people to form an "addiction" to gluten as your body demands more of the gluten protein. Am I on the right track here? Other suggestions, comments, and questions are most welcome.

Thank you everyone...

Anyone On Cymbalta?

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:25:37 -0700

I'm curious how many people are on cymbalta since fibromyalgia, chronic pain and neuropathy can occur with autoimmune disorders.

What have your experiences been?

Have you had to go off it? I was told before I went on it by 1 out of the 5 doctors (who all thought it would be a good medication for me for a variety of reasons), that withdrawal was bad with a capital B but here's what's happened to me so far:

I am 5 days off cymbalta (after only taking it for 6 weeks) too. I heard the withdrawal was VERY bad but I thought I'd be on it longer than this-it made me obsessive, anxious, amped and I couldn't stand the way I felt on it. One day I felt like I had been doing crack cocaine!

I've been on ADs for twenty years- imipramine then celexa (which both pooped out after ten years each) and NO lie- this withdrawal feels exactly like the traumatic, life-altering depression that started me down this path. I CANNOT believe how bad withdrawal from this medication is. I am:
nauseous
crying at the drop of a hat
severely anxious
brain zaps
eyes feel like they're falling out of my head
scared to drive
can't move my head without a zap
afraid to be alone

and much more. If I wasn't on sleep meds I know I wouldn't sleep. I can't even watch TV- I cried at Jurassic Park when they fed the cow to the raptors!!!!!!!!!!????????

It's Day 4 and I hope to god this ends soon.

Has anyone else been here? I'm staying sane because I know it's withdrawal. I've had my share of bad drug reactions, but I kid you not, this takes the cake!

Does The Craziness Go Away?

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:49:40 -0700

I've only known for a few weeks that I have celiac, which has explained a lot about my problems. I am very worried that my sanity is gone though. I don't know how many of you struggle with this, but it really scares me. Does celiac damage the brain for good? I used to just get the fog, but now when I eat or touch gluten or some other food I've become sensitive to, it affects my thinking, my sleeping and I just want to stay away from people until I feel good again. I'm so afraid of going crazy. Is there hope of being normal or will I have to learn to accept myself, crazy, sick and all?

How Do I Know If I Am Gluten Intolerant

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:10:48 -0700

I was put on an elimination diet a month ago and last week started testing wheat and dairy, etc. Wheat/gluten was the first thing I tried. The doctor's directions had me eat a bowl of cream of wheat two days in a row. The second day I was tired and spacey. I felt like it was exctemely hard to concentrate and like I just wanted to go home and sleep. The second day I had all over muscle and joint aches along with the spacey feeling and each day after that, for a couple more days, was the same. I immediately thought I must be gluten intolerant. So I'm continuing to test other things like dairy, soy, etc and haven't really had any other major symptoms like that.
I've been searching all over the internet trying to figure out - - Am I gluten intolerant? Was the spacey feeling and muscle aches enough to say that I'm intolerant? Should I continue to try other things that have gluten in them to see if I get the same reaction?

Please help.

Thanks