[flutterby]

Hi all,
I´ve been Gluten-Free (or trying to be!) For about two months now, although about three times I´ve eaten something and later realized it had gluten in it. Before going Gluten-Free I got very sick for about three weeks and had lost a lot of weight for not eating much.

Now I´m dealing with some very severe depression (It feels like PMS almost all of the time -- crying practically every evening, anxious, taking little problems with friends and co-workers as huge disasters).

Thinking back, these depressive symptoms started pretty much at the same time I went Gluten-Free. I know the way I used to cope with depression was by eating, usually cookies. Now I can´t cope that way, and I also tend to lose my apetite rather than gain it.

Has anybody else had similar experiences?
Thanks---
-flutterby

[jerseyangel]

Hi and welcome

I had a similar experience--I suffered with depression and anxiety before being dianosed. After going gluten-free, I noticed a change almost immediately (I felt calmer, began to sleep better and wasn't depressed as often) but it didn't last. I would say it took me about 18 months to really see a difference in my anxiety on a daily basis. Anxiety has always been a much bigger issue for me than depression.

After 3 years, I still get anxiety when accidently glutened, it's one of the first things I notice when this has happened.

I'd give it more time, the anxiety and depression tend to take longer to ease up. A gluten-free sublingual vitamin B12 might be a good idea--I used it for a while after going on the diet.

[TipTip]

Hi there...

I had terrible depression when I first went gluten free. It really did clear up for me though after a couple months. It does come back if I eat gluten though - so I'm very very careful now.

All of the icky side effects of being gluten-free really do go away when your body gets used to it.

Good luck!

[gfpaperdoll]

you have not been gluten-free that long & you might still be getting some gluten...
a few ideas - did you replace all your gluten food items with a gluten free substitute? If you did that is really not a good idea. You might want to look at your diet to see how much nutrition you are getting each day.

get your vitamin & mineral levels checked & take a B12 regardless & probably you will also need D

you could also just be grieving for the loss of your favoite foods, do not worry your taste will change.... really

[Puddy]

I was extremely depressed the first 2-3 months after going gluten-free. I would cry all the time. It was almost like I was in mourning for the way my life used to be. I, too, started taking a sublingual Vit B-12 about 6 weeks ago and noticed a difference within a week.....felt more like my old self. You will feel better. Hang in there!

[flutterby]

Hi guys ... thanks all for replying. It really really helps to hear from other folks. But yeah I´ve been crying most every day and I think it is difficult to think about all the things I used to like -- especially when my co-workers have some kind of celebration nearly every week with cake or sweetbread, and many were teasing me for not eating it, like "Oh you´re so skinny already you don´t need to be on a diet..." which of course upset me more because I´m skinny because I´ve been sick. Plus I´ve been REALLY irritable and moody.

I will check on getting some vitamins -- I think I have some that I hadn't been taking (bad me!) In terms of diet I eat a lot of beans and rice, meat (liver for iron when I can), salad, vegetables, and soy-milk.

Again thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate it, and it´s also nice to know that most likely this will be gettting better!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ab_Normal]

flutterby, on Jun 23 2008, 05:49 PM, said:

Hi guys ... thanks all for replying. It really really helps to hear from other folks. But yeah I´ve been crying most every day and I think it is difficult to think about all the things I used to like -- especially when my co-workers have some kind of celebration nearly every week with cake or sweetbread, and many were teasing me for not eating it, like "Oh you´re so skinny already you don´t need to be on a diet..." which of course upset me more because I´m skinny because I´ve been sick.
(snip)

flutterby, you're a better person than I am... I would have clocked a co-worker the second time they said that. It's not a bleepin' diet, it's a food plan that's saving my bleepin' life.

(and, yes, I stole 'food plan' from Babylon 5, 'cause, yes, I'm a nerd.)

[flutterby]

Ab_Normal, on Jun 24 2008, 02:00 PM, said:

flutterby, you're a better person than I am... I would have clocked a co-worker the second time they said that. It's not a bleepin' diet, it's a food plan that's saving my bleepin' life.

(and, yes, I stole 'food plan' from Babylon 5, 'cause, yes, I'm a nerd.)

Hahahahaha! Thanks for making me laugh. I JUST about gave into that temptation today when my officemate came in and said:
"OH YUMMY ... Yummy Yummy Yummy. Oh How Yummy. My friend just gave me this FIG CAKE. Yum yum. I had one of this before and it was soooooooooooooooooo good look they gave me another one .... Oh how rich and goood..."

........ And then I walked out of the room.

[Ab_Normal]

flutterby, on Jun 24 2008, 04:23 PM, said:

Hahahahaha! Thanks for making me laugh. I JUST about gave into that temptation today when my officemate came in and said:
"OH YUMMY ... Yummy Yummy Yummy. Oh How Yummy. My friend just gave me this FIG CAKE. Yum yum. I had one of this before and it was soooooooooooooooooo good look they gave me another one .... Oh how rich and goood..."

........ And then I walked out of the room.

Three cheers, two thumbs up, and a pat on the back for flutterby!

[irish daveyboy]

flutterby, on Jun 23 2008, 05:08 PM, said:

Hi all,
I´ve been Gluten-Free (or trying to be!) For about two months now, although about three times I´ve eaten something and later realized it had gluten in it. Before going Gluten-Free I got very sick for about three weeks and had lost a lot of weight for not eating much.

Now I´m dealing with some very severe depression (It feels like PMS almost all of the time -- crying practically every evening, anxious, taking little problems with friends and co-workers as huge disasters).

Thinking back, these depressive symptoms started pretty much at the same time I went Gluten-Free. I know the way I used to cope with depression was by eating, usually cookies. Now I can´t cope that way, and I also tend to lose my apetite rather than gain it.

Has anybody else had similar experiences?
Thanks---
-flutterby

.
Hi All,
Here's something that you all should read, this is a very interesting item I came across some time ago.
.
Adverse reactions to starting the Gluten Free Diet.
.
The Gluten Syndrome
.
Best Regards,
David