[JamieSims]

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

[yolo]

Don't have much time to deal with this today but yes a resounding yes!! One of the first places I noticed my "allergies" affecting me was my brain. Its also one of the first to go if I am at all off diet. EAting a basic whole foods diet without gluten or sugar seems essential for me. A paleo diet was very helpful with the addition of home made 24 hour yogurt using greek yogurt as a base. Can finally tolerate whole brown rice, but not tons of it due to candida overgrowth possibilties. Find olive leaf extract by the way a godsend--for getting rid of fibromyalgia/arthritic like symptoms especially with dandelion root. No alcohol extracts however. Boiling them up myself is best. I started a thread that might be useful to you called "Back to Basics". Most find eating more vegetables really helps, including the brain, emotions and the joints...

Bea

[cat3883]

I was on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds for years and years. My celiac disease affected my brain more than any other part of my body. I had severe migraines (hospitalized because of them), constant brain fog, and of course the depression and anxiety I was being treated for. Let me just say this, after 13 months of a gluten free diet I am no longer on my meds, have no headaches whatsoever, and no brain fog. By the way, I am 50 years young. Make sure your meds are gluten free. Have your pharmacist contact the manufacturers. Don't forget to check your toothpaste, shampoo, anything that can touch your lips. Best of luck to you, but please please please be careful about stopping your meds. This can wreak havoc on your brain. Take care of yourself.

[summerteeth]

I just want to preface that this is my personal story and BY NO MEANS recommendation for others:

I was diagnosed with ADD at 8 years old. I was put on Concerta and took it religiously until the day I turned 18. I knew I did not have ADD, something else was wrong.

I was diagnosed bipolar just over two years ago. I was going through horrible things in my personal life that I will not go into on such a public forum. So August 2007, I lost about 20 pounds, fast. And I did not have much weight to lose. I dropped down to about 104 lbs (I am 5'6). I began "acting out" (doing things that I would not normally do, ie, heavy drinking, piercings, tattoos....). My mom and then-boyfriend (now fiance) made me see a doctor. I was an out patient and a mental facility for about two weeks, and was diagnosed bipolar. I was put on a slew of medications: lithium, depakote, xanax, seroquel, flexeril, etc. This made things WAY worse. I ballooned, weight wise. I think I gained 50 pounds. And it seemed like it was overnight. People at work would ask if I was pregnant, and in my fragile state, this made things worse. I was getting deeper and deeper into boughts of depression and anxiety.

May 2008 I decided to stop taking all of my medications, cold turkey. I stopped going to therapy. This was about two weeks before my 21st birthday. By June 2008, I felt two hundred times better (because I was no longer under a stupor from medication). The medicine made things drastically worse, but I was still getting the mild panic attacks and mild depression, similar to what I had before I was heavily medicated. I am not bipolar. I never was. I went to an AMAZING doctor, who was recommended by my mom, and she diagnosed me with celiac disease. I went gluten free November 2008, and now, the only times I get anxious/depressed is when I get glutened. I feel SO much better. One of the most detrimental effects of glutenings, to me, is extreme frustration/anxiety. I will be in a public place and, all of a sudden, feel a wave of panic (only after being glutened).

That being said, I am grateful for the therapist I saw throughout all of this. She helped me so much sort out the catalysts in my personal life.

Unfortunately, I too quickly got to the point that I would no longer listen to doctors. Medication was just pushed on me. And yes, I did need something to deal with the problems, at the time. But in retrospect, my problems had more to do with my diet than with my mental state.

That is just my two cents, though. And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not pull stupid crap like I did: talk to your doctor before doing anything radical.