20 replies to this topic

[BarryC]

Anyone else suffer from this? Is it a symptom of gluten intolerance?

[Linus]

Indirectly this can happen. Inflamation is a reaction to gluten. Air passages can be affected. This is similar to joint pain. Inflamation is the cause there too.
Sleep apnea is caused when the airway is blocked because of flesh in the neck bears down on the airway. This stops air flow. UARS is upper airway resistance syndrome. This is the restriction of the sinuses and nasal passages. More likely this is indirectly related to celiac in the inflamation response earlier mentioned. Sleep apnea is most likely a condition of being overweight (much of the sleep apnea population is overweight but not all). It is possible to get in a feedback loop. Sleep apnea makes one tired. Lack of sleep results in lack of activity. Lack of activity results in weight gain. Weigh gain results in a worsening sleep apnea condition. This cycle repeats itself.

It can happen the same way with gluten. Gluten triggers a inflamation response. Airways are restricted. Sleep is interrupted. Activity is down, weight increases. Gluten and gliadin can increase appetite. Weight increases and sleeps apnea starts. Cycle repeats. Add in joint pain from inflamation and increased wieght and more activity is lost.

Treatment for both is the use of a cpap machine. It is a device that creates positive air pressure in you airways while you sleep. The positive air pressure splints open airways so breathing is not restricted.

I have the UARS variety. I am pretty lean but my nasal sinuses are restricted. 3 years of use has dramatically changed my life. Going gluten free has helped with my sinuses too, but I will always need to use the cpap device since my sinus anatomy is restricted. Gluten free obviously changed many other aspects of my life besides sleep issues.

Incidentally, an issue that I was having with my cpap lead to the discovery of celiac. I was swallowing air at night. I had a checkup with an endoscopy. Celiac was discovered.

[Bishop Greg]

Sounds about right... I have apnea as well. Recently diagnosed Celiac. Went gluten free a week ago and I've already dropped about 5 lbs. My hope is that the gluten-free diet will also help alleviate the Sleep apnea to a certain extent. They are thinking of getting me one of those CPAP machines as well. We'll see... One thing for sure... Since going gluten-free, my sinuses have improved,I haven't needed an antihistimine in a week and feel more rested in the morning...

[mamaupupup]

I have a 5 year old who I believe has sleep apnea and who is about to be confirmed as Celiac. No doctor has believed me that she has sleep apnea (but I should know--I figured out on day 5 of her life that she had Apnea of Prematurity--holding her breath 45% of her sleep time--all the nurses in the hospital missed that for the 4 days she was there!!!).

We have one more week of gluten and then she'll have her endoscopy. We are going to Children's Hospital in LA and they do have a pediatric sleep center. Do you all think I should check in with them or should I go a few months and see how she's doing after being off gluten?

Thanks in adavance and wish you all a good night's sleep!

[lovegrov]

I have mild apnea but didn't develop it until after going gluten-free, so I see no connection in my case. I think we should be careful about trying to link everything to celiac.

richard

[buehon]

I have mild apnea but didn't develop it until after going gluten-free, so I see no connection in my case. I think we should be careful about trying to link everything to celiac.

richard

I agree. I didn't lose sleeping issues until I also went nightshade free.

[Bubba's Mom]

I have a 5 year old who I believe has sleep apnea and who is about to be confirmed as Celiac. No doctor has believed me that she has sleep apnea (but I should know--I figured out on day 5 of her life that she had Apnea of Prematurity--holding her breath 45% of her sleep time--all the nurses in the hospital missed that for the 4 days she was there!!!).

We have one more week of gluten and then she'll have her endoscopy. We are going to Children's Hospital in LA and they do have a pediatric sleep center. Do you all think I should check in with them or should I go a few months and see how she's doing after being off gluten?

Thanks in adavance and wish you all a good night's sleep!

Sleep apnea can have some serious side effects. I think I'd push for a sleep study?

[mamajchis]

I have celiac and also have sleep apnea and I believe they are realted. Since going gluten free, I am sleeping much better. I at times do suffer insomnia, but have been sleeping better overall since going gluten free. Only been gluten free since March 19 2012 so I know it will take time for my body to really show big signs of improement but one thing that was instantly improved like overnight was mantal confusion. I ahve not had a diagnossis of celiac, but do know that is what has sent my body into a downward spiral for the past 10-15 yr. Now I am climbing back up to the top!

[Sveltefuschia]

Hello,

I have Celiac and a sleep disorder (hypopneas, periods of reduced breathing, rather than apneas, but which are just as bad). I think having an untreated sleep disorder puts the body and nervous system under a lot of stress. In my mind I wonder if its part of the reason I developed Celiac - from stress, which was potentially exacerbated or caused by my untreated sleep disorder. I have probably have had the sleep disorder since my teen years (now 27), because we think its due to having a large tongue and a very narrow jaw space, but not sure when I developed/triggered Celiac (I got a very bad case of eczema, tested negative for DH, which got worse and prompted the Celiac tests when I was 26) - I could've developed it last year or it could have been happening for several years or more. Its hard to say because I have no gut reaction to ingesting gluten - I don't feel anything or get sick.

Anyway, its interesting to think about the connections, but hard to say for sure! I don't think going gluten-free will help my sleep disorder at all, since its not so much about inflammation in my throat but just not enough room for my tongue.

Regards,

A

[mushroom]

I have hypopneas too, where my breathing rate just gets very slow and shallow. But it's not an obstructed airway because even during the day I sometimes have to take in a really deep 'extra' breath because I am short of oxygen. I think I just forget to breathe sometimes.

[Bubba's Mom]

I have hypopneas too, where my breathing rate just gets very slow and shallow. But it's not an obstructed airway because even during the day I sometimes have to take in a really deep 'extra' breath because I am short of oxygen. I think I just forget to breathe sometimes.

Very interesting. I've done that for years..but never knew there was a name for it.
If I were to tell someone it was like I forgot to breathe..they would think I was daffy, but that's what it feels like?
I have Vicodin for pain issues from a spinal surgery and for migraines. I only take it if I absolutely must..and if I'm not going to lay down, because the "forgetting to breathe" is worse if I take the med.

[Sveltefuschia]

Very interesting. I've done that for years..but never knew there was a name for it.
If I were to tell someone it was like I forgot to breathe..they would think I was daffy, but that's what it feels like?
I have Vicodin for pain issues from a spinal surgery and for migraines. I only take it if I absolutely must..and if I'm not going to lay down, because the "forgetting to breathe" is worse if I take the med.

Hmm..so I'm not sure if Mushroom and Bubba's Mom are describing the same phenomenon..what I'm talking about is unconscious and happens during sleep. But if it happens when you're awake, I suppose it could be an indication that it might happen when you are sleeping, so it might be worth looking into if you feel like you need to sleep more than 8 hours a night, have morning headaches, feel drowsy during inactivity, or any other symptoms of sleep disorder!

Basically the muscles around the throat and palate soften while we are sleeping, and for some people this means the airway gets fully obstructed (apnea) or partially obstructed (hypopnea). Either way the body has to partly rouse itself to increase the breathing effort (though often the person doesn't full wake up and isn't even aware of this) enough that the sleeping pattern is interrupted or disrupted. This leads to varying levels of sleep deprivation depending on how many times it happens during the night, but I'm told that it gets worse as you get older (ie more interruptions, more sleep deprivation).

[Lfrost]

I wonder if I might have some form of sleep apnea, too. The problem is that I am very underweight. I will wake up out of a deep sleep and it is like I have forgotten how to breathe. Sometimes I have to leap out of bed to get a breath in. My doctor tried to tell me that I am having panic attacks in my sleep and put me on some kind of anti anxiety medication. It made no difference so I quit taking it. He seems to think I am imagining it. It doesn't happen every night, but I have found that when my chest feels tight, or heavy, like when my allergies seem to be acting up is when it happens most. It feels like I am breathing too shallow and not getting enough oxygen.

[mushroom]

No, you are not imagining it. I do that, breathe really shallow at night and slower and slower until I stop breathing altogether. It has nothing to do with weight. And I wake up with a start, really short of oxygen. They call them hypopneas. The doctors try to tell me I have an obstruction and try to put me on BiPAP, but that's worse because I can't breathe out against the pressure that is coming in and end up with too much CO2. I now use supplemental oxygen at night.

[Lfrost]

No, you are not imagining it. I do that, breathe really shallow at night and slower and slower until I stop breathing altogether. It has nothing to do with weight. And I wake up with a start, really short of oxygen. They call them hypopneas. The doctors try to tell me I have an obstruction and try to put me on BiPAP, but that's worse because I can't breathe out against the pressure that is coming in and end up with too much CO2. I now use supplemental oxygen at night.

I am going in for a Dr. appointment on Monday (general checkup). My main concern was having my thyroid checked. I was wondering what I should do to get my Dr. to believe me. I haven't pressed the issue because it hasn't been happening as often lately. It had gotten really bad at one point happening multiple times each night, but has been about a week now since I have noticed it. However, I thought I always woke up when it happened, but my husband told me once of me shooting up in bed and taking a huge breath (gasping for a breath) and laying back down to sleep. I didn't remember doing it that night, but it made me wonder how often I do it without fully waking up.

Also, the really scary times are when I can't breath in. It is like my body has forgotten how. I know I need a breath, but relaxing enough (since the panic has jumped in) is hard. Those are the times I actually jump out of bed to breathe in. Crazy!