TwitchyMcLurcherson

I have an EXTREME reaction to gluten in any increment. It affects me neurologically, leaving me confused, blurry eyed, tremoring, tic-ing, stuttering, and unable to walk. And yet my husband absolutely REFUSES to go gluten free in the house as well. He also won't keep separate work spaces, pans, dishes, etc. He won't wash dishes separately- or keep them separately- and won't believe me about cross-contamination, even though he keeps seeing its effects. He'll leave bread crumbs on the counter, my cutting board, piled in the sink...

What on earth can I do? How do you all manage with shared space?

I've been really struggling since mid June with sudden onset gluten neuropathy. It's getting worse. I think I've had symptoms of gluten intolerance for at least ten years, but it was all gastrointestinal before and misdiagnosed until August of this year.

One afternoon, I fell asleep exhausted on the couch. When I woke up, I was drooling prolifically and could barely get my body to respond to walking or anything... I felt like I'd been drugged. My vision was blurred (ocular ataxia). I soon began vomiting, then my feet turned in and locked (dystonia), then my hands. This came and went. Within a few hours, my torso was jerking (myoclonus), head turning, muscles convulsing, and hands (especially right) tremoring. Slurred speech, stuttering. Unable to walk (ataxia). Needless to say, we went to the ER (of a world renowned hospital). They sent me home, confused with my condition. The next morning, I woke up with an insane migraine and was rushed via ambulance back to the same ER- I don't remember that ride at all. Long story short, MRI revealed very little, other than a couple of white lesions on cerebellum (which they weren't concerned about). The rest of the tests came out negative. No seizures apparent on EKG. They sent me home, again. Neurologists had a no clue- not any of the 15 OR SO that came by to examine me.

The neurologists at Harvard told me, after a five minute cursory exam, that it was "psychological" and that I should see a psychiatrist.

Over the next two weeks, I did my research, went on a trial diet (where I discovered the neuro symptoms returned within 30 minutes of accidentally ingesting gluten), returned to the same doctors, and asked for a blood test for gluten intolerance. They didn't believe me, but ordered the test anyway.

It came back POSITIVE. It's been two months since my diagnosis and I try everything I can to stay gluten free.

So long as I avoid gluten in ANY increment, I don't get the neuro symptoms. But within 30 minutes of getting "glutened", they return in full force, starting with a steady progression (first face flushes, my vision blurs, right hand starts tremoring, 10 minutes later my head starts whipping left, and five minutes after that my muscles seize and feet turn in, locking). I have Diazepam for when this happens, and it's worked so far, so long as I catch it when my hand starts tremoring...

... until last night. Last night it failed to work at all. I was left in public when it happened and fell down outside of a cafe. No one would look at me or help me (I live in a major city- nearly 150 people must have seen me). The medicine didn't work.

It's been 18 hours since and I can't stop tremoring (except when I sleep). I'm ONLY 25 YEARS OLD.