Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Am I Insane? (Trying To Explain Gluten Sensitivity And My Psychological Symptoms To Non-Sufferers)

Kates77

Recommended Posts

Kates77 Rookie
Kates77
Posted

The majority of my symptoms are psychological: depression, stress, anxiety, mood swings, cravings, obsessive thinking about food, binge eating etc.

 

I also experience digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, malabsorption, bloating, excess gas and other physical issues like horrible acne, fatigue and weak joints.

 

But my most severe issues (depression/mood swings/food obsession and cravings) are psychological. This makes it extremely difficult for me, when I am trying to explain the connection between gluten sensitivity and my brain, to non-sufferers that just cannot comprehend how diet can impact the way we think.

 

If I was a non-sufferer, I would have trouble believing it as well! But the dramatic change that my whole personality underwent when I went gluten free was just so life changing that I am so convinced in the power of food as something that can both heal and harm. I guess I'm just in need of a bit of support from other people that also get psychological symptoms, and how a gluten free diet has dramatically improved their mental health.

 

Everyone seems to think I'm absolutely insane, and it is just so exhausting trying to explain all of my issues and the link to gluten, without sounding like a nut job.

 

I am currently eating gluten because I am going to get my blood test and endoscopy next Friday, and I find myself praying that I have Celiac Disease, because at least then the connection between my symptoms and gluten would be more concrete. I can't believe that I find myself hoping that my intestines are damaged just so that people will believe me!

 

I would appreciate any comments/advice! x

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


MIgrainePosterChild Newbie
MIgrainePosterChild
Posted

The majority of my symptoms are psychological: depression, stress, anxiety, mood swings, cravings, obsessive thinking about food, binge eating etc.

 

I also experience digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, malabsorption, bloating, excess gas and other physical issues like horrible acne, fatigue and weak joints.

 

But my most severe issues (depression/mood swings/food obsession and cravings) are psychological. This makes it extremely difficult for me, when I am trying to explain the connection between gluten sensitivity and my brain, to non-sufferers that just cannot comprehend how diet can impact the way we think.

 

If I was a non-sufferer, I would have trouble believing it as well! But the dramatic change that my whole personality underwent when I went gluten free was just so life changing that I am so convinced in the power of food as something that can both heal and harm. I guess I'm just in need of a bit of support from other people that also get psychological symptoms, and how a gluten free diet has dramatically improved their mental health.

 

Everyone seems to think I'm absolutely insane, and it is just so exhausting trying to explain all of my issues and the link to gluten, without sounding like a nut job.

 

I am currently eating gluten because I am going to get my blood test and endoscopy next Friday, and I find myself praying that I have Celiac Disease, because at least then the connection between my symptoms and gluten would be more concrete. I can't believe that I find myself hoping that my intestines are damaged just so that people will believe me!

 

I would appreciate any comments/advice! x

I can completely relate to this. When I try to explain to my doctor that I am certain I have malabsorption, she looks at me like I'm crazy. I try to explain my feelings of derpersonalization and she recommends I should see a psychiatrist, but I know what I am experiencing is tied in with my constipation, flatulence, acid reflux, etc and the most likely cause is Gluten. I don't think you're crazy and I hope you figure it all out. I am now looking into possibly IV therapy through a natural health clinic because they did list malabsorption, depression, anxiety, fatigue and chronic stress in the list of treatable afflictions.  

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

I wouldn't go into it trying to explain to anyone but your doctor(s).  You can say "it keeps me from thinking clearly", but I won't go into a lot more detail than that.  They won't understand, or relate.  And it doesn't really matter if they do, as long as they respect your choice to be gluten free.

Kates77 Rookie
Kates77
Posted
  • Author

I can completely relate to this. When I try to explain to my doctor that I am certain I have malabsorption, she looks at me like I'm crazy. I try to explain my feelings of derpersonalization and she recommends I should see a psychiatrist, but I know what I am experiencing is tied in with my constipation, flatulence, acid reflux, etc and the most likely cause is Gluten. I don't think you're crazy and I hope you figure it all out. I am now looking into possibly IV therapy through a natural health clinic because they did list malabsorption, depression, anxiety, fatigue and chronic stress in the list of treatable afflictions.  

I have so many of the same symptoms as you! All of my friends want me to see a psychiatrist and my uncle thinks that I have an eating disorder because I didn't want to eat anything at a restaurant we went to when I had been gluten-free for a week (I tried explaining to him that I would EVENTUALLY eat out, but I was brand new to being Gluten-Free and just wanted to be super safe for the first little while). I really hope you work it all out with the IV therapy. Good luck :)

frieze Community Regular
frieze
Posted

Katie...for your own edification/interest/support; you may want to read about Abram Hoffer.  Interesting fellow, a psychiatrist from Canada, since died, but was in the Orthomolecular psychiatry movement.

The majority of my symptoms are psychological: depression, stress, anxiety, mood swings, cravings, obsessive thinking about food, binge eating etc.

 

I also experience digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, malabsorption, bloating, excess gas and other physical issues like horrible acne, fatigue and weak joints.

 

But my most severe issues (depression/mood swings/food obsession and cravings) are psychological. This makes it extremely difficult for me, when I am trying to explain the connection between gluten sensitivity and my brain, to non-sufferers that just cannot comprehend how diet can impact the way we think.

 

If I was a non-sufferer, I would have trouble believing it as well! But the dramatic change that my whole personality underwent when I went gluten free was just so life changing that I am so convinced in the power of food as something that can both heal and harm. I guess I'm just in need of a bit of support from other people that also get psychological symptoms, and how a gluten free diet has dramatically improved their mental health.

 

Everyone seems to think I'm absolutely insane, and it is just so exhausting trying to explain all of my issues and the link to gluten, without sounding like a nut job.

 

I am currently eating gluten because I am going to get my blood test and endoscopy next Friday, and I find myself praying that I have Celiac Disease, because at least then the connection between my symptoms and gluten would be more concrete. I can't believe that I find myself hoping that my intestines are damaged just so that people will believe me!

 

I would appreciate any comments/advice! x

MIgrainePosterChild Newbie
MIgrainePosterChild
Posted

I have so many of the same symptoms as you! All of my friends want me to see a psychiatrist and my uncle thinks that I have an eating disorder because I didn't want to eat anything at a restaurant we went to when I had been gluten-free for a week (I tried explaining to him that I would EVENTUALLY eat out, but I was brand new to being Gluten-Free and just wanted to be super safe for the first little while). I really hope you work it all out with the IV therapy. Good luck :)

Thank you! I'll let you know if it helps. I am so tired of phantom symptoms of illness.

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted

You don't owe anyone else an explanation of what is causing you to feel a certain way, because the average person *might* be able to throw around a bit of psychobabble talking points from watching Oprah, Dr. Oz, and a few other cable teevee personalities, or reading trashy popular magazines online, but they have not taken college level courses in psychology or had any medical training.  Malnutrition, and therefore shortages of vitamins and minerals, causes problems with food cravings....  this is not rocket science. This is a physical reaction.  Well-nourished people don't feel the need to binge - eat, because they are not starving to death on the inside. 

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

It's no different (im simplifying greatly here) than the link between hypothyroidism and depression symptoms that miraculously disappear when the thyroid is treated. This is a documented effect...perhaps using it as an example would help explain?

For some Celiacs, I swear it's like our bodies convert healthy food to junk food. Why, how...I don't know but that's the effect. I assume its the malabsorption from intestinal damage, plus the obvious gluten rejection/AI response (which we all express differently).

MIgrainePosterChild Newbie
MIgrainePosterChild
Posted

I know that everyone is different so this might not work for you, but I have just started taking a digestive enzyme pill after each meal and I have been feeling a lot better. 

sisterlynr Explorer
sisterlynr
Posted

I agree that you should just not talk about it to people that you know don't understand.  Just tell them that you feel better, no details needed.

 

Most restaurants have an allergy menu which includes gluten allergy.  I just ask the server for their allergy menu and order from it.   

 

Good luck!

EmiPark210 Contributor
EmiPark210
Posted

Here are some articles to back you up: 

 

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

 

I had to go back on gluten because of my biopsy next Friday after being off for three weeks and the psychological effects are amazing. Off gluten my ADD seemed to disappear and the insecurities I've been working through in therapy for four years now didn't seem so bad. But don't expect everything to get 100% better immediately. Some people heal more quickly than others. 

 

Good luck!

taynichaf Contributor
taynichaf
Posted

You sound exactly like me!...same situation! I am also paying that I am a celiac, because I know there has to be a reason for the person I've changed into..

Simona19 Collaborator
Simona19
Posted

I would like to add one more thing: Why almost every autistic child is put on gluten and casein free diet? It appears that they do better on it. There is some controversy about it, but I met one woman not to long ago in the Whole food whose naturopath suggested this diet for her son and she was willing to try it. Even you know one popular celebrity whose son has autism and currently is on gluten and casein free diet. It's Jenny McCarthy. I heard her once on Helen to talk about it. She is also on the same diet with her son and she stated that it changed her son's life. Maybe you can explain your situation with the help of this fact?

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,549
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Blough
    Newest Member
    Blough
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.