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

Celiac And Hypoglycemia

Rick1254

By Rick1254
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

Rick1254 Newbie
Rick1254
Posted

I've found that hypoglycemia will trigger my vertigo attacks just like Gluten. Does anybody here with celiac disease also have a problem with hypoglycemia?

Rick

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


guppymom Newbie
guppymom
Posted

wow

too wierd.

Yesterday I was fighting vertigo all day. I hadn't eaten much because i hadn't felt hungry at all, but I was falling over and trying to correct myself when I felt like falling over but wasn't actually moving at all. It was very strange and I came onto the board today to ask this very question...

so no answers from me, but I 2nd the question.

Teresa

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

I wasn't formally diagnosed with hypoglycemia, but my doctor did note that many of the symptoms I mentioned did fall in line with being borderline hypoglycemic. I'd get a headache, nausea, crankiness, and just really felt like crap. As long as I make sure I don't each a bunch of carbs, and balance things out with enough fat and protein, though, I'm fine.

outthere39 Rookie
outthere39
Posted

I personally am borderline and like others I make sure I keep enough protein in my diet. My mother, however, has had for a long time. She would fall down at least once every couple of days.

Richard

Karina Explorer
Karina
Posted

Hi,

I have not yet been diagnosed with celiac disease--I had one positive antibody on the Celiac panel and yesterday had and endoscopy, and I do fit many of the better known celiac disease symptoms--so we will see. However, a few years ago, I WAS formally diagnosed with hypoglycemia through a five hour glucose tolerance test. My doc said just to keep the grains down (which is hard for me), and always keep fast sugar on hand in case I have an attack. Through my own journey, I found that coffee actually can trigger and attack for me--I mentioned this to the doc and she said it made since because caffeine drives up your blood sugar and in my case my pancreas dumps insulin when the sugars are high. Anyway, this is interesting because celiacs have problems with simple carbs which tend to be high in sugar--so now in my way of thinking, it sort of makes sense that celiac disease and hypoglycemia could go hand in hand.

Just a thought,

Karina

seeking-wholeness Explorer
seeking-wholeness
Posted

I'm not formally diagnosed with either celiac disease or hypoglycemia, but since I went gluten-free last Halloween my hypoglycemia symptoms (headache, nausea, extreme irritability, brain fog...) have pretty much vanished. Before I went gluten-free, I was managing the symptoms by eating LOTS of protein (and about four meals and two snacks a day), but now that I am gluten-free I am finding that I don't have to do anything special at all. I do still make it a point to eat protein at every meal, just so my body can heal itself. In fact, now I can actually get hungry (even VERY hungry) WITHOUT becoming hypoglycemic at all! This is very exciting to me. I hope going gluten-free has a salutary effect on your hypoglycemia problem as well!

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

seeking_wholeness... isn't it amazing, after the hypoglycemic responses, to actually feel what hunger feels like to normal people?!

It perplexed me when I first felt it, and - being in the car - I turned to my husband and said, in a most shocked and surprised voice, "I'm hungry!". He asked if I had any food with me or if we needed to get home, and I said "No, like, I feel hungry, not crappy!" I haven't found that going gluten-free completely solved the problem (I can't snack on nothing but fruit and veggies if I'm hungry without having symptoms pop back up), but it is significantly better than it had been.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Lintner Newbie
Lintner
Posted

I was diagnosed Hypoglycemic at age 20 now almost 46. It does improve with diet. Staying away from the gluten-free has helped as in decreases the carbohydrates and forces me to eat more protein. I would kill for a regular bagel! :)

  • 2 weeks later...
tammy Community Regular
tammy
Posted

Hi,

I am not officially diagnosed with hypoglycemia but I sure possess a lot of the symptoms. I find that eating a very small amount of carbs helps. I make sure that I also eat a lot of veggies and protein with my carbs. I never have the symptoms in the early morning but usually in the afternoon and evening.

;)

wwebby Apprentice
wwebby
Posted

Oh, yeah. I am definitely hypoglycemic. I'm not sure about my Celiac diagnosis yet (tests upcoming) and I've never had a glucose tolerance test, but I really don't need one. I absolutely cannot eat a carb loaded diet. I have to eat protein and some fat at every meal, I never eat sugary soda and I get really really cranky if I have simple sugars without anything more substantial to balance it out. I'm not sure of a connection to Celiac. There is a diabetes connection. Could our bodies be causing an autoimmune reaction against our insulin receptors? Making us more insulin resistant? Insulin resistance is a condition that leads to diabetes and the symptoms are very much like hypoglycemia. I think it goes something like this:

Receptors are insulin resistant

Body pumps out more insulin to try to get rid of sugar in the blood.

Body pumps out too much insulin, so the sugar clears the blood to quickly and we are left with the shakes and irritability.

Anyone else have any theories?

  • 3 weeks later...
jen-schall Rookie
jen-schall
Posted

my doctor calls it "hypoglycemic episodes" which are brought on as a result of celiac disease. I think they're supposed to go away as my body heals. pretty fun to have in the middle of class, though! I practically had to "borrow someone's Coke" the other day!

travelthomas Apprentice
travelthomas
Posted

Hi Rick,

I also have hypoglycemic attacks. It does make it a bit harder to identify the gluten accidents. Sometimes I can

Guest jhmom
Guest jhmom
Posted

I have been gluten-free since Sept 03 and started having these "faint feeling" spells in January. I talked to my family doc about these spells a couple of weeks ago and she thinks it "could" be Hypoglycemia. She suggested that I eat a little something every 3 hours and try eating peanut butter since it was loaded with Protein. Before some of the spells I noticed that I had eaten chips and drank a coke, she said the carbs and sugar spiked my sugar levels up and that over a time period of a couple of hours it would drop quickly and in turn would feel as tho I was going to pass out. Also when it happens my BP gets very low, the last time it was 92/58 (usually mine is 98/68).

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,547
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    gizmo1jazz2
    Newest Member
    gizmo1jazz2
    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.