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

Does This Sound Gluten Related?

BertTerror

Recommended Posts

BertTerror Newbie
BertTerror
Posted

Hi everyone!

I recently began a Gluten Free diet, about a week ago.

I just wanted to get some thoughts on my decision, as I'm liable to give up on things like this without some motivation and want to see if anyone else thinks this is the right way to go.

My symptoms that have lead me to think that gluten might be the problem are:

Brain fog - have had as long as I can remember, am 26 now, may have always been this way, never found a way to get rid of it, bad short term memory and lack of focus.

 

Fatigue - just always tired

 

Heartburn - this is more recent, started to get it bad about a month ago, would get it more than once a day and quite severe, this has reduced since stopping gluten but still seems to happen (although much less severely) when I eat rice.

 

Headaches - only upon drinking milk that may last all day

 

Depression and anxiety - comes and goes but have suffered since about 15 years old.

 

Intolerance of caffeine - caffeine makes me feel really happy for a little bit, then I get really really tired/irritable/anxious, worsens brain fog.

Alcohol makes symptoms worse especially depression/brain fog/fatigue/anxiety in the following days.

 

Underweight - 6'1" and weigh around 140 lbs, never been able to gain weight although I eat a lot.

 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated :)

Bert

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


w8in4dave Community Regular
w8in4dave
Posted

Sounds like you may have some Gluten intolerance for sure!! I think it is a great idea to go Gluten free!! Who needs Gluten anyway? So how have you really felt since you have given it up? I felt super better after 3 days. Keep us posted! 

BertTerror Newbie
BertTerror
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the reply!

I must say I haven't felt much difference so far, a decrease in the amount of heartburn is about all, but I'm willing to give this time! I have had a lot of the symptoms for a long time so I didn't expect the to disappear over night.

Would it be a good idea to be supplementing certain vitamins and minerals? I am taking a one-a-day multivitamin but not sure if I should be taking other things too!

Thanks :)

 

 

Sounds like you may have some Gluten intolerance for sure!! I think it is a great idea to go Gluten free!! Who needs Gluten anyway? So how have you really felt since you have given it up? I felt super better after 3 days. Keep us posted! 

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

I'm assuming that you've been to a doctor and have exhausted all possibilities (e.g. thyroid, intolerances, ulcers (h. pylori), anemia, etc.).  Most people need a definitive diagnosis in order to stay on a gluten free diet for life.  It's a few simple blood tests (one draw) that will help diagnosis you.  However, you must be eating gluten in order to get a correct result.  

 

As far as recommending vitamins, you need a few blood tests to determine your needs.  For example, you may need iron if you are anemic, but if you're not anemic then taking iron can be deadly!  Adding calcium supplements can cause kidneys stones.  So, you really don't want to add more than a probiotic and a general multi until you have a discussion with a health professional.  

 

It also sounds like you have some intolerances (e.g. milk).  Strict avoidance helps.

 

As far as healing from being on a gluten free diet, it may take up to a year or three.  Most people feel some relief with a month or two.  We are all different.

 

Good luck!

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I agree that you might want to get your blood tested for celiac disease before you are on the gluten-free diet for long. Some celiacs find it very difficult to go back to eating gluten after being gluten-free for a time. Sometimes it's better to get the testing done sooner rather than later if you think you might want to be tested eventually.

Many celiacs are lactose intolerant because lactase is made on the intestinal villi which can be badly damaged in an undiagnosed celiac. Some celiacs regain the ability to handle milk after a few months to years gluten-free.

If you decide to stay gluten-free, be patient with the diet. Some symptoms can take months to years to resolve. Cognitive issues and joint problems are often the slowest to improve. Try to give the gluten-free diet 3 months minimum, 6 is better, before you decide if it is helping or not.

If you want to check your vitamins, celiacs are often low in B12, B2, B6, D, A, potassium,magnesium, calcium, iron, ferritin, zinc, copper, and.... I'm forgetting something....as I said, cognitive issues take time to resolve. LOL ;)

Good luck and welcome to the board.

Kreative Newbie
Kreative
Posted

Hi Bert,

 

I'm in the same boat as you (I've also given up gluten two weeks ago) suspecting that gluten intolerance might be the reason for my ongoing health problems.

 

For me the neurological symptoms haven't improved much but I understand that it can take a long time, however I have felt a burst in energy since going gluten free. A real eye opener was some accidental contamination (eating some fish covered in a crispy breaded layer) that left me without energy for another two days. 

 

Funny is that you're experience with caffeine is exactly the same as mine, I used to be a regular coffee drinker (daily Starbucks visitor) and for the first time in 2 months I had an espresso yesterday and I thought I was going insane.

 

And yes I'n also skinny (I'm 6'1 and weigh 154lbs (a bit more but still in the low ranges and I'm quite athletic)).

 

My advice would be to get tested asap, it only takes a little blood it will help you to rule out any other causes + the tests require you to have gluten in your system.

 

Good luck with everything

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine. Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine. Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats. Meat, especially organ...
    2. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc. Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food....
    3. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      Son's legs shaking

      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son. Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia. An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal. Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Paulaannefthimiou's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      2

      Bob red mill gluten free oats

      Oats naturally contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. While avenin is generally considered safe for most people with celiac disease, some individuals, around 5-10% of celiacs, may also have sensitivity to avenin, leading to symptoms similar to gluten exposure. You may fall into this...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,869
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    MaryannHall
    Newest Member
    MaryannHall
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son.  Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia.  An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal.   Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps, as well as aggression and irritability, confusion, mood swings and behavior changes.  Thiamine is essential to the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which keep us calm and rational.   @Jsingh, histamine intolerance is also a symptom of Thiamine deficiency.  Thiamine is needed to prevent mast cells from releasing histamine at the slightest provocation as is seen in histamine intolerance.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine from the body.  Without sufficient thiamine and other B vitamins to clear it, the histamine builds up.  High histamine levels can change behavior, too.  High histamine levels are found in the brains of patients with schizophrenia.  Thiamine deficiency can also cause extreme hunger or conversely anorexia.   High carbohydrate meals can precipitate thiamine deficiency because additional thiamine is required to process carbohydrates for the body to use as fuel.  The more carbohydrates one eats daily, the more one needs additional thiamine above the RDA.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses. Keep in mind that gluten-free processed foods like cookies and such are not required to be fortified and enriched with vitamins and minerals like their gluten containing counterparts are.  Limit processed gluten-free foods.  They are often full of empty calories and unhealthy saturated fats and additives, and are high in histamine or histamine release triggers.  It's time you bought your own vitamins to supplement what is not being absorbed due to malabsorption of Celiac disease.  Benfotiamine is a form of Thiamine that has been shown to improve intestinal health as well as brain function. Do talk to your doctors and dieticians about supplementing with the essential vitamins and minerals while your children are growing up gluten free.  Serve nutritionally dense foods.  Meats and liver are great sources of B vitamins and minerals. Hope this helps!  Keep us posted on your progress!
    • Scott Adams
      Bob red mill gluten free oats

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Oats naturally contain a protein called avenin, which is similar to the gluten proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. While avenin is generally considered safe for most people with celiac disease, some individuals, around 5-10% of celiacs, may also have sensitivity to avenin, leading to symptoms similar to gluten exposure. You may fall into this category, and eliminating them is the best way to figure this out. Some people substitute gluten-free quinoa flakes for oats if they want a hot cereal substitute. If you are interested in summaries of scientific publications on the topic of oats and celiac disease, we have an entire category dedicated to it which is here: https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/oats-and-celiac-disease-are-they-gluten-free/   
×
×
  • 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.