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

A Concerned Husband With Questions...

LenSan

By LenSan
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

LenSan Newbie
LenSan
Posted

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

 

Question:

 

This past year my wife found out she had celiac disease, and so for it has been an up hill battle for her and our family. I know I can’t possibly know what she is going through, but I want to be there for her and let her know she is not alone. However, I have recently noticed she has been extremely irritable and impatient. She becomes mad very easy and does not even notice. Not that this is a huge deal, but her sex drive has also went away.

 

I am no doctor, but what can I do to help her? Are these symptoms of celiac disease? Also, has anyone else gone through this? I want us to be normal again.

 

Thanks,

 

Len

 

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Welcome!

 

Is it possible that your wife has not removed all gluten from her diet?  Many of us become quite irritable when we accidentally ingest gluten.

 

Both of you should read this thread to see if her diet is as strict as needed:

 

Newbie Info 101 - Celiac Disease - Coping With - Celiac.com Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Forum

 

Hang in there -- many symptoms can take quite awhile to resolve :)

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

How old is your wife?  Besides, possible exposure to gluten in her diet, she may be experiencing issues with her thyroid or going through perimenopause.  I was a crazy woman for the past two years due to the combination of all three issues!  I was diagnosed in March, went gluten free, got back on hormone replacement therapy (to help build bone and sex drive!) and my thyroid stabilized.  Whew!  It was hard on my husband and daughter.  Now, I'm back to my normal grumpy self! :lol:

 

So, nice to hear that you are willing to support your wife.  I am blessed with a husband who's been gluten free for 12 years.  I can say that he gets grumpy too when he gets glutened.

 

Best of luck!

1desperateladysaved Proficient
1desperateladysaved
Posted

Her body could be busy healing and it can take some time.  Thanks for your efforts to assist her.  My children watch labels for me; you can help do that.  Do you have a gluten free house?  It can make life easier.  I have good hopes for your success as you work together.

 

D

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I suggest you and your wife read this book.  REAL LIFE WITH CELIAC DISEASE by Melinda Dennis and Daniel Leffler

 

Really. It will help you both understand what is going on, how to deal, what else can be going

on besides celiac, and what follow up care she may need.

 

Good for you for being so sweet and wanting to help her.

 

but gee, Len.....going to be blunt here.

 

She has been very, very ill in her body and brain from gluten. This disease is DEADLY...

and involves the entire body. She has been malnourished and suffering and her intestines do not work right now.Think: starving babies in Africa we used to see on TV.Celiac Disease is malabsorption.

And malabsorption wreaks total havoc.I was a walking dead woman from it. I could barely lift my own arms. My husband had to dress me at one point.

 

This means NOTHING in her body works...including hormones. She does not mean to be irritated; she's sick. hon..

 

and so, yeah, sex is not the first thing she is interested in right now.

Would you want to have sex if you had the worst flu of your life and you felt like hell ?Nope.

You may need to take a break on this idea for a while,  Len. Give her some time to heal.

 

She has vitamin deficiencies and anemia and all kinds of horror going on inside...including hormone dysregulation.

 

Please, be patient with your wife. Just be extra sweet... and read the book.

Make sure she is not being glutened inadvertently somehow (this can happen in a shared household, for example),,, and soon, you'll be back to normal. 

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

Len, Gluten turned sweet lil ol' loving me into a dyed in the wool fire breathing dragon lady. I could easily have been an ax murderess. I didn't want anyone to even speak to me & for a long time I could not see what a harridan I had become. Sex? Forget about it! 

You see Len, celiac disease affects every. single. cell. in. your. body. And it doesn't matter if we realize how we're acting or not ~~~ it's sort of like you could say, "the gluten made me do it".

The others gave great advice. Both of you should read the newbie 101 & the book IrishHeart suggested. Have patience, we did not get sick overnight & we will not heal overnight. It takes time. But that time will come, I can guarantee you that. 

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

Celiac killed my sex drive too. When I felt bloated and full to the point of pain in the abdominal area (did not want anything else in there - LOL), had migraines about half the time and felt fatigued, I'm afraid sex was about as appealing as vacuuming... except I could at least frown and sigh while vacuumin gwhere as with "lovin'" I was expected to smile and enjoy myself when I just wanted to sit or sleep even though I love my husband dearly... Every husband's nightmare. It did get better for me (and him) but it did take many many months as well as addressing other health issues like underfunctioning adrenals and thyroid, as well as nutritional supplements.

 

Give it time.  I know it's easier said than done, but hang in there.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


NoGlutenCooties Contributor
NoGlutenCooties
Posted

Hi Len -

 

First, let me say that I think you're brave and very sweet to reach out to a bunch of strangers in this way - and I commend you for really wanting to help your wife.

 

When I started going through pre-menapausal symptoms I would wake up some days very angry and wanting to kill.  For no reason at all.  Other days I'd be on cloud nine - again, for no reason at all.  One day I had a crying fit that scared my cat.  And I very rarely cry.  It sounds to me like your wife is experiencing something hormonal, not necessarily gluten related.  Although... keep in mind that while she's healing from the Celiac her body is going to be going through a lot that can also affect her hormone levels... vitamin deficiencies, etc. - and her body needs to find her new equilibrium.

 

That said... I got tired of waking up angry - and my sex drive also took a nose-dive, which can be very confusing for women because at first you just don't know what the heck is going on.  I started taking Relacore (the version that does NOT have any synthetic hormones in it).  Basically, it is a Vitamin B Complex with a few additional herbs thrown in to help stabilize mood.  Once I was on it for a couple of weeks, I haven't woken up angry once - and my sex drive is back.

They market it as a "belly fat reducer" because it relieves stress, and if you have stress-induced weight gain I suppose it could help you lose weight.  But I think that's just a marketing ploy.  Marketing gimics aside, it has really helped me to feel normal again.

 

(Vitamin B deficiencies are also very common in Celiac people.)

 

Your wife should get her blood work done to see if she has low iron as well.  Or low Vitamin D.

 

Good luck

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. trents
      - trents replied to heart390's topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      3

      Why now?

      Yes, other health challenges and even severe prolonged emotional distress are thought to be potential triggers for the latent celiac genes. Let me encourage you to get tested for celiac disease as soon as possible so that you can get on with eliminating gluten from your diet, which itself will involve a considerable learning curve in order to become consistent...
    2. ainsleydale1700
      - ainsleydale1700 replied to ainsleydale1700's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Confused about HLA-DQ Celiac gene test result

      Thank you! I have the classic symptoms while eating gluten-constipation, diarrhea, weight loss, loss of appetite, etc. My main problems right now are elsewhere in my body. Dental issues...my teeth started breaking. I had two teeth break in the past month. My dentist looked at my teeth with a camera and said I have no enamel left. Im really struggling...
    3. heart390
      - heart390 replied to heart390's topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      3

      Why now?

      THANK YOU Trents!!! No, I have not been tested - but have several autoimmune diseases ( MS over 50 yrs.) MAJOR GAS & fatigue are my most severe problems. Possibility STRESS helped kick it off? It's a sad additional problem to add to the latter part of my life!
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Collecting all possibly related lab work?

      It’s absolutely worth bringing all of this to your GI appointment. The 2013 CT note about thickening in the second and third portions of the duodenum is especially important, since that area is directly involved in celiac disease and other inflammatory conditions, even if it wasn’t followed up at the time. The weak positive HLA-B27, joint pain, stiffness, nu...
    5. Known1
      - Known1 commented on Scott Adams's article in Gluten-Free Foods & Beverages
      2

      Safe Gluten-Free Spices and Brands: A Celiac Disease Guide

      Thanks for this article. I gave a bunch of my old spices to my single mom neighbor after being diagnosed this past month. She was thrilled to find chili powder and used it that same evening. After reading several reviews on Amazon, I purchased a 28oz container of Badia Complete Seasoning for under $7.00. It is super rare to find anything on Amazon...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,436
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Thomasine
    Newest Member
    Thomasine
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Why now?

      By trents · Posted

      Yes, other health challenges and even severe prolonged emotional distress are thought to be potential triggers for the latent celiac genes. Let me encourage you to get tested for celiac disease as soon as possible so that you can get on with eliminating gluten from your diet, which itself will involve a considerable learning curve in order to become consistent at it. Even pills and meds can contain gluten because wheat starch can be used as a filler. It's important to know if you have celiac disease for two reasons. First, it damages the lining of the small bowel and, over time, wears down those billions of little fingers that make up the lining and produce a huge surface area for absorbing nutrients from the food we eat. The small bowel is essentially the place where all of our nutrition is absorbed. Long term undiagnosed/ignored celiac disease therefore results in nutritional deficiencies even when we are eating well. You don't need that with the other health issues you are dealing with.  Second, many or most people find it difficult to be consistent with the gluten free diet if they don't have a formal diagnosis of celiac disease. It is just too inconvenient and limiting and they begin to rationalize that, "Well, maybe my problems are due to something else." Human nature has a remarkable capacity to rationalize. It can be argued that you can cheat a little bit on the gluten free diet with NCGS because it only creates a little discomfort and distress but not damage. That doesn't work with celiac disease. So, I feel it is important to know which you are dealing with, especially in the case where you have not yet begun the gluten free diet and you are a good candidate for beginning testing. Many people make the mistake of experimenting with the gluten free diet before they get tested for celiac disease and then they have to go back on gluten for weeks or months, the so-called "gluten challenge", in order to achieve valid test results. By the way, autoimmune diseases tend to cluster. When you get one, it is very common to develop others in time. 
    • ainsleydale1700
      Confused about HLA-DQ Celiac gene test result

      By ainsleydale1700 · Posted

      Thank you!  I have the classic symptoms while eating gluten-constipation, diarrhea, weight loss, loss of appetite, etc.  My main problems right now are elsewhere in my body.  Dental issues...my teeth started breaking.  I had two teeth break in the past month.  My dentist looked at my teeth with a camera and said I have no enamel left.  Im really struggling with neuropathy, and gynecological conditions.  My periods stopped 6 years ago and Im not in perimenopause or menopause.  When I consume gluten, my resting HR goes up about 30 points, and takes a week or so to normalize.  The list goes on, its very overwhelming Ongoing vitamin D deficiency, magnesium, iron, blood creatinine is always low, dont know if thats relevant. Below is from the Celiac panel, otherwise the results were normal.  Not crazy high, but I wasnt aware the Celiac panel was included in the bloodwork.  So I didnt prepare for it in advance, and Ive been on a gluten-free diet for the past 4 years High t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgG: 7, Reference Interval: 0-5, Unit: U/mL This test detects IgG antibodies to tTG (tissue transglutaminase), and was performed because your IgA level is below normal. The immune response that occurs in celiac disease often leads to IgG antibodies against tTG.   I know I have a bad reaction to gluten.  But with the low likelihood of Celiac, any guidance on other paths to explore would be greatly appreciated!  Ive been trying to figure this out for years now, and more issues keep coming up.  It has been so overwhelming.  Thanks again.
    • heart390
      Why now?

      By heart390 · Posted

      THANK YOU Trents!!!  No, I have not been tested - but have several autoimmune diseases ( MS over 50 yrs.) MAJOR GAS  & fatigue are my most severe problems.  Possibility STRESS helped kick it off?  It's a sad additional problem to add to the latter part of my life!
    • Scott Adams
      Collecting all possibly related lab work?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It’s absolutely worth bringing all of this to your GI appointment. The 2013 CT note about thickening in the second and third portions of the duodenum is especially important, since that area is directly involved in celiac disease and other inflammatory conditions, even if it wasn’t followed up at the time. The weak positive HLA-B27, joint pain, stiffness, numbness, and burning sensations could suggest an autoimmune or inflammatory process, which sometimes overlaps with celiac disease or other gut-related immune conditions. Your periods of neurological symptoms (balance issues, numbness, confusion), low vitamin D, and fluctuating levels despite supplementation are also relevant, as malabsorption can contribute to deficiencies and neurologic complaints. Even “normal” labs are helpful for pattern recognition over time. I’d suggest organizing your records into categories—GI imaging, autoimmune labs, vitamin/mineral levels, neurological evaluations, and symptom timelines—so your GI doctor can see the bigger picture. This kind of long-term pattern can be very useful in connecting dots.
    • trents
      Why now?

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community @heart390! Genes connected with the development of celiac disease remain latent until triggered or activated by some biological stressor. The stressor can be many things and our knowledge in this area is incomplete. Suspects include viral infections, antibiotics, pesticides, preservatives and other harmful chemicals in the environment. The onset of celiac disease can happen at any stage in life. It is a long outdated misconception that gluten intolerance is a childhood phenomenon that you eventually outgrow. You use the term "gluten problems". What do you mean by that? Have you been formally diagnosed with celiac disease (aka, "gluten intolerance")? There is also NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or "gluten sensitivity") for which there is not yet any testing available. It shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease but is not autoimmune in nature and does not damage the lining of the small bowel. A diagnosis of NCGS depends on first ruling out celiac disease for which we do have tests. If you would seek testing for celiac disease, you must not begin the gluten free diet until all testing is done with or you will have invalidated the testing. There are two stages to the testing. The first stage involves a simple blood draw to check for certain antibodies produced by celiac disease. If the antibody testing is positive, doctors normally order an endoscopy with biopsy of the small bowel lining which checks for damaged caused by the inflammation associated with the autoimmune response. That is the second stage of diagnostic testing.
×
×
  • 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.