Coeliac Disease And Prescriptions For Anxiety

[alypaly]

My normal Coeliac symptoms are mainly depression, insane fatigue, brain fog and bloating, however I have noticed that when I eat gluten one of the first things that happens after a couple of days is that I get extremely anxious. Not about anything in particular, but I feel sort of 'fight or flight', and want to hide when i hear a noise etc etc. Around people my palms start to sweat and my stomach turns into knots, and my heart beats really fast. Even sitting here writing this email I feel as if I'm about to take an important exam. This usually lasts about 5 days but do you think it is possible to get prescribed something to calm me down just to take for instances when I get glutened ( I do try my hardest, but mistakes happen!)

 

As a university student it is so hard to make friends and keep up relationships when every now again I get weeks where I find it a struggle to make conversation and appear normal and not super awkward because of anxiety and can't relax, especially when in public. It ruined my life last year and this year is a new year and I want something to fall back on so I dont have to disappear for a week. I have been on medication for depression before as well, but they didn't combat the anxiety. Do you think this is a reasonable thing to ask my Dr/Psych and does anyone else have any advice?

 

Thanks!

[bartfull]

Advice? Be more careful so you DON'T get glutened.

 

I realize it's hard to socialize and not be around gluten all the time, and of course being in college, people tend to socialize more than old farts like myself. But seriously, you need to be scrupulous. Read the Newbie 101 thread here in the coping section. And make sure you either eat before you go somewhere or bring your own food. Sure, it make make you feel funny around your friends, but the anxiety is already doing that. Better to feel good physically while you stand out like a sore thumb. You'll get used to it and so will they. 

[notme]

what barty said ****  really and truly, if you stop getting ANY gluten, your anxieties will calm down.  i have that reaction when i am glutened <once i recognize it, i stay away from people.  but i am super duper careful not to eat anything that is remotely suspicious.  once you are completely gluten free, your body will work better, you'll be healing and absorbing the nutrients that will calm your brain.  i've been taking b12 and it's been helping, too.    

 

if i have an unusually stressful circumstance, i will eat a half dose (or smaller, depending) of xanax.  but i have to do it ahead of time, or i don't realize i'm stressing until i'm in full on freak out mode.  if that makes any sense.  the last time i had to take some was my father-in-law's funeral.  took some when i realized i was upset with what i packed to wear and the lack of the Correct Shoes <not reasonable, dumb stress)  took a small amount - when i am that spun up, it doesn't make me drowsy at all, just calm enough to be reasonable. i am under a doctor's care and i get about 10 tablets per year - he originally prescribed them to me for travel (the PLANE is TOO FAR off the GROUND!!!) but he said, and my g.i. recommended that i use it in stressful situations (because stress messes up my digestion as well) the original dose is 1/2 a tablet and that will make me kind of goofy but i can still get around the airport, switch planes, etc.   the anxiety is much better the longer and more strictly gluten free i am, but i still can't get on a plane without dosing up.  

 

good luck.  i know how debilitating anxiety can be.  :/

[alypaly]

I do try really really hard I am just talking about those instances when you don't even realise what you ate and you suddenly are incapacitated etc etc. I wasn't really asking to be lectured on how I look after myself :/ Can't help but think that was rather patronising bartfull. Just because I am a student doesn't mean i'm any more reckless. I do appreciate the help but I also take my health really seriously and don't give a crap about what I eat in front of my friends and never take risks. But it happens. 

 

I was just wondering if you knew if it was something a Dr would consider prescribing for.

[notme]

 

I was just wondering if you knew if it was something a Dr would consider prescribing for.

 

yes.

[bartfull]

I'm sorry if I came across as patronizing. After being a member here for many years I have "spoken" with lots of newbies and I know how difficult it is. And I also know that eating out is the hardest part - even for me. That's why I don't do it.

 

But I remember being young and in college and I know that at least back then, people went out with their friends all the time. If I had had celiac at that time I'm sure I would have gotten glutened a lot. If someone had told me back then that I could ONLY eat food I had prepared myself I seriously doubt I would have been able to do it.

 

And then there are the people here whose jobs require frequent travel. They have to bring coolers and try to find stores that sell gluten-free things. They have to find lodging where there are kitchenettes or else bring hot plates or slow cookers or George Foreman grills.

 

It's HARD! And then there are people who either live with gluten eaters or visit family or friends who eat gluten and refuse to understand cross-contamination. They think we go overboard or that it's all in our heads.

 

But you said that it ruined you YEAR last year. That indicates to me that it has happened a lot. There should NEVER be a time when "you don't even realize what you ate". You need to read every label, every time. You need to avoid cross-contamination because even a small hit can do lots of damage.

 

In 4 and a half years I have been glutened exactly twice. Once was when someone brought gluten cookies into my shop and somehow a crumb got on my hand. I failed to wash my hands before I popped some nuts into my mouth. I learned then that I must ALWAYS wash my hands before eating anything.

 

The second time was when I got CC from some ice cream that I had been eating for years. I knew they also made cookies and cream in the same facility but this one time someone must not have cleaned the line well enough. I'll never eat that ice cream again.

 

So now I don't allow gluten in either my house or my shop. If you live in a dorm you can't very well tell your room mate that gluten isn't allowed. Therefore you have to be extra careful. Wash your hands EVERY SINGLE TIME you are going to eat anything. If you have any of your own food (like mayo or butter) around, you must make sure no one else uses it or they can contaminate it. You can't even share a bag of potato chips if the person you share with puts their gluteny hands in the bag.

 

It sounds almost impossible, but you can and MUST do it or not only will you keep having these anxious days, but your gut will never heal.

[cristiana]

The first of cascade of symptoms that eventually led to my diagnosis was extreme anxiety.   I was having a lovely summer with my family, all was good in the world, yet  I would wake up in the middle of the night feeling so charged with anxiety that I thought I too was going to take an exam - or make a speech to hundreds of people.  I had racing thoughts and the simplest tasks, during the day, became a struggle.  I also had this physical feeling of a weight on my shoulders, accompanied by a dark feeling of impending doom and also a longstanding mild phobia that had never really caused problems in the past that suddenly came to the fore big time.   A friend recommended that I consult a doctor and after some blood tests it appeared I had very low blood iron and B12, plus odd protein readings in my blood.  So something was clearly wrong.

 

Even before the doctors realised gluten was the problem I think getting my blood iron and B12 levels sorted out was key - so do get these levels checked.  I found taking a large dose of a fizzy B12 drink really helped when I was feeling keyed up like that.  My doctor also reluctantly prescribed citalopram which I took at its lowest dose.  I do recall it made me feel worse to begin with (great!) but maybe it took the edge off a bit after a couple of weeks, I don't know.   I took it for about 5 months.

 

Above all I believe one really fundamental thing in my recovery was understanding what to do when the anxiety struck.  I felt so weird that I didn't really know what was wrong with me at first but once I put a name to it, i.e. anxiety, I searched on line and found Paul David's website (see link), which was an absolute godsend.   Knowing how anxiety works is key to knowing how to overcome it and the website and his book, which I recommend heartily, were a massive breakthrough in my recovery.  The anxiety still creeps in but less and less so.    I now have the tools to cope if and when it strikes.  This guy was a sufferer for many years, and I understand that a lot of doctors recommend the book, so here are the details in case it might help you.

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

Obviously, keeping away from gluten is vital.  But I found my anxiety lasted well beyond my DX and going gluten free, albeit to a lesser degree.  I think my body had learned to be anxious (if that makes sense) so if gluten wasn't setting it off something else would, like the thought of flying to Italy last summer. I can't stand flying!   Those extreme symptoms began to hit again then so I picked up the book, re-read it and reminded myself that setbacks happen.  And after a while it passed. 

 

I do hope this is of help.

[cristiana]

And a couple of other things...

 

A friend of mine was told to eat a banana and a handful of walnuts when anxiety strikes by a very well qualified nutritionalist.  Something to do with serotonin - I really cannot remember, but she says it helps.  Worth a try. 

 

Also, I found it is good to steer clear of caffeine and also avoid sugar highs and lows.    Just sharing in case it helps you.  All the very best.

[knitty kitty]

I find a supplement called L-theanine helps.

Be sure to get a gluten free kind.