Iodine and Celiac

[TinaE]

I recently had  hip replacement surgery and didn't tell my surgeon I had an issue with wheat. I have been following a gluten free diet for 20 years. I didn't think about it when I was asked if I had "allergies." I did tell the dietitian at the hospital who made sure I ate no wheat gluten. Something in my medication or I.V. caused me to develop horrible dermatitis herpetiformis rash on my right elbow. This was unusual because I have broken out before but it would be symmetrical- both elbows or both sets of knuckles. I was given gabapentin for nerve damage after the surgery and wondered if this could have caused it or if iodine was somehow involved. I stopped taking the medicine when the rash erupted but it took 2 weeks to clear up.

[ravenwoodglass]

It is possible that the med you were given wasn't gluten free but I think it more likely you were cross contaminated from the food. If the lesions were in an area that was swabbed with iodine it may have been that but if that was the case I think you also would have seen an outbreak in the surgical area. Good to hear that the rash has resolved and hope you are healing well from the surgery. Do make sure that it is in your medical record that you are celiac and notify any pharmacy you use.

[knitty kitty]

Tina, 

Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is used as part of the anesthesia given during surgery.  The nitrogen in the nitrous oxide binds irreversibly with the cobalt in Vitamin B12 (cobalamin).  This will use up any B12 stores you have.  B12 deficiency results in nerve damage.

People with dermatitis herpetiformis have low B12 levels.  

Gabapentin causes B12 deficiency because Gabapentin messes with the intrinsic factor needed for B12 absorption.

You started feeling better after quitting the Gabapentin because you could absorb B12 again.  

I had this B 12 deficiency happen to me after surgery, too.  My DH flared up on one elbow because of the blood pressure cuff used to monitor me.  DH will flare up around areas of pressure, like waist bands and blood pressure cuffs. 

You may want to have your doctor check your B12, folate, ferritin, Vitamin D, and thiamine levels to ensure they are not low.  Celiacs are often vitamin deficient even after being gluten free.  

Hope you're feeling better.

Kitty

On 9/14/2018 at 10:21 PM, TinaE said:

I recently had  hip replacement surgery and didn't tell my surgeon I had an issue with wheat. I have been following a gluten free diet for 20 years. I didn't think about it when I was asked if I had "allergies." I did tell the dietitian at the hospital who made sure I ate no wheat gluten. Something in my medication or I.V. caused me to develop horrible dermatitis herpetiformis rash on my right elbow. This was unusual because I have broken out before but it would be symmetrical- both elbows or both sets of knuckles. I was given gabapentin for nerve damage after the surgery and wondered if this could have caused it or if iodine was somehow involved. I stopped taking the medicine when the rash erupted but it took 2 weeks to clear up.

 

[ravenwoodglass]

7 hours ago, knitty kitty said:

 

 

Gabapentin causes B12 deficiency because Gabapentin messes with the intrinsic factor needed for B12 absorption.

You started feeling better after quitting the Gabapentin because you could absorb B12 again.  

 

 

 

 

That's interesting. I was unable to find any research on this. Do you have a link to this info on the drug? I did find that one of the very many side effects of this drug is a rash or hives.

I had pressure urticaria from celiac and had trouble with hives appearing in areas of pressure like you describe in addition to DH but they were seperate from the DH. Both resolved eventually gluten-free but the hives took much less time to go away than the DH.

[knitty kitty]

Ravenwoodglass, 

I'm having trouble finding the study that tells about the B12 intrinsic factor and gabapentin.  I apologize, I'm usually so good to bookmark my references.   But here are some reports that tell about antiepileptics and B12 deficiency. (Gabapentin is an antiepileptic drug.)

Open Original Shared Link

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I'll keep looking for that study. 

20 hours ago, ravenwoodglass said:

That's interesting. I was unable to find any research on this. Do you have a link to this info on the drug? I did find that one of the very many side effects of this drug is a rash or hives.

I had pressure urticaria from celiac and had trouble with hives appearing in areas of pressure like you describe in addition to DH but they were seperate from the DH. Both resolved eventually gluten-free but the hives took much less time to go away than the DH.

 

[ravenwoodglass]

3 hours ago, knitty kitty said:

Ravenwoodglass, 

I'm having trouble finding the study that tells about the B12 intrinsic factor and gabapentin.  I apologize, I'm usually so good to bookmark my references.   But here are some reports that tell about antiepileptics and B12 deficiency. (Gabapentin is an antiepileptic drug.)

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

I'll keep looking for that study. 

 

Thanks for posting. I have to wonder how many of those in the study were neuro-presentation celiacs. I wonder because I was on one of those drugs because I was thought to be having some kind of seizures. I eventually had to go off the med because it was impacting my liver function. Turned out the issues were from undiagnosed celiac. My GI symptoms were mild at that point so celiac wasn't even considered for many more years. Once I was diagnosed the symptoms I was given the drug for resolved and I was able to absorb and utilize B12 after I healed. I have to wonder how many there are like myself because doctors are so slow to realize that celiac can impact so many systems other than the gut including the brain and at times the gut impact is the last to show up.

[knitty kitty]

Ravenwoodglass, 

I've wondered the same thing about misdiagnosed B12 deficiency.  

I believe I was presenting with psychiatric problems because of B12 deficiency, but dismissed as a depressed hypochondriac because my blood work didn't show the "usual" drastic signs of anemia.

Here are some interesting articles...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3057051

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15029091

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28031855

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24533701

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24365360

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26345354

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=B12+deficiency+psychiatric+celiac

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12910446

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18952527

It's really scary to imagine how often this may be missed.  Can't help wondering if some of those mass shootings can be related.

Thankfully, some of us have a gut feeling it's not all in or heads.

Best wishes for health.

Kitty

18 hours ago, ravenwoodglass said:

Thanks for posting. I have to wonder how many of those in the study were neuro-presentation celiacs. I wonder because I was on one of those drugs because I was thought to be having some kind of seizures. I eventually had to go off the med because it was impacting my liver function. Turned out the issues were from undiagnosed celiac. My GI symptoms were mild at that point so celiac wasn't even considered for many more years. Once I was diagnosed the symptoms I was given the drug for resolved and I was able to absorb and utilize B12 after I healed. I have to wonder how many there are like myself because doctors are so slow to realize that celiac can impact so many systems other than the gut including the brain and at times the gut impact is the last to show up.

 

[ravenwoodglass]

5 hours ago, knitty kitty said:

 

It's really scary to imagine how often this may be missed.  Can't help wondering if some of those mass shootings can be related.

 

 

 

I have wondered the same thing. Something I have noticed with myself and one of my children is that when badly glutened and reacting neurologically is that one eye will appear much smaller because the lid will droop. In my case it is the eye on the opposite side from the brain lesions. I find myself looking at pictures of the perpetrators and see many with this difference in eye size. Wondering if it may be a neuro impact in them. I see it often especially in young folks and then will read that they have psychiatric issues and are on meds. Those meds always made me worse because they were medicating something I didn't have. I do so wish they would screen routinely for celiac like they do in some other countries. Maybe we wouldn't have as unhealthy of a population, both physically and mentally, if they would test everyone but it is hard enough to get them to test even those of us with symptoms.

I will be looking over your links later. Got called in to work today so not much time this morning. Thanks for the info.

[knitty kitty]

Yes! I've noticed their eyes, too!

When I get glutened badly, my herpes simplex one (cold sore) virus acts up.  The virus is in the nerves on one side of my face where I originally got the cold sore.  The reactivation of the virus causes Bell's palsy.  The Bell's palsy causes my eye lid and mouth to droop (I have a crooked, one-sided smile) and I have hearing problems (some degree of deafness) on that side, too.  The virus is also in my eye on that side and has damaged my pupil. It looks permanently dilated.  Unequal pupil dilation is a sign of drug abuse, so my doctors thought I was abusing my psychiatric medications.  I wasn't.  I was suffering from anticholinergic toxicity syndrome because, like you, they were trying to medicate something I didn't have.  (And I do wonder if the virus reactivation also effects nerves inside my head.)

There are several viruses that can cause Bell's palsy, including chicken pox. (Who hasn't had chicken pox?) Here's some reading material....

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Unfortunately I have severe gastrointestinal reactions to acyclovir and similar drugs used to treat viral outbreaks, but I've found mass doses of the amino acid lysine helps tremendously.  

Poor TinaE, we've hijacked your post.  So sorry.  

Ravenwoodglass, it's been such a relief hearing that I'm not alone in these strange chain reactions of gluten.  Bless you for sharing with me.

2 hours ago, ravenwoodglass said:

I have wondered the same thing. Something I have noticed with myself and one of my children is that when badly glutened and reacting neurologically is that one eye will appear much smaller because the lid will droop. In my case it is the eye on the opposite side from the brain lesions. I find myself looking at pictures of the perpetrators and see many with this difference in eye size. Wondering if it may be a neuro impact in them. I see it often especially in young folks and then will read that they have psychiatric issues and are on meds. Those meds always made me worse because they were medicating something I didn't have. I do so wish they would screen routinely for celiac like they do in some other countries. Maybe we wouldn't have as unhealthy of a population, both physically and mentally, if they would test everyone but it is hard enough to get them to test even those of us with symptoms.

I will be looking over your links later. Got called in to work today so not much time this morning. Thanks for the info.