Terrible Neurological Symptoms

[Jeanette P]

On 11/21/2021 at 5:24 AM, HectorConvector said:

Just as an example of what I'm dealing with I've just had lunch which was a small snack of gluten-free pitta bread and spread on it and already had two violent jolts of burning nerve pain across random parts of my right foot. This will continue to get worse throughout the day. Every day.

This may or may not help but I have some of the same problems as you do with eating.  I had to do the elimination diet (BRAT diet) and add one food at a time.  I have found that I have horrible pain if I eat any salt (that includes cheese, ketchup, even turkey/meats with salt), seasonings that may have pepper or any thing spicy including paprika, store bought gluten free products (I think because they contain rice flour and rice has heavy metal in it), caffeine (I do drink a cup or two of decaf coffee daily - Peets uses only water to decaffeinate their beans not chemicals), alcohol, fish due to mercury content (except can have salmon or smaller fish like tilapia), chemicals/additives/colors added to foods and any processed foods.  This diet has made it difficult for me to maintain my weight but it helps that I can eat sugar so I eat ice cream (hoping my sugar levels don't spike now!).  I found I would rather be thin than suffer 24/7.  One other thing I have noticed is that doing yoga or any stretching/strengthening/calisthenics exercises help almost immediately.

[Scott Adams]

Burning nerve pain can be a sign of nutrient deficiencies which are extremely common in those with celiac disease. 

The most common nutrient deficiencies associated with celiac disease that may lead to testing for the condition include iron, vitamin D, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.  Unfortunately many doctors, including my own doctor at the time, don't do extensive follow up testing for a broad range of nutrient deficiencies, nor recommend that those just diagnosed with celiac disease take a broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement, which would greatly benefit most, if not all, newly diagnosed celiacs.

Because of this it took me decades to overcome a few long-standing issues I had that were associated with gluten ataxia, for example numbness and tingling in my feet, and muscle knots--especially in my shoulders an neck. Only long term extensive supplementation has helped me to resolve these issues.

 

 

 

[knitty kitty]

@Jeanette P,

Welcome to the forum!

Please look into nutritional deficiencies which commonly occur in Celiac Disease.

Your reaction to salt in your diet may signal insufficiencies in potassium, magnesium, and calcium.  These minerals along with sodium work together in muscles and nerves.  If not balanced, an insufficiency in any of these minerals can present as pain and cramps.

Arsenic and mercury are heavy metals which are cheated by Thiamine B1.  Thiamine binds with heavy metals like arsenic and mercury, making them harmless and easily passing out of the body in feces.  Thiamine also helps prevent damage to DNA caused by radiation.  Thiamine supplementation has been handed out when the Russians had control of the nuclear power plants in Ukraine.  And at Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and Fukushima.  

If a high carbohydrate diet is being eaten, more Thiamine is required to turn carbohydrates into energy.  Without sufficient thiamine, excessive carbohydrates are turned into fat and burned off quickly.  Not being able to gain weight is a symptom of Thiamine insufficiency.

Certain foods contain chemicals (thiaminases) that break Thiamine down preventing thiamine's ability to function.  These chemicals that destroy thiamine occur in fish and drinks like coffees and black tea, even if decaffeinated.  Caffeine will destroy Thiamine, too.

Please be aware that dairy consumption can cause continuing inflammation and damage to the small intestine in some people.  

The Autoimmune Paleo Diet is beneficial in reducing inflammation and promoting healing in the gastrointestinal tract.  

Supplementing with essential nutrients like the B Complex vitamins and minerals are beneficial during healing.  Remember you are no longer getting the vitamins added to gluten containing products like wheat bread.  You need to replace those with supplements because gluten free facsimile foods are not required to add vitamins and minerals like is mandated by law for gluten containing products.

Please talk to a nutritionist or dietician who can guide you through a nutritionally dense gluten free diet! 

Sources for further reading...

Potassium...

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/potassium-deficiency-symptoms#bottom-line

Magnesium...

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/

Mucosal reactivity to cow's milk protein in coeliac disease

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1810502/

Thiamin(e): the spark of life

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22116701/

Malnutrition in Obesity: Is It Possible?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8820192/

Best wishes for your recovery!

[HectorConvector]

Latest update.

So after even more time I've become more sure about what the cause of the symptoms mentioned throughout this thread actually are.

Nerve pain in feet/lower legs: caused by exercise, particularly weight bearing. Repeat experiments with weight training have now proven this, and I got rid of my weights set and stopped going to the gym. Any attempt to do weight bearing exercise, even such as bodyweight squats, will cause a rapid return of symptoms. 

Pain in head/behind the eyes after eating: This was a food sensitivity problem with nuts and eggs. Removing these completely has almost stopped this entirely. 

[Scott Adams]

I only wonder if the weight training was the actual cause of the nerve pain issues, or just something that exacerbated the symptoms? It seems like something must be irritating your nerves, and it seems strange that lifting weights would be the ultimate cause.

I initially had an intolerance to chicken eggs, but could tolerate duck eggs without issues:

 

[HectorConvector]

41 minutes ago, Scott Adams said:

I only wonder if the weight training was the actual cause of the nerve pain issues, or just something that exacerbated the symptoms? It seems like something must be irritating your nerves, and it seems strange that lifting weights would be the ultimate cause.

I initially had an intolerance to chicken eggs, but could tolerate duck eggs without issues:

 

The pain preceded the weight training, but it was very slight until I started weight training. The weight training exacerbated it, but MASSIVELY. Basically took it out of control and to the point of heavy medication. At first I thought it was my higher calorie diet causing the pain to be worse but turns out it wasnt that.

[Blue-Sky]

There are some similarities between CFS and what you describe on this thread, but CFS might cover a broad range of different conditions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH1wn3D9HNg

At the 20 minute mark it talks about how exercise can trigger an autoimmune response. (The drug that is mentioned in the video unfortunatlly failed the last trial.)

https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2016/03/01/lactate-fibromyalgia-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

During digestion the stomach muscles close all the way, allowing for the stomach to become more acidic. And then small amounts of chime are allowed into the intestine in a controlled manner. Abnormal stomach sphincter motion may contribute to ibs symptoms. In dumping syndrome, insulin is released too soon into the blood resulting in major problems like low blood sugar. Changes in ph levels are also used for immune signalling during digestion.

There are tons of nerves in the stomach and digestive track and digesting food might be similar in some way to lifting weights, which may explain some of the food sensitivities.

[Scott Adams]

This is very interesting, and I hadn't heard of this exercise-induced condition before. 

[Wheatwacked]

I think I've had almost every type of foot pain there is.  Started with Plantar Fasciitis, cure was gentle stretching of Achilles tendon in  a hot shower running down back and legs.  Somewhere along the way either my feet grew or my shoes shank. I've been wearing the same style and brand and size for ages, It got better for a while after trimming nails. Worse with cushiony inserts.  That improved with bigger shoes.  I get toe cramps after sleeping for two hours, and have to get up until they relax.  When I drink 20 ounces of milk before bed lately I get to sleep close to three hours at a time before something else wakes me.  20 ounces of milk (610 ml) has 810 mg of pottassium.  The Adequate Intake for adult is 2400 mg; Daily Value (%DV on the can label) is based on 4700 mg = 100%DV).  Assuming no Potassium Saving medications there is no Safe Upper Limit set for food sourced, but there is for supplements at 100 mg. The equivalent of a cup of coffee.  

        Causes and treatment of foot cramp  "People at all fitness levels, from beginners to top athletes, can experience muscle cramps if they push their muscles too far compared with their usual activity levels... If a person exerts themselves too forcefully during their workout or sports practice, overworked muscles can spasm more and cause foot cramps...  When potassium levels dip too low, a person may experience cramping in the feet and legs."

        Potassium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals  "  According to data from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the average daily potassium intake from foods is 2,423 mg for males aged 2–19, and 1,888 mg for females aged 2–19 [27]. In adults aged 20 and over, the average daily potassium intake from foods is 3,016 mg for men and 2,320 mg for women.