Brain Fog?

[Super Bellybutton]

I'm new to this forum, but I have been suffering through the most severe brain fog ever. I thought it was hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and I tried compensating for that by taking 20g of carbohydrates. Never worked.

I recently went on a high carb diet, eating low GI foods: brown rice with mixed vegetables along with orange juice and other fruits. I also tried drinking 2 32oz bottles of Gatorade each day. So my total carb intake was 400g/day. I'm drastically underweight, 6' 119 lbs. But I've always been this way and never really had fatigue problems and such. This brain fog started kicking in since late January of this year.

I don't think I'm a diabetic because of my weight, but I can't say that I eat very healthy. I have been eating fruits and vegetables up the ying-yang and this brain fog has never gone away.

Excuse the graphicness, but my stools have been pretty loose too. I eat a high fiber diet, getting sometimes 50g/day...because of the vegetables. I tried eating gluten-free since Saturday, but I ingested Quaker Oats too for 2 days after that...so I quit eating that since Quaker says it has traces of gluten. I then stopped eating the Safeway brand Brown Rice, they say the long grain white rice is gluten-free, but the representative didn't know if the brown rice was also. But I stopped eating it just in case.

So now my diet is mostly vegetables/fruits/meats. Of course vegetables are very low in carbs (1 serving of pasta has just as much carbohydrates as 5 servings of mixed vegetables or 20 servings of broccoli) so I eat a lot of them. I also have bananas and OJ at morning and night.

See, I'm extremely worried. Never in my life have I've gone through something like this. It's difficult to drive sometimes (I drive a stick too) because my mind is like "out there." I'm kind of hoping I have a gluten-intolerance so I know what is bothering me.

But at the same time it's a double-edged sword. Sure you know what is causing your symptoms, but gluten is in EVERYTHING. Even contaminated with rice, candy, soy sauce, and some meats.

I've never been diagnosed with celiac disease because it never occured to me that I had it. I'm not sure if my intestines are so damaged that my body can't absorb anything and thus not getting enough glucose to my brain.

I've been taking glutamine supplements to combat this problem (by promoting healing of the intestines), but I only stopped eating gluten officially for about 1.5 days now.

Did anyone suffer through brain fog and then have the symptoms go away after going gluten-free?

Being as descriptive as possible also really helps. Thanks.

[loraleena]

Hi there. This could be from gluten. My severe brain fog slowly lifted after I went gluten free almost a year ago. Feeling better can be a slow process. 1.5 days is nothing and you may still be contaminating yourself. You may feel better and worse back and forth for a while. I am better, but still have brain fog sometimes especially after lunch. Too much grains(even nongluten fog me out). I do better with veggies, meats, yogurt and some fruits. You might want to get blood work before going gluten free otherwise the tests may not show anything. Or, you can just stay gluten free and see what happens. Candida(yeast overgrowth) can also cause brain fog and many other symptoms. I am looking into this myself. Good luck!

[Super Bellybutton]

Hi there. This could be from gluten. My severe brain fog slowly lifted after I went gluten free almost a year ago. Feeling better can be a slow process. 1.5 days is nothing and you may still be contaminating yourself. You may feel better and worse back and forth for a while. I am better, but still have brain fog sometimes especially after lunch. Too much grains(even nongluten fog me out). I do better with veggies, meats, yogurt and some fruits. You might want to get blood work before going gluten free otherwise the tests may not show anything. Or, you can just stay gluten free and see what happens. Candida(yeast overgrowth) can also cause brain fog and many other symptoms. I am looking into this myself. Good luck!

I did go on a "Candida" regimen for about 3 months. It emphasized low-GI foods (or basically a low carb diet in some cases) and anti-fungals with probiotics. No results. I took garlic pills, oregano oil, Pau D'arco, grapefruit seed extract, caprylic acid up the ying-yang. though I did go on numerous anti-biotics and corticosteroids when I was younger to combat my eczema.

Brain fog is still here. I know gluten takes about 6 months to clear the body, but as long as I'm seeing improvement that's fine. But if I'm slowly getting better year by year, I would assume it is something else.

I don't have health insurance, so doing blood tests can be quite expensive...especially if doctors don't know what to test for and if I keep getting numerous referrals and such.

[Nancym]

Brain fog can also be caused by hypothyroid, do you have any hypothyroid symptoms? My brain fog seems to thrive on excess carbs and dairy and wheat. I keep to a basic, meat, veggies, fruit diet and I do really well. Start mucking around with too many carby foods, like rice or junk food (even non-gluten stuff) and I crash badly.

[Super Bellybutton]

Brain fog can also be caused by hypothyroid, do you have any hypothyroid symptoms? My brain fog seems to thrive on excess carbs and dairy and wheat. I keep to a basic, meat, veggies, fruit diet and I do really well. Start mucking around with too many carby foods, like rice or junk food (even non-gluten stuff) and I crash badly.

I checked the NIH website for symptoms, and I generally don't have any of those symptoms listed. The dry skin is mostly due to my eczema and use of benzoyl peroxide. I also get plenty of iodine in my diet anyways.

I don't have muslce pain, (my joint pain was caused by jogging 14 miles in 2 days), weight gain, or any other symptoms listed. I generally seem to hate the cold, but I work in a cold environment (I work frozen food at a grocery store) anyways. Plus I can't seem to gain weight at all. My loose stools tells me I've been having intestinal problems. I take maybe 3 dumps a day, so yeah...that's quite a bit...even on a high fiber diet (most Americans maybe take 1 dump every 2 or 3 days).

But I probably don't take any multivitamins...but I shouldn't need to anyways. Oh well. It is a possibility that I'll consider.

[Sarah8793]

I was recently diagnosed with hypoglycemia, and I have also gone 1 month gluten free now. My brain fog has definitely improved, but I don't think I'm as sharp as I used to be. It is still early though. If I have any gluten, I get dizzy immediately. I have basically cut out all sugar including fruits from my diet. This may be helping with the brain fog also. Not sure. But have heaard that any sugar when you are hypo can cause the brain fog. You might try cutting all the sugar (even natural in fruit and juices) and see what happens. Then try eliminating gluten. Just some thoughts. Hope this helps!

Sarah

I checked the NIH website for symptoms, and I generally don't have any of those symptoms listed. The dry skin is mostly due to my eczema and use of benzoyl peroxide. I also get plenty of iodine in my diet anyways.

I don't have muslce pain, (my joint pain was caused by jogging 14 miles in 2 days), weight gain, or any other symptoms listed. I generally seem to hate the cold, but I work in a cold environment (I work frozen food at a grocery store) anyways. Plus I can't seem to gain weight at all. My loose stools tells me I've been having intestinal problems. I take maybe 3 dumps a day, so yeah...that's quite a bit...even on a high fiber diet (most Americans maybe take 1 dump every 2 or 3 days).

But I probably don't take any multivitamins...but I shouldn't need to anyways. Oh well. It is a possibility that I'll consider.

[celiacgirls]

I'm new to this forum, but I have been suffering through the most severe brain fog ever. I thought it was hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and I tried compensating for that by taking 20g of carbohydrates. Never worked.

I recently went on a high carb diet, eating low GI foods: brown rice with mixed vegetables along with orange juice and other fruits. I also tried drinking 2 32oz bottles of Gatorade each day. So my total carb intake was 400g/day. I'm drastically underweight, 6' 119 lbs. But I've always been this way and never really had fatigue problems and such. This brain fog started kicking in since late January of this year.

I don't think I'm a diabetic because of my weight, but I can't say that I eat very healthy. I have been eating fruits and vegetables up the ying-yang and this brain fog has never gone away.

Excuse the graphicness, but my stools have been pretty loose too. I eat a high fiber diet, getting sometimes 50g/day...because of the vegetables. I tried eating gluten-free since Saturday, but I ingested Quaker Oats too for 2 days after that...so I quit eating that since Quaker says it has traces of gluten. I then stopped eating the Safeway brand Brown Rice, they say the long grain white rice is gluten-free, but the representative didn't know if the brown rice was also. But I stopped eating it just in case.

So now my diet is mostly vegetables/fruits/meats. Of course vegetables are very low in carbs (1 serving of pasta has just as much carbohydrates as 5 servings of mixed vegetables or 20 servings of broccoli) so I eat a lot of them. I also have bananas and OJ at morning and night.

See, I'm extremely worried. Never in my life have I've gone through something like this. It's difficult to drive sometimes (I drive a stick too) because my mind is like "out there." I'm kind of hoping I have a gluten-intolerance so I know what is bothering me.

But at the same time it's a double-edged sword. Sure you know what is causing your symptoms, but gluten is in EVERYTHING. Even contaminated with rice, candy, soy sauce, and some meats.

I've never been diagnosed with celiac disease because it never occured to me that I had it. I'm not sure if my intestines are so damaged that my body can't absorb anything and thus not getting enough glucose to my brain.

I've been taking glutamine supplements to combat this problem (by promoting healing of the intestines), but I only stopped eating gluten officially for about 1.5 days now.

Did anyone suffer through brain fog and then have the symptoms go away after going gluten-free?

Being as descriptive as possible also really helps. Thanks.

I didn't even know I had brain fog until I went gluten free. Within 3 days, I realized I had been living in a fog and the fog was gone. I still feel slightly foggy sometimes, now that I am aware of it, but I think it is when I have been glutened.

[elonwy]

My brain fog absolutley went away and only comes back with accidental glutenings. Its so good to feel "sharp" again.

Elonwy

[Mabc]

I'm not definitely diagnosed celiac yet, but I DO know without reservation that going gluten free has lifted my fog. It is the most amazing thing to not dread eating. Everytime I used to eat, I braced myself for that awful fogging over and unwell feeling in my brain. I am hypoglycemic and had tried going sugar free but always got much sicker trying that, even though I'm sure it's best eventually, I can't get through it to the part where I feel better. I hadn't realized that I always was bracing myself for that train hitting me in the brain after I ate. It's such a wonderful feeling to eat and actually feel BETTER after eating instead of WORSE! Yay!!!

Melodi

[Super Bellybutton]

I want to add that eliminating "sugars" like table sugar or fruit sugar has nothing to do with hypoglycemia if you are still eating other grains like corn and rice or vegetables.

Every major carbohydrate, except fiber and sugar alcohols, has glucose. It's practically suicide to avoid glucose unless you have enough stored in your liver or something.

But yeah, I will try to stay gluten-free. It's really just my 3rd day going gluten-free. I tried taking 2 multivitamins with iodine in it, but it doesn't really seem to help. But hearing some other stories is encouraging though.

[manja]

I am off gluten since April. I am most clear in my head if I only eat veggies, fruits, meat, seafood and olive oil. Only naked foods, nothing added to it. Not even salt.

I made huge physical improvements when I got off gluten.

My brain food mainly went away after cutting out corn and dairy and following the strict diet of

veggies, fruits, meat, seafood and olive oil. It is hart to live like this but works for a lot of people.

[kevsmom]

But yeah, I will try to stay gluten-free. It's really just my 3rd day going gluten-free. I tried taking 2 multivitamins with iodine in it, but it doesn't really seem to help. But hearing some other stories is encouraging though.

There are things that contain gluten that you would never think - Check your vitamins to make sure that they are gluten free. Also check any other medication that you take.

There are a lot of soaps and shampoo's that you need to be careful with as well. This site has a list of safe and unsafe items. If you are not sure, check with the manufacturer.

Also, things in your kitchen can be harmful. Your toaster is full of gluten, as well as your colander. You might want to consider getting new ones.

If you have a pet, wash your hands after feeding it.

These are all things that I didn't think about when I first went gluten free.

Good luck!

[Guest nini]

my brainfog absolutely went away after going gluten-free... it probably took a good six months, but it did go away... now it returns if I am accidentally glutened. And they aren't kidding, just a molecule can set you off after you've been gluten-free for a while if that is your problem! Good luck with your diet and hope the brain fog lets up for you. It's not fun!

[gfp]

The best defense is attack in the case of brainfog ....

We have a few facts and plenty of speculation ....

1) Fact: gluten is an exorphin and binds to the endorphin receptors

2) Fact Gluten damages the receptors

3) fact: Endorphins regualate mood and self awareness

4) fact opiates are also exorphins

5) presumed ... opiates don't damage the recptors because they fit properly unlike gluten

6) adding most opiates to the endorphin receptors produces ... well in the words of Thomas de Quincy in confessions of an English opium eater

Having dwelt so much on this first and leading error in respect to opium, I shall notice very briefly a second and a third, which are, that the elevation of spirits produced by opium is necessarily followed by a proportionate depression, and that the natural and even immediate consequence of opium is torpor and stagnation, animal and mental. The first of these errors I shall content myself with simply denying; assuring my reader that for ten years, during which I took opium at intervals, the day succeeding to that on which I allowed myself this luxury was always a day of unusually good spirits.

It seems to me that the high associated with opium is not produced by gluten, only the lows.

However gluten and opium both act on the same receptors

My theory is that taking loperamide as soon as possible not only prevents D but also floods the endorphin receptors and prevents the gluten binding.

This has been my experience and that of others including a friend who gets seizures from gluten.

In order to be efficient and block the receptors in time I recommend the sub-lingual ones which go directly into the blood ...

[ravenwoodglass]

It seems to me that the high associated with opium is not produced by gluten, only the lows.

However gluten and opium both act on the same receptors

My theory is that taking loperamide as soon as possible not only prevents D but also floods the endorphin receptors and prevents the gluten binding.

This has been my experience and that of others including a friend who gets seizures from gluten.

In order to be efficient and block the receptors in time I recommend the sub-lingual ones which go directly into the blood ...

For some of us there is a definate 'high' associated with the glutening. It is very much like doing speed. The brain goes into overdrive which causes obsessive and manic thought patterns and abnormal energy levels. When my DS would call with all these grandiose plans the first year after his diagnosis I would always brace for the 'gloom and doom just this side of suicidal' call that would come a couple days later.

Also a note about loperamide, I never found this did anything other than increase the amount of time I would suffer from the joint and muscle effects. While it does keep you from getting D it also keeps your system from clearing out the gluten ASAP. In addition if the loperamide is Immodium, which many of us take without the slightest thought (myself included for years) it is not gluten free and simply keeps the whole miserable process going.

[gfp]

For some of us there is a definate 'high' associated with the glutening. It is very much like doing speed. The brain goes into overdrive which causes obsessive and manic thought patterns and abnormal energy levels. When my DS would call with all these grandiose plans the first year after his diagnosis I would always brace for the 'gloom and doom just this side of suicidal' call that would come a couple days later.

Also a note about loperamide, I never found this did anything other than increase the amount of time I would suffer from the joint and muscle effects. While it does keep you from getting D it also keeps your system from clearing out the gluten ASAP. In addition if the loperamide is Immodium, which many of us take without the slightest thought (myself included for years) it is not gluten free and simply keeps the whole miserable process going.

Apparently its only the liquid Immodium which contains gluten, the tablets apparently contain corn.

However on the high side, I kinda agree but its not exactly a pleasant high more of a confused thoughts and semi-out of body experience and the doom and gloom withdrawal seems many times more pronounced.

While it does keep you from getting D it also keeps your system from clearing out the gluten ASAP.

This would seem to be true but (and Ill try and hunt it down) apparently it doesn't slow out getting the toxins out but perhaps for me more importantly it blocks the receptors and prevents the gluten binding in the first place so it is actually swept out more quickly than one which is bound.

However, I have yet to actually see a single medical paper actually acknowledging brain-fog let alone treating it so there is lots of room for specualation. I mean we know it exists .. CUK published a whole article in crossed grain saying it didn't and we just got depressed because we have less choice!

Perhaps the research exists and this is one of the secret papers CUK has kept from its members?

[Super Bellybutton]

However, I have yet to actually see a single medical paper actually acknowledging brain-fog let alone treating it so there is lots of room for specualation. I mean we know it exists .. CUK published a whole article in crossed grain saying it didn't and we just got depressed because we have less choice!

Perhaps the research exists and this is one of the secret papers CUK has kept from its members?

Brain fog is, IMO, one of the most serious medical conditions. If you ask me, the most important organ in the body is a tie: brain and heart, with the liver a very close 2nd. But "brain fog" is not a real medical term, it's a "layman" term. People call it ADHD, depression, etc.

But this is my 4th day of gluten-free and I don't feel any better.

[eleep]

What we call "brain fog" is probably the end-result of a bunch of neurochemical interactions in the brain -- a dropping of endorphin levels, an increase in cortisol, etc..... -- so, from a scientific viewpoint, it's not that it's not recognized -- it's just that the science of brain chemistry is still really focused on specific chemical interactions that are hard to translate into clinical diagnosis of symptoms. If they could sample and measure the current state of someone's brain chemistry (like a blood test), there would probably be a lot clearer connection between what we're feeling and what's going on -- it would definitely be much easier to communicate about this stuff with medical personnel!

Don't worry too much Super Bellybutton -- my first three or four weeks were more like drug withdrawal -- I did have more energy, but my brain was still waaaay stressed out and I had a lot of trouble focusing!

[Super Bellybutton]

Don't worry too much Super Bellybutton -- my first three or four weeks were more like drug withdrawal -- I did have more energy, but my brain was still waaaay stressed out and I had a lot of trouble focusing!

Did you eventually feel better though? Mentally that is. I know I would have to stick this out for at least a month (possibly more), but hearing signs of improvement is encouraging.

I don't think I'm going through any withdrawl symptoms...just a lot of bad health.

[ladyx]

I checked the NIH website for symptoms, and I generally don't have any of those symptoms listed. The dry skin is mostly due to my eczema and use of benzoyl peroxide. I also get plenty of iodine in my diet anyways.

I don't have muslce pain, (my joint pain was caused by jogging 14 miles in 2 days), weight gain, or any other symptoms listed. I generally seem to hate the cold, but I work in a cold environment (I work frozen food at a grocery store) anyways. Plus I can't seem to gain weight at all. My loose stools tells me I've been having intestinal problems. I take maybe 3 dumps a day, so yeah...that's quite a bit...even on a high fiber diet (most Americans maybe take 1 dump every 2 or 3 days).

But I probably don't take any multivitamins...but I shouldn't need to anyways. Oh well. It is a possibility that I'll consider.

I read that it can take up to 36 months for mental symtoms to completely go away after going gluten free...also it sounds like you eat pretty healthy...and pretty balanced. The reason most Americans only have 1 bowel movement every 2 to 3 days is because they eat a lot of high fat, to much protin, and way to much dairy and cheese...all things that slow down the bowel...It is quite healthy for you to have a bowel movement after each meal. With my celiac I sometimes had 10 a day. (Of course I was eatting about 4000 calories a day to keep from losing weight) The key for me has been how I feel after I have a bowel movement...I know when I have been glutened when going to the bathroom makes me feel like I just ran a 10 mile race with no water....I use to have to drink a big glass of water and take a nap almost every time I got out of the restroom. I am not really sure when the brain fog went away for me...if that is what you call it. I was misdiagnosed with adult ADD and had all the symtoms of ADD as a kid but that went away when the gluten went away. Aloe Vera Juice has been a life saver for me to speed the healing process of my intestines...I only take it now when I get glutened but There is an older married couple that both have celiac that come into the studio where I worked who take it every day and have for years. I understand what you mean when you say you thought it might be some kind of blood suger problem....just before I was diagnosed I was getting verrrry bad...I was almost blacking out at work after lunch in the middle of a photo shoot...and having heart palpations that they thought might be mini heart attacks...all that stuff disappeared after going gluten free. Good luck and I hope that the Gluten free diet works for you

[Girl Ninja]

It's been almost 2 months for me and mine is slowly improving. The other day I found my way back to the front desk of a new doctor's office all by myself! I never could have done that before. I had no navigational ability whatsoever. I was so excited I called my mom to tell her.

[Super Bellybutton]

My brain fog appears to be lifting, but I also ate a lot of eggs which contains a lot of cholesterol.

I know cholesterol is needed for brain function and such, but it is only one day. I cannot make a full assumption yet. I do plan on going to the doctor on friday to see what is wrong with me.

I also took 2mg of Biotio, which is 666% DV...but it's only one day...we'll see. But if it takes 36 months for brain fog to lift, I'm sure it's not gluten that is causing the problems.

[ravenwoodglass]

My brain fog appears to be lifting, but I also ate a lot of eggs which contains a lot of cholesterol.

I know cholesterol is needed for brain function and such, but it is only one day. I cannot make a full assumption yet. I do plan on going to the doctor on friday to see what is wrong with me.

I also took 2mg of Biotio, which is 666% DV...but it's only one day...we'll see. But if it takes 36 months for brain fog to lift, I'm sure it's not gluten that is causing the problems.

The amount of time that 'brain fog' lasts is very individual. Now that I am gluten free it only last a few days when I get glutened by accident. Eggs are also full of B vitamins, if my memory serves me it has been a long time since my last nutrition class, the B vitamins will also help the brain fog lift.

[eleep]

Did you eventually feel better though? Mentally that is. I know I would have to stick this out for at least a month (possibly more), but hearing signs of improvement is encouraging.

I don't think I'm going through any withdrawl symptoms...just a lot of bad health.

Yes, I started to feel a whole lot better -- it's been hard to tell for a while because I was going through another emotionally-laden crisis in my life at the same time, but I feel very much better. It probably took me more than a month, to be honest -- there were stages -- once I stopped intentionally eating gluten, I needed to move to dealing with my vitamins and beauty products -- then I actually started to need to bring in a couple of supplements (sublingual B complex, replacements for my multi and probiotics).

[loraleena]

3 months is not long enough to get rid of severe candida. Look into threelac. I just purchased this, and will post results in the future.

This diet can take a long time for some to feel better. For me a lot of symptoms slowly lifted over the months, but I still have some here and there. Some feel better quickly, but some take a long time. It depends on damage and you as an individual. 3-4 days is not much time, and you should def. give it more than a month.