Night Terrors/fear/paraoid

[tiffjake]

Anyone else feel paranoid, have nightmares or night terrors when glutened? I was trying to do a three-day-challenge to show the doc and get positive blood work (but I have already asked about that and I don't know if the blood work will even show my HARD work!) but all of the crappy symptoms are back, including nightmares, waking dreams, and waking up feeling like something was in the room?!?! The dreams are so vivid, and scary, that I call my hubby (who is overseas) and make him talk to me for a little while. Anyone else have dreams/fears like this when glutened?????

[ravenwoodglass]

Anyone else feel paranoid, have nightmares or night terrors when glutened? I was trying to do a three-day-challenge to show the doc and get positive blood work (but I have already asked about that and I don't know if the blood work will even show my HARD work!) but all of the crappy symptoms are back, including nightmares, waking dreams, and waking up feeling like something was in the room?!?! The dreams are so vivid, and scary, that I call my hubby (who is overseas) and make him talk to me for a little while. Anyone else have dreams/fears like this when glutened?????

Yes, and for me the anxiety and obsessive thoughts continue when awake. It helps me that I know it is the gluten and will go away but it doesn't really make things easier when it is occurring. I do my best when this happens to stay away from the news and avoid murder or horror stories and I do what you did I call someone. I don't always express my fears in the call, just talking to my DS or my husband, who lives seperately, helps. I avoid taking any meds for this because it is a limited time process that I know will go away. You are not alone.

[Green12]

Anyone else feel paranoid, have nightmares or night terrors when glutened? I was trying to do a three-day-challenge to show the doc and get positive blood work (but I have already asked about that and I don't know if the blood work will even show my HARD work!) but all of the crappy symptoms are back, including nightmares, waking dreams, and waking up feeling like something was in the room?!?! The dreams are so vivid, and scary, that I call my hubby (who is overseas) and make him talk to me for a little while. Anyone else have dreams/fears like this when glutened?????

I get the bad dreams, night terrors, and just an overall feeling of a black cloud hanging over my head when I eat anything I am allergic to, not necessarily just gluten. But it usually is after a few to a several days of eating the offending food/foods, not right away.

[lorka150]

Before I was diagnosed, I suffered severe night terrors and sleep paralysis. They haven't recurred (the terrors) when glutened, but the paralysis does. I feel for you.

[Green12]

Before I was diagnosed, I suffered severe night terrors and sleep paralysis. They haven't recurred (the terrors) when glutened, but the paralysis does. I feel for you.

It is very unsettling, the bad dreams, you wake up in the middle of them and they feel so real. I feel for you too tiffjake, I wish your husband could be home with you during the night when this happens.

[Guest BERNESES]

I used to have horrible night terrors before i went gluten-free. If I woke up iI would start screaming "Where am I?" and breathing really hard. I couldn't sleep without a night light. When I get glutened, it doesn't happen anymore but I am much more anxious/obsessive during the day instead.

I'm sorry that this is happening to you- especially with your husband away. But the good thing is it will pass. Hugs, Beverly

[lorka150]

quick (somewhat lighthearted story):

when i was really little and i had these, i used to get out of bed, walk into my sister's room, put my face about 2 inches away from hers and start letting out blood curdling screams.

this, of course, would scare the garbage out of her. i was none the wiser, and was asleep. but then it would replay to me later like a night terror.

but i sure scared my sister for about twelve years.

[Guest BERNESES]

quick (somewhat lighthearted story):

when i was really little and i had these, i used to get out of bed, walk into my sister's room, put my face about 2 inches away from hers and start letting out blood curdling screams.

this, of course, would scare the garbage out of her. i was none the wiser, and was asleep. but then it would replay to me later like a night terror.

but i sure scared my sister for about twelve years.

OMG! that IS funny! Wish I had done that to my sis- she wowuld have died! And deserved it- she was a little punk back then!

[Kaycee]

quick (somewhat lighthearted story):

when i was really little and i had these, i used to get out of bed, walk into my sister's room, put my face about 2 inches away from hers and start letting out blood curdling screams.

this, of course, would scare the garbage out of her. i was none the wiser, and was asleep. but then it would replay to me later like a night terror.

but i sure scared my sister for about twelve years.

I had these too when I was really little.

I would wake up screaming in my bed and not knowing what about. I was besides myself. I would have really creepy nightmares too, but they would not have me waking up screaming. I had to have a nightlight. It was sheer terror for me. My brother used to say one day you will faint and not wake up again. I would wake up the whole household. It was like a panic attack, which I have had a few of those, but I would be in my sleep. Thankfully I grew out of the screaming and the panic attacks and nightmares by the time I was 20. I could feel the panic attacks coming on, I would be concerned about something, usually electrical that just might go bang.

I have had night paralysis in my twenties, and feelings of leaving my body too about that time. I think these are mainly when I have been so tired.

Is this something to do with gluten. I know when I was very young, I sort of felt like I was having a breakdown, as I remember just sitting in a chair in front of the fire for ages and ages.

You will be pleased to know I have grown up pretty much okay, luckily I haven't suffered a breakdown on the same scale as my mothers, as she needed shock treatment. My feelings in front of the fire could be from that time. I guess I have learned to control my panic, but I am a born worrier. Tomorrow I fly out, and I am not worried about my flight, but more worried about leaving hubby behind.

Cathy

[Lister]

yeah i get the bad dreams and night terrors as well. my dreams usualy involve people walking missing limbs and attacking wonderbread loves(and im not joking its really creepy)

[Nantzie]

I find that when I'm glutened, I get obsessive, negative thoughts. I'll just start thinking about everything that's going wrong in my life, has gone wrong in the past or may go wrong in the future. It's constant racing thoughts, and I'm really mean and negative to myself in my thoughts.

I used to say one of the reasons I hated doing anything that involved quiet time was that being alone with my thoughts wasn't a good thing for me. I hated it. Even cleaning the house was bad because there was nothing to take my mind off it. I think that's why I hated cleaning. Not that I love it now or anything, but I'm not cycling the obsessive thoughts while I'm doing it.

I would always have to have some sort of mental distraction; TV, computer, books. The only time I couldn't do that was when I was trying to sleep. I'd just lay there and get myself all worked up. Once I had my kids it got worse because the regular mom worry would turn into paranoia that something would happen to them or they'd get sick, and that would turn into kind of waking nightmares where I'd see horrible things happen to them.

It was horrible.

I'm so glad that going gluten-free fixed it. Now, the only time I get any of this is when I get glutened. And now that I know it's the gluten, once I realize that's what's happening (which can take a while sometimes...) I can relax and not get so worked up. The thoughts still spin, but somehow I don't get so emotionally involved in them, if that makes sense.

To be honest, this exact thing that we're talking about is 99% of the reason I'm so strict about not being exposed to gluten. If it was just the digestive symptoms, I probably wouldn't be so strict about cross contamination.

But those nightmares... (shudder...)

Nancy

[DingoGirl]

I find that when I'm glutened, I get obsessive, negative thoughts. I'll just start thinking about everything that's going wrong in my life, has gone wrong in the past or may go wrong in the future. It's constant racing thoughts, and I'm really mean and negative to myself in my thoughts.

I used to say one of the reasons I hated doing anything that involved quiet time was that being alone with my thoughts wasn't a good thing for me. I hated it. Even cleaning the house was bad because there was nothing to take my mind off it. I think that's why I hated cleaning. Not that I love it now or anything, but I'm not cycling the obsessive thoughts while I'm doing it.

I would always have to have some sort of mental distraction; TV, computer, books. The only time I couldn't do that was when I was trying to sleep. I'd just lay there and get myself all worked up. Once I had my kids it got worse because the regular mom worry would turn into paranoia that something would happen to them or they'd get sick, and that would turn into kind of waking nightmares where I'd see horrible things happen to them.

Oh.....my.....gosh......THIS IS ME EXACTLY!! My friends call it "emotional cutting" - - I am beating myself up internally and one girlfriend said, WHY do you do this to yourself when you would NEVER do it to another person? And she is so right......I would never extend the kind of condemnation focused on myself to others, wouldn't even think that way.

I have been thinking that way, Nantzie, my ENTIRE life, since early childhood, and am having to learn to re-direct the thoughts from their natural inclinations. Like, re-training my brain and the deep, familiar ruts it has developed. Very difficult, on or off gluten.

Cleaning....I know what you mean! Any menial task in which my brain isn't occupied - - it's pure hell. I have to have the TV on, books on tape, the radio, something for my brain to hang onto or I will go mad! that's another reason I used to drink much and frequently - love my wine - to make my brain sort of shut down and to allow it a rest from itself! I just exhaust myself at times and CAN"T GET AWAY FROM MYSELF!!!

Night terrors....holy Lord. Had my first one at 13, saw a gigantic insect in the corner of my room and screamed bloody murder. Family came running in...this happened regularly through my twenties. Used to see horrible insects, swarms of locusts, spiders descending, "people" walking through the room. And then, I started this prayer of protection every single night and they left me for more than 10 years. I moved in to this oppressive house with friends for one summer and these terrifying, dark wicked things came into my room every night. they left me when I left that house.

Now, it is sporadic....hardly ever, thank God. I pray all the time, and I am protected. When things do happen, they are mild....I will have to start noticing whether it is after an accidental glutening.

and I TOTALLY agree that if the problems were digestive and not mental, I"d definitely head towards the Krispy Kremes and whatever else I want to eat......

Blessings -

[Nantzie]

Susan-

Emotional cutting. That's a good way to put it. And I'm the same way you are, I'd never treat anyone as bad as I treated myself. I did the same thing with alcohol for a while there when it was really bad. A glass of wine or two makes it so much easier to fall asleep. I didn't like going down that road (who does?) and found that good research-quality St. John's Wort helped keep the obsessive, negative thoughts away and I fell asleep really easily. Once I went gluten-free, I didn't even need the St. John's Wort. My husband says he's never seen me fall asleep so easily since going gluten-free.

I'll bet you'll be able to connect an accidental glutening (or maybe another undiscovered food intolerance...?)with your bad days.

Your talking about seeing bugs reminds me of when I was really little, like 3 or 4, we lived in a house where I used to see skeletons watching me from the hallway outside my room at night. I also remember this being a time when I used to be SOOOOO tired and not be able to fall asleep. I remember my mom coming into my room to try and help me fall asleep and I'd be just sobbing because I was so exhausted and all I wanted to do was sleep but I couldn't.

When I have the bad nights from glutening, I feel like I've got an internal buzzing going on. Like almost a vibration. I've noticed that if I get glutened during the day, and I get quiet and pay attention to my body rather than ignoring it, I get the same internal buzzing feeling.

Now that I think about my childhood struggles with sleep, I had that same internal buzzing, cycling thoughts thing happening way back then.

Amazing. When I first found out about celiac, I realized I had been having symptoms of it (digestive) since I had mono at 17. When I realized how much it effected your memory and ability to concentrate, I realized it probably started when I was 7 or 8, and started to have real problems concentrating and remembering things in school. Now that we're talking about sleep and nightmares, and it reminding me of those problems sleeping way back at 3 or 4, it's just amazing to me how far back this can go...

I've also started the habit of talking to God when I turn out the light every night. It helps even when I'm glutened. It gives my cycling thoughts something positive to focus on, and for me, it's good to have Him to hang on to. The whole Footprints in the Sand thing, ya know?

I hope everybody has a peaceful night's sleep tonight.

Sweet Dreams,

Nancy

[utdan]

I've had the same type of stuff as you Susan and Nantzie for all my life. It seems that almost anytime I listen to my own thoughts I'm being super critical about myself, but I have gotten a lot better this year with a program I'm doing. Before going gluten free I had real trouble with vivid nightmares for about 6 years, then I learned my older sister was having them too.

Mainly, most of my terrors have happened during the day, though. I have "recursive thinking" tendencies (OCD person gets stuck on a thought or emotion, or ruminates). I get them both with good and negative thoughts (mostly negative though). I have often waken myself in the middle of the night ruminating.

[Girl Ninja]

Me too. They called it depression and tried to treat me with various meds, but none of them ever made a lick of difference. Last time I got glutened really good I had a panic attack. I thought I was having a heart attack. I used to wake up from nightmares that seemed SO real and I had the sleep paralysis too. I'd wake up not able to draw a breath, sure I was going to suffocate and be conscious of it. Terrifying.

[Byte Me]

Night terrors....holy Lord. Had my first one at 13, saw a gigantic insect in the corner of my room and screamed bloody murder. Family came running in...this happened regularly through my twenties. Used to see horrible insects, swarms of locusts, spiders descending, "people" walking through the room.

WOW... I would have never thought this was related to gluten! I have had the 'spiders descending' dream or terror or whatever you want to call it, off and on again for the past 15 years or so. It seems SO real.. I wake up in a complete panic, knowing it was a dream but still CONVINCED there are hundreds of spiders hanging from my ceiling until I work up the nerve to get a light on. At least now I know I'm not just going insane.

~Jenn

[lorka150]

i don't even need to post anything else, because y'all just described my total life. that emotional cutting is a great way to put it.

[DingoGirl]

i don't even need to post anything else, because y'all just described my total life. that emotional cutting is a great way to put it.

I know...my best friend came up wtih it as she watches me spiral continually into this mental self-flagellation .....it's SO unhealthy and we've all got to work to stop this! And it IS work to break these patterns, but it can be done. I pray a lot too, and hang around wtih wonderful people, read the Bible a lot, and just ask God to extend His grace as I work through this process. got rid of that toxic boyfriend who had me probably more up and down than gluten.....that has helped a lot, too!

Jenn, start praying every night before you drift off to sleep. Ask God to cover and protect you with a hedge of angels.....some of it has to do with gluten, but I do think there is a spirit world - not to get all freaky or anything - we are not even aware of that contributes to these things at night. I have sensed actual evil in my room at times, spoken aloud the word JESUS, and poof, it vanishes instantly......

Blessings and grace to all - -

[Guest BERNESES]

And if you don't want to pray, another great thing to do is lay on your back, put your hands on your stomach and just concentrate on the rise and fall of your tummy as you breathe. It helps me a lot to do this as well as pray. Hugs to all, Beverly

[Carriefaith]

I don't sleep well when I am glutened. I get very anxious when I am glutened and when I try to sleep, I get very restless. I will toss and turn and no matter what I do, I cannot get comfortable. It's a werid feeling. I will be in bed for 8 hours, but only get like 4 hours of actual sleep. Sometimes, the feeling will go away at like 5 am or something and it's like a big weight has been lifted from me and then I go right to sleep.

[jerseyangel]

I don't sleep well when I am glutened. I get very anxious when I am glutened and when I try to sleep, I get very restless. I will toss and turn and no matter what I do, I cannot get comfortable. It's a werid feeling. I will be in bed for 8 hours, but only get like 4 hours of actual sleep. Sometimes, the feeling will go away at like 5 am or something and it's like a big weight has been lifted from me and then I go right to sleep.

This is how it is for me--and while I'm awake, I'm obsessing about one thing after the other and thinking about the worst case senerio of everything. That's how I know I've been glutened, and it's not something else--the overwhelming anxiety. I hate that!

[Carriefaith]

and while I'm awake, I'm obsessing about one thing after the other and thinking about the worst case senerio of everything.

Wow we really do experience the same thing!

[DingoGirl]

Wow we really do experience the same thing!

And THAT is precisely why I take Seroquel every night, 100 mg. and I am out within an hour, for eight hours. I guess I don't even care if I have to take it the rest of my life, because it's better than NOT sleeping at all..... I plan to continue to lower my dose (used to be 300, then 200) and get down to 50, then evaluate at a later time.

[queenofhearts]

So weird that this too can be gluten. So many things that I just thought of as my personal unlucky flukes can be traced to gluten that sometimes I'm afraid this is all a dream. It just seems too bizarre that it all these diverse miseries could be coming from a sweet little loaf of bread!!

Curiouser & curiouser!

Leah

[lorka150]

So weird that this too can be gluten. So many things that I just thought of as my personal unlucky flukes can be traced to gluten that sometimes I'm afraid this is all a dream. It just seems too bizarre that it all these diverse miseries could be coming from a sweet little loaf of bread!!

Curiouser & curiouser!

Leah

that was like when i was first diagnosed, and i started reading symptoms, and couldn't believe the things traced back (like canker sores when i was a kid, constantly... triggered by mono... et cetera). it really blows your mind!