Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Insomnia When Glutened


Guest BERNESES

Recommended Posts

Guest BERNESES

I'm wondering if anyone else has this problem and what they do. When I first started to really have my gluten intolerance symptoms, all I did was sleep when I was glutened. But I would say after I went gluten free, somehow it flip-flopped. Now when I'm glutened, I wake up at like 3 am. and cannot go back to sleep for like three hours. It makes for an absolutely miserable day on top of a glutening. And even if I'm free that day, I can't nap.

I do have some success with phenergan which my doc gave me for nausea (my worst symptom when glutened) but I hate to take it because it gives me major C. I thought about Benadryl, but that's anti-histamine as well and would probably give me C.

Ever since I got glutened about two weeks ago and then ended up with C Diff, it's been happening almost every night. Luckily I'm on summer vacation so I can be yucky, but it sucks.

What do other insomniac Celiac's do (normally I sleep pretty well)? It's bad enough that you feel hideous but then you can't even sleep it off! And I'm just getting more run down.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



ravenwoodglass Mentor
I'm wondering if anyone else has this problem and what they do. When I first started to really have my gluten intolerance symptoms, all I did was sleep when I was glutened. But I would say after I went gluten free, somehow it flip-flopped. Now when I'm glutened, I wake up at like 3 am. and cannot go back to sleep for like three hours. It makes for an absolutely miserable day on top of a glutening. And even if I'm free that day, I can't nap.

I do have some success with phenergan which my doc gave me for nausea (my worst symptom when glutened) but I hate to take it because it gives me major C. I thought about Benadryl, but that's anti-histamine as well and would probably give me C.

Ever since I got glutened about two weeks ago and then ended up with C Diff, it's been happening almost every night. Luckily I'm on summer vacation so I can be yucky, but it sucks.

What do other insomniac Celiac's do (normally I sleep pretty well)? It's bad enough that you feel hideous but then you can't even sleep it off! And I'm just getting more run down.

I don't know if it would be suitable for you but my DS and I will use Nyquil.

jerseyangel Proficient

I don't have a solution, but if it's any comfort, I have the same problem. When I'm glutened, I fall asleep fine, but then I'm awake every couple of hours all night. I can't seem to get comfortable, get very hot, and just toss and turn a lot. I'm also worth nothing the next day--just tired and out of it. I have not tried taking anything for it--I'm kinda scared of the "PM" type medicines.

penguin Community Regular

The active sleepy ingredient in nearly all of the OTC sleep meds (nyquil, excedrin pm, simply sleep, tylenol pm, etc) is benadryl. Seriously, check out the labels. It's ALL benadryl :rolleyes:

jerseyangel Proficient
The active sleepy ingredient in nearly all of the OTC sleep meds (nyquil, excedrin pm, simply sleep, tylenol pm, etc) is benadryl. Seriously, check out the labels. It's ALL benadryl :rolleyes:

I didn't know that! I guess as long as I hadn't taken a Claritan that day, it would be ok to try. I wouldn't mind something to take the edge off. ;)

penguin Community Regular
I didn't know that! I guess as long as I hadn't taken a Claritan that day, it would be ok to try. I wouldn't mind something to take the edge off. ;)

Claratin and benadryl don't interact, they work on the body differently :)

jerseyangel Proficient
Claratin and benadryl don't interact, they work on the body differently :)

Ok---Cool! :D


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



  • 3 weeks later...
Byte Me Apprentice

Just be aware that eventually benadryl will have a rebound effect if you take it too often, and tolerance to it can build quickly. I was using it to sleep and for my anxiety for a while, and without realizing it, after a few weeks it was just making everything 100x worse. I actually went through withdrawal symptoms when I realized what was happening and stopped taking it... shakes, tremors, crying, dizziness, nauseated, my limbs would jerk inadvertently while trying to fall asleep.. I sort of felt like I had my finger stuck in an electrical socket all day long. It was horrible.

Of course, I must mention that I was really, REALLY stupid about taking it.. I called my pharmacist first to find out if you could overdose on benadryl, and when she told me no, I took the amount I needed to get to sleep, which was WAY higher than anyone has any business taking. I was up to about 12 pills a night just to get a little drowsy so that I could fall asleep.. but I did start out just taking 1. :blink:

Anyway, all that was before going gluten-free. Since, I still get occasional insomnia that lasts for days sometimes. If you have an understanding GP, s/he may prescribe temazepam aka Restoril. It's a short-acting benzodiazepine. If that doesn't work, or stops working, Klonopin should do the trick. Right now, I'm using Klonopin for my insomnia, and I only need it about 3-4 nights a month and I get good, DEEP sleep.

elonwy Enthusiast

I take Sonata. I get really bad insomnia when glutened, had it my whole life really, nothing worse than being exhausted and unable to sleep. Sonata is a prescription sleep aid that is non-addictive and very mild. Unlike other sleep aids, as long as you get four hours on it, you don't wake up groggy. You take it 20 minutes before you want to sleep and then try to relax, and you're out for the night.

I can tell when I'm not going to be able to sleep, I get this tight feeling around my eyes and my head feels detached but busy. My insomnia is pretty much gone except for the accidental gluten episode, so I rarely use it anymore, but its great. I don't like the way Pseudoephedrine products make me feel. I'd rather not sleep.

Elonwy

Sarah8793 Enthusiast

I know this sounds simplistic, but I find that if I eat a banana and something with protein, like almonds, right before going to sleep, it helps. And if I wake up and then have insomnia, I just eat then and go back to sleep.

  • 1 month later...
drjmarkusic Newbie
I'm wondering if anyone else has this problem and what they do. When I first started to really have my gluten intolerance symptoms, all I did was sleep when I was glutened. But I would say after I went gluten free, somehow it flip-flopped. Now when I'm glutened, I wake up at like 3 am. and cannot go back to sleep for like three hours. It makes for an absolutely miserable day on top of a glutening. And even if I'm free that day, I can't nap.

I do have some success with phenergan which my doc gave me for nausea (my worst symptom when glutened) but I hate to take it because it gives me major C. I thought about Benadryl, but that's anti-histamine as well and would probably give me C.

Ever since I got glutened about two weeks ago and then ended up with C Diff, it's been happening almost every night. Luckily I'm on summer vacation so I can be yucky, but it sucks.

What do other insomniac Celiac's do (normally I sleep pretty well)? It's bad enough that you feel hideous but then you can't even sleep it off! And I'm just getting more run down.

Before I went gluten-free I could sleep all night long with no type of Insomnia. However, since I've been gluten-free I have sleeping problems such as not going to sleep at all. I'm on 100mg of Trazodone and it works great, I take the medication about 9 1/2 hours before I am to awaken and when I wake up I feel completely rested. I have no side effects of the medication. Somewhere in this thread it was mentioned that if another medication doesn't work use Klonopin. I don't suggest it. Klonopin is for anxiety and yes it will help one to go to sleep but is hightly addictive and when it's time to come off of it because it no longer works for sleep there are many irritating, agitating, frustrating side effects that renders individuals not being able to stand up straight let alone drive. Klonopin is not a sleep medication its purpose is for anxiety disorders. Jim

glutenfreeme Newbie

I have had chronic sleep issues for most of my life. I believe it is due to the anxiety caused by getting the flu symptoms related to gluten intolerance. Being a Celiac, I now follow a pretty strict gluten-free diet, but do get derailed whenever I eat out. On those nights I take 5-10 mg of Ambien. I don't know if it would work for you b/c if you are taking it at 3 AM You'd most likely still be groggy when waking for work as it needs a good 6-8 hours. I feel your pain though! Whatever you do, don't watch TV news. Try a book, a classic, a really really boring one and keep a hot bottle on your tummy.

Best of luck, Heather

Tay Newbie

I have the same problem when glutened. I feel like there is a toxin in my body so that cytokines are produced and they are irritating so that I cannot relax. Lately, I have been getting up and drinking warm milk, eating a cookie and reading, then going back to sleep. This helps. Sorry and I too feel your pain! Taylor

  • 3 months later...
Megan B Newbie
I have the same problem when glutened. I feel like there is a toxin in my body so that cytokines are produced and they are irritating so that I cannot relax. Lately, I have been getting up and drinking warm milk, eating a cookie and reading, then going back to sleep. This helps. Sorry and I too feel your pain! Taylor

Thanks for mentioning this. I am new to gluten-free living. I don't test for Celiac but I have HORRIBLE insomnia and buzzing hyperactivity when I eat gluten stuff. (and a mess of other symptoms too) I had not seen this listed as a symptom on anything I had yet read, but it is one of the first and possibly most irritating symptoms in my gluten reaction.

The "buzzing" starts slowly, is noticable in about 2 hours after dinner at the offending restaurant, peaks at about 10 hours and then drops out quickly. Then I start getting cramps and gas. At this point I can sleep. (Now that the sun is up!) If I don't sleep, I'm irritable and emotionally exhausted. (Even if I take the sonata I still feel the mood effects.) It is very predicatable although the amount of gluten seems to change the severity and the time of things.

I havn't found anyhting better than Sonata. From other posts on this site I am going to try Magnesium which i take anyway. I have also found Calcium to be helpful. Sometimes jumping jacks help. No, I am not kidding!

--Good night all

Viola 1 Rookie

I get up, have a glass of wine and read for awhile, then sleep the rest of the night.

Rebecca47 Contributor

I too can't sleep if i have glutened myself :( This is terrible as you know because it drives me crazy.

Infact last night I did not sleep well at all !!! :( I just toss and turn and check the clock and only a little time passes.

blueeyedmanda Community Regular

I try Tylenol PM, most of that time it helps, I tried this "fast-acting" sleep pill but I was still WIDE awake hours later plus I got very jumpy and it made my heart race, it was enough for me to never try it again.

  • 2 weeks later...
jacqui Apprentice

Hi, this is my first time using the forum. I was dx'd Celiac April 2006, but Labor day weekend is when the poop hit the fan so to say(that Friday). I woke up walking like a drunk, absolutely brain dead and beyond tired. I actually slept from Sept. through ~February 2006 more than 20 hours a day. If my husband didn't wake me to eat I would keep on sleeping. Saw many doc's by this time and all either said it's related to my age and slowing metabolism (I was 37y/o and I am on Levoxyl for controlled Hashimoto), severe depression, lack of exercise, IBS...I went from 120 pounds to 153 Jan. 2006!!!(I'm 5'). I joined weight watchers and basically cut out gluten b/c carbs use too many points, WITHOUT knowing I had celiac disease. Once I was on WW for a month or so I was able to stay awake, but tired and definite BRAIN FOG. Did not relate the 2. I am still very tired and did a sleep study that says I have insomnia. I go from sleeping average (for me) to not sleeping. I wouldn't mind advice on sleep aids. I already do the non-medication stuff and my doc will not prescribe anything. <_< Also, I am strict with the gluten free diet and still have lots of junk going on. <_<Insomniac/William Tell

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - trents replied to Rejoicephd's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Basic metabolic panel results - more flags

    2. - trents replied to xxnonamexx's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Self Diagnosed avoiding gluten 7 months later (Not tested due to eating gluten to test) update and question on soy

    3. - Rejoicephd posted a topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Basic metabolic panel results - more flags

    4. - xxnonamexx posted a topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Self Diagnosed avoiding gluten 7 months later (Not tested due to eating gluten to test) update and question on soy


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,319
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Mamadook07
    Newest Member
    Mamadook07
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      I have many of those same CMP irregularities from time to time, with the exception that my potassium is always normal. What I can tell you is that it is normal for everything not to be normal when you get a CMP done. I used to get a CBC and CMP done annually and there were always some things out of spec. Docs don't get excited about it for the most part. It depends on the particular parameter (some are more important than others) and it depends on how far out of range it is. Docs also look for trends over time as opposed to isolated snapshots of this or that being out of spec at any given time. Our body chemistry is a dynamic entity. 
    • trents
      Not sure what you mean by "soy being like gluten". Soy does not cause a celiac reaction. However, soy is one of the foods that many celiacs don't tolerate well for other reasons. Eggs, corn and dairy are also on that list of foods that many of those with celiac disease seem to be sensitive to. But that doesn't mean that all celiacs are sensitive to any one of them or all of them. It just means it's common. You may not have a problem with soy at all. Celiac disease is not a food allergy. It is an autoimmune response to the ingestion of gluten that creates inflammation in the small bowel lining that, over time, damages that lining.
    • Rejoicephd
      Hey all  Has anyone on here experienced any of the following on their basic metabolic panel results ? This is what mine is currently flagging : - low sodium  - nearly too low potassium - nearly too low chloride - high CO2  - low anion gap  This is now after being nearly gluten-free for over a year (although I admit I make mistakes sometimes and pay dearly for it). My TtG went down to undetectable. I was so sensitive to so many foods I am now avoiding meat dairy and don’t eat a lot of cooked food in general (raw veggies, white rice, avocados and boiled eggs are my usual go-to meal that doesn’t make me sick). But my abdomen still hurts, i have a range of other symptoms too (headaches that last for days before letting up, fatigue, joint pain, bladder pain). Anyway im hoping my urologist (that’s now the latest specialist I’ve seen on account of the bladder pain and cloudy urine after eating certain foods) will help me with this since he ordered this metabolic panel. But I’m bouncing around a lot between specialists and still not sure what’s wrong. Also went back to the GI doctor and she thought maybe the celiac is just not healed or I have something else going on in the colon and I should have that looked at too. I’m still anemic too BTW. And I’m taking sooo may vitamins daily. 
    • xxnonamexx
      I know I haven't been tested but self diagnosed that by avoiding gluten the past 7 months I feel so much better. I have followed how to eat and avoid gluten and have been good about hidden gluten in products, how to prep gluten-free and flours to use to bake gluten-free and have been very successful. It has been a learning curve but once you get the hang of it and more aware you realize how many places are gluten-free and contamination free practices etc. One thing I have read is how soy is like gluten. How would one know if soy affects you? I have eaten gluten free hershey reeses that say gluten free etc some other snacks say gluten free but contain soy and I dont get sick or soy yogurt no issues. Is there adifference in soys?
    • knitty kitty
      Check your multivitamin to see if it contains Thiamine Mononitrate, which is a "shelf-stable" form of thiamine that doesn't break down with exposure to light, heat, and time sitting on a shelf waiting to be sold.  Our bodies have difficulty absorbing and utilizing it.  Only 30% is absorbed and less can be utilized.   There's some question as to how well multivitamins dissolve in the digestive tract.  You can test this at home.  YouTube has instructional videos.   Talk to your nutritionist about adding a B Complex.  The B vitamins are water soluble, so any excess is easily excreted if not needed.  Consider adding additional Thiamine in the forms Benfotiamine or TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) or thiamine hydrochloride.   Thiamine is needed to help control electrolytes.  Without sufficient thiamine, the kidneys loose electrolytes easily resulting in low sodium and chloride.   We need extra thiamine when we're emotionally stressed, physically ill, and when we exercise regularly, are an athlete, or do physical labor outdoors, and in hot weather.  Your return to activities and athletics may have depleted your thiamine and other B vitamins to a point symptoms are appearing.   The deficiency symptoms of B vitamins overlap, and can be pretty vague, or easily written off as due to something else like being tired after a busy day.  The symptoms you listed are the same as early B vitamin deficiency symptoms, especially Thiamine.  Thiamine deficiency symptoms can appear in as little as three days.  I recognize the symptoms as those I had when I was deficient.  It can get much worse. "My symptoms are as follows: Dizziness, lightheaded, headaches (mostly sinus), jaw/neck pain, severe tinnitus, joint stiffness, fatigue, irregular heart rate, post exercise muscle fatigue and soreness, brain fog, insomnia.  Generally feeling unwell." I took a B 50 Complex twice a day and extra thiamine in the forms Benfotiamine and TTFD.  I currently take the Ex Plus supplement used in this study which shows B vitamins, especially Thiamine B 1, Riboflavin B2, Pyridoxine B 6, and B12 Cobalamine are very helpful.   A functional evaluation of anti-fatigue and exercise performance improvement following vitamin B complex supplementation in healthy humans, a randomized double-blind trial https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10542023/
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.