Depressed...

[jax]

deleted

[rinne]

Sorry you are having such a hard time, I can relate to struggling with this.

I hate to bring it up but have you considered whether or not dairy might be giving you a problem. I know that after a month of being gluten free I realized that dairy was a problem for me - gas, bloating and constipation.

I can't eat any of the gluten free treats as I get reactions very similar to being glutened although I can tolerate some home made baking, simpler is better. I am avoiding sugar too and only using a little maple syrup occasionally.

All of this makes for a very limited diet and lots of wondering whether I will ever be able to cook and entertain again.

Congratulations on quitting smoking, that is a major thing to do.

I try to maintain a view that this heath crisis is an opportunity to really pay attention and take care of myself, I've spent the better part of my life ignoring me.

[kabowman]

I did the same thing with the new foods, I had way too much at first, trying to compensate for not getting "real food" which I don't miss at all now!

I had quit smoking the year before and used drugs and they really helped, could not have done this on my own so CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

And ditto, you may want to check out what other foods could be bothering you - I had to and it was a good thing I did, with support from hubby since now I feel so much better most of the time - it takes time though.

[eleep]

Any time you make a big change that involves giving something up you are likely to go through a period of depression. I also quit smoking recently -- I actually wanted to quit shortly after my diagnosis, but a doctor recommended that I not try to make so many changes at once and, instead, focus on making small changes where the gains in my life could keep up with the losses. So, I've really focused on caring for my body quite a bit and learning to like and cook foods that will nurture me. I did a lot of work with a massage therapist and took a lot of baths with candles and music when I was too ill to get much exercise -- and when I did have some energy for exercise, I went for walks and hikes in nature and did some very gentle yoga.

Smoking (or drinking, or any kind of self-medicating behavior) can suppress a lot of emotions, so you may find that there's stuff coming up that seems overwhelming at times. It's really important not to be hard on yourself for feeling bad -- letting yourself feel what you need to feel and getting it out (if you need to cry, for instance), is part of the process of healing. Remember that you will get through this and be happy and strong again -- the emotions are just part of life.

My therapist told me that the way to get through stuff like this is to just accept being kind of boring for a while -- to focus on having a schedule and self-care, nutrition and exercise. One of the problems with addiction is that it gets our reward/excitement brain chemistry hooked on spikes in dopamine and adrenaline -- so, in order to reset that brain chemistry, it's sometimes necessary to let go of needing to feel a rush for a while. This can naturally lead to feelings of depression, but they don't last forever. Moreover, your capacity to feel pleasure and joy will be much much greater once you've gotten through this process. It's kind of about letting go of instant gratification and having faith in the long-term vision.

I've found that this board is a great place for me to go when I feel lousy and I'm afraid of being judged by friends who might not understand. I also should say that, after going through a lot of grief and alone-time over the past few months I'm actually very happy right now and things are going quite well, so yes -- it gets a whole lot better! These days, I'm generally more likely to laugh than to cry!

Therapy, possible medication (I was taking St. John's Wort for a while) and things like meditation can help a whole lot as well.

Hang in there!

[eleep]

It occurs to me that I may sound somewhat preachy here -- I've been spending some time with a good friend who's recovering from a cocaine habit -- he's reuniting with the love of his life in April and it's been tough for him to be away from her while he's going through this stuff. He's had a hard time with feeling isolated because he's essentially been doing this all on his own -- this must be part of that guy-thing, because I have no problem reaching out to friends and family for support!

Anyway, one thing that you've got going for you is that you understand some of the nutritional/food relationship to your moods. This guy has started feeling and looking a whole lot better recently after he and I had a long talk about nutrition and what I've been going through with the celiac. He went out and got some sublingual B complex and has been paying a lot more attention to what he eats.

[PJKR]

If I don't have advice I don't have anything! LOl!

I quit smoking before I figured out about the gluten. Honestly, I don't think I'd go for both at the same time. I'd almost bet a kidney that I'd be setting myself up to fail and feel guilty when I did! I understand that thinking behind it tho."Why not just get all the sucky stuff over with at once!"

If I eat any gluten I am more sensitive to hard-to-digest foods like dairy(casein). I just follow a bland diet and wait it out. Everyone is very individual on this issue. It will probably be very specific to you what you can or can't eat along with the Celiac. It sucks but I remind myself that I CAN do something to prevent most of my episodes. It's no longer some d**n mystery why I feel crappy.

Also, sometimes it takes a long time for your body to heal! It probably took about 6 months before I looked down and exclaimed happily,"I don't look like a starving person with stick legs/arms and a hugeantic stomach!"

Quitting smoking made me restless and a little,well I'm totally lying....very,very cranky. I was awful!

I used that restlessness,anger, and frustration and channeled it into Kickboxing/Martial Arts. Beating the heck out of a bag really helped! So did sparring! They've got some quick,well trained and big guys that will give you all the workout you can dish! Whoo hoo! "Good energy" sounds like a compliment when you're flailing wildly in frustration and anger from kicking an addiction! PJ

[taz sharratt]

Sorry you are having such a hard time, I can relate to struggling with this.

I hate to bring it up but have you considered whether or not dairy might be giving you a problem. I know that after a month of being gluten free I realized that dairy was a problem for me - gas, bloating and constipation.

I can't eat any of the gluten free treats as I get reactions very similar to being glutened although I can tolerate some home made baking, simpler is better. I am avoiding sugar too and only using a little maple syrup occasionally.

All of this makes for a very limited diet and lots of wondering whether I will ever be able to cook and entertain again.

Congratulations on quitting smoking, that is a major thing to do.

I try to maintain a view that this heath crisis is an opportunity to really pay attention and take care of myself, I've spent the better part of my life ignoring me.

can you have the patches i have a milk prob too the gluten-free food i often cant eat iether,

Ok... I was diagnosed in April/06... and just happened to quit smoking a week before... because of how crappy I was feeling, I thought quitting would help.

So here I am... 4 months later... and hating every minute of it. I have not given in by allowing myself to have gluten (once, by accident) but I can't seem to stop myself from eating everything else. I seem to think... well if I can't have regular pizza/cake/pasta/cookies/donuts every now and then, I will eat the gluten-free stuff all day long (the fact that I recently quit smoking plays a big role in this, I am sure). I tried the "healthy" stuff... but it just doesn't compare. And nothing makes up for what I am missing... I am tired of trying to compensate for what I can't have... it sucks to know that it won't happen. I wish this what some kind of "weight loss diet" as people think it is (like Atkins)... tired of the misunderstandings and ignorant people...

I haven't been very active because a) I still don't feel well and I get annoyed easily and shut everyone out. I am also B12 and iron deficient... which of course affects my mood a lot of the time. I just don't seem to have any energy for ANYTHING... no matter how much I enjoyed it before getting sick. Anyway, I feel like I am gaining weight and my stomach is ALWAYS bloated... as someone who has been thin all her life... it is very discouraging and brings me down even farther.

I just needed to rant... I wish I didn't feel like this. Anyone feel the same?

sorry i messed that post up.

[lindalee]

I read somewhere it is easier to quit smoking if you have given up sugar first - something about sugar is such a powerful addiction