Feeling "hungover" Everyday!

[kristend]

Hello...I have been gluten-free since May after being diagnosed on endoscopy for reflux/lump in throat feeling. Otherwise I felt physically OK, with hardly any stomach issues. since I began this diet I have been getting progressively worse. My stomach is still OK, but I feel dizzy, and out of it all the time. All I want to do is lay down. This week I have started getting nauseous and don't want to eat anything. In the beginning this diet wasn't so bad because I felt fine, but now I feel horrible and don't know what is going on. Has anyone else experienced this? Am I super-sensitive now that I'm gluten free? I feel like I've made myself worse on this diet. Will this go away?

Thanks,

Kristen

[Jestgar]

Are you getting appropriate nutrition? Eating other grains? Taking vitamins?

Have you considered other food sensitivities? Milk? Soy? Corn?

[Guest Norah022]

I have been gluten free since June and I still feel this way every day. It has been contributed to my ears (inner ear infections) and my acid reflux. Just started new meds for the reflux yesterday which are suppossed to get rid of the hungover feeling!

[happygirl]

Couple things that I would address:

1. Have you had the bloodwork re-done to see how well your antibody levels have gone down? If they are still high, that could be part of your problem. Make sure you have the full blood panel run---you should call your doctor and request this.

2. I'm sorry to ask this, and don't mean to be rude, but how truly gluten free are you? How often are you "glutened." Do you address cross contamination? How often are you eating out?

3. Have you looked at keeping a thorough, detailed food journal?

4. Other food intolerances.

I hope this helps some. No matter what the problem is, I hope you feel better.

[Guest cassidy]

I used to feel hungover all the time before I found out about celiac. I don't know how many steps you have taken to ensure that your life is entirely gluten-free - new pots/pans, reduce risk of cc, eating basic foods so your body can heal etc. I would guess you are still getting some gluten. If you have celiac then you should feel better off gluten even if you have all sorts of other issues.

Don't want to freak you out but you mentioned reflux. I had reflux and it is a symptom when I'm glutened. Because I was on so many antacids for so long I got an amoeba and a bad bacteria. They were able to get through the acid barrier since my antacids were making my stomach less acidic. I had to take some nasty antibiotics to get rid of those things and my bathroom issues didn't clear up and I didn't feel great until I took care of all that. Something to keep in mind for the future.

[kristend]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I actually had the blood work done 3 months after being gluten free and they were normal. I have a great Dr. so I have a good plan of care. I do eat out a lot though (well not as much as I used to but maybe once a week now). I still live at home with parents and try to cook my own meals and when they cook I hover to make sure things aren't being contaminated. You are right, I should keep a journal. I just don't understand because this was not a symptom I had before and since this diet I feel horrible everyday. I notice that when I drink (and I only drink wine or "good" vodka that is triple distilled) and I will wake up feeling like crap! I am now trying to avoid the alcohol for a while. I noticed that I can eat gluten and not feel sick (not on purpose), but when I add some alcohol i'm a wreck! Now I know the obvious thing to do is avoid the alcohol, but I don't understand why all of a sudden I feel like this when I never did before. And my reflux dissapeared in a few days after being gluen free so I know thats not the issue. I guess this is a common symptom of this disease and i'm hoping it will eventually go away. I also am taking a multivitamin (when I think of it).

Oh and how would I find out if I have any other intolerances/allergies?

Thanks again!

[KarenLee]

A long time ago, an allergy Dr. told me that alcohol enhances the allergic reaction. For ex.-when I ate corn chips(allergic to corn) and a margarita, I would get asthma.

I would also like to know the very best way to get tested for food allergies. I know just by my own "testing" what I am allergic to, but I need an "official diagnosis", I guess.

I hope you feel better, soon!

[Kody]

I used to feel hungover all the time before I found out about celiac. I don't know how many steps you have taken to ensure that your life is entirely gluten-free - new pots/pans, reduce risk of cc, eating basic foods so your body can heal etc. I would guess you are still getting some gluten. If you have celiac then you should feel better off gluten even if you have all sorts of other issues.

Don't want to freak you out but you mentioned reflux. I had reflux and it is a symptom when I'm glutened. Because I was on so many antacids for so long I got an amoeba and a bad bacteria. They were able to get through the acid barrier since my antacids were making my stomach less acidic. I had to take some nasty antibiotics to get rid of those things and my bathroom issues didn't clear up and I didn't feel great until I took care of all that. Something to keep in mind for the future.

I'll google this and research it as well, but it doesn't hurt to ask. What's reflux?

arrr sorry to hijack the thread. I definitely have GERD, don't even need to look it up. Is it possible to have it without so much heart burns? I'm an athlete, prolly why I don't get too much heartburns, but I can 24/7 taste acids in my throat into my mouth. Sounds like it has to be GERD. What do you guys do to treat/avoid it?

[Guest cassidy]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I actually had the blood work done 3 months after being gluten free and they were normal. I have a great Dr. so I have a good plan of care. I do eat out a lot though (well not as much as I used to but maybe once a week now). I still live at home with parents and try to cook my own meals and when they cook I hover to make sure things aren't being contaminated. You are right, I should keep a journal. I just don't understand because this was not a symptom I had before and since this diet I feel horrible everyday. I notice that when I drink (and I only drink wine or "good" vodka that is triple distilled) and I will wake up feeling like crap! I am now trying to avoid the alcohol for a while. I noticed that I can eat gluten and not feel sick (not on purpose), but when I add some alcohol i'm a wreck! Now I know the obvious thing to do is avoid the alcohol, but I don't understand why all of a sudden I feel like this when I never did before. And my reflux dissapeared in a few days after being gluen free so I know thats not the issue. I guess this is a common symptom of this disease and i'm hoping it will eventually go away. I also am taking a multivitamin (when I think of it).

Oh and how would I find out if I have any other intolerances/allergies?

Thanks again!

I can't drink wine now at all. If I have one glass I feel like I drank 3 bottles. I can drink vodka and actually can drink more of it than before without feeling hungover. I don't know how old you are or your lifestyle, but you might try drinking vodka and not wine and see if the alcohol still makes you feel really bad. Obviously, not drinking any alcohol right now would be best, but you still have to have a social life. I've read that as your body starts to heal that you can become sensitive to things that didn't bother you before because now you are actually absorbing your food.

[kristend]

I can't drink wine now at all. If I have one glass I feel like I drank 3 bottles. I can drink vodka and actually can drink more of it than before without feeling hungover. I don't know how old you are or your lifestyle, but you might try drinking vodka and not wine and see if the alcohol still makes you feel really bad. Obviously, not drinking any alcohol right now would be best, but you still have to have a social life. I've read that as your body starts to heal that you can become sensitive to things that didn't bother you before because now you are actually absorbing your food.

I think you are right! I'm 25 and I'm miserable because I feel like I don't have a social life anymore. And it always involves food either before or after I go out and I always feel left out or something. And I look like the annoying girl whose always complaining or is miserable. And that was not me before all of this. I am trying to lay off the alcohol for a while at least until the holidays and see how that goes.

[bharrod]

I tested negative for Celiac disease, but my sister has it, I have all of the symptoms though.

I also have a new symptom, I wake up feeling hungover everyday, which is how i found this post.

But from reading this, I guess feeling hungover would be from following a gluten free diet, not from eating gluten?

Geez, no I have no idea why I am so hungover every day, I have to get rid of this feeling...............I'm not drinking, but I feel hungover bad every morning.........

Bharrod

Couple things that I would address:

1. Have you had the bloodwork re-done to see how well your antibody levels have gone down? If they are still high, that could be part of your problem. Make sure you have the full blood panel run---you should call your doctor and request this.

2. I'm sorry to ask this, and don't mean to be rude, but how truly gluten free are you? How often are you "glutened." Do you address cross contamination? How often are you eating out?

3. Have you looked at keeping a thorough, detailed food journal?

4. Other food intolerances.

I hope this helps some. No matter what the problem is, I hope you feel better.

[ShayFL]

"But from reading this, I guess feeling hungover would be from following a gluten free diet, not from eating gluten?"

No you have read it wrong. You have to be 100% gluten free to get rid of the hangover feeling. Removing most of the gluten, but still getting CC will make you feel worse. You become "more" sensitive to exposure to small amounts of gluten.

[LuvMoosic4life]

Hello...I have been gluten-free since May after being diagnosed on endoscopy for reflux/lump in throat feeling. Otherwise I felt physically OK, with hardly any stomach issues. since I began this diet I have been getting progressively worse. My stomach is still OK, but I feel dizzy, and out of it all the time. All I want to do is lay down. This week I have started getting nauseous and don't want to eat anything. In the beginning this diet wasn't so bad because I felt fine, but now I feel horrible and don't know what is going on. Has anyone else experienced this? Am I super-sensitive now that I'm gluten free? I feel like I've made myself worse on this diet. Will this go away?

Thanks,

Kristen

The exact same thing happened to me!

it gets better. your body is just adjusting- its a major change! It takes time

[bharrod]

Okay now that makes sense, but what does CC mean?

So now I need to get rid of all gluten to get rid of this hangover feeling, it's worth a shot, this is misrable.

How can I get Celiac disease at age 36? Full blown, when I never had anything other then IBS in my 20's and 30's?

This hangover stuff just started recently.

"But from reading this, I guess feeling hungover would be from following a gluten free diet, not from eating gluten?"

No you have read it wrong. You have to be 100% gluten free to get rid of the hangover feeling. Removing most of the gluten, but still getting CC will make you feel worse. You become "more" sensitive to exposure to small amounts of gluten.

[Calicoe]

Well, you are definitely not alone with the hungover feeling. I am getting over that now, and the total length from onset to full recovery is about 3-5 days. I have always been susceptible to migraines, but they increased in frequency this year, right around the time when I found out about my dairy and wheat intolerance. I now see a direct link to what I eat and the onset of migraines, or the "hangovers".

"How can I get Celiac disease at age 36?"

In terms of my own undiagnosed celiac disease or associated autoimmune disease, I had a series of health incidents and stressful episodes which I believe set it off. You will have to do your own detective work on that one and hone your instinct, because most medical doctors are fairly clueless on that one.

[bharrod]

Hey, is that photo on your profile a picture of BJORK? I am from Iceland.

Well, you are definitely not alone with the hungover feeling. I am getting over that now, and the total length from onset to full recovery is about 3-5 days. I have always been susceptible to migraines, but they increased in frequency this year, right around the time when I found out about my dairy and wheat intolerance. I now see a direct link to what I eat and the onset of migraines, or the "hangovers".

"How can I get Celiac disease at age 36?"

In terms of my own undiagnosed celiac disease or associated autoimmune disease, I had a series of health incidents and stressful episodes which I believe set it off. You will have to do your own detective work on that one and hone your instinct, because most medical doctors are fairly clueless on that one.

[April in KC]

Gluten sensitivity is partially genetic, and partially triggered by environmental factors. You can have the right genes, but not develop gluten sensitivity until something happens - like stress, surgery, illness, pregnancy, or a change in diet where you increase your exposure to gluten. You can also develop new types of symptoms as time goes on.

I had some symptoms of gluten sensitivity as a young kid - stomach aches and a rash on both elbows (called dermatitis herpetiformis - it only occurs in gluten sensitive people) - but then I went for many years with no obvious symptoms of Celiac Disease. Throughout my young adulthood I had some additional symptoms like mouth sores, feeling crappy for lack of a better term, multiple miscarriages and fatigue, but nothing that pointed specifically to Celiac Disease. Then, last year, after my thrid son was born, I went on a health kick and changed my diet. I was trying to eliminate all trans fat from my diet, and I inadvertently started eating more food with whole grains. All of a sudden, all of my childhood symptoms were back (elbow rash, mouth sores and all) - PLUS I started losing weight (10 lbs a month for 3 months). The fatigue was out of control (involuntary naps after any meal - all containing gluten of course) - and I was having a terrible time concentrating - I had a persistent feeling like someone was gripping my head. The only time it would let up was late at night, when I felt "clear" (duh - I hadn't made the connection that late at night was also when i hadn't eaten for several hours).

I was also having trouble with balance, room spinning feelings, getting my words to come out right, stubbing toes and running into doorways, etc. If I woke up in middle of the night it was very noticeable - but also first thing in the morning.

Finally figured out gluten was the problem - at age 34.

For the first several months gluten free, I felt generally great but had REALLY bad reactions at least once a week - where I would eat something, get a headache, brain fog, feel drunk, and fall asleep hard (in middle of the day). When these reactions would happen, I would lose coordination - couldn't type well or speak well - stumbled a bit when walking (basically like being drunk). A reaction in the daytime would mean that in middle of the night, I would feel that room spinning sensation. In the morning, I would get GI symptoms like bloating and the big "d".

A year later, I don't have nearly as many bad reactions. I don't know whether this is because I am better at avoiding gluten (I no longer trust labels - instead, I trust my reactions to thing - i.e. haven't found a potato chip yet that I trust). I still have some reactions - but i realized today that it has been at least 6 months since anything made me fall asleep.

SOOOO....maybe as you figure out what's really gluten free - and maybe as your antibody levels fall - you will have fewer of the bad reactions. I hope so!

Oh, and sometimes I had different reactions that involved shortness of breath and dizziness - possibly a hypoglycemia thing because I was still struggling with what to eat. NOTE to self: A bag of chocolate chips is not a good meal and can induce a rebound type of hypoglycemia!!! LOL.

Good luck.

[ShayFL]

That vertigo crap is the pits!! I am soooo hoping mine goes away along with the neuropathy...back to the dark cave of hell where they came from. I also can have a "hung over" feeling in the morning. Certain foods do this to me and not just wheat. If I eat beef for dinner I get this. But not if I eat it for lunch. It is a heavy food. And my theory is that some foods that require a lot of energy to digest can leave you "hung over" in the a.m. because our energy naturally declines with nightfall. Should eat easy to digest foods at night.

[Calicoe]

Hey, is that photo on your profile a picture of BJORK? I am from Iceland.

Yes! I love Bjork. On to our symptoms, over the last week I noticed a bald patch in on of my eyebrows. I also cheated last week with gluten. It turned red and itchy, and then some time after I noticed the bald spot. I initially thought it was because of a product I used to clean the bathroom, but I have used it before and have never had a reaction like this.

Anyone familiar with bald spots in the front part of the eyebrow? It sucks!