Very Shakey, Almost Low Blood Sugar Feeling...

[Guest marshlakemom]

Hi All

I've noticed the past couple of weeks that when I get glutened, I will start to have the weak shakey feeling, like I'm having a low blood sugar attack. I don't remember having this in the past, can anyone relate to this. Makes me feel really creepy...shakey, fuzzy, dizzy, light headed...just a great rush of it all. I'm used to the brain fog and the light headed sensations, but this shakiness is something new for me.

I think I am getting the gluten from bulk almonds from the Superstore.

Deb

[Guest cassidy]

That happens to me. I always thought I had hypoglycemia my entire life, but it went away when I went gluten-free. It comes back when I'm glutened and now that I'm pregnant it is back big time. I try to eat frequently, eat a lot of protein and stay away from sugar. I think this happens to many people. It is one of my first and most annoying symptoms.

I used to take xanax before going gluten-free because I thought I had anxiety problems. They went away with going gluten-free but come back when I am glutened. I still take the xanax when I'm glutened because it really helps with the shaky feelings and I tend to get anxious and paranoid on top of all that.

[Noel1965]

This happens to me too. I actually have been worried about driving as the weak, shaky feeling comes out of the blue for me and it nearly feels like I could pass out. Anyone know what can be done about this? Hope it goes away for you Deb!

[Guest nini]

this happens to me too... the most recent was on Sat., I was doing food demos with the Chiropractor that I work with and most of the menu had gluten in it (Tofurkey, gravy, potato dumplings) and even though I didn't eat any of it I still got very shaky around it... I know my blood sugar was fine because I made sure I took enough food for me to eat... I have to do the same food demo tonight (same menu) and I'm trying to think of ways to keep myself from getting contaminated (I already wear gloves) I guess I could wear a mask while I'm prepping stuff (before people get there) So I either got cc from just inhaling it, or on an energetic level my body just doesn't like it!

[key]

I have been having the same feeling of light headed and my heart racing. It scares me to drive too. I am starting to wonder if mine is caused by Lexapro. I am going to wean off of it. It doesn't seem to be really making much difference with helping my stomach. It does help when I am gluttened though with my mood.

We will see.

Monica

[Sophiekins]

I too suffer from the shakes when I get glutened. . .it starts with an overwhelming wave of unexpected depression, followed by paranoia, the hot-and-cold flashes and then it feels like my whole body starts to twitch (if I'm not wearing trousers, you can see the muscles in my leg jerk around, although my leg doesn't move). . .the first time it happened, it scared my sister so much she called the paramedics out . . .they concluded that it was lack of CO2 caused by hyperventilation (since I've had "panic" attacks in the past when I have had difficulty breathing) and that it couldn't possibly have been caused by something I ate because the questionable meal was over three hours earlier. It has since happened twice (in eighteen months. . .I'm very careful) and is definitely NOT hyperventilation, as I am not panicking. One doctor suggested it was my heart (which is fine), another suggested it was all in my head (hmmm, where have I heard that one before?), but the best suggestion I've had so far is that it is an adrenaline reaction, similar to what you get when you go into mild shock following a car accident. . .so far no one has been able to suggest anything to do about it. Oh, and I was gluten free for five years before it happened to me the first time. . .I'm hoping to be able to bring it up with my awesome Canadian doctor next month when I'm visiting my parents, see if she has any suggestions.

[julie5914]

I get this feeling when glutened, but I also get this feeling after standing up in one place for more than 30 minutes or having to walk around a lot. It's a vaso vagal reflex. The trick for me is to keep loaded up on water and sports drink.

[marciab]

I did this all last month while I was running around and eating out everyday ... I didn't think it was from gluten, but now I am wondering. It has stopped now that I am back home and not getting cross contaminated.

Funny thing is that it would go away immediately if I ate a little of a sugary candy cane and some nuts... I had to have a high sugar exposure for some reason .. fruit did not work ...

I am still learning what all gluten does to me. Marcia

[white]

My husband has this shaking going on too. His body jerks intensely (legs and arms) - he wakes up in the middle of the night and 5-7 second long shaking continues for about 2 hours , it becomes worse when he tries to fall in sleep. recently, it started to happen in day time.. this seems to be related with peripheral neuropathy, his neurologist did MRI and requested other tests.. I dont think he gets gluten in his diet, I cook everything so I am very sure. He is taking Lexapro (about 10 days) I think lexapro might be worsening the sympthoms but I am not sure. When he calms his body and relaxes, the sympthoms gets milder.

[bluejeangirl]

This is one of my symptoms also. The mornings are the worse and I have to be careful to choose the right foods and I'll get better as the day goes on. The thing is I don't want to eat after a glutening. Or I'll crave salty or sweet foods probably because I'm not hungry.

I'm wondering if this is a B vitamin deficiency. I've had these feelings come and go all my life and never knew it was gluten that was doing it to me. This feeling also caused a alcohol dependency for many years. Which causes more problems with B vitamin deficiencies. It was so hard to give up the one thing that made me feel normal for just a brief time (but I wasn't it just the feeling that comes with alcohol and that doesn't last.)

I wonder how many alcoholics are celiacs or gluten intolerants. Makes you wonder.

gail

[sunshinen]

yep. i definitely have hypoglycemia, but in the couple of years before dx/going gluten free, i had started to have low blood sugar symptoms when low blood sugar didn't make any sense (I'd had protein an hour before, and no amount of food/sugar/juice would alleviate the symptoms). I think part of it is that I wasn't actually digesting the fats and proteins, but it makes sense that just the glutening itself causes some of these symptoms. there have just been too many times I couldn't explain the symptom as low blood sugar. I describe it as "my teeth are chattery" because it is something visible, but it's more of an overall dizzy/shaky/weak feeling that can be completly miserable.

[SchnauzerMom]

I used to have that shakey feeling quite often. I would also feel light headed and sick. But since I've been gluten free I haven't experienced it.

[cinderjack]

For me, it was actually the hypoglycemia that lead me to finding the Gluten intolerance. From what I understand there are different 'layers' of the small intestine that are destroyed from eating gluten - one of which is the layer that allows our bodies to digest sugars. Without this ability you end up hypoglycemic. The good news is that if this the cause of the hypoglycemia - once the small intestine has healed, the hypoglyemia should go away. I've been gluten-free for about 6 months and am just beginning to feel a little more stable as far as blood sugar goes.

[NoGluGirl]

This is one of my symptoms also. The mornings are the worse and I have to be careful to choose the right foods and I'll get better as the day goes on. The thing is I don't want to eat after a glutening. Or I'll crave salty or sweet foods probably because I'm not hungry.

I'm wondering if this is a B vitamin deficiency. I've had these feelings come and go all my life and never knew it was gluten that was doing it to me. This feeling also caused a alcohol dependency for many years. Which causes more problems with B vitamin deficiencies. It was so hard to give up the one thing that made me feel normal for just a brief time (but I wasn't it just the feeling that comes with alcohol and that doesn't last.)

I wonder how many alcoholics are celiacs or gluten intolerants. Makes you wonder.

gail

Dear bluejeangirl,

I have been doing extensive research on yeast candida for a year now. I cannot honestly tell you how many books I have read on it. I have it. In my research, it has been noted that alcohol dependency is likely caused by an overgrowth of candida. This is usually a result of being on numerous antibiotics (this can be early in life, or later) birth control, and steroids. Candida can cause cravings in people. Sugar is mine. Alcohol is another notable craving among people with candida. Though I do not crave alcohol, there are times I would kill for a candy bar! Perhaps you should check this out. If you want to know more, I would be happy to send you a copy of my essay. Just post your e-mail address, since I have to e-mail it in an attachment.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

P.S. Candida is often the cause of food allergies or related to them, and could be related to your gluten intolerance.

[bluejeangirl]

Dear bluejeangirl,

I have been doing extensive research on yeast candida for a year now. I cannot honestly tell you how many books I have read on it. I have it. In my research, it has been noted that alcohol dependency is likely caused by an overgrowth of candida. This is usually a result of being on numerous antibiotics (this can be early in life, or later) birth control, and steroids. Candida can cause cravings in people. Sugar is mine. Alcohol is another notable craving among people with candida. Though I do not crave alcohol, there are times I would kill for a candy bar! Perhaps you should check this out. If you want to know more, I would be happy to send you a copy of my essay. Just post your e-mail address, since I have to e-mail it in an attachment.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

P.S. Candida is often the cause of food allergies or related to them, and could be related to your gluten intolerance.

Thanks NoGluGirl I have taken your advice as a confirmation that yes my yeast problem is out of control again. I've had problems in the past confirmed by a a very good doctor and he has seen me through a pretty tough recovery process but that was 15 years ago. My digestion has been real poor lately and its not just gluten that giving me the problems. I just have to buckle up and start taking this serious again.

My email is Morningstr@aol.com I'll be happy to read what you've found out.

Gail

[ReneCox]

This is one of my symptoms also. The mornings are the worse and I have to be careful to choose the right foods and I'll get better as the day goes on. The thing is I don't want to eat after a glutening. Or I'll crave salty or sweet foods probably because I'm not hungry.

I'm wondering if this is a B vitamin deficiency. I've had these feelings come and go all my life and never knew it was gluten that was doing it to me. This feeling also caused a alcohol dependency for many years. Which causes more problems with B vitamin deficiencies. It was so hard to give up the one thing that made me feel normal for just a brief time (but I wasn't it just the feeling that comes with alcohol and that doesn't last.)

I wonder how many alcoholics are celiacs or gluten intolerants. Makes you wonder.

gail

[ReneCox]

Ive had that feeling recently too. Its happened 3 times since ive been gluten-free (which about 1 month). I thought it might have been from not gettng enough Iron? but it's possible that it was from getting glutened because both times it happened i had severe gas.

[kristers]

I've been feeling this way all week, but I thought I was just coming down with a weird illness. I also have been nauseous... I was so dizzy this morning on my way to work that I could barely walk straight!

Now I'm thinking that I might have gotten glutened. I ate out last Thursday and Friday... so that could have been the culprit. Interesting...

[ReneCox]

The weak shaky, nervous feeling happened to me too over the weekend. I guess maybe i was glutened but i dont know where from. it was so bad i could barely get up and a bit after this started i got really bad gas and D the next morning. The next morning i had an achy feeling in my upper body I thought I was just not getting enough Iron. But this feeling was all of a sudden. . Does anyone think I was lacking Iron? Or was I glutened?

[ReneCox]

oops i forgot I already posted this yesterday...sorry, Im still getting used to this board

[allison]

This has been driving me crazy recently. I don't think it's from glutening though. I don't know what it is and neither do any of my doctors. For those who mentioned Lexapro, btw, I know it makes me really dizzy--enough so that I can hardly move. I used to take it and tolerate it well, but was off it for a few months, and now am going back and can't get past 5 mg (up to 10 and I can't tolerate the dizziness).

But there's also something else going on because even after I've eaten protein within the last hour, my blood sugar crashes. And then other times it doesn't seem to be related to blood sugar at all, I'm just shaky, my legs are twitchy, and I feel creepy!

So the reasons for this (potential reasons, that is) that I've heard on this board are:

vitamin b deficiency

iron deficiency

glutening

blood sugar

blood pressue (vasovegal syncope)

adrenaline?

Anything else? Any further explanations on the above? I'd love to hear more about adrenaline...

[Budew]

I seem to relate to so many posts. I have been battling this one the last 2 weeks. Haven't figured it out either. I had all of the vitamin levels checked. All good. I have been monitoring blood sugar, seems fine.

I too am afraid to drive. It comes on so quick. I just wilt, sweat, shake, heart races, temp fluctuates rapidly one degree.

I also think I have trouble digesting protiens and fats.

I was thinking of checking the ph in my urine to determine the acid level. The last doctor I spoke to warned me that a diet acid kills bacteria and without it I could invite candida. How do you know if you have candida? If you have it what can you do about it?