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

Dizziness/vertigo

GEF

By GEF
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted

I experience dizziness / vertigo every few months or so.. usually lasts for a few days, but I can't figure out from what. I'm not hypoglycemic, do not have low blood pressure or an ear infection. Does this happen to anyone else?

Gretchen

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


j9n Contributor
j9n
Posted

I had severe vertigo before I went gluten-free. I still have some small spells every once in awhile. I wonder if it is from accidental gluten ingestion?

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author

So, I'm not the only one! I'm not gluten-free yet, and when it does happen, it's pretty bad where I've got to hold onto things.

kvandorselaer Rookie
kvandorselaer
Posted

this def happens to me as well.. I've been gluten free for 3 yrs and it happens. good to know i'm not the only one :D

gf4life Enthusiast
gf4life
Posted

I have them also. I spent the last few days feeling very dizzy, and after a while I start to get a sort of nausea (like motion sickness) from it. I used to think I was hypoglycemic, but was told I wasn't. I've gotten these for at least half my life, and still get them gluten-free. I seem to notice that around the time it happens I am not eating a very balanced diet. I make a conscious effort to get enough protein and fresh fruits and veggies. I haven't figured out if it helps or not, but at least none of us are alone in this, right?! This is about how I feel when I get this way... :wacko:

Anyone notice that we are all women, those of us that are complaining about the dizziness. Maybe it is hormonal? Are there any men who also get this? Might be interesting to find out.

God bless,

Mariann

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author

Mariann,

Lucky me wakes up this morning with it. I'm going to start marking my calendar for when it happens so I can see if it's hormonally-related. Strange thing is.. that it only started happening this year (which makes sense, as my symptoms starting changing this year). All I can say is that I felt gross, so I loaded up on some sugar to see if that helps (sweet tea & a Snickers). Who knows, it might be too much sugar.. and I might be having the hypoglycemic attack that other celiacs have. I had a big bowl of ice cream before I went to bed last night. Maybe the sweet tea & Snickers weren't a very good idea... I'll know later!

I too get the motion-sickness thing.... ewwww

Open Original Shared Link

Gretchen

billfl Newbie
billfl
Posted

Interesting subject...I'm a male, and have been gluten-free since March 2004 (except for 2 cross contaminations). For the past month, I have noticed that if I remain seated w/o moving for an extended period of time, like when I'm reading your posts, then I start to feel dizzy. Over a year ago, I was taking prednisone, which caused me to have diabetes, and I had to take medication for it. The diabetes is now resolved after stopping the prednisone. I periodically check my blood sugar, and it is in the low 90's. I think that my body is still in the process of readjusting to the gluten-free diet. Thanx for bringing up this subject.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Canadian Karen Community Regular
Canadian Karen
Posted

I also get vertigo.....

It is particularly bad for me in the car when I have to look over my shoulder to talk to the kids...... WOW! My world spins!!

Karen

j9n Contributor
j9n
Posted

I, too, woke up with vertigo this morning. I am standing and I feel like I am going to fall over. The hardest part is to not nod when talking to someone! I was thinking it may be because it is "that time" and maybe I am low on something like iron? I am going to see my gyno tomorrow, right now she is the only doctor I trust, and see what she thinks.

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author

Janine,

Did your doctor have any insight? I just saw my (former) GI doctor recently and forgot to mention this problem. It's such a weird feeling and is a little scary.... it's occuring more and more frequently. I'm going to see my PCP this afternoon to get my blood sugar checked... it usually comes back fine on the blood tests, but I'll ask for a monitor or something. I'll let you know what I find out.

Gretchen

j9n Contributor
j9n
Posted

I think I may know what is causing it. I took a prescription water pill that is generic and one of the ingredients is starch but I have to check with the pharmacy to see if they know what kind. I am also starting hormone therapy.

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author
I think I may know what is causing it.
Yeah, Janine.. I hope so!!

I went to my PCP, but he was out today and the sub has no idea what's causing this vertigo issue :( I will now have to wait for the specialist in October. I've read of the connection of celiac & meniere's (one of the symptoms is vertigo)... apparently it's inner-ear related. It could also be my wisdom teeth, but they haven't ever bothered me. I'm just brainstorming... I have no idea what's causing this.

Ok.. I have an update: the doctor (the pcp who was out today) called my home# this evening (can you believe that he took my chart home to review? :blink: ) and wants me to do a cbc, sed rate & glucose, thyroid check tomorrow morning... Saturday. Knowing my blood, it will show nothing unusual and he'll think I'm a hypochondriac :lol:

Gretchen

Rod Newbie
Rod
Posted

I have been gluten-free for almost 3 years and I am still having new strange things happen to me. I often fell dizzy or like I'm in a fog and I wonder if it is related to inner ear trouble.

However, a month or so ago, I quite suddenly, like a switch being turned on, felt like I was going crazy. I wouldn't call it depression. This lasted for 5 or 6 hours. I normally feel like someone in total control.....but this was very scarey.

I thought it might have something to do with eating too much starch and not processing it properly.

Well it happened again a few days ago.

I wonder what is happen to me.

Any ideas. :(

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author

Rod,

Had that ever happened before? I attribute a lot of my "weirdness" on fatigue or hormones, but I'm sure there are other factors involved at times. Everyone here has a different reaction when they ingest gluten and your's could just be in this manner. You don't need to answer this, but are (or were) you under a lot of stress at the time you experienced the trouble? Our bodies are fighting hard enough to stay well and sometimes stress will throw us over the edge. I know that dizziness is a symptom of celiac disease, but I really do like to make sure there's nothing else contributing. Do you have a good relationship with your doctor that you could possibly mention the issue you're having? Was your "craziness" more like edginess or was it worse? Did you have any other symptoms, like shakiness, sweating, etc?

But, one thing's for sure.. you're not alone.. I'd rather have a massive stomach ache than feel cloudy/dizzy/crazy in the head!!

Gretchen

Rod Newbie
Rod
Posted

Your right on there. I can deal with the stomach. But not the head stuff.

The "craziness" seemed to run the whole gambit of paranoia, suicide, depression.

I am planning to see my GP to get a referral to an eye-ear-nose specialist,

physologist and hopefully a cat-scan.

I literally want my head examined.

I want to rule out everything and my doctor has been terrific in following up.

The only thing I can really relate to both times is that my stomach was acting up a bit in the days leading up. So maybe my immune system was low.

Although I still think the lack of being able to process starch had something to do with it. I read a book a few years ago called "Breaking the viscious cycle" that refers to the starch problem.

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author

There is absolutely no shame in an attempt to find answers... I remember that when I need to talk with my doctor about things like this.

I get the same symptoms that you do... I get the "spooks" now and then, and all I've known to help with that is a good night's rest. I'm in no way sleep deprived, but I just seem to need a lot. I'm trying to piece together what symptoms correspond to what my diet is consisting of... it's difficult, as you can see by my latest attempt to find out where this vertigo is coming from. Now, I've heard that undigested gluten proteins act like morphine in our bloodstream... now, that would explain a lot. I'm not gluten-free yet since I'm still getting tests run so I can't even tell yet if all of these symptoms will improve on a gluten-free diet. However, I'd see if a gluten (even an accidental trace) might be the cause of your symptoms. But, good luck with it all and I hope you're feeling better soon.

Gretchen

Rod Newbie
Rod
Posted

Thanks very much!

I hope you have support like I do at home.

My wife is amazing.

Best of luck in your own journey.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

That dizzy/nauseaous/funny-headed feeling is my main symptom of gluten contamination. Turns out it's also my primary symptom of casein ingestion as well (delayed reaction, takes nearly exactly 2 hours). Try eliminating dairy as see if that helps? (Both gluten and casein proteins are similar in that if they're not properly digested, what's "left over" can act as opiates in the brain. I wondered why the feeling was familiar... it was like when I had codeine (painkillers) for a broken leg!! :-) )

dkmb Newbie
dkmb
Posted

I too get vertigo like symptoms, but haven't associated it with celiac disease. My doctor says it is BPPV where crystals of calcium carbonate get trapped in the inner ear rather than desolving or passing through. I have learned to control it to some extent. I don't move my head to the right (a trigger for me) but move my whole body, I don't roll over in bed but move to a sitting up position first. I have gotten used to kneeling down rather than looking down and using a small ladder as opposed to looking up, when possible. I was in the dentist chair the other day where the dentist was to my right and just that slight turn of my head brought it on. If it gets bad I will sleep in a chair, but that hasn't happened for sometime.

Here is a website that has a pretty good explaination:

Open Original Shared Link

It is a miserable feeling and you can get therapy for it to teach you how to control it. I just sort of learned by trial and error. I suppose it could in some remote way be related to malabsorption of calcium.

DK

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author

My labs are back already (I had them done on Saturday!!).. talk about quick! And guess what??.. they're all normal. <_<

He checked a bunch of things (did a complete metabolic panel, thyroid, glucose, iron, etc).. and I'm not pregnant. Soooo... I am resolved to believe this vertigo is a gluten-related reaction.

I hate gluten :angry: I'd be soooo healthy if I didn't have a gluten issue!! But, now I'm getting excited at how good I can be feeling when I go gluten-free.. I'm going to feel like superwoman!!

Gretchen

kabowman Explorer
kabowman
Posted

Wow - I have been having problems with dizzyness for a couple of years now and have not been able to attibute it to anything. Maybe now that gluten-free this will go away. I have been lactose/casean free for 4+ years.

Does anyone run a low-grade fever for no apparent reason (for up to a week)?

I have been hospitalized, tested, etc. with no reason for the fever. They finally released me when the fever went away on its own. After that, I stopped mentioning this to my GP. My allergist said to just take Tylenol until the fever goes away. However, I have yet been able to tie this to anything and one doc suggested I see a specialist for Rhumatoid Arthritis for this (I only have minimal arthritis since 25 years old - now 38) so that didn't make much sense and I have not made the appointment yet. Thanks...

-Kate

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author

In regards to the fever, has your doctor ruled out Inflamatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and lupus? Just wondering. Also, it's not uncommon to have that with celiac.

Do you currently see a GI specialist?

My dizziness only started over the past 6 months or so.. apparently is a common symptom in celiac disease.

Gretchen

kabowman Explorer
kabowman
Posted

I have a GI specialist but have not seen him recenly. He diagnosed me several years ago with IBS and Lupus is in both sides of my family but I have not seen anyone for that yet. I wondered about Lupus; a lot of my symptoms match those and are just as hard to pinpoint to a specific problem.

The fever is not horrible, just draining and not much fun.

-Kate

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
  • Author

Hello Kate,

I probably wouldn't be too bad of an idea to make a visit to your GI to rule out lupus, since it's in the bloodline. They can simply do an ANA test (auto-nuclear), which is a blood test. It's in my family too, so when I was getting tested for celiac I asked them to check this too. My ANA was negative. But it is nice to get things ruled out if you can.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Gretchen

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

Oddly enough, speaking of fevers, until I went gluten-free, I almost NEVER had a fever. The first time I got seriously sick after being gluten-free for a while, I had a nasty flu, and a NASTY fever (>101 for >5 days), but I didn't realize that I should have called my doctor after the second or third day, or how much fever-reducers I needed to take. I always had my temperature FALL when I was sick and eating gluten...

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,133
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Exhausted-momma
    Newest Member
    Exhausted-momma
    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

    • knitty kitty
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @rei.b,  I understand how frustrating starting a new way of eating can be.  I tried all sorts of gluten-free processed foods and just kept feeling worse.  My health didn't improve until I started the low histamine AIP diet.  It makes a big difference.   Gluten fits into opioid receptors in our bodies.  So, removing gluten can cause withdrawal symptoms and reveals the underlying discomfort.  SIBO can cause digestive symptoms.  SIBO can prevent vitamins from being absorbed by the intestines.  Thiamine insufficiency causes Gastrointestinal Beriberi (bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or constipation).  Thiamine is the B vitamin that runs out first because it can only be stored for two weeks.  We need more thiamine when we're sick or under emotional stress.  Gastric Beriberi is under recognised by doctors.  An Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test is more accurate than a blood test for thiamine deficiency, but the best way to see if you're low in thiamine is to take it and look for health improvement.  Don't take Thiamine Mononitrate because the body can't utilize it well.  Try Benfotiamine.  Thiamine is water soluble, nontoxic and safe even at high doses.  I thought it was crazy, too, but simple vitamins and minerals are important.  The eight B vitamins work together, so a B Complex, Benfotiamine,  magnesium and Vitamin D really helped get my body to start healing, along with the AIP diet.  Once you heal, you add foods back in, so the AIP diet is worth doing for a few months. I do hope you'll consider the AIP diet and Benfotiamine.
    • captaincrab55
      Finding gluten free ingredients

      By captaincrab55 · Posted

      Imemsm, Most of us have experienced discontinued, not currently available or products that suddenly become seasonal.   My biggest fear about relocating from Maryland to Florida 5 years ago, was being able to find gluten-free foods that fit my restricted diet.  I soon found out that the Win Dixie and Publix supper markets actually has 99% of their gluten-free foods tagged, next to the price.  The gluten-free tags opened up a  lot of foods that aren't actually marked gluten-free by the manufacture.  Now I only need to check for my other dietary restrictions.  Where my son lives in New Hartford, New York there's a Hannaford Supermarket that also has a gluten-free tag next to the price tag.  Hopefully you can locate a Supermarket within a reasonable travel distance that you can learn what foods to check out at a Supermarket close to you.  I have dermatitis herpetiformis too and I'm very sensitive to gluten and the three stores I named were very gluten-free friendly.  Good Luck 
    • rei.b
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By rei.b · Posted

      Okay well the info about TTG-A actually makes a lot of sense and I wish the PA had explained that to me. But yes, I would assume I would have intestinal damage from eating a lot of gluten for 32 years while having all these symptoms. As far as avoiding gluten foods - I was definitely not doing that. Bread, pasta, quesadillas (with flour tortillas) and crackers are my 4 favorite foods and I ate at least one of those things multiple times a day e.g. breakfast with eggs and toast, a cheese quesadilla for lunch, and pasta for dinner, and crackers and cheese as a before bed snack. I'm not even kidding.  I'm not really big on sugar, so I don't really do sweets. I don't have any of those conditions.  I am not sure if I have the genes or not. When the geneticist did my genetic testing for EDS this year, I didn't think to ask for him to request the celiac genes so they didn't test for them, unfortunately.  I guess another expectation I had is  that if gluten was the issue, the gluten-free diet would make me feel better, and I'm 3 months in and that hasn't been the case. I am being very careful and reading every label because I didn't want to screw this up and have to do gluten-free for longer than necessary if I end up not having celiac. I'm literally checking everything, even tea and anything else prepacked like caramel dip. Honestly its making me anxious 😅
    • knitty kitty
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      So you're saying that you think you should have severe intestinal damage since you've had the symptoms so long?   DGP IgG antibodies are produced in response to a partial gluten molecule.  This is different than what tissue transglutaminase antibodies are  produced in response to.   TTg IgA antibodies are produced in the intestines in response to gluten.  The tTg IgA antibodies attack our own cells because a structural component in our cell membranes resembles a part of gluten.  There's a correlation between the level of intestinal damage with the level of tTg antibodies produced.  You are not producing a high number of tTg IgA antibodies, so your level of tissue damage in your intestines is not very bad.  Be thankful.   There may be reasons why you are not producing a high quantity of tTg IgA antibodies.  Consuming ten grams or more of gluten a day for two weeks to two months before blood tests are done is required to get sufficient antibody production and damage to the intestines.  Some undiagnosed people tend to subconsciously avoid lots of gluten.  Cookies and cakes do not contain as much gluten as artisan breads and thick chewy pizza crust.  Anemia, diabetes and thiamine deficiency can affect IgA antibody production as well.   Do you carry genes for Celiac?  They frequently go along with EDS.
    • rei.b
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By rei.b · Posted

      I was tested for celiac at the same time, so I wasn't taking naltrexone yet. I say that, because I don't. The endoscopy showed some mild inflammation but was inconclusive as to celiac disease. They took several biopsies and that's all that was shown. I was not given a Marsh score.
×
×
  • 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.