Mind Chatter.....

[draeko]

Hi Everyone, just wondering if anyone had mind chatter as part of the "ongoing list of symptoms" and if so did it stop once the Gluten Free diet was in place?

M

[CarlaB]

It drives me crazy. It hasn't gone away, but gluten is not my only problem.

[draeko]

It drives me crazy. It hasn't gone away, but gluten is not my only problem.

Is there anything that helps you?

[CarlaB]

Not really ... just keeping busy, which I can't do because I'm pretty sick with Lyme Disease right now. When I could, keeping busy helped. Answering questions on this board helps a bit, it's a distraction anyway.

[eleep]

I've had some success with meditation and Qi Gong exercises (as well as regular exercise) -- however, you really need to keep them up as a regular practice to get the full effects.

eleep

[Sophiekins]

You mean that other people get this??

Hooray! I'm not a freak! (Or at least not a lonely freak. . . )

I have good days and bad days (the bad days are WAY worse when I've been glutened). . .but I always thought it was just me that has a brain that just won't shut up.

Meditation helps - I try to make time each day to meditate for at least ten minutes (try combining it with your morning crap attempt. . .two birds, and all that; if you have trouble meditating blank, try meditating on something. . .I use a satellite map of earth). My best cure is numbers - I'm no mathematician, but my preferred method is to do long division or percentage multiplication, though if there isn't paper handy, I'll do large sum addition in my head instead (Sudoku also works, if you prefer). Pure classical music also helps - Scarlatti or Vivaldi or Bach. . .something crisp and complicated. . .fugues are very good, romantic or emotive is bad. Watching dance (ballet is best) helps for about forty-five minutes. Words are bad - reading, film, radio, music with lyrics, etc. . .just make it worse on bad days - which sucks because I love words.

Since I went gluten free, it hasn't stopped, but it has gotten infinitely better. . .I can now go five whole minutes without thinking. . .without trying. . .it's great. . .I'll be sitting on the bus on my way to work and suddenly realise that I haven't thought of anything in five minutes. . .and then I'll grin like an idiot.

[draeko]

You mean that other people get this??

Hooray! I'm not a freak! (Or at least not a lonely freak. . . )

Haha, you're not a freak and I don't consider myself one too...but brain chatter sure makes me wonder. I have lots since I started a gluten-free diet about 3 weeks ago...I will definetly try meditation. I had also seen a Naturopath and she gave me some homeopathic remedy that worked for about 3 months...

Has anyone ever told you what cause it?

Melanie

[CarlaB]

Five minutes without thinking .... I didn't know everyone didn't think all the time ... this thread has been a revelation. I know I have obsessive thoughts, probably from the Lyme, but I didn't know you could go without thinking ... I just want to think about something different!!!

[Lymetoo]

Not really ... just keeping busy, which I can't do because I'm pretty sick with Lyme Disease right now. When I could, keeping busy helped. Answering questions on this board helps a bit, it's a distraction anyway.

DRAEKO:

I would highly suspect LYME DISEASE as the cause.

Lyme Disease Symptoms List

1. Unexplained fevers, sweats, chills, or flushing

2. Unexplained weight change--loss or gain

3. Fatigue, tiredness, poor stamina

4. Unexplained hair loss

5. Swollen glands: list areas____

6. Sore throat

7. Testicular pain/pelvic pain

8. Unexplained menstrual irregularity

9. Unexplained milk production: breast pain

10.Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction

11.Sexual dysfunction or loss of libido

12.Upset stomach

13.Change in bowel function-constipation, diarrhea

14.Chest pain or rib soreness

15.Shortness of breath, cough

16.Heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block

17.Any history of a heart murmur or valve prolapse?

18.Joint pain or swelling: list joints_____________

19.Stiffness of the joints, neck, or back

20.Muscle pain or cramps

21.Twitching of the face or other muscles

22.Headache

23.Neck creeks and cracks, neck stiffness, neck pain

24.Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations, shooting pains

25.Facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy)

26.Eyes/Vision: double, blurry, increased floaters, light sensitivity

27.Ears/Hearing: buzzing, ringing, ear pain, sound sensitivity

28.lncreased motion sickness, vertigo, poor balance

29.Lightheadedness, wooziness

30.Tremor

31.Confusion, difficulty in thinking

32.Diffculty with concentration, reading

33.Forgetfuiness, poor short term memory

34.Disorientation: getting lost, going to wrong places

35.Difficulty with speech or writing

36.Mood swings, irritability, depression

37.Disturbed sleep-too much, too little, early awakening

38.Exaggerated symptoms or worse hangover from alcohol

[Rebecca47]

If mind chatter is anything like brain fog I also get it. Words are are mixed up and I say things that are totally screwed up in the way they come out. I know what I am trying to say it just comes out wrong, and it makes it hard on my favorite man in my life. He understands all of what is going on with me and so we are doing ok. He just says think before you speak, he gets really frustrated at times. So I guess taht makes me a freak too? Yahoo....

[Lymetoo]

Five minutes without thinking .... I didn't know everyone didn't think all the time ... this thread has been a revelation.

Me either!!

[Guhlia]

What exactly are you guys talking about? What's brain chatter?

Carla and Lymetoo... For the sake of argument, here's my story. I could use a little insight. I was tested a few years ago for Lyme Disease and they showed me that a 4 or higher is a positive test and anything below that was negative. I tested a 2. They said this meant I had been exposed, but not infected. That made no sense to me, but I figured that they were the doctors and they knew what they were talking about. Just looking over the list of symptoms posted above, I can honestly say that 21 of the 38 symptoms listed applied to me. Now, I did test positive for Celiac through bloodwork only, they didn't want to biopsy me because my numbers were so high and I was literally weeks away from death. What do you guys think?

[CarlaB]

What exactly are you guys talking about? What's brain chatter?

My brain is constantly thinking thoughts, usually ones I don't want. I cannot clear my mind .... sometimes it's hard to read because the thoughts don't stop. I used to be an avid reader ... now I can read no more than a short chapter a day, even then it takes concentration. It's different than brain fog, which I get, too, from gluten. This is constantly thinking as if I'm trying to figure something out. If only it were more interesting, I could come up with enough material for a book, but it's always the same stuff.

[Guhlia]

Wow, I get that... I just thought that was normal. I thought everyone was like that. I find it very hard to sleep because of that, even when I'm dead tired. Hmmm... BTW, I was editing my post above while you posted... Let me know what you think, could my doctor be wrong?

[draeko]

Wow, I get that... I just thought that was normal. I thought everyone was like that. I find it very hard to sleep because of that, even when I'm dead tired. Hmmm... BTW, I was editing my post above while you posted... Let me know what you think, could my doctor be wrong?

Same thing I have 27 out of the 38 but these symptoms are common in a lot of things so I'm not sure what to think.. Exposed but not infected kinda makes me wonder.

What were your numbers for the blood test, mine were over 100, I was just diagnosed 4 weeks ago now and started a gluten-free diet but am still learning alot from this site.

Are you feeling any better? What changes have you made..

M

[Guhlia]

Same thing I have 27 out of the 38 but these symptoms are common in a lot of things so I'm not sure what to think.. Exposed but not infected kinda makes me wonder.

What were your numbers for the blood test, mine were over 100, I was just diagnosed 4 weeks ago now and started a gluten-free diet but am still learning alot from this site.

Are you feeling any better? What changes have you made..

M

I'm 100% gluten free, I rarely even eat out. I still feel like something's not right though. I can't say that I'm sick, but I can't say that I feel great either. I mean, I feel pretty good most of the time, but I just feel like something is off, askew... I haven't changed anything other than going gluten free. All of my other symptoms (if you want to call them that) aren't GI related at all. Mostly it's the back/neck aches and constant headaches that bother me. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but then it seemed to get better when going gluten free, but now it's getting worse again. It's almost as if I have bouts where I feel okay and then bouts when I don't. I can't describe what I'm feeling really. It's odd.

I don't know what my numbers were for the Celiac panel. They never told me. They only told me that I was off the chart and that they had never seen anyone with such high numbers. This was my gastro talking. I dunno...

[CarlaB]

Sorry, I answered then went away for a bit ...

Were you tested by IGeneX labs? Apparently they are the only reliable lab for Lyme testing. Also, regular MD's will rarely diagnose Lyme. So, it's quite possible that you have it, especially since your test shows that you have antibodies to the bacteria! The blood tests are NOT supposed to be used to diagnose, only to support diagnosis. It is a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms. I happened to have a VERY positive test, but many people are diagnosed with a weaker test than mine. The reason as I understand it is that as your immune system reacts to the bacteria, after a while, you have fewer antibodies, so the test can be a false negative. Often, if they put you on antibiotics for a month, then take you off for a couple weeks and retest, you will show a positive.

If you have that many symptoms, I definately would order an IGeneX test. It has to be done through a doctor, but you can order the test and take it to your doc ... that's what I did.

[Looking for answers]

I know what you mean, I used to have that too. . . to the point that my quality of life was severly suffering. Going gluten free, not eating processed food (for the most part) and avoiding sugar were BIG helps. Also, I can't tell you how much I improved after taking the right vitamins. My homopathetic doctor prescribed the following and it really, really worked: 3-4 filtered Omega Three Fatty Acids every day, Vitamin B (I feel horrible when I don't take vitamin B regularly), Two vitamin Cs, and max dosage of calcium. I noticed a huge improvement within a week.

If you are having obsessive thoughts, you might also want to check out "Brain Lock." It's a terrific book.

[SchnauzerMom]

I have had a problem with mind chatter at night. Not every night, just occasionally. But, it keeps me awake most of the night. It is less frequent since I went gluten free but it still happens once in a while. It helps if I memorize something, like a Bible verse for example. Then repeat it to myself and that calms things down.

[DingoGirl]

I think I'd like a definition of what you call mind chatter....I'm not sure we're experiencing the same thing. But I can tell you that my brain TORTURES me at times.....I just wish I could MAKE IT STOP or get rid of it...just let someone else take it for a while. I have never, ever had a period of no thoughts or not thinking, I can't imagine what this would be like. I tried meditation again adn again, starting at a VERY early age (got a copy of my parents' TM book when I was about 10 and was reading that in the 70's).....if there is a way to shut off the brain adn the thoughts (that doesn't involve drugs), I would love to know it.

Is there anything that helps you?

yeah. Klonepin. It's a major tranquilizer/benzodiazepene. I love the stuff. I limit it to emergencies (glutenings and also when I just started my new job I used it the first four or five days I worked) so I take it infrequently now.

If I didn't have a pretty strict moral code, I'd be a drug addict, I have no doubt. Just to have a vacation from my brain and self.

I can now go five whole minutes without thinking. . .without trying. . .it's great. . .I'll be sitting on the bus on my way to work and suddenly realise that I haven't thought of anything in five minutes. . .and then I'll grin like an idiot.

I think "idiots" are the only ones who don't have thoughts. I, too would be grinning like an idiot if this happened to me. I cannot remotely fathom FIVE ENTIRE MINUTES without a thought....five seconds, even.

help.

[jerseyangel]

Wow! I get this, too. There is always something chattering away up there--and, honestly, sometimes it actually makes me tired.

I will say that before I went gluten-free, the thoughts were a lot more intense and negative. Now, there's still a lot of thoughts, but not as dark.