Do You Ever Get Nerve Pain Like This? And Why Am I Getting This Now?

[Sarah8793]

Before going gluten free (and casein) I never had nerve pain like this. I'm suspecting that this is gluten related but not sure. I get random pain in my finger tips and toes, tops of my feet, shoulders, arms, and neck. It comes and goes throughout the day and I never know which body part will begin to ache at any moment. If it is from gluten then it is definately from cross contamination only because I am not eating anything that has gluten added to it. And if it is from gluten then it starts out intense and 2 weeks later is winding down. Anyone else have experiences like this in which it seems to be your nerves? Also, I know that as we go longer without gluten we become more sensitive but this seems ultra sensitive to me. And it seems like (from the nerve pain) that it is harming my body more now than before. Is this crazy? I never had nerve pain before. Totally frustrated now.

[marciab]

Sarah,

When I saw that you were having pains in the top of your feet, I just had to reply. I did this too for about a month. Prior to that I had a fluttering feeling in both fore arms for about a month. Presently I am getting a twitching sort of feeling in my right eye, but no real twitching ...

Since, my body has been healing since going gluten free, I am assuming that it is nerve endings healing. I had mild nueropathy in both hands and feet for over 16 years. The good news is that it is gone now, but the bad news is that my hands are even more sensitive to cold ... I have Raynaud's ...

I'm still figuring out my reactions to getting gluttened though. The last time I was gluttened I was awake until 6 am and felt depressed off and on for a few days.

Hopefully some one else has had this experience too. Marcia

[Sarah8793]

I'm still figuring out my reactions to getting gluttened though. The last time I was gluttened I was awake until 6 am and felt depressed off and on for a few days.

Hopefully some one else has had this experience too. Marcia

Hi Marcia,

Thanks, I hope it is healing. My reactions to gluten seem to vary, but I have had the insomnia like you and then the blues. It is awful, because I stay in bed all night thinking I will eventually fall asleep and then around 5:00 a.m. I finally do.

[Nancym]

I went through a period of weird nerve things happening. I've been taking a vitamin B complex and additional B12 because neuropathy can be caused by low B vitamins. Anyway, it has gotten MUCH better.

[georgie]

I have lots of nerve tingles in my feet and hands. My legs feel numb from knees down. I have very low B12, and need injections every month. I was doing better on weekly injections - so may have to go back to Dr and ask what to do.

[darlindeb25]

It is true, when nerves are healing, they twitch, buzz, and other things, similiar to when they are dying....I was sick with celiacs for such a very long time before going gluten-free. My neuropathy was diagnosed over 3 yrs before we found out about celiacs. Mine started as carpal tunnel, then my toes became involved, my hips, and neck.

Last year I had a doppler done and they found periphreal neuropathy in my upper body and determined I have small fiber neuropathy in my lower body. I take 2400mcg of B12 daily and was able to slow the progression. This summer I found that it was slowly progressing again, some days I drag my feet, I trip up stairs, I have this terrible pinched nerve feeling in my shoulders and neck, and I suffer with dizzy spells--some days much worse than others and when someone stands close to me, as in hugging, I tip over backwards when I look up to them.

I truly hope yours is a reversal of the damage. Many celiacs find the damage repairs itself.

[RiceGuy]

I concur about the B12. I take the sublignual type.

As for my nerve pains, I narrowed it down to nightshades. Once I got those out of my diet, I started feeling better, but unfortunately it took quite some time to figure it out, and I think I now have a lot of nerve damage to be healed. It seems to be a very slow process, and as I research things, I add certain types of nutrients to my diet in order to maximize healing. Proper amounts of the right proteins and fats (plant-derived) are my latest focus. I wish I could help you more, and in a week I should have additional information once I've received some new stuff I ordered. I hesitate to make a recommendation until I've tried it, so I know whether it helps first. I'll try to post an update then, or feel free to PM me.

Hope your recovery is quicker than mine...

[Sarah8793]

Thanks to all of you for your help! Many of you have mentioned B12. I had mine checked and I was told that it is in the normal range. Maybe I should be taking it anyway. I'll take a closer look at the nightshades family as rice guy mentioned. I feel so fortunate to me a member in this forum and receive such support. Thanks!

Sarah

[RiceGuy]

Many of you have mentioned B12. I had mine checked and I was told that it is in the normal range. Maybe I should be taking it anyway.

I've read that the body robs B12 from various places in order to keep blood levels up. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if that's true.

[Nancym]

Do you know what the level of your B12 was? It can be low normal and cause issues. Lots of times doctors would treat for deficiency at the low end of the range. Technically in-range, but low enough that some patients have issues. It is a vitamin you don't store so unless you go crazy with it, you really can't over dose on it.

[RiceGuy]

Do you know what the level of your B12 was? It can be low normal and cause issues. Lots of times doctors would treat for deficiency at the low end of the range. Technically in-range, but low enough that some patients have issues. It is a vitamin you don't store so unless you go crazy with it, you really can't over dose on it.

Actually, the body can store B12 for decades. However, you'd need to be obtaining more than your body uses in order to build up reserves.

Research shows it is absorbed in smaller doses more effectively than higher doses, and around 3000 mcg is a typical daily recommendation, spread out over the entire day rather than all in one dose. Apparently there is little if any benefit from doses above around 5000 or 6000 mcg. I take 1000 mcg three times per day. There is no known toxicity level, so getting extra isn't supposed to cause any problems.

[Sarah8793]

Do you know what the level of your B12 was? It can be low normal and cause issues. Lots of times doctors would treat for deficiency at the low end of the range. Technically in-range, but low enough that some patients have issues. It is a vitamin you don't store so unless you go crazy with it, you really can't over dose on it.

I don't remember the exact number but I'm thinking 500 something. I remember thinking that it was in the normal range but not near the top. I'm going to look for the sublingual type to start taking.

[RiceGuy]

I'm going to look for the sublingual type to start taking.

One I considered is Freeda brand, which specifies gluten-free. Some say wheat-free, but stop short of specifically saying gluten-free. The one I ended up with is from Source Naturals, as they are one of only a few others that state gluten-free. It's also the methylcobalamin type, which is apparently the best to take. It doesn't have a potency guaranty, but the ones that do typically cost far more.

After much research, I came to the conclusion that the methylcobalamin type is favorable over the other kinds. Most are cyanocobalamin, which must be converted by the body before it can be utilized, and actually has a cyanide molecule that the body has to dispose of. I didn't like the sound of that. Here's an article explaining these forms:

Open Original Shared Link

[Sarah8793]

After much research, I came to the conclusion that the methylcobalamin type is favorable over the other kinds. Most are cyanocobalamin, which must be converted by the body before it can be utilized, and actually has a cyanide molecule that the body has to dispose of. I didn't like the sound of that. Here's an article explaining these forms:

Open Original Shared Link

Thanks for the B12 information.