My Symptoms-- Help With Some Questions

[Sunrunner]

My main symptoms involve a general fuzzy-headiness, lack of focus/concentration, my eyes would have trouble focusing-- almost like I'm going cross-eyed (sounds crazy, I know). I do have fatigue and infrequent/bad BM's, but my main concern was what's happening upstairs or mentally.

I went on the "Lemonade Cleanse" diet several weeks ago-- the one where all you consume is lemonade for 10 days. My spaciness disappeared after a few days on the diet. I was alert and quick-thinking. Now I'm thinking it wasn't the diet, but the fact I wasn't eating gluten or casein.

Does this seem possible? Does anyone have similar symptoms involving their 'brain chemistry'.

I did the EnteroLab tests. Here are my results:

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 20 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 14 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 406 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow

[wowzer]

Interesting symptoms you have. First I've heard of them, but I've only been gluten free for 5 weeks. I did used to have the brain fog and having trouble with my eyes focusing. I've had the blood test that came out negative. It could be since you aren't ingesting gluten or casein that your symptoms went away. I keep reading about symptoms that I never put together. I really thought that I had DH and went on the diet because of the itching. It has helped that. I'm finding other benefits too. I wish you luck. Sounds like you are on the right track.

[Electra]

My main symptoms involve a general fuzzy-headiness, lack of focus/concentration, my eyes would have trouble focusing-- almost like I'm going cross-eyed (sounds crazy, I know). I do have fatigue and infrequent/bad BM's, but my main concern was what's happening upstairs or mentally.

I went on the "Lemonade Cleanse" diet several weeks ago-- the one where all you consume is lemonade for 10 days. My spaciness disappeared after a few days on the diet. I was alert and quick-thinking. Now I'm thinking it wasn't the diet, but the fact I wasn't eating gluten or casein.

Does this seem possible? Does anyone have similar symptoms involving their 'brain chemistry'.

I did the EnteroLab tests. Here are my results:

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 20 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 14 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 406 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA antibody 25 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

I really need some confirmation from someone that's been down this road. Any thoughts? I want my old self back.

My opinion is that YES, being gluten free WILL, (for me), cure the brain fog completely. I had brain fog so badly that I would actually have blackouts where my hubby and kids would tell me I said things that I had NO RECOLLECTION of saying, and they told me that I would say things out of left field that made NO sense what so ever, and that is so unlike me. Since going gluten free it's all disappeared.

After I found out I might have Celiac I realized something. I have been on a low carb diet several times before and have felt super good when on that diet (with the exception of getting dizzy from time to time from lack of balanced nutrician !! I realized that when I am low carb I'm actually NO CARB, because the only things I eat are meat, cheese, and some veggies, so the reason I feel better on that diet is because I am not consuming any gluten. In my opinion feeling good during your diet change could definitely be due to consuming no gluten!!

Good Luck and I hope you figure it all out soon!!

[Sunrunner]

Thanks so much for the replies. I really think that gluten and junk food really added to my mental lethargy. Pretty exciting to think there's a solution.

[Nancym]

It really really cleared up my brain fog and memory issues. Give it awhirl!

[CMCM]

Your Enterolab tests seem pretty conclusive....in the first two, being over 10 they demonstrate auto immune reactions and antibodies, hence at the very least gluten sensitvity. Similarly, your casein score indicates sensitivity to that as well. The interesting score is your fecal fat score....over the 300 "normal" rate. This COULD indicate the more serious celiac disease is causing malabsorption.

How about your gene tests....having done all the things you mentioned, wasn't there a gene test included? It looks like you did the full sensitivity panel, which did include the gene test. Did you miss that on your results email from Enterolab???

In any case, given that there are over 200 widely varied symptoms associated with celiac disease/gluten sensitivity, what you describe in terms of fuzzy-headedness, lack of focus etc. are absolutely possible. I've felt them myself, along with obvious digestive symptoms. When I was eating gluten, I really felt "out of it" in a lot of ways, and couldn't think clearly.

Also....you've demonstrated to yourself that being away from gluten and casein hs certain beneficial effects on you. That's IMPORTANT!

My main symptoms involve a general fuzzy-headiness, lack of focus/concentration, my eyes would have trouble focusing-- almost like I'm going cross-eyed (sounds crazy, I know). I do have fatigue and infrequent/bad BM's, but my main concern was what's happening upstairs or mentally.

I went on the "Lemonade Cleanse" diet several weeks ago-- the one where all you consume is lemonade for 10 days. My spaciness disappeared after a few days on the diet. I was alert and quick-thinking. Now I'm thinking it wasn't the diet, but the fact I wasn't eating gluten or casein.

Does this seem possible? Does anyone have similar symptoms involving their 'brain chemistry'.

I did the EnteroLab tests. Here are my results:

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 20 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 14 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 406 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow

[Sunrunner]

Your Enterolab tests seem pretty conclusive....in the first two, being over 10 they demonstrate auto immune reactions and antibodies, hence at the very least gluten sensitvity. Similarly, your casein score indicates sensitivity to that as well. The interesting score is your fecal fat score....over the 300 "normal" rate. This COULD indicate the more serious celiac disease is causing malabsorption.

How about your gene tests....having done all the things you mentioned, wasn't there a gene test included? It looks like you did the full sensitivity panel, which did include the gene test. Did you miss that on your results email from Enterolab???

In any case, given that there are over 200 widely varied symptoms associated with celiac disease/gluten sensitivity, what you describe in terms of fuzzy-headedness, lack of focus etc. are absolutely possible. I've felt them myself, along with obvious digestive symptoms. When I was eating gluten, I really felt "out of it" in a lot of ways, and couldn't think clearly.

Also....you've demonstrated to yourself that being away from gluten and casein hs certain beneficial effects on you. That's IMPORTANT!

Carole,

I forgot to include the gene results-- I guess because I didn't understand them. If you have any input in interpreting them, I would appreciate it:

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 20 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 14 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 406 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow

[aikiducky]

Your symptoms sound very similar to mine (lack of focus, eyes not focusing, tiredness etc.). Mine are completely gone on a gluten and casein free diet, and return if I have either gluten or casein. I'd definitely give the diet a good try. And I want to stress again, at least for me it's just as important to be casein free as it is to be gluten free.

Pauliina

[CMCM]

PLEASE...right away email Enterolab...Phyllis will answer you quickly. Send her all your results (so she won't have to go look them up) in your email, and ask her to explain the meaning of your gene test...i.e. are those celiac genes, or gluten sensitivity genes, or what....you may not be picking up the right info and the email they send out has a LOT of interpretative info on it....I certainly needed clarification on my tests, just to be sure I understood correctly, and they were quick to explain it to me more thoroughly.

I emailed Enterolab 5 or 6 times with different questions, and they were great and quick about answering all of them.

Carole

Carole,

I forgot to include the gene results-- I guess because I didn't understand them. If you have any input in interpreting them, I would appreciate it:

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 20 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 14 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 406 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow

[Sunrunner]

With these results, the question is: what do I do now, medically speaking? I'm going gluten-free and casein-free for sure. But should I go get the intestinal biopsy for confirmation?

Also, I've had these symptoms for 10 years. Can my villi be damaged beyond repair? Can any biopsy show the depth of the damage?

Thanks

Randy

[nora-n]

DQB1*06 is DQ1 (B mens beta allele, and there si an alpha allele too but not mentioned here but sometimes they will spell them out in articles.)

and DQB1*0301 is DQ7.

Now DQ7 is a celiac gene, and if someone has two of them one is super-celiac. You have one of each.

DQ1 is the type where you have nevrological presentations.

there are a lot of postings here about DQ1 if you go looking.

Dr. Hadjivassiliou has done some research and gotten it inot peer-rewived publications and about 20% ogf gluten-sensitive peoploe with nevrological symptoms were DQ1.

I had to write all the gene things on a piece of paper, and pulled it out so i could answer you. I know of no such chart on-line.

There are lots of artilces about DQ2 and DQ8 online, and a little bit about DQ7 and Hadjivassiliou writes on DQ1 and MS and narcolepsy are connected to DQ1.

Enterolab has some things on DQ types.

Other autoimmune things often have to to with DQ2.

I have problems typing when I get glutened.

Was glutened some days ago.....have to correct things all the time. And I am tired.

nora