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

Please Help :) Gluten/ocd

newyorkdave

Recommended Posts

newyorkdave Rookie
newyorkdave
Posted

Hi, any feedback greatly appreciated.

I have been struggling for the last 2 years with the whole gluten thing.

The thing is - I can't figure out if I'm gluten intolerant or not. I tested negative on a blood test from my doctor, but that failed to convince me.

I realize that Enterolab does testing and I might fork out the $250 to get the test but until then I was curious if anyone could relate to this...

My symptoms, if any, appear to be very mild. It's not like if I eat a piece of bread, I instantly get any symptoms. More that, over time, it SEEMS as though I get symptoms, most notably a foggy, depressed thing, sore eyes, and teary right eye. However, I am aware this could be psychosomatic or a function of OCD OR something else such as candida etc... These symptoms could conceivably be a result of anxieties. I used to have OCD and a lot of people are telling me that my concerns about gluten are really my OCD....

The ONE THING I know is when I eat gluten I feel psychologically very good - does anyone else have this feeling? I am on a high. I seem to look a little better also. It is definitely an anti-depressant. If it makes me feel good, how can it be bad? Maybe because it's like an opiate? But what does that mean?

My basic problem is I can't tell if I feel good when eating gluten because it's an opiate that I'm addicted to OR if I feel good because I'm not giving in to the "false messages" of OCD and hence I am more relaxed.

When I go gluten-free, after about a day or so I start to get really irritable - could this be a sign of withdrawal? Or just misery cause I have trapped myself in my OCD cage again?????

I just started going to a shrink who works at the world's leading OCD clinic and she can't tell me the answer!

I am caught in a repeating cycle of thinking I have gluten intolerance one day and then thinking I don't the next day, and it is causing me a great deal of stress and turmoil.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


RiceGuy Collaborator
RiceGuy
Posted

Hello, and welcome to the board!

First, I can relate to the eye tearing thing (and some of the other symptoms you describe), and for me it was an intestinal yeast issue. However, since I addressed it by avoiding all forms of yeasts (and sugar), I was therefor consuming less gluten. I would not find out about gluten for some time to follow, but many things I didn't even know were symptoms began to disappear.

Second, there can be an addictive nature to gluten, and withdrawal symptoms are experienced by many when starting out on the gluten-free diet. The satisfaction you derive from eating gluten (or perhaps wheat) may be a sort of chemical dependency. Many including myself can relate to how this feels. Just don't allow anyone to dissuade you from trying the gluten-free diet. That's truly the best test for gluten intolerance. You may find a great many improvements in areas which you aren't even aware of as being problems, or related to gluten. I believe OCD can be connected to Celiac, though I don't recall if I actually read that someplace.

Nancym Enthusiast
Nancym
Posted

There is a pretty strong link between celiac disease, or gluten sensitivity, and all kinds of mental illnesses and brain illnesses. Unfortunately it doesn't always affect the intestines so it can't be detected by biopsy or typical blood tests. It isn't the sort of thing you're likely to find a doctor who is well educated on though, they're few and far between. I think your best bet is just trying out the diet for a few months and seeing how you fair.

kookaburra Rookie
kookaburra
Posted
Hello, and welcome to the board!

I believe OCD can be connected to Celiac, though I don't recall if I actually read that someplace.

I can only share my experience with my 4yo -- when he eats gluten, he gets many sensory integration issues including OCD. He is 4 so I'm assuming the manifestations are a bit different for him than adults, but even his teacher who has seen him on and off gluten has reported as such (and I've intentionally not reported when he's been on/off so as to get a totally unbiased opinion). It's truly remarkable how different he is. On gluten, i'm sure he would end up on ritalin or anti-depressents. Off gluten, there is absolutely no need. On gluten, his anxiety level is out of control. Even in his sleep, and his dreams! It's incredibly intense, and sad to observe. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it all, as it seems so science fiction but I can't deny it's quite an open and shut case when you observe him... I guess if gluten is a neuro toxin to celiacs, then it makes sense.

newyorkdave Rookie
newyorkdave
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for your replies!

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable. The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body. So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days. Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte...
    2. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine?
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine. Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine. Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats. Meat, especially organ...
    4. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc. Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food....
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,870
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    KABoston
    Newest Member
    KABoston
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable.  The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body.  So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days.  Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test.  But even that test has been questioned as to accuracy.  It is expensive and takes time to do.   Because of the discrepancies with thiamine tests and urgency with correcting thiamine deficiency, the World Health Organization recommends giving thiamine for several weeks and looking for health improvement.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Many doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition and deficiency symptoms, and may not be familiar with how often they occur in Celiac disease.  B12 and Vitamin D can be stored for as long as a year in the liver, so not having deficiencies in these two vitamins is not a good indicator of the status of the other seven water soluble B vitamins.  It is possible to have deficiency symptoms BEFORE there's changes in the blood levels.   Ask your doctor about Benfotiamine, a form of thiamine that is better absorbed than Thiamine Mononitrate.  Thiamine Mononitrate is used in many vitamins because it is shelf-stable, a form of thiamine that won't break down sitting around on a store shelf.  This form is difficult for the body to turn into a usable form.  Only thirty percent is absorbed in the intestine, and less is actually used.   Thiamine interacts with all of the other B vitamins, so they should all be supplemented together.  Magnesium is needed to make life sustaining enzymes with thiamine, so a magnesium supplement should be added if magnesium levels are low.   Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  There's no harm in trying.
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
×
×
  • 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.