Please Help :) Gluten/ocd

[newyorkdave]

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.

[RiceGuy]

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]

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]

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]

Thank you for your replies!