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Extreme Fatigue After Ingesting Gluten?

bigapplekathleen

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bigapplekathleen Contributor
bigapplekathleen
Posted

Hey everyone, well 3.5 years and I haven't had too many 'mistakes'...but oh! I had one today. I took some charcoal tablets the instant I started having symptoms (about 3 hours after lunch) and made it through a concert I was singing. However, I am totally wiped out and feel the need to sleep immediately. I remember this happening when my doctor had me do a gluten challenge (which I failed miserably and had to stop)...I literally fell asleep after eating and couldn't be awoken by anyone. This happened several times.

Does this happen to anyone else? It is so rare that I accidentally ingest gluten that I can't even think of the last time...maybe a year ago....maybe two!? ( I usually only eat at GFRAP restaurants or else I call the chef in advance, but I didn't do that today..)

Thanks,

Kat

non-celiac gluten intolerant (severe) - had positive bloodwork, but negative genetic test

multiple food allergies (all have subsided after using the gluten-free diet)

gluten-free Diet since Aug. 2003

"Chef extraordinaire" (now!) by necessity and love of food!

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

Kat:

Gluten give me the fatigue, dry mouth and irritability in addition to brain fog. I am curious though, why take charcoal pills?

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

Hey Kat--long time no see--how are you doing other than being glutened?

Charcoal tablets are suppose to absorb stomach acid, I think anyways! I know I was told to try them once, yet never did.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
Hey everyone, well 3.5 years and I haven't had too many 'mistakes'...but oh! I had one today. I took some charcoal tablets the instant I started having symptoms (about 3 hours after lunch) and made it through a concert I was singing. However, I am totally wiped out and feel the need to sleep immediately. I remember this happening when my doctor had me do a gluten challenge (which I failed miserably and had to stop)...I literally fell asleep after eating and couldn't be awoken by anyone. This happened several times.

Does this happen to anyone else? It is so rare that I accidentally ingest gluten that I can't even think of the last time...maybe a year ago....maybe two!? ( I usually only eat at GFRAP restaurants or else I call the chef in advance, but I didn't do that today..)

Thanks,

Kat

non-celiac gluten intolerant (severe) - had positive bloodwork, but negative genetic test

multiple food allergies (all have subsided after using the gluten-free diet)

gluten-free Diet since Aug. 2003

"Chef extraordinaire" (now!) by necessity and love of food!

Yea, it is part of the neurotoxic effect. I up my sublingual B12 and try to sleep as much as I can. Not much else I have ever found to help. I hope you feel better soon.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

I am very fatigued after a gluten incident. Of course, it also causes me problems with sleeping, making matters worse. My anxiety kicks in and I end up laying there worrying.

Kind of a viscious cycle....

bigapplekathleen Contributor
bigapplekathleen
Posted
  • Author

Hi Everyone,

I feel better today, but a little groggy. I am going to get out into the sunshine for a nice walk, since it's in the 80s today (finally!).

Someone asked about activated charcoal....it helps to absorb the 'mistake' and stops all of the grumblings, etc. My celiac nutritionist and my naturopath both recommended it, and it really does work. Without it, I am miserable for days. With it, I am miserable for less than 24 hours.

Thanks!

kathleen

Nantzie Collaborator
Nantzie
Posted
Hi Everyone,

I feel better today, but a little groggy. I am going to get out into the sunshine for a nice walk, since it's in the 80s today (finally!).

Someone asked about activated charcoal....it helps to absorb the 'mistake' and stops all of the grumblings, etc. My celiac nutritionist and my naturopath both recommended it, and it really does work. Without it, I am miserable for days. With it, I am miserable for less than 24 hours.

Thanks!

kathleen

How cool is that! Thanks for sharing that with us. Do you find that it helps with other symptoms, or mostly just the GI ones (which is plenty)?

Nancy

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aquamarine-queen Rookie
aquamarine-queen
Posted
How cool is that! Thanks for sharing that with us. Do you find that it helps with other symptoms, or mostly just the GI ones (which is plenty)?

Nancy

I have found that activated charcoal capsules work extremely well when I'm doubled over with gas pains. Unfortunately, I don't always remember this right away and suffer longer than needed. I have no idea if charcoal is "recommended" for celiacs, but it certainly does work! :)

AQ

Nantzie Collaborator
Nantzie
Posted

One of the big reasons I have to stay home when I'm glutened is because of the awful gas I get (why should everyone else suffer? ;) ). I'll get some to keep on hand for those times when I HAVE to go somewhere.

Thanks.

Nancy

bigapplekathleen Contributor
bigapplekathleen
Posted
  • Author
I have found that activated charcoal capsules work extremely well when I'm doubled over with gas pains. Unfortunately, I don't always remember this right away and suffer longer than needed. I have no idea if charcoal is "recommended" for celiacs, but it certainly does work! :)

AQ

Yes, activated charcoal is recommended for celiacs. Both my nutritionist and my doctor recommended it to me, and it really does work. In fact, I have given some to others with severe GI symptoms and they thought I was a genius. ha ha ha I would NEVER EVER be without a bottle in my purse!

Kat

Kyalesyin Apprentice
Kyalesyin
Posted

Charcoal huh? I'll see if I can get hold of some of that, my wife my find it useful.

The tiredness hits her about 12 hours post-glutening. I've known her to sleep 16-18 hours before non stop and just keep going. Extreme fatigue is definitley a good description.

  • 2 years later...
hansonr55 Newbie
hansonr55
Posted

I had an incident yesterday.

I have recently been buying cinnamon and strawberry chex which are now gluten free. They have a big Gluten Free logo on the front. Well, my grocery store puts them with all of the other cereal, which is fine, but the box has the same exact graphics just without the big gluten-free logo.

I purchased 5 boxes and thought that I had checked them all.

Apparently one slipped by me and it was the old cinnamon chex.

It only takes about an hour for the brain fog/irritability/extreme fatigue/sleepiness to set it.

I fell asleep on the couch at 1pm, relocated to the bed at 2pm, and woke up at 7pm wondering what I possibly could have eating.

It didn't take long to find the non gluten-free chex that say "barley malt extract" on them.

I still feel a bit foggy but I'm much better than yesterday when I felt like I'd been hit by a truck.

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