H-e-l-p-!

[Melzo]

Hello everyone. I have, what I consider, a huge problem. I am not sure if it is related to celiac disease or not..but I am hoping that possibly someone on this site has experienced this or can lead me in the right direction.

Some background information...I am 28 yrs old, have a 9 month old daughter. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2005 and on the gluten free diet. I am currently living with my daughter, husband and his parents. For the last year, I have been experiencing memory loss. Mostly short term. I will meet someone and if they would walk back into the room, I wouldn't remember their name. I may remember their face. When someone speaks to me, I find it really hard to focus and usually forget what they say immediately. For example, my boss will tell me to do something...and I immediately forget to do it. Even forgetting to write it down! This has caused me some embarrassment when he asked if I had completed a task and I have to tell him I forgot about it.

I am constantly forgetting where I have placed items...keys, cell phone, papers...etc.... It even affects my ability to speak...words I once used constantly I can't remember or pronounce correctly. My spelling has not been up to par either. For me to write this email takes tremendous thought.

I am just at a loss as to who to call....a neurologist, gastro, family physician?? Plus, I have no idea what the heck is happening to me. I first chalked it up to having a baby...however, my baby has slept through the night since she was four months old and I am even worse!

Any thoughts? Advice??? Thanks so much!

[Lisa]

Hello everyone. I have, what I consider, a huge problem. I am not sure if it is related to celiac disease or not..but I am hoping that possibly someone on this site has experienced this or can lead me in the right direction.

Some background information...I am 28 yrs old, have a 9 month old daughter. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2005 and on the gluten free diet. I am currently living with my daughter, husband and his parents. For the last year, I have been experiencing memory loss. Mostly short term. I will meet someone and if they would walk back into the room, I wouldn't remember their name. I may remember their face. When someone speaks to me, I find it really hard to focus and usually forget what they say immediately. For example, my boss will tell me to do something...and I immediately forget to do it. Even forgetting to write it down! This has caused me some embarrassment when he asked if I had completed a task and I have to tell him I forgot about it.

I am constantly forgetting where I have placed items...keys, cell phone, papers...etc.... It even affects my ability to speak...words I once used constantly I can't remember or pronounce correctly. My spelling has not been up to par either. For me to write this email takes tremendous thought.

I am just at a loss as to who to call....a neurologist, gastro, family physician?? Plus, I have no idea what the heck is happening to me. I first chalked it up to having a baby...however, my baby has slept through the night since she was four months old and I am even worse!

Any thoughts? Advice??? Thanks so much!

What described is very typical of "brain for". In the beginning I had symptoms such as that included some gait problems and speech problems.. B-12 injection helped a lot.

Perhaps some blood work might indicate some vitamin or mineral defences that attributes to your problem.

I also assume that you are not living in a totally free of gluten household. You could be experiencing some major cross-contamination issues, such as shared pots and pans, wooden spoons....

[missy'smom]

I'm afraid that I can't offer any advice but I can relate. 2 years ago, before I was gluten-free, my son was being tested for ADHD and I thought is this what it feels like? ALL the things that you described happened to me and STILL do but it is better now, a year into the gluten-free diet. I'm still not as sharp as I was or would like to be-I'm an English major and was a spelling bee winner when I was a kid but I can't remember words or spelling either. I'm 37 but can't call it old age yet. I've at times chalked it up to "use it or lose it" from being a mom or spending too much time around non-native English speakers as an ESL teacher. But as you said, it extends into forgetting objects(I usually say this comes from being around an easily distractable kiddo) and things people say. It probably drives people crazy but I often repeat what they say or summarize aloud to help me remember. I think that I notice it more on a regular basis now that I haven't been glutened in a long time and don't have all those other symptoms in the way. There's got to be some logical explanation for it. I personally don't worry about it. If people think I'm ditzy, I know I'm not. I let my worry rest on other things. But I understand how nerve racking it is to be a working mom and have to battle health problems on top of it. I've been there.

[CarlaB]

I don't know if this is a help or not, but I get the exact same type symptoms from my Lyme Disease.

If you're sure you are gluten-free and have been since 2005, then it may be from another condition.

[kevieb]

i have these same problems and they seem to get worse with time. are you taking any meds? how do you feel in the mornings? you could be sleeping, but it might not be the right kind of sleep.

have you had follow up blood work to be sure your diet is gluten free?

[darkangel]

Brain fog, short-term memory loss, inability to concentrate are all also symptoms of candidiasis - an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut... a very common state for those of us struggling with various digestive problems. It's not limited to celiac disease. You might want to take this online quiz to see how many symptoms match the candidiasis profile:

Open Original Shared Link

[AndreaB]

Love your picture of baby Samantha. She's a cutie.

I would recommend further testing with an alternative doctor who is familiar with lyme, metals, vitamins/mineral levels, and candida.

If you have metals then the candida would overgrow to protect you.

Other than the possible cc issues of where you are currently living, that's what I would suggest.

[gfpaperdoll]

I agree with all the other suggestions.

You definitely should get this checked out.

The only other thing that I would say is to start taking B12 (gluten-free of course) right away, while you are doing all the other stuff. B12 will not harm you & if you need it - could be a life saver...

[loraleena]

B-12 is a good idea. Make sure you use a sublingual brand that disolves under the tongue. Otherwise it is not absorbed well.

[missy'smom]

THANK YOU Melzo for bringing this subject up, and others for your responses. I've been thinking this over and have come to the conclusion that mine is most likely a B12 problem based on info here, other places, and my response to vitamins and my diet. I'm going to try the sublingual B12. After a year gluten-free and some other changes in my life, I had found a certain amount of peace and health and comfort that I hadn't had in a long time and I had just accepted this and didn't want to take on another challenge but this has made me realize that I shouldn't just accept it and should work on making it better.

[submarinerwife]

If those other possibilities don't work out for you (all of them good ideas) please also look into a CT scan.

[Melzo]

THANK YOU everyone who posted! You have been a huge help. I think I will first try the B-12 as it seems to be the easiest fix. But the yeast post (AndreaB and darkangel) did make me think a bit. Several months ago I had contracted thrush (yeast infection) from my daughter (who initially contracted it from me I guess) while breastfeeding. I guess it is a huge possibility that I never fully recovered and that could be my problem. Very interesting. If the B-12 doesn't work...I will have to start eliminating the sugary foods, etc....see if that helps the yeast issue. I am also going to make an appt. with the gastro doc as I am in need of a blood test. That will tell me if I'm having CC issues. It sounds like I am covering all possibilities.....hopefully.

Thank you all again for everything!

Best to all of you!

[JEM123]

Hi,

I have been experiencing the same EXACT symptoms you listed. Did you ever find out what was wrong? I have been gluten-free for 8 months and this just started. My doctors cannot find any anwers..it is quite frustrating. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Jem

THANK YOU everyone who posted! You have been a huge help. I think I will first try the B-12 as it seems to be the easiest fix. But the yeast post (AndreaB and darkangel) did make me think a bit. Several months ago I had contracted thrush (yeast infection) from my daughter (who initially contracted it from me I guess) while breastfeeding. I guess it is a huge possibility that I never fully recovered and that could be my problem. Very interesting. If the B-12 doesn't work...I will have to start eliminating the sugary foods, etc....see if that helps the yeast issue. I am also going to make an appt. with the gastro doc as I am in need of a blood test. That will tell me if I'm having CC issues. It sounds like I am covering all possibilities.....hopefully.

Thank you all again for everything!

Best to all of you!

[nora-n]

Brain fog is also a very common symptom of hypothyroidism, and even those taking thyroxine can have brain fog due to low t3 because they are taking only t4.

Be sure to get thyroid tests done too.

nora