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Blurred Vision / Dizzy

KLTerry

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KLTerry Apprentice
KLTerry
Posted

I've only been gluten free for less than a month. But I'm having new problems. I've been getting dizzy . . . like a feeling like I'm overly medicated (even though I'm not on anything). I kind of feel blurred vision or like I'm out of my body and things are going around me so slowly . . . like I can't concentrate or remember things. This cannot be normal. Anybody have any suggestions on what I'm experiencing? I'm afraid to call the doctor, 'cause it seems like I'm there at least once a month.

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red345 Apprentice
red345
Posted

Hi, KL. If you haven't had glucose testing done, I would think about that just so you may rule out diabetes. Anything having to do with blurry vision, you always want to rule out Diabetes in such a case, especially w/ the acknowledgement that Celiac Sprue and Diabetes share the same pathway (Blatently clear for me, at least). If these attacks are occuring within a two hour window of high carb snacks or meals, that would come as a key signal.

jmengert Enthusiast
jmengert
Posted

KLTerry--a very similar thing happens to me, but I don't get blurry vision (and I understand the fear of calling the doctor too much, too--I feel like they think I'm a hypochondriac).

I've been gluten-free for three months now, and I started having sporadic dizzy spells about a month or so into the gluten-free diet. Now, I'm noticing that the last 2 weeks, almost every time after dinner (why just dinner and not lunch or breakfast?) I get really dizzy--it's like the room is literally spinning.

I would love to know if anyone else has suggestions or similar symptoms, as it's really scary. I hate dizziness because it impedes my functioning so much.

jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted

I wrote a post on this a couple of weeks ago. I went gluten-free Jan. 1. about a week later I was getting dizzy, light-headed, and my vision was weird. It's gotten better but I still get dizzy when I eat.

I have asked both my GI doc AND regular practitioner. They took all kinds of tests. I don't have diabetes, no thyriod problem, nothing abnormal, no anemia, no hypoglycemia, etc.

This just must be a side-effect of gluten-free diet. Our bodies are de-toxing. Also, my body started to ache in places where it shouldn't ache..like my ribs were tender, my side hurt, my whole back was in pain for no apparent reason. That's gotten better, too, but I still have sore spots all over my body.

This sounds like fibromyalgia symptoms but I think it's weird that I never had them before this diet...coincidence? Or is fibro popping up now?

Don't know but you're not alone. I would still see the doctor to rule out the things they tested me for.

and don't worry too much..I was freaking out for about a week but it's gotten much better. It's still odd and I still would like to find out what's going on, but i'll give it a little more time on the diet before I go crazy asking docs to figure it out. The rest of me feels fine.

Oh, yeah, I forgot. My memory is shot, too. I can't remember my students' names, or what I was about to say. Can't find certain words. I NEVER had this problem before.

The way you described it was EXACTLY how I feel but couldn't put into words.

Why is this happening to us when we go gluten-free? Others on this board say they have those symptoms when they EAT gluten, not stay clear of it!

Why are our reactions the opposite???

red345 Apprentice
red345
Posted

Jk, that EXACT description is what I had been experiencing periodically over the past couple of years on rare occasions (About once a month for a couple of days). That's why I eventually decided to get tested for Celiac. All of the tests, including endoscopy, were normal, however.

I'm a Type 1 diabetic that has an insulin pump. The symptoms had gone away for a long time, but a couple of months ago they came back over a 24 hour period-pain in certain "Spots" in the abdomen, nausea, general fatigue, confusion/inability to concentrate, irregular heartbeats, and a rash on the stomach were all observed, all due to an infection that had developed at the site of my pump infusion that I had left in for a day too long (The pump system leaves a tiny catheter under the skin that you inject into the stomach region that delivers the insulin from the pump).

Just to be sure, I had a Protein Electrophoresis test done, as well as the CBC, but everything was normal. Later on, I convinced my physician to put me on an anti fungal, knowing that Candida or any of the other fungal strains can thrive in the presence of any type of catheter left under the skin. Within ten days, I didn't have any "Spinning" or "Dizzy spells," and the nausea was gone a day or two later. The concentration was the last thing to come back, but all of the improvements occured over a ten day period, so the medication was pretty effective. I'm not a fan of any type of prescription medication so I wasn't too happy about taking the drug, but I knew I had to with the type of rash that had broken out.

I started to think about it and realized that all of these "Spells" in the past had been occuring in the presence of one of these minor skin infections that would occassionally form after leaving an infusion set under the skin for too long. I have a blood/fungal culture scheduled in about two weeks with my doctor, so it'll be interesting to see what comes of that. This is exactly why I've been fairly aggressive about highlighting the possibilities of Mycology here. I've been through it.

Maggie1956 Rookie
Maggie1956
Posted

I get blurred vision, dizziness, plus I find it hard to concentrate. It happens often, and I haven't found a real pattern to it yet. I'm thinking it may mean that I've accidently glutened myself.

I've been tested for diabetes and hyperglycemia a couple of years ago. Both were negative.

sfortney Newbie
sfortney
Posted

I had a similar experience yesterday afternoon. I hadn't felt well all day and then I became lightheaded and weak as I was walking down the hall after school. My vision became blurred and I had a very sore, cramping sensation just below my navel. It didn't last more than a couple of minutes, but I was very frightened. I considered calling my father inlaw to come and pick my son and me up from school. I don't recall ever having a spell like that before. I have been gluten free for almost a month. Very strange. Today I just have a really bad headache and some tenderness just below my navel. :huh:

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jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted

I still am having eyesight issues and lightheadedness, plus I've had a headache for the past two weeks. Thank GOD for Imitrex. I'm still sore in places. I think I may have fibromyalgia..what else could explain all of this when I don't have diabetes or thyroid issues? they tested my blood for a million things; cortisol levels or whatever that is, hormones, etc. Everything came back fine. I take B vitamins, multivitamins. I have normal amounts of energy; in fact, energy wise I am fine.

But still with these weird symptoms. I need to do the food allergy test as well. I've eliminated most of the common allergens from my diet but still have tiny amounts of soy and I do use eggs in recipes.

Maybe one day someone will figure this out....

  • 12 years later...
KL14 Newbie
KL14
Posted

I have had this exact same problem, especially after dinner. I feel like I can barely move. I'm dizzy, I get weird spots in my vision, and I feel like I need to sleep for days. I have been gluten free for about a month now and I feel like I'm getting worse and not better. How do you function when you can barely focus?

 I keep thinking that I have been glutened but I have only eaten certified gluten-free product all week and I feel worse. I want to call the doctor but, I feel like a hypochondriac. I also live in the residence halls at college so its impossible for me to cook my own food. any suggestions on ways to feel better?

 

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted
29 minutes ago, KL14 said:

I have had this exact same problem, especially after dinner. I feel like I can barely move. I'm dizzy, I get weird spots in my vision, and I feel like I need to sleep for days. I have been gluten free for about a month now and I feel like I'm getting worse and not better. How do you function when you can barely focus?

 I keep thinking that I have been glutened but I have only eaten certified gluten-free product all week and I feel worse. I want to call the doctor but, I feel like a hypochondriac. I also live in the residence halls at college so its impossible for me to cook my own food. any suggestions on ways to feel better?

 

So...you have celiac but have only been gluten-free or a month?  Or you just decidead to try gluten-free and see what happened?  If you don't have Celiac, you should probably see a doctor.  gluten-free isn't the cure for everything.

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