Extreme Sleepiness

[Beth in NC]

Yesterday I could not stay awake unless I was up and walking. I've had this one other day, a few weeks ago, and I just napped....two naps of two hours each and I was STILL tired. Yesterday I had a lot to do so I fought it, finally getting a Starbucks Latte at 5 p.m. so the caffiene would help.

It just dawned on me today that this might be part of me being glutened. Friday I had slight D, the sleepiness was Saturday and today I have been sore all over and had a stomach ache.

I do not know what I ate, if that is what this is. It would have had to come from CC, because I ate nothing that outright had gluten.

Could the sleepiness be from a glutening? It was like I was drugged!

[Crystal Brown]

I just had sort of a "wake up" call - literally..

I was diagnosed back in June of 2007 and followed the gluten-free diet to a T. The only problem.. I kept losing weight, kept feeling TIRED and was still having gastro symptoms..

I ended up in the hospital about 3 weeks ago.

- I was severely malnourished

- Weighed a whopping 93 pounds

- All my vitamin levels were on the floor

Wellllll... there was one little thing I never gave up after my diagnosis. Starbucks.

I always had them wash the blender with scorching hot water.. One day they even gave me my own blender container for my frapp drink.. Well, turns out the Starbucks was the culprit. The simple fact was no matter how hard they tried to keep things free of cross-contamination, the gluten was still sneaking in there. I suspect it was the lid they used or they may have been using the designated container during high traffic times.

So, I'm not sure how often you have Starbucks (I had them everyday), but it could be possible that you're getting contaminated from their equipment. Not so much the drink itself, but it is virtually impossible for them to keep the equipment free of gluten. Especially during the holidays when the spiced hot beverages arrive.

It's just a suggestion

How often do you get the sleepy feeling?

[YoloGx]

Sounds like a good piece of detective work to me!

Bea

[Beth in NC]

It couldn't be that because it was my first one since going gluten-free. The sleepiness started BEFORE I had the latee and was the reason I got it.

I probably won't do it again though because even with a lactaid, my belly gurgled like crazy afterwards.

[SillyBoo]

Yes, gluten makes me extremely sleepy. But I found that sleepiness also results from eating anything else to which I have developed a sensitivity, subsequent to the gluten, such as dairy, soy, beans, nightshades, and chocolate. You might want to check out what other foods may be causing the problem, in addition to continued sleuthing into possible sources of gluten (lotion, shampoo, toothpaste, and such).

[hawaiimama]

Oh the starbucks makes perfect sense! We have an espresso maker at home and it sucks in little bits of the drink before until you seem it out (not sure I'm saying this right).

The last time I went to buckies I had a HORRID stomach ache and I realized they had done my friends soy drink before mine. Soy makes me feel SO gross.

And yes, I get sleepy. If fact before I was dx, I used to eat cereal at night because it would make me sleep DOH.

[Gaye of PA]

After taking gluten out of my diet, I was able to realize that CORN makes me dead-dog sleepy. So I'm avoiding that right now, although I don't seem to notice it when I get small amounts, such as in xanthan gum. But if I should have some corn chips or a corn tortilla, it zonks me out.

[Amyleigh0007]

Yes! I get very tired. If fact, once I had to call my husband who was out on the golf course, to come home so he could watch the kids. I was so tired and kept falling asleep. It was after a gluten challenge. I had been gluten free for about a month and I ate three chicken strips to test myself. I won't be testing myself again.

[susanm]

I always thought that the sleepy feeling I'd get after eating was normal "after-eating groggies". Then I started noticing it was only after I had a lot of pasta that I felt like that (which I love!!)

Do you mean I really have to give up Starbucks when I go gluten free?? I'm still waiting for the endoscopy, but I know I have gluten sensitivity.

[MNBeth]

Do you mean I really have to give up Starbucks when I go gluten free?? I'm still waiting for the endoscopy, but I know I have gluten sensitivity.

Well, I wouldn't think plain coffee would be a problem, but blender drinks would be hard to trust, as the blenders get used for gluten ingredients. As far as steamed or frothed drinks, I'd think they'd be okay, too, unless you have soy or dairy issues.

And, yes, I can hardly hold my head up when I've been glutened.