Tired, Depressed, And Very Irritable - Help!

[bjn12670]

I was diagnosed with celiac disease at the end of November 2008. This was quite a surprise as I don't have any of the GI symptoms that most people have. Well, actually, I do experience bloating, but it was never out of control. I was diagnosed after stress fracturing my pelvic bone and going through a DEXA scan. They ran bloodwork and then I went through the biopsy process.

So, I think, I have been gluten free since the end of November. If I am getting gluten, I am not aware of it. Anyways, I feel terrible! I am constantly tired, very depressed, and very irritable with my family. I am gaining weight, which makes me more depressed, and I just dont' feel better.

I thought a gluten free diet would make you feel better. A diet full of fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats should make you feel better. I have also experimented with some gluten free breads and gluten free desserts (mainly fudge). I don't know what I am doing wrong and I feel helpless. I am so sick of being depressed and irritable. I have never been that kind of person. This change in personality is really bothering me and I want to feel like my old self.

Did anyone else feel like this? How long before you felt better? Any suggestions on my diet?

[chasbari]

I was diagnosed with celiac disease at the end of November 2008. This was quite a surprise as I don't have any of the GI symptoms that most people have. Well, actually, I do experience bloating, but it was never out of control. I was diagnosed after stress fracturing my pelvic bone and going through a DEXA scan. They ran bloodwork and then I went through the biopsy process.

So, I think, I have been gluten free since the end of November. If I am getting gluten, I am not aware of it. Anyways, I feel terrible! I am constantly tired, very depressed, and very irritable with my family. I am gaining weight, which makes me more depressed, and I just dont' feel better.

I thought a gluten free diet would make you feel better. A diet full of fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats should make you feel better. I have also experimented with some gluten free breads and gluten free desserts (mainly fudge). I don't know what I am doing wrong and I feel helpless. I am so sick of being depressed and irritable. I have never been that kind of person. This change in personality is really bothering me and I want to feel like my old self.

Did anyone else feel like this? How long before you felt better? Any suggestions on my diet?

I can only guess that you have gone "Paleo" mostly by your reference to fruit, veggies and meat. Have you been on the lookout for soy in things like tuna fish packed in water? I found that even though nuts were supposedly OK that I cannot tolerate beans, peas, peanuts, tree nuts or any other legumes and that I have gone spice free for the time being. Keep in mind that if you were positively diagnosed the bloating may be an indication that there is more gut damage than you think and that will take time to heal. Is there anything that you notice feels better and are you being impatient like I have been? I know the adjustment to actually feeling hunger as opposed to no appetite for ten years has been a bit brutal. I also know that if I am glutened, soyed or CC in any way the appetite dies immediately and the bloat comes on pretty quickly. I also know it is a struggle to make others in the household understand just what specific precautions really need to be made to make sure nothing accidental happens and that can cause a lot of stress and strain as well. Keep asking questions and keep reading here about how to make things work. You might just find an answer where you least expect it. Being discouraged may just be your way of realizing you have to keep looking and that the answers might be just around the corner. Good luck and I hope you are able to turn the corner on this soon.

Chuck

[Lisa]

It might be wise to begin a food journal and document everything that you put in your mouth.

Revisit your med, vitamins, lotions, shampoos, lipstick/balms. And limit,if not eliminate your dairy intake for a while.

Have you had a full metabolic panel to check for deficiencies?

[RiceGuy]

You've gotten good advice thus far. I will only add that certain nutrient deficiencies are known to cause the fatigue, depression, and irritability you've mentioned. Vitamin B12 and magnesium are often involved, so I'll suggest those. They are vital for proper nerve function, sleep cycles, energy production, and so much more. Make sure the B12 is a sublingual methylcobalamin type.

[C.S. Blogsmith]

Maybe your body needs to detoxify. Try drinking fresh squeezed lemon juice sometime after supper one day (but not immediately before bedtime) and taking a ginger bath (read about how to do this because, though it is harmless, ginger baths make a person sweat for a few hours afterwards-- Open Original Shared Link. If you wake up feeling fluish the next day it means your body has excess toxins that need to be flushed out. (lemons and ginger start the toxin flushing process).

[chatycady]

I was diagnosed with celiac disease at the end of November 2008. This was quite a surprise as I don't have any of the GI symptoms that most people have. Well, actually, I do experience bloating, but it was never out of control. I was diagnosed after stress fracturing my pelvic bone and going through a DEXA scan. They ran bloodwork and then I went through the biopsy process.

So, I think, I have been gluten free since the end of November. If I am getting gluten, I am not aware of it. Anyways, I feel terrible! I am constantly tired, very depressed, and very irritable with my family. I am gaining weight, which makes me more depressed, and I just dont' feel better.

I thought a gluten free diet would make you feel better. A diet full of fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats should make you feel better. I have also experimented with some gluten free breads and gluten free desserts (mainly fudge). I don't know what I am doing wrong and I feel helpless. I am so sick of being depressed and irritable. I have never been that kind of person. This change in personality is really bothering me and I want to feel like my old self.

Did anyone else feel like this? How long before you felt better? Any suggestions on my diet?

I'm sorry you are feeling so poorly. I too struggled with the gluten free diet for over a year, but then I came across the Specific Carbohydrate diet. It's the original gluten free diet for celiacs. It helped me gain back my strength, my sanity, and my health. I read the book breaking the vicious cycle, it had a really good chapter on celiac disease and how the diet works.

I hope you find the answer and you get feeling better!

God bless.