Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Dreams Of Not Being Able To Eat Anything


DesertGirl

Recommended Posts

DesertGirl Newbie

I've been eating gluten-free for nearly 8 months, and I'm very comfortable with it. However, I keep having recurring dreams where I can't eat anything because all I'm able to find are gluten-filled food items.

Sometimes I am in a grocery store, and I go up and down every aisle, thinking, "I can't eat that, I can't eat that..." because the shelves are filled with bread, cookies, cereal, etc. By the time I get to the last aisle, I look into my cart and realize it's empty. Then I'm filled with horror because I think that I'm going to die because I can't find anything to eat.

Other times I dream that I'm going to a restaurant or a B&B and they tell me they have no gluten-free items to feed me with. Then I freak out because I don't know how I'm going to eat.

Please tell me I'm not the only one that has dreams like this! And does anyone have any ideas about how to make them stop?


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



K-Dawg Explorer

Hey you:

I also have what I call my "celiac dreams"

I sometimes dream of myself grocery shopping (never dreamt about this before).

I have also dreamt about people and family members inviting me over and purposely gluttening me (I have great friends/family so I have NO idea why I'd be dreaming this).

And generally, I dream about food. Sometimes I"m eating it, sometimes I'm not. I never dreamt about food before.

I think the dreams are just because we're naturally thinking about what we eat.

juliasmith Newbie

its normal u will b just fine after sometimes

ang1e0251 Contributor

It's natural to dream about the things we are adjusting to or anxious about. You work out those fears in your dreams. Lots of times it is fear that seems irrational like a grocery store with no produce or meat, all gluten-free naturally.

For weird dreams, you tell yourself before falling asleep when I have this dream again, I will realize it just a dream and I will turn down the produce aisle and fill my cart with beautiful gluten free fruits and vegetables. Or whatever seems the most visual to you. It may not work the first time but keep telling your self this at bedtime, and it will eventually happen just that way in your dream. Once you control the dream, you will have answered the fear response and soon you will no longer have that same dream.

Mskedi Newbie

My sister and I were just talking about how we have pretty frequent gluten dreams. Glad we're not crazy. :)

happy2bme Newbie

Wow dreams? It must be really bothering you. Give it time and I bet they go away. I remember first being told I needed to eliminate gluten. It was like the end of the world. I got over the cheating and the hump and it became my lifestyle. It was now normal to me and not as shocking. Then I still had issues. I found I also couldn't have so many other things. So your dream is my reality. Haha. It's all good though. It will keep me healthier in the long run right? Hopefully once you get over the hump I bet the dreams will go away. Just think gluten is like glue that helps foods stick together. Its not that great anyway. Also there are so many alternatives. Try not eating after 6 or 7 at night. If you eat too close to bedtime you are bound to keep having stong dreams.

TearzaRose Explorer

i'll occassionally have "gluten" dreams. i've been gluten free for about 5 months now and i've had several.

it usually consists of me eating something that has gluten and then WHOA....suddenly realizing it's full of gluten, and then i get worried about the impending symptoms.

the most recent gluten dream was that i was eating Mini Wheats Cereal. I realized it and was like, "duh! how could i do that! it's even called mini-WHEATS!!" :lol:


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



  • 3 weeks later...
MDRB Explorer

Can you see my avatar? Its a cartoon I drew of a dream I had about gluten, essentially I am being chased down a dark alley by giant animated donuts, hot dogs etc with limbs and fangs...lol! This is only one of the many crazy gluten related dreams I have had. Others include dreaming about eating bread and waking up yelling 'Nooooo! Don't eat that!', and dreaming about biting into a pastry and all my teeth falling out. You are most definitely NOT the only one who has had these dreams. I have been gluten free for just over a year and the dreams have mostly settled down, I occasionally have a crazy dream when I am stressed because I think I may have glutened myself, or if I'm travelling or something and not certain I will be able to find gluten free food. HTH

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,236
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Elaine Brostrom
    Newest Member
    Elaine Brostrom
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Zuma888
      I just got my test results after a less than 2-week gluten challenge consuming about 5 g of gluten per day on average.  Anti tTG-IgA: <0.2 AU/ml (<8 is negative) IgA: 180 mg/dl (Reference range is 70-400) I previously had been on a gluten-free diet for around 3 years or so, with occasional cheating and not being strict about cross-contamination. I am however still suffering from the effects of the gluten challenge (food sensitivities, slight brain fog, weird stool, fatigue, swollen thyroid, bodyaches). Is this likely to be NCGS rather than celiac disease given the test results and my history? Note: I have one copy of HLA-DQ8.
    • trents
      How long have you been strictly gluten free? Certainly, it would be good to look into vitamin and mineral deficiencies and supplementation. The B vitamins, magnesium and D3 are all very important to neurological health. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to reverse gluten-induced neurological damage damage if it has gone on for a long time. 
    • nataliallano
      Thanks Trents I'm strict with my gluten-free diet now. I just don't feel any better. I'm going to get tested for vitamins and minerals to see if I need some supplements. For sure I got some damage that doctors call Menier's and the only way they treat it is with medicine that does damage my body more than it helps.   
    • Zuma888
      Thank you Scott for your helpful response! Based on this, would you say someone who is on a gluten-free diet - but not strict about cross-contamination and occasional cheating - and tests negative for tTg-IgA while having normal total IgA is not likely to have celiac, even if they have been 'gluten-free' for years?
    • Scott Adams
      That’s a really insightful observation about antibody testing and the gluten challenge! You’re absolutely right that antibody levels can remain elevated for months or even years after going gluten-free, especially if there’s ongoing cross-contamination or occasional slip-ups. The immune system doesn’t reset overnight—it can take time for antibodies like tTG-IgA to normalize, which is why many doctors recommend waiting at least 6–12 months of strict gluten-free eating before retesting. For someone who’s been gluten-free for less than two years or hasn’t been meticulous about avoiding cross-contact, there’s absolutely a chance they’d still test positive, since even small amounts of gluten can keep antibodies elevated. This is partly why the gluten challenge (where you eat gluten before testing) exists—it’s designed to provoke a measurable immune response in people who’ve been gluten-free long enough for antibodies to drop. But you raise a great point: the challenge isn’t perfect, and false negatives can happen if the timing or amount of gluten isn’t sufficient to trigger a strong antibody response. This is why diagnosis often combines antibody tests with other tools like genetic testing or endoscopy. Your question highlights just how nuanced celiac testing can be! For people with celiac disease hidden gluten in their diets is the main cause of elevated Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Antibodies (tTG-IgA), but there are other conditions, including cow's milk/casein intolerance, that can also cause this, and here is an article about the other possible causes:      
×
×
  • Create New...