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Glutened: Numb Hands

kayo

By kayo
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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kayo Explorer
kayo
Posted

Got glutened at dinner last night and it was my own dumb fault. Had some pickles from a farm stand that did not have ingredients on them. I just assumed they'd be ok. (why did I assume that, I have no idea!)

The good news is that the GI issues came rather quickly and finished rather quickly. I then spent the night on the couch wiped out and drinking tea and popping pepcid ac.

I noticed when I woke up today my hands were a numb, like they had fallen asleep. They're better now but there's a slight pins and needles feeling.

I have had this numb hands feeling before but always attributed it to disk surgery I had years ago, and that perhaps I slept wrong. Numbs hands were a constant thing I dealt with each morning. Thinking back I realize I have only had this hand numbing a couple of times since going gluten-free. I just now realized there might be a connection so I don't know if they happened concurrently. It's something I'll track going forward.

I also realized that since going gluten-free I no longer have this numb spot on my face. Again it was pretty consistent before going gluten-free and I had always attributed it to the disc surgery. The spot is between the corner of my mouth and my nose, along that natural fold just under the apple of my cheek. In fact it's slightly pins and needly today.

Do any of you experience this too?

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rdunbar Explorer
rdunbar
Posted

Got glutened at dinner last night and it was my own dumb fault. Had some pickles from a farm stand that did not have ingredients on them. I just assumed they'd be ok. (why did I assume that, I have no idea!)

The good news is that the GI issues came rather quickly and finished rather quickly. I then spent the night on the couch wiped out and drinking tea and popping pepcid ac.

I noticed when I woke up today my hands were a numb, like they had fallen asleep. They're better now but there's a slight pins and needles feeling.

I have had this numb hands feeling before but always attributed it to disk surgery I had years ago, and that perhaps I slept wrong. Numbs hands were a constant thing I dealt with each morning. Thinking back I realize I have only had this hand numbing a couple of times since going gluten-free. I just now realized there might be a connection so I don't know if they happened concurrently. It's something I'll track going forward.

I also realized that since going gluten-free I no longer have this numb spot on my face. Again it was pretty consistent before going gluten-free and I had always attributed it to the disc surgery. The spot is between the corner of my mouth and my nose, along that natural fold just under the apple of my cheek. In fact it's slightly pins and needly today.

Do any of you experience this too?

rdunbar Explorer
rdunbar
Posted

Sounds very familiar. I had numbness and tingling in my right arm that came and went over a period of months before getting 100 percent gluten-free. I atributed this to a pinched nerve which I now realize was a fantasy it has gone away along with the D and GI pain, most of my anxiety and depression is way less intense and long lasting and the achiness and stiffness is better now. The list seems endless , let me see, also losing my balance to the point where I can't ride a bike. I'm starting to realize I've never known what it feels like to feel "normal" so I never complained much about everything and just explained my problems away to myself now I just can't wait for my DH to go away I understand this one takes more time than the others. Even though it is getting better and less itchy/ painful It sure is weird how you look back and remember things from the past and you just had no way of knowing what was going on with you and gluten. I remember having itchiness and sores on my scalp @25 years ago and thinking "you better stop scrathing that or you'll have scars up there when you are old and bald"

Mack the Knife Explorer
Mack the Knife
Posted

Yep. In the couple of months before I was diagnosed, the fingers on my left hand and the toes on my left foot had been going numb. It cleared up after I went gluten free.

But now when I get glutened, the first symptom is numbness in the fingers of my left hand.

Traveller Rookie
Traveller
Posted

I noticed when I woke up today my hands were a numb, like they had fallen asleep. They're better now but there's a slight pins and needles feeling.

Do any of you experience this too?

A few years before I went gluten-free I saw a neurologist because of a tingling that went from my elbow through my pinkie, in the lower side of the arm and hand. The doctor spent a lot of time running an electrical charge through different nerves and pronounced everything OK. I still have the same tingling feeling.

Lgood22573 Rookie
Lgood22573
Posted

yes- left hand and left foot!

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Yes. For about a year before diagnosis, I had an odd feeling in my left arm--somewhere between asleep and numb. It was constant. Before long, I also got tingling/numbness in both lower legs/feet and the left side of my face.

This gradually resolved gluten-free, but when I have a gluten reaction I will sometimes get a milder version of the arm feeling back, and the facial numbness.

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Jencat Rookie
Jencat
Posted

Hi, I had to reply to this because I suffer of numbness to my hands even my lips go numb the next morning after a glutening. Sometimes to the point that I cannot grasp my toothebrush.-Jenny

apac Newbie
apac
Posted

I have been gluten free since January - with a few exceptions here and there. Long before I went gluten-free I would wake up in the mornings with my hands being numb and not being able to walk very well. I always assumed that it was because I had lupus (i haven't been official diagnosed by my mom and both sisters have been). At times I did think I was crazy but it is refreshing to know that I was not! Though I haven't paid close attention to the numbing and being glutened, but I have noticed a difference in being able to walk; I will definately pay attention to it all now! Thank you!

Beth F Newbie
Beth F
Posted

Oh yes! I always get it if I eat gluten/wheat. One of the many reasons to be really careful. I have that feeling right now because I ate wrong over the weekend.

RoseTapper Newbie
RoseTapper
Posted

Yes! As a matter of fact, I get the numbness exactly where you do (between the left side of my upper lip and my nose (right in the crease). My hands also go numb. My feet, unfortunately, are almost completely numb, and I wasn't diagnosed until I was 47, so I guess that's not going to go away....it's been over six years of gluten-free eating.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

I have been gluten free since January - with a few exceptions here and there. Long before I went gluten-free I would wake up in the mornings with my hands being numb and not being able to walk very well. I always assumed that it was because I had lupus (i haven't been official diagnosed by my mom and both sisters have been). At times I did think I was crazy but it is refreshing to know that I was not! Though I haven't paid close attention to the numbing and being glutened, but I have noticed a difference in being able to walk; I will definately pay attention to it all now! Thank you!

Have your sisters and Mom been tested for celiac? If you are diagnosed they should also be at least tested. It may give some relief to them also. In additon sublingual B12 may help your nerves heal a bit faster.

conniebky Collaborator
conniebky
Posted

Absolutely! It was one of the reasons they tested for ms.

bluebonnet Explorer
bluebonnet
Posted

yes, numbness tingling/pain is definitely an ongoing issue for me in my left leg, feet, and both arms/hands. i was tested for the main associated illnesses and nothing came up. staying away from gluten has helped but i haven't been off of it long enough to see a permanent change.

gary'sgirl Explorer
gary'sgirl
Posted

Yes. For about a year before diagnosis, I had an odd feeling in my left arm--somewhere between asleep and numb. It was constant. Before long, I also got tingling/numbness in both lower legs/feet and the left side of my face.

This gradually resolved gluten-free, but when I have a gluten reaction I will sometimes get a milder version of the arm feeling back, and the facial numbness.

Hey Patti, I was just wondering about how long did it take after going gluten free to notice that the numbness was gone? I have had very similar issues and am wondering about how long it might take to go away.

Doctors really don't know much about this stuff in relation to Celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Hey Patti, I was just wondering about how long did it take after going gluten free to notice that the numbness was gone? I have had very similar issues and am wondering about how long it might take to go away.

Doctors really don't know much about this stuff in relation to Celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

Hi gary's girl,

I would say it took about 6 months before the tingling and numbness subsided. The legs and feet resolved faster than the left arm and face. Like I said, I will still (after 5 years gluten-free) get a bit of numbness in those when glutened.

Because I've had to move a couple times since being diagnosed, I've seen 3 different gastroenterologists. Only one of them recognized any of my symptoms not related to the digestive system.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

I get that too. I think that is what they mean by peripheral neuropathy. Does that sound right?

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

I get that too. I think that is what they mean by peripheral neuropathy. Does that sound right?

Yes--that's exactly what it is.

afreeclimber74 Rookie
afreeclimber74
Posted

Got glutened at dinner last night and it was my own dumb fault. Had some pickles from a farm stand that did not have ingredients on them. I just assumed they'd be ok. (why did I assume that, I have no idea!)

The good news is that the GI issues came rather quickly and finished rather quickly. I then spent the night on the couch wiped out and drinking tea and popping pepcid ac.

I noticed when I woke up today my hands were a numb, like they had fallen asleep. They're better now but there's a slight pins and needles feeling.

I have had this numb hands feeling before but always attributed it to disk surgery I had years ago, and that perhaps I slept wrong. Numbs hands were a constant thing I dealt with each morning. Thinking back I realize I have only had this hand numbing a couple of times since going gluten-free. I just now realized there might be a connection so I don't know if they happened concurrently. It's something I'll track going forward.

I also realized that since going gluten-free I no longer have this numb spot on my face. Again it was pretty consistent before going gluten-free and I had always attributed it to the disc surgery. The spot is between the corner of my mouth and my nose, along that natural fold just under the apple of my cheek. In fact it's slightly pins and needly today.

Do any of you experience this too?

Not me, but a local girl wrote about her trip to the ER with an entire side of her body paralyzed and it lasted many hours. Turns out is was gluten that caused it. She recovered 100%.

lucia Enthusiast
lucia
Posted

I find the neuropathy really scary. I have it too. It's actually been the symptom that I've had the longest without realizing it. It seems very mysterious, since it comes and goes.

I did go to an acupuncturist last week, and he was able to address the neuropathy. In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) there is a framework for understanding it. It's related to the "blood" meridian, for anyone who knows what that means. Perhaps this is an option for others who are struggling. I'm hoping it can help me since the neuropathy isn't receding yet after 6 weeks gluten-free.

kayo Explorer
kayo
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all for your comments. I guess we can add this to the list of things doctors don't know anything about (and/or easily miss)! I started complaining about numb hands and the numb spot on my face at least 6 or 7 years ago. It was always blamed on my RA and disc issues.

Now that I know there's a connection to the celiac I'll bring it up at my next doc appointment. I slept 13 hours last night. I struggled all day through work barely able to keep my eyes open. I noticed I had a hard time typing (I'm on a computer all day) and fell asleep right after dinner. Hands are just mildly tingly today.

I don't know much about peripheral neuropathy at all. I'll have to do some research. Other than numb areas how else does it manifest?

kayo Explorer
kayo
Posted
  • Author
I get the numbness exactly where you do (between the left side of my upper lip and my nose (right in the crease).

RoseTapper I can't believe we have the same numb spot on our face - that's wild!

I wonder if the celiac neuropathy follows a particular nerve path much like the way shingles does?

  • 1 year later...
aussiechick4jc Rookie
aussiechick4jc
Posted

Hi everyone,

Thanks heaps for your posts, they are very imformative. Just wondering if anyone has had joint pain with the numbness in their fingers or toes. I am only two weeks gluten free, still waiting for inprovement, but hopeful.

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