Explanation That Comforted Me.

[conniebky]

Celiac Notes: Opiate Withdrawal from Gluten and Casein?

by Dr Charles Parker

You might want to warn gluten sensitive, celiac and casein sensitive patients about this odd and painful clinical phenomenon: Withdrawal after stopping wheat or milk products can be painful, exhausting, and depressing, with weakness, anger, and brain fog.

I have a very interesting and refractory client in Ohio who has struggled for years with a variety of severe reactions to psych meds, suicidal depression, mercury toxicity, and became completely regressed on previous withdrawal of Prozac before I saw him in DC. With autoimmune issues in abundance and at times psychotic like feelings of loosing control we tested him for gluten/casein sensitivity, hit pay dirt with positive findings, and asked him to go on a gluten free/casein free diet [Gluten-free Casein-free is the acronym].

He felt remarkably better at first, better than he had in years, then the withdrawal set in. Having had previous experience with addictive opiates prescribed for pain, he recognized signs of withdrawal immediately.

If you are a

member of this group, the very fact that you are experiencing many of

these symptoms should reinforce the need to exclude gluten from your

diet. These are common symptoms of withdrawal of detoxification from

gluten-derived opioid and brain neurochemical imbalances. The evidence

suggests that about 70 percent of celiac patients will experience these

symptoms when beginning a strict gluten-free diet.

I found this at Open Original Shared Link

and it made me feel better about how I've been feeling since going gluten-free.

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks for posting this. It will be helpful to many I am sure. One thing to keep in mind is that we need to be really strict, especially at first to stop the withdrawl and keep it from reoccuring.

[Takala]

Then there is managing expectations- some of us don't go through this but merely are getting carbohydrate cravings as a result of not tweaking whatever version of the diet we're on for our individual needs correctly, at first.

Plus it ignores the very real vitamin and mineral deficiencies.... THEY CAUSE SYMPTOMS.

Would hate to have everyone expect an opiate like withdrawal- talk about killing motivation to change to a healthier eating pattern - I don't think citing one source who deals with that sort of thing is the definitive proof that "70% are going to suffer withdrawal symptoms akin to addiction."

That's still 30% that are overjoyed that they have the power to fix their own auto immune symptoms with a diet change. No other people with a disease can do that except adult onset pre diabetics.

[ravenwoodglass]

Then there is managing expectations- some of us don't go through this but merely are getting carbohydrate cravings as a result of not tweaking whatever version of the diet we're on for our individual needs correctly, at first.

Plus it ignores the very real vitamin and mineral deficiencies.... THEY CAUSE SYMPTOMS.

Would hate to have everyone expect an opiate like withdrawal- talk about killing motivation to change to a healthier eating pattern - I don't think citing one source who deals with that sort of thing is the definitive proof that "70% are going to suffer withdrawal symptoms akin to addiction."

That's still 30% that are overjoyed that they have the power to fix their own auto immune symptoms with a diet change. No other people with a disease can do that except adult onset pre diabetics.

I think the 70% is a little bit high. Just judging by what I have seen folks write about here I think the numbers are likely reversed, in other words closer to 30% would have the severe withdrawl symptoms. I don't think it 'kills the motivation' though. The withdrawl is usually shortlived if folks are not getting CC'd. My withdrawl was over within a week and was basically being a bit overemotional. I think the folks who are more likely to suffer withdrawl are the ones who have strong neuro symptoms. The bit of withdrawl is well worth the hassle to get rid of the horrible pain and other problems we have.

[conniebky]

I think the 70% is a little bit high. Just judging by what I have seen folks write about here I think the numbers are likely reversed, in other words closer to 30% would have the severe withdrawl symptoms. I don't think it 'kills the motivation' though. The withdrawl is usually shortlived if folks are not getting CC'd. My withdrawl was over within a week and was basically being a bit overemotional. I think the folks who are more likely to suffer withdrawl are the ones who have strong neuro symptoms. The bit of withdrawl is well worth the hassle to get rid of the horrible pain and other problems we have.

WEll now, it's true, 90% of my symptoms are neuro, so that would go along with that.

And I don't mind going through the withdrawal a bit, I complain about it loudly, yes, but I don't mind it, as long as I know it will eventually pass. The reason I looked that up in the first place was because I thought oh no, are these all new symptoms, or maybe my body/mind are getting pissy because I'm not giving them what they're used to, that was my reason for looking it up and when I saw that, it made me feel less crazy.

[kwylee]

Thanks conniebky for posting this. I too have neuro wihtdrawal symptoms (woozy, dizzy, sometimes anxious) after two weeks of going completely gluten free/casein free, and it was a God send to read this today. Posts like this let me know this is normal and will pass.

[Yoshi]

I was diagnosed and went gluten free the first part of February. The first 3 weeks were wonderful. I felt so good. Then, I started having major withdrawal symptoms. For over a month, I felt worse than I had before going gluten free. If I hadn't had the good 3 weeks, I would have given up. But I wanted to feel that way again, so I struggled through it. I've gradually gotten better and feel good more often and for longer periods of time. I also have Crohns, and sometimes I'm not sure what's acting up or what set it off. Overall, though, I can see improvement. I've had consistant improvement in some areas since going gluten free, even when I've felt horrible elsewhere. I used to get really bad seborrhea breakouts on my scalp. They would itch, and I would scratch without thinking about it, until they turned to sores. I used to get canker sores inside my mouth, that would take forever to go away. I have had no breakouts on my scalp and only 1 canker sore in my mouth during the past 4 months. Reminding myself of the improvements, no matter how small they are, keeps me going when I want to give up.

[txplowgirl]

Thankfully I was one of those who had no withdrawal symptoms at all. But my sweetie, who has diabetes, spastic colon, is a smoker, also has had 1 heart attack and open heart surgery tried to go gluten free with me. Bad bad gluten withdrawals to the point he finally said to heck with it. He now knows he has a gluten problem but refuses to go gluten free because it was so bad. He said he'd rather suffer through another heart attack and open heart surgery before going through that again.

[summerteeth]

Thankfully I was one of those who had no withdrawal symptoms at all. But my sweetie, who has diabetes, spastic colon, is a smoker, also has had 1 heart attack and open heart surgery tried to go gluten free with me. Bad bad gluten withdrawals to the point he finally said to heck with it. He now knows he has a gluten problem but refuses to go gluten free because it was so bad. He said he'd rather suffer through another heart attack and open heart surgery before going through that again.

Same here - I didn't have withdrawal symptoms with gluten. Milk products were another story - I CRAVED cheese.

My fiance, on the other had, cannot go a day without gluten without feeling crappy. Luckily it doesn't bother him - he has a problem with some fruits and vegetables, and also nuts. He has to have his multigrain sandwich thins. He is also the same with protein or he'll get sluggish-- but for me, I could go without meat (I eat it though).

We are quite the pair with our problems with food!