Gluten Withdraw Symptoms?

[ToriMartin]

What are the Symptoms of Gluten Withdraw?

When I went gluten-free, I had a headache for the first 4 days. I have had nausia, mood swings, headaches, sinus pressure, more fatigue... That's all I can think of...

The thing is, I will eat something then have sinus pressure & a headache. I'm having a hard time pinpointing the causes. Then I started wondering if there isn't necessarily a cause... Maybe it's just the withdraw... But is it common to have the withdraw right after eating something that is Gluten Free? I didn't confuse anyone did I? I'm just trying to figure out if it's just something in the food or withdraw. But it seems to happen quit often. I've really noticed the sinus pressure & headaches after eating.

[Kay DH]

I noticed that once I went off gluten completely, including hidden gluten, that my tolerance for CC dropped a lot. Before I could eat 1/2 and English muffin without D and now it only takes about a crumb. When I would eat "gluten free" I would get symptoms because the gluten-free flour was from a bin, the food was "processed in a plant that processes wheat...", the hydrolyzed vegetable protein was from wheat, much of the gluten-free food served in restaurants is not, etc. You may be getting traces of gluten in your food, especially if you eat out. You might try a bit of a cave man diet for a week, no processed food, no possible gluten, even washing most food well in case someone touched it, just to see if your withdrawal symptoms are still there. I didn't notice any withdrawal symptoms when I started going off gluten in November, perhaps because I was focusing on my gluten-caused symptoms going away. I went completely off gluten in Jan. If I get minor CC my symptoms range from D in 1 to 14 hours and bloating and cramping for 3 days, to massive CC causing brain fog, lethargy, sore joints, D, muscle aches, cramps and bloating. Everyone's symptoms are a bit different. You might also keep a food log for a while, to see what food you ate and how long after you ate before the symptoms started. It is possible that you are getting withdrawal, especially if you went off the wagon quickly. Gluten does have neurological and other effects, possibly even acting as an opiate, so while your whole body realigns you may be experiencing symptoms for a while. However, that the symptoms follow your eating suggests CC. Even foods that were previously safe to you may not be now because of tolerance levels and changes in the formulation (I wish the manufacturers would keep the ingredients the same). Good luck on your gluten-free diet, once you get over the hurdles it is a great change in your life. I feel much better than before. Yesterday on my mountain bike I blasted by a woman on a road bike going uphill, of course she was a couple of decades older than me and didn't know we were racing for the top of the bike path (I'm 55).

[lischro]

Torimartin- I have had every single one of those gluten withdrawal symptoms. with the exception of one slip up last weekend, I have been gluten free for almost 3 weeks and still feeling the withdrawal.

I get headaches in the afternoons and sinus pressure seems to be the worst in the afternoon. Tired all day but have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep and definitely noticed the mood swings. It's kind of funny because these were also many of my initial symptoms (fatigue and mood swings) but I definitely think they're from withdrawal. People on here say they subside in time!

I've noticed that keeping a food journal helps, too! I'm still learning a lot about CC issues.