Jump to content
  • 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

Fibromialgia ?


diane64

Recommended Posts

diane64 Apprentice

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with celiac this summer. I have been encouraging my siblings to get tested (my parents tested negative), but they have not done so as of yet. MY sister was just diagnosed with fibromialgia. She has some other celiac symptoms- anxiety, fatigue. Is fibro. related to celiac?

Thanks,

Diane


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



CDFAMILY Rookie

Diane,

Hi, I have talked to many people who were dx with fibro first and later Celiac Disease. I was dx with fibromyalgia in 1995. In 2005 I was dx with Celiac Disease. All the severe symptoms of Fibromyalgia are gone. I do have a few tender spots but not nearly as tender. I do believe fibromyalgia is related to the gut. I also had a neighbor who was dx with fibro and went gluten free without a Celiac dx and he also has experienced the same great results.

Why a doctor would not test for Celiac Disease when it is in the family and instead settle for a Fibromyalgia dx is beyond me???? I would highly recommend your sister get tested before she does a trial of gluten-free. If I had discovered my Celiac 10 years earlier I would have avoided 10 years of pain and fatigue not to mention the neurological complications that developed because of a late diagnosis. Being on the diet is really quite simple...you just eat the way we are supposed to eat...all natural.

I really wish someone would have known about Celiac Disease in 1995! Good luck and I hope your sister listens to her very smart sibling.

tarnalberry Community Regular

Can it be related? Sure. Must it be? I don't think so.

I developed fibromyalgia long after going gluten free, due to other stressors in my life. If fibro is caused by a response to a chronic stress state in the body, and a person is an untreated celiac, it makes sense that one of the ways the stress on the body of untreated celiac would manifest could be fibromyalgia.

diane64 Apprentice

Thanks for the responses. My sister has a physical this week. I told her that she must ask for a celiac test! She mentioned celiac to her dr (neurologist or rhemotologist) who didn't think that fibro and celiac are related. I told her that many doctors don't know about celiac.

Thanks again!

Diane

Diane,

Hi, I have talked to many people who were dx with fibro first and later Celiac Disease. I was dx with fibromyalgia in 1995. In 2005 I was dx with Celiac Disease. All the severe symptoms of Fibromyalgia are gone. I do have a few tender spots but not nearly as tender. I do believe fibromyalgia is related to the gut. I also had a neighbor who was dx with fibro and went gluten free without a Celiac dx and he also has experienced the same great results.

Why a doctor would not test for Celiac Disease when it is in the family and instead settle for a Fibromyalgia dx is beyond me???? I would highly recommend your sister get tested before she does a trial of gluten-free. If I had discovered my Celiac 10 years earlier I would have avoided 10 years of pain and fatigue not to mention the neurological complications that developed because of a late diagnosis. Being on the diet is really quite simple...you just eat the way we are supposed to eat...all natural.

I really wish someone would have known about Celiac Disease in 1995! Good luck and I hope your sister listens to her very smart sibling.

txplowgirl Enthusiast

Hi Diane

I was dx'd with fibro and none of the meds helped. A few months later I got a newsletter from the Fibromyalgia network where they were discussing that 75% of fibro sufferers have gluten problems and other food intollerances. I started researching more and that's when it clicked in my head. Went gluten free and I would say that a lot of my fibro pain has eased up. Not 100% mind you but no where near as debilitating as they once were.

CDFAMILY Rookie

Diane, Tarnalberry, Txplowgirl,

My neuro also never heard that Celiac Disease could cause neurological symptoms and also can be related to strokes according to Dr. Green. I was at a Celiac conference a few years ago and asked this question already knowing that Dr. Green was researching this. The neuro speaking said he did not know of any connection. Luckily Dr. Green was also a speaker and discussed the connection.

Why don't doctors keep up with this information. Our conference was a good example. It was held in a medical college. All doctors and students were invited. No one came from the college. Many nurses came. Many patients came. Doctors say they don't have time. Unless they have a patient like me with the time and interest to educated them, they continue to be in the dark.

What other symptoms does your sister have? Your sister could go on the Pubmed site and search her symptom and celiac disease and maybe come up with a few articles that would show her doctor that there is a connection.

I would also recommend her to request tests that might show malabsorption such as tests for B vitamins especially B12, MMA, Homocysteine and folic acid, also K and D3 along with zinc and selenium and ferritin, iron, saturation and TIBC. This are just some I have had done and have helped guide me in what vitamin supplements I needed.

Vitamin D3 as I mentioned in my signature is what really helped me recover from the many symptoms I had. A Cleveland Clinic doctor recommended 8,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily and that is what started my road to recovery. The Gluten free diet relieved so much inflammation in my body but having had this disease so long before being diagnose, I needed help and vitamin D3 is what finally made a big difference in my recovery.

I hope everyone with Fibro requests their D3 to be checked and make sure you get the results as you want your numbers in the very high normal levels for best results. I think they are recommending around 60+ng/mL. They say now that having good levels can help prevent colds, flu and cancers. I know that since I started taking mega doses, I have not been sick and I have low WBC and used to be sick all the time!

diane64 Apprentice

Thanks for the info. My sister has anxiety issues, and has trouble sleeping. She also has hand and foot tingling. I will pass the info on to her! She goes to the dr on Thurs. It is amazing to me that drs know so little about celiac!!

Diane

Diane, Tarnalberry, Txplowgirl,

My neuro also never heard that Celiac Disease could cause neurological symptoms and also can be related to strokes according to Dr. Green. I was at a Celiac conference a few years ago and asked this question already knowing that Dr. Green was researching this. The neuro speaking said he did not know of any connection. Luckily Dr. Green was also a speaker and discussed the connection.

Why don't doctors keep up with this information. Our conference was a good example. It was held in a medical college. All doctors and students were invited. No one came from the college. Many nurses came. Many patients came. Doctors say they don't have time. Unless they have a patient like me with the time and interest to educated them, they continue to be in the dark.

What other symptoms does your sister have? Your sister could go on the Pubmed site and search her symptom and celiac disease and maybe come up with a few articles that would show her doctor that there is a connection.

I would also recommend her to request tests that might show malabsorption such as tests for B vitamins especially B12, MMA, Homocysteine and folic acid, also K and D3 along with zinc and selenium and ferritin, iron, saturation and TIBC. This are just some I have had done and have helped guide me in what vitamin supplements I needed.

Vitamin D3 as I mentioned in my signature is what really helped me recover from the many symptoms I had. A Cleveland Clinic doctor recommended 8,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily and that is what started my road to recovery. The Gluten free diet relieved so much inflammation in my body but having had this disease so long before being diagnose, I needed help and vitamin D3 is what finally made a big difference in my recovery.

I hope everyone with Fibro requests their D3 to be checked and make sure you get the results as you want your numbers in the very high normal levels for best results. I think they are recommending around 60+ng/mL. They say now that having good levels can help prevent colds, flu and cancers. I know that since I started taking mega doses, I have not been sick and I have low WBC and used to be sick all the time!


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

    2. - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

    3. - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

    4. 0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

    5. - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,333
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Donna Chem
    Newest Member
    Donna Chem
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.