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

Celiac And Alexithymia?

McMoody

By McMoody
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

McMoody Newbie
McMoody
Posted

My loved one has Celiac disease, and it has been left untreated for many years. I've been doing research on it and some research says that some celiacs may have symptoms of alexithymia, the state in which a person can't express, feel, or think about what they are feeling. Sometimes the way in which they express a feeling is through bodily function, such as a drastic decrease in body temperature if they are angry or sad. I am wondering if anyone has had a problem with this, and does a gluten free diet resolve it. I've read also that people with celiac who stick to a gluten free diet may become more sociable and active in their daily life. Since memory is linked with emotion and many people with Celiacs have memory problems it seems on fit that they may have emotional problems in some instances.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

I am really replying to bump your post. ;)

Celiac Disease can cause many vitamin and mineral defiencies. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause nuerological disturbances/damage.

  • 2 weeks later...
T.H. Community Regular
T.H.
Posted

Woah, I had not heard of alexithymia. How...interesting. I think I'm going to have to check this out. My daughter has HUGE issues with her emotions when she gets gluten. And yes, when she is off of gluten, she is much, much better.

For both she, my son, and myself, we are much more active, sociable, calm, happier - it's like we were sitting in the middle of depression and it just went away.

  • 2 weeks later...
Muffy Rookie
Muffy
Posted

That really is interesting.

My expereince is the same: gluten-free = calmer, more social, and happier, despite that I am pretty sure I still need more B12.

Woah, I had not heard of alexithymia. How...interesting. I think I'm going to have to check this out. My daughter has HUGE issues with her emotions when she gets gluten. And yes, when she is off of gluten, she is much, much better.

For both she, my son, and myself, we are much more active, sociable, calm, happier - it's like we were sitting in the middle of depression and it just went away.

  • 2 weeks later...
McMoody Newbie
McMoody
Posted
  • Author

I don't know if it's lack of B 12 or something else, but apparently there have been studies on GI issues.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Two instances of Crohn's that I know of one person feels like "death" when she consumes anything she's not supposed to, and the other started to become emotionally distant when symptoms appeared. I can only imagine how ongoing Celiac Sprue feels...

What I'm wondering is how long it takes to become more sociable, if ever? I'm sure memory problems don't help with sociability...I've heard that B12 deficiency can last for as long as a year for someone who just started their gluten free diet and is taking vitamins.

revenant Enthusiast
revenant
Posted

Oh wow... thankyou for posting this..

I seemed to show emotions when I thought they were appropriate but I never, ever felt, thought about, or expressed them... I never felt anything!! It's hard to believe. I believe that I like road trips so much because that's the only time I FELT. I got car-sick, and couldn't eat anything except fruit on long road trips. Those were the only times I would wake up and see beauty in life, and realize I was a person! A physical, emotional person!

I could not think "I am sad" or "I am happy". I could cry, but usually those tears were related to gluten-angst. Even then I wouldn't think "I am upset". I woulds smile but the only time I felt happiness was on those roadtrips. I didn't even know what I thought until I came out of my gluten stupor and could look back. I also had no opinions, like a robot. A doormat, I was often. It made me seem very generous because I never stopped anybody or fought back. I guess it helped me out some because I hear that I was made fun of a lot, but it never got through this wall of no emotions.

I'm so glad there is a name for this. It is a hard state to describe being in. I attribute it to my detached feeling throughout my childhood and early teenage years, I can't remember feeling. The experience of feeling things is still new and scary to me, and is truly a gift

I wonder if this is what Autism feels like, as well? I sure showed the most symptoms of being autistic during the worst of these states...

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

Revenant: You express yourself so well regarding the internal experience of gluten/Celiac and the sensations it caused you.

I had those feelings too.

I would go to therapy and say

"I think I've lost my soul."

I can't feel anything.

I would describe a deep sense of loss.

And hold my stomach.

They invariably commented on my solar plexus or something.

My god, it was Celiac.

Without gluten I don't feel any of these things.

Absence of occupation is not rest

A mind quite vacant

Is a mind distressed.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


McMoody Newbie
McMoody
Posted
  • Author

Oh wow... thankyou for posting this..

I seemed to show emotions when I thought they were appropriate but I never, ever felt, thought about, or expressed them... I never felt anything!! It's hard to believe. I believe that I like road trips so much because that's the only time I FELT. I got car-sick, and couldn't eat anything except fruit on long road trips. Those were the only times I would wake up and see beauty in life, and realize I was a person! A physical, emotional person!

I could not think "I am sad" or "I am happy". I could cry, but usually those tears were related to gluten-angst. Even then I wouldn't think "I am upset". I woulds smile but the only time I felt happiness was on those roadtrips. I didn't even know what I thought until I came out of my gluten stupor and could look back. I also had no opinions, like a robot. A doormat, I was often. It made me seem very generous because I never stopped anybody or fought back. I guess it helped me out some because I hear that I was made fun of a lot, but it never got through this wall of no emotions.

I'm so glad there is a name for this. It is a hard state to describe being in. I attribute it to my detached feeling throughout my childhood and early teenage years, I can't remember feeling. The experience of feeling things is still new and scary to me, and is truly a gift

I wonder if this is what Autism feels like, as well? I sure showed the most symptoms of being autistic during the worst of these states...

When did you give up gluten? Have your symptoms improved? Are you able to understand your emotions better?

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,536
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Flibertygibbet
    Newest Member
    Flibertygibbet
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I, too, have osteoporosis from years of malabsorption, too.  Thiamine and magnesium are what keep the calcium in place in the bones.  If one is low in magnesium, boron, selenium, zinc, copper, and other trace minerals, ones bone heath can suffer.  We need more than just calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones.  Riboflavin B 2, Folate B 9 and Pyridoxine B 6 also contribute to bone formation and strength.   Have you had your thyroid checked?  The thyroid is important to bone health as well.  The thyroid uses lots of thiamine, so a poorly functioning thyroid will affect bone heath.  
    • Celiac50
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By Celiac50 · Posted

      That sounds so very likely in my case! I will absolutely ask my doctor on my next bone check coming up in March... Thanks a lot! 
    • trents
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By trents · Posted

      Calcium levels as measured in the blood can be quite deceiving as the body will rob calcium from the bones to meet demands for it by other bodily functions. Also, supplementing with calcium can be counterproductive as it tends to raise gut pH and decrease absorption. More often than not, the problem is poor absorption to begin with rather than deficiency of intake amounts in the diet. Calcium needs an acidic environment to be absorbed. This is why so many people on PPIs develop osteoporosis. The PPIs raise gut pH. And some people have high gut PH for other reasons. Low pH equates to a more acidic environment whereas high pH equates to a more basic (less acidic) environment.
    • Celiac50
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By Celiac50 · Posted

      Kind thanks for all this valuable information! Since my Folate was/is low and also my Calcium, there IS a chance I am low in B vitamins... My doctor only measured the first two, oh and Zinc as I has twisted her arm and guess what, that was mega low too. So who knows, until I get myself tested properly, what else I am deficient in... I did a hair mineral test recently and it said to avoid All sources of Calcium. But this is confusing for me as my Ca is so low and I have osteoporosis because of this. It is my Adjusted Ca that is on the higher side and shouldn't be. So am not sure why the mineral test showed high Ca (well, it was medium in the test but relative to my lowish Magnesium, also via hair sample, it was high I was told). But anyway, thanks again for the VitB download, I will look into this most certainly!
    • ElisaAllergiesgluten
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By ElisaAllergiesgluten · Posted

      Hello good afternoon, I was wondering if anyone has ever brought their anti-allergy pills? I have been wanting to use their Cetirizine HCI 10mg. They are called HealthA2Z and distributed by Allegiant Health.I’m also Asthmatic and these allergies are terrible for me but I also want to be sure they don’t have any sort of gluten compound.    I have tried calling them but to no avail. Has anyone ever used them? If so, did you had any problems or no problems at all?    thank you
×
×
  • 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.