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On Celiac Diet For A Year, Now I Have Joint Pain

imracin68j

By imracin68j
in Doctors

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imracin68j Rookie
imracin68j
Posted

My 7 year old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease and my 50 year old mom died of intestinal cancer a year ago. I don't know if she had Celiac disease but alot of her symptoms lead me to getting my daughter tested. I have dealt with stomach issues for a while so I went gluten free along with my daughter. Many if not all of my symptoms have left but I have obtained joint pain. I feel like I'm getting joint deteriation. My wife has noticed joint issues as well, maybe not quite as bad as mine. She is gluten free now as well. Is there something in bread or flour that our joints/cartilage depends on? Thanks.

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Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

My 7 year old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease and my 50 year old mom died of intestinal cancer a year ago. I don't know if she had Celiac disease but alot of her symptoms lead me to getting my daughter tested. I have dealt with stomach issues for a while so I went gluten free along with my daughter. Many if not all of my symptoms have left but I have obtained joint pain. I feel like I'm getting joint deteriation. My wife has noticed joint issues as well, maybe not quite as bad as mine. She is gluten free now as well. Is there something in bread or flour that our joints/cartilage depends on? Thanks.

I would encourage you and your wife to have a full metabolic panel, if you have not done that. Your primary doctor can do that.

I assume that you know that being gluten free, will not render accuracy in testing. And gene testing can only indicate a pre-disposition. But, that can be a piece of the puzzle.

I have have joint and fluid issues in my joints, but dont' attribute those to Celiac. Not all road lead there.

But you have a history. I would contact a medical professional who is informed.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

.... Is there something in bread or flour that our joints/cartilage depends on? Thanks.

I don't think there is anything in gluten that our joints depend on. If there were, every gluten-free person on this board would be having joint pain. I have had joint pain but it stopped when I got off nightshades. Other people have reported joint pain from nightshades also.

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

no, in fact- i believe that WGA (wheat germ agglutin- another troublesome protein in wheat, not gliadin)- actually plaques up the joints- and Glucosamine helps to bind up WGA- this may be why people find relief when taking glucosamine.

your new joint pain could be from other food intolerances- such as dairy, potatoes, corn, nightshades, or soy...

ORRRRR you could have a vitamin D deficiency- which is common these days- and even more common in those with gluten intolerance.

i just found out i am vit. d deficient... i get muscle spasms- and some joint stiffness- hoping my new supplements will make a difference.- go get tested

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

no, in fact- i believe that WGA (wheat germ agglutin- another troublesome protein in wheat, not gliadin)- actually plaques up the joints- and Glucosamine helps to bind up WGA- this may be why people find relief when taking glucosamine.

your new joint pain could be from other food intolerances- such as dairy, potatoes, corn, nightshades, or soy...

ORRRRR you could have a vitamin D deficiency- which is common these days- and even more common in those with gluten intolerance.

i just found out i am vit. d deficient... i get muscle spasms- and some joint stiffness- hoping my new supplements will make a difference.- go get tested

OORRR it is entirely possible that not eating gluten or nightshades or corn or soy, will not make the slightest bit of difference to your joint pain. I am gluten intolerant, and avoid all of the foregoing because I am also intolerant of them, but if I quit my Humira injections my rhematoid/psoriatic arthritis (with the psoriasis) comes roaring back, unfortunately. Maybe I got to it too late, maybe it is separate, maybe who knows???..... Maybe I am just unlucky? :(

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Low thyroid, (hypothryroiditis) can also cause joint pain. I forgot the soy, that does a number on my joints too.

T.H. Community Regular
T.H.
Posted

There's nothing in bread or flour that joints depend on, to my knowledge. However, most gluten products are vitamin fortified and most gluten free bready products are not, so there could be some vitmin or nutrient that you WERE getting that you are now not.

However, I'm another who had joint pain AFTER going gluten free. For myself, it happens if I am getting low levels of gluten that aren't causing other issues - and that level has become lower the longer I'm gluten free - or I am eating some of the foods I'm allergic to.

I had no idea I was allergic to any foods before going gluten-free, and I was gluten-free a while before I started having symptoms. Most of them are NOT hives, but they do give me symptoms, and I tested positive on the allergy test to them.

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mcc0523 Newbie
mcc0523
Posted

With Ehlers-danlos syndrome, which causes joint pain, it's not uncommon to also develop Celiac/gluten-intolerance (I'm a member of several chronic illness message boards, and it's surprising the people who have both EDS and Celiac). If you have a history of being hypermobile/flexible in your joints (even if they aren't now... ironically hypermobility can turn into extremely stiff joints later in life due to joint damage and wear), and also have skin issues, like it is stretchy, very soft, and you get atrophic or cigarette paper scars, you should look further into this. There are further complications that can sometimes occur with EDS.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

Sometimes we get more sensitive to gluten when we stop eating it. Sometimes we notice symptoms which we didn't notice before. I had joint pain before diagnosis which went away gluten free. It comes back fairly easily when I get trace gluten consumption. It is possible that there is still enough gluten in your diet to be causing joint pain.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

hey, thanks for the advice .. You really help me here to find out he problem.

Welcome to the site Anneparker! :)

  • 2 weeks later...
Marilyn R Community Regular
Marilyn R
Posted

My 7 year old daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease and my 50 year old mom died of intestinal cancer a year ago. I don't know if she had Celiac disease but alot of her symptoms lead me to getting my daughter tested. I have dealt with stomach issues for a while so I went gluten free along with my daughter. Many if not all of my symptoms have left but I have obtained joint pain. I feel like I'm getting joint deteriation. My wife has noticed joint issues as well, maybe not quite as bad as mine. She is gluten free now as well. Is there something in bread or flour that our joints/cartilage depends on? Thanks.

I had a follow up visit with my PCP today for results on blood tests that my new endocrinologist ordered. One test was an ENA Screen which was ordered in conjunction with an ANA Screen. (It was to rule out Lupus and RA, according to the endo.) My PCP told me I have above normal RNP Antibodies, which means that I have Mixed Connective Tissue Disease. (MCTD.) They want me to consult with a Rheumatologist.

Anyway, I looked up MCTD when I got home and usually Joint Pain is a chief complaint. I haven't had joint pain, but thought you might want to request that bloodwork from your physician. ANA (Antinuclear antibodies) Screen, DNA, ENA Screen. I was more impressed with this Endocrinoligist than my first one, who is affiliated with one of those prestigious medical clinics.

The first Endo didn't order these tests, so I don't know if going gluten-free had any impact. I did a perfunctionary search to see if the two were related in medical studies but didn't come up with anything showing a correlation.

Hope this helps. I'm so sorry you lost your mom at such an early age, and wish the best for you and your family.

Marilyn R Community Regular
Marilyn R
Posted

Oops. I didn't search the forum before I posted my response. I highly recommend doing so...I'm not sure if I'll schedule the Rheumy appt. now. I refused to have my PCP office schedule it, because I wanted to check it out some more. Anyway, search "Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder" on the forum. Everything I've read supports the gluten-free diet. :)

applegirl03 Rookie
applegirl03
Posted

I was having a lot of the symptoms your describing...mine ended up being a massive yeast infection in my digestive tract (Candida) after a month of diflucan I felt much better and my joint pain was gone. I know you are seeing a Rhuemotologist, but doing an all natural yeast cleansing couldn't hurt at this point. You can pick them up at your local natural food store, really helped my symptoms, hope it helps you!

  • 1 month later...
BoppinRobin Newbie
BoppinRobin
Posted

Remember that just eating gluten free is not enough. I couldn't figure out why I would still have bouts of gut pain, joint pain, lethargy and D... Even after 10 yrs of eating gluten free (nothing processed- all whole, home made by me) a friend pointed out my cleaning products and personal care items were not gluten-free. This is my 6 th week of TOTAL gluten-free and I'm feeling much better!

Toss any product that does not say gluten-free on the label. Shampoo, soap, laundry items, cleaners. Make-up too.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Toss any product that does not say gluten-free on the label. Shampoo, soap, laundry items, cleaners. Make-up too.

I would respectfully suggest that this is an extreme position. Most non-food products that are, in fact, gluten-free are not labeled as such. That doesn't mean they are not suitable for use by us.

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      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
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