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Headaches, Celiac Dreams, And Helpful Ideas For Elimination Diet

healinginprogress

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healinginprogress Enthusiast
healinginprogress
Posted

Headaches---

I keep waking up with a headache, and it's hard to tell if it's gluten-related or tension, but really unpleasant, either way. I've been really good at being gluten-free, eating only whole foods and only at home (stuff I cook). I am very tense, but also think my man may have eaten gluten in the bed. I will clean the sheets, but am unsure of a nice way to ask him to be careful if eating gluten in there. Sometimes he's great about it, but I think he's already frustrated with having to brush his teeth before kissing, and when I brought up gluten-free dog food yesterday, he was not very receptive :(

Celiac Dreams---

This is just sort of funny. Since going gluten-free, I think I've had dreams about food pretty much every night LOL Sometimes I'll be eating something gluten-ous and then "remember" within my dreams that I can't have it and get all worried haha Last night I had a dream that I was going for my appointment with the colo-rectal surgeon and I hadn't done my enema before (so gross), and then when he was showing me what they were going to do for the colonoscopy at our next appointment, he showed me the camera they were going to use and it was HUGE and he said I didn't get any sort of sedation or anaesthesia! I also decided, in my dream, to start eating gluten for the test and was going home to order myself a whole cheesy bites pizza from Pizza Hut......SUCH crazy, amusing dreams!

Helpful Ideas for Elimination Diet---

Just a few things that have been helping me along the way. When I'm out, I've been buying some gluten-free goodies that I'm keeping in my gluten-free cupboard that will be treats when I'm done the elimination diet...it kind of just makes me happy to know that they are there, and this diet won't be forever. The other thing I found really helpful is PRESENTATION! At first, I would just take a baked yam out of the fridge and eat it just like that...which is fine, when time crunched, but definitely gets boring and sort of upsetting. Same with apples and pears. But when I bake my apple in the toaster oven, mix it in with some canned no-sugar-added packed-in-water pears, a little SF applesauce, and some chia seeds...it feels a little fancier and, in fact, is more satisfying than just an apple or a pear on their own. These two little things are making a big difference for me!

Anyways, just wanted to do a little sharing, thanks for "listening", the support is much needed and appreciated!

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IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

The gluten free pet food seems extreme at first glance BUT

cross contamination happens on every level

AND there are many articles that show grains are NOT good for pets at all. They cannot digest them well.

Wheat gluten is almost always in dog food. People report their dogs' allergies or itching or red spots disappear off gluten. Makes sense?

My husband, the biggest skeptic of all :lol: AND a scientist who needs PROOF for anything...decided to read up on it and switched our cat to no grain foods. It's more expensive, so I was stunned, but he also WENT gluten-free with me and put the cat on the food, thinking we'd all benefit. (I know, he's amazing.)

Hubby never felt he needed to be gluten-free...and I did not insist, yet in doing so, his recent long bout with painful constipation has disappeared. (he'd die of embarrassment if he knew I wrote this...shhhhh don't tell him) I am thinking maybe his allergies will disappear in time too.

Much easier for me as his fluffy beard was the catch-all for big ole crumbs.... :)

As for dreams...I have had mega double features all my life--big, bold and colorful, all my senses involved....I could FEEL textures, SMELL foods cooking, etc...very tiring LOL

They are becoming less crazy and I don't wake up yelling any more, or sweating from bad dreams...maybe as the gluten leaves, my sleep and dreams will be more peaceful.

Your headaches may be withdrawal...?! I had them for weeks, but not any more.

Just some thoughts!! :)

Glad your soy experiment wasn't too much of a setback!

healinginprogress Enthusiast
healinginprogress
Posted
  • Author

YES, thank goodness it was only a couple days of misery with the soy!

I, too, have ALWAYS had very vivid dreams, and I always remember them...a lot of them are very scary or sad, and can affect me for the entire day because they felt so real! I can even feel pain in my dreams, it's crazy. I've also always had insomnia...hoping that will clear up in time sans gluten!

Great about your hubby! The crazy thing is, the dog food he's feeding his dog now (we each had a dog, so now we have a two-dog family) is about the same price. When I brought it up yesterday, he looked at me all scrunchy-faced and was like, "yeaaahhhh, I don't know...he's been on that brand since he was a puppy". To which I said, yes, and mine has been on HIS brand for 5 years (his dog is not yet a year old)! But what I really wanted to say is, "yeah, and I've been dying on the inside since FOREVER!"

SIGH! Anyways, sometimes he "gets it", and sometimes he doesn't. I'm glad that I can vent here, though...it helps me.

And as for withdrawals, I hope that is the case! I just exercised, and the headache is still there :(

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

:lol:

vent away!! that's why we're here!

If he agrees to switch, just transition the puppy with a mixture of each for a few days. The pup's tum will adapt in no time.

Hope your headaches ease up....you probably already know this but....drink a lot of water!! I am not sure why, but we tend to need more water.....

I feel "funny" if I don't get enough...hang in there!! ;)

Jenn624 Rookie
Jenn624
Posted

I have the dreams too. I'll especially dream I am eating a doughnut and after I take a bite, I've realized what I've down and try to spit it up. Crazy!!!

Terri O Rookie
Terri O
Posted

I have the dreams too. I'll especially dream I am eating a doughnut and after I take a bite, I've realized what I've down and try to spit it up. Crazy!!!

THis is too funny...just the other night I dreampt that I was at a party and had just taken a big bite of a Kentucky Fried Chicken thigh. I was like Tom Hanks in BIG when he ate that caviar! OMG too funny! Terri O

Marilyn R Community Regular
Marilyn R
Posted

My recurrent dream was that I'd be at a barbeque and eat a big fluffy hotdog bun with a hotdog. It was so vivid. Music, friends, barbeque, big bite of hotdog! Then I'd go into the OMG! I JUST ATE A HOTDOG BUN version of the dream. It would turn into nightmare and I'd wake up in sweats.

I told my Medical Dr. about the recurring dreams and she said it's like the dream she had when she first gradutated college. She would be headed to an exam, but couldn't find the building or classroom, and she would start running all over to find the exam room. She'd run and run and run but couldn't find the room, and then she'd wake up in sweats. She feels that the dreams come from a feeling of not being prepared.

The dreams tapered off after 6 months, and I no longer have them. (gluten-free since 4/10.) I still have occasional insomnia, perhaps from CC. But sleep has definitely improved so much, and I hope your sleep will improve too. Going gluten-free is a major life change, and you've been concerned with your health, so it's perfectly normal to have weird dreams.

The headaches could be withdrawal, similar to caffeine withdrawal, or a response to the anxiety from the dreams.

Good luck ... hang in there ... it get's better! :D

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healinginprogress Enthusiast
healinginprogress
Posted
  • Author

LOL that's pretty funny, I have had the exam dream recently, too (I graduated from my program in December)!!!

I get glimpses of it "getting better"...and I like the view ;)

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I had really violent, scary dreams on gluten. People standing over me, going to kill me, or I was running from someone. There were good ones, too where I could fly like superman (which is funny, cause I do not like to fly)or I was with relatives who have passed and we were having fun ..OR upsetting ones where I was supposed to teach a class and I was not prepared or I could not find the room (I was a teacher) ...I would scream and thrash around. Poor hubby! :blink: he would wake me up and say, it's okay, babe...then, he would go right back to sleep and I'd be wide-eyed, shaking all over and trembling with sweat and cold. It was ugly.

If I went back to sleep, I had more dreams. I used to tell them to hubby in the morning, in great detail, sounds, sights, smells, textures....I would say I had a "double feature". (LOL but not really)

Some nights, I couldn't even go to sleep. I tried sleep meds, quieting tapes, meditation, valerian, melatonin...

wide awake. Many months 2 hours at most...just awful. Then, pace all around my house in chronic pain--all day long. (shudder--when I think back on it!! :unsure: )

I have had sleep issues all of my life.

I cannot even take a nap--I am too "wired". I am exhausted and would LOOOVE a nice nap, but it just will not happen. Bummer.

As I enter month 3 of gluten-free, I am sleeping better. I can go to sleep, get about 3 or 4, wake up (because I have pain) BUT go back most nights for 2 more. This is a HUGE improvement over those 1-2 hours...so, I'll take it!! :D

healinginprogress Enthusiast
healinginprogress
Posted
  • Author

Nice, yeah, I can't wait for this to get better, it's incredibly draining. I woke up at 515am yesterday and was still up around midnight last night, woke up at 3 and haven't been able to fall back asleep...and that's with a full zopiclone (sleep med).

I've tried everything under the sun as well LOL So jealous and almost resentful of sleepers sometimes :P

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Nice, yeah, I can't wait for this to get better, it's incredibly draining. I woke up at 515am yesterday and was still up around midnight last night, woke up at 3 and haven't been able to fall back asleep...and that's with a full zopiclone (sleep med).

I've tried everything under the sun as well LOL So jealous and almost resentful of sleepers sometimes :P

Poor babe! It truly sux.

Me too--sleep meds, valium!! even...geesh.All the drugs did was "whip me up" more. :angry: I stopped trying things a few months ago.

here's the thing...it takes a long time for that poison to get out of the gut, the organs, the skin....and I know what you mean about the jealousy thing :unsure: I never thought I'd be "jealous" about people who can SLEEP, or EAT ...what the heck?? LOL

I wondered why people were upset that they sleep 10 hours...man, try NOT sleeping for a few days and see what that feels like....!!oh, that sounded petty...I don't mean it that way.

Hopefully, you will get a rhythm soon....if you can, soak in an epsom salt bath before bed..... I can't lie in the tub with my back, but if I COULD, that's what I would do.... :)

hang in there...it gets better...really!

healinginprogress Enthusiast
healinginprogress
Posted
  • Author

It didn't sound petty, I completely understand...I've always been jealous of sleepers...and it's funny, I've been dealing with it for so long (even as a kid my mom said I never slept, and I remember her giving me things like gravol...and kahlua...haha when I was a teenager) that it almost seems like I function better on 5 hours of sleep (broken sleep, usually), than if a pill knocks me out for hours because my body is so used to it. To a certain extent, anyways, and usually only for a few days and then it gets bad (mood and brain-wise).

I don't have a bathtub...man, I miss baths...but I could soak my feet? I have some circulation issues, so I worry my feet will get too hot or puffy, but I'll give it a go (why not, at this point, right? LOL)

I hope to stop taking the sleeping meds at some point, just don't think I'm ready, yet

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

It didn't sound petty, I completely understand...I've always been jealous of sleepers...and it's funny, I've been dealing with it for so long (even as a kid my mom said I never slept, and I remember her giving me things like gravol...and kahlua...haha when I was a teenager) that it almost seems like I function better on 5 hours of sleep (broken sleep, usually), than if a pill knocks me out for hours because my body is so used to it. To a certain extent, anyways, and usually only for a few days and then it gets bad (mood and brain-wise).

I don't have a bathtub...man, I miss baths...but I could soak my feet? I have some circulation issues, so I worry my feet will get too hot or puffy, but I'll give it a go (why not, at this point, right? LOL)

I hope to stop taking the sleeping meds at some point, just don't think I'm ready, yet

I didn't even sleep when I was a baby! LOL My sister and dad took turns rocking me to sleep in the middle of the night...mom was sound asleep..

I think a warm foot soak would help, yes! then, elevate them after so they do not get puffy? I hope it helps!

Honestly, I think the sleep meds make it worse...Just my humble opinion. Be careful when you stop--you need to taper off those...trust me! I had a rough time with Ambien CR a few years ago...talk about w/d symptoms--yikes! Naturally, my doctor didn't warm me about that!

I read this book called INSOMNIAC a few years ago and it opened my eyes about sleep and meds, etc...I think once the gluten is out of you, you'll see a BIG difference. Lots of posts on here about that. Encourages me!!

healinginprogress Enthusiast
healinginprogress
Posted
  • Author

Yes, a lot of the posts on here encourage me, as well...especially when I get to that dark place, like when I sent you that private message last night LOL...sorry about that :rolleyes:

The posts on here about depression, anxiety, insomnia, levido reticularis, fatigue, body aches, headaches/migraines, skin conditions, brain fog, and of course nausea, vomiting, D, cramping, bloating, inflammation....the posts about ALLLLLLL of these things improving/going away??? That REALLY helps to keep me going, I guess sometimes it's just hard to believe that it will actually happen for me, ya know?

healinginprogress Enthusiast
healinginprogress
Posted
  • Author

oh, and MEMORY hahahahaha Funny how I always "forget" that one.................. :lol::lol::lol:

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Yes, a lot of the posts on here encourage me, as well...especially when I get to that dark place, like when I sent you that private message last night LOL...sorry about that :rolleyes:

The posts on here about depression, anxiety, insomnia, levido reticularis, fatigue, body aches, headaches/migraines, skin conditions, brain fog, and of course nausea, vomiting, D, cramping, bloating, inflammation....the posts about ALLLLLLL of these things improving/going away??? That REALLY helps to keep me going, I guess sometimes it's just hard to believe that it will actually happen for me, ya know?

Do not be sorry for that message!! I am happy to listen!!

Yup, we have to focus on the success stories. one woman's message to me made me CRY--in RELIEF because she had all the same symptoms--even had the burning mouth I have and it is gone from her now..... :)

It is hard to believe...but you will come to a point where you will stop fretting about it and believe it WILL happen...that's a big hurdle to jump...but you WILL!!

((pretend I am giving you a big hug LOL))

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

oh, and MEMORY hahahahaha Funny how I always "forget" that one.................. :lol::lol::lol:

I'm sorry, I "forgot" to add ....yes, memory issues clear up too ...LOL LOL LOL

Some of 2009 and 2010 are lost to me....but they were not so great health wise anyway...

ndw3363 Contributor
ndw3363
Posted

Oh the headaches!! I've been gluten-free for 3 weeks and I have had the worst headaches for about a week. As for the sleeping, I can't seem to get enough - although I'm not sleeping all that well either. I took a benedryl the other night (the itching from DH is making me nuts) and I slept great! However, I felt terrible the next day (stomach pain), so I won't take it again.

So funny that you brought up dreams. Just last night, I had a dream that I was eating lasagna and breadsticks. Sooo vivid too! Since I haven't been sleeping well, I rarely remember dreams. But this one was so real!

Hope you start to feel better soon! This forum has saved my sanity!

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Oh the headaches!! I've been gluten-free for 3 weeks and I have had the worst headaches for about a week. As for the sleeping, I can't seem to get enough - although I'm not sleeping all that well either. I took a benedryl the other night (the itching from DH is making me nuts) and I slept great! However, I felt terrible the next day (stomach pain), so I won't take it again.

So funny that you brought up dreams. Just last night, I had a dream that I was eating lasagna and breadsticks. Sooo vivid too! Since I haven't been sleeping well, I rarely remember dreams. But this one was so real!

Hope you start to feel better soon! This forum has saved my sanity!

Headaches are the "fun" part of detox--aren't they?? <_< UGH!!

good news....they will pass! :) Hang in there!!

PS...Love your kitty cat! adorable! :)

Marilyn R Community Regular
Marilyn R
Posted

It didn't sound petty, I completely understand...I've always been jealous of sleepers...and it's funny, I've been dealing with it for so long (even as a kid my mom said I never slept, and I remember her giving me things like gravol...and kahlua...haha when I was a teenager) that it almost seems like I function better on 5 hours of sleep (broken sleep, usually), than if a pill knocks me out for hours because my body is so used to it. To a certain extent, anyways, and usually only for a few days and then it gets bad (mood and brain-wise).

I don't have a bathtub...man, I miss baths...but I could soak my feet? I have some circulation issues, so I worry my feet will get too hot or puffy, but I'll give it a go (why not, at this point, right? LOL)

I hope to stop taking the sleeping meds at some point, just don't think I'm ready, yet

A good foot rub may be even more beneficial than a soak. I remember reading an article that there are more that 200 nerve centers connected to your feet. Then again, my memory hasn't been that magnificent, maybe it was only 100 nerve centers!

I use Bag Balm to massage my feet, and spend a few minutes massaging my feet before going to bed after a stressful day. I really think it helps. I don't care for the scent of bag balm, I may just switch to coconut oil or olive oil.

At any rate, foot massages are very relaxing, even if self-administered. ;) And it could potentially help with the poor circulation to boot...good luck!

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    • trents
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome, @catnapt! The most recent guidelines are the daily consumption of a minimum of 10g of gluten (about the amount found in 4-6 slices of wheat bread) for a minimum of two weeks. But if possible stretching that out even more would enhance the chances of getting valid test results. These guidelines are for those who have been eating gluten free for a significant amount of time. It's called the "gluten challenge".  Yes, you can develop celiac disease at any stage of life. There is a genetic component but also a stress trigger that is needed to activate the celiac genes. About 30-40% of the general population possesses the genetic potential to develop celiac disease but only about 1% of the general population actually develop celiac disease. For most with the potential, the triggering stress event doesn't happen. It can be many things but often it is a viral infection. Having said that, it is also the case that many, many people who eventually are diagnosed with celiac disease probably experienced the actual onset years before. Many celiacs are of the "silent" type, meaning that symptoms are largely missing or very minor and get overlooked until damage to the small bowel lining becomes advanced or they develop iron deficiency anemia or some other medical problem associated with celiac disease. Many, many are never diagnosed or are diagnosed later in life because they did not experience classic symptoms. And many physicians are only looking for classic symptoms. We now know that there are over 200 symptoms/medical problems associated with celiac disease but many docs are only looking for things like boating, gas, diarrhea. I certainly understand your concerns about not wanting to damage your body by taking on a gluten challenge. Your other option is to totally commit to gluten free eating and see if your symptoms improve. It can take two years or more for complete healing of the small bowel lining once going gluten free but usually people experience significant improvement well before then. If their is significant improvement in your symptoms when going seriously gluten free, then you likely have your answer. You would either have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity).
    • catnapt
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By catnapt · Posted

      after several years of issues with a para-gland issue, my endo has decided it's a good idea for me to be tested for celiac disease. I am 70 yrs old and stunned to learn that you can get celiac this late in life. I have just gradually stopped eating most foods that contain gluten over the past several years- they just make me feel ill- although I attributed it to other things like bread spiking blood sugar- or to the things I ate *with* the bread or crackers etc   I went to a party in Nov and ate a LOT of a vegan roast made with vital wheat gluten- as well as stuffing, rolls and pie crust... and OMG I was so sick! the pain, the bloating, the gas, the nausea... I didn't think it would ever end (but it did) and I was ready to go the ER but it finally subsided.   I mentioned this to my endo and now she wants me to be tested for celiac after 2 weeks of being on gluten foods. She has kind of flip flopped on how much gluten I should eat, telling me that if the symptoms are severe I can stop. I am eating 2-3 thin slices of bread per day (or english muffins) and wow- it does make me feel awful. But not as bad as when I ate that massive amnt of vital wheat gluten. so I will continue on if I have to... but what bothers me is - if it IS celiac, it seems stupid for lack of a better word, to intentionally cause more damage to my body... but I am also worried, on the other hand, that this is not a long enough challenge to make the blood work results valid.   can you give me any insight into this please?   thank you
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