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5 Days Gluten Free With Horrible Headaches

color-me-confused

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color-me-confused Explorer
color-me-confused
Posted

So far so good I think...but I'm getting horrible migraine-y headaches every evening around the same time. Can going gluten-free or celiac cause issues with caffeine? I typically do a cup of coffee in the AM and a cup of tea in the PM.

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Strawberry-Jam Enthusiast
Strawberry-Jam
Posted

idk, but try going a few days without the caffeine and see if it helps. I personally could never tolerate caffeine, but it made me light-headed and nauseated, not migraine-y.

color-me-confused Explorer
color-me-confused
Posted
  • Author

Day 6 and now the migraines are starting in the AM. I will try to moderate my caffeine intake...I don't think my productivity is going to be super high today.

Dixiebell Contributor
Dixiebell
Posted

Hi color, you are probably having withdrawls from stopping gluten.

Consumption of gluten triggers production of exorphins, which are opiate chemicals with similar results as endorphins---promoting feelings of calm. In some people, gluten and/or casein can mimic opiates, such as morphine and heroin. When these foods are removed, intense cravings and even drug withdrawal-like symptoms can result.

Read more: Open Original Shared Link

Cara in Boston Enthusiast
Cara in Boston
Posted

I had really bad headaches (well, actually it was just one headache that lasted days) too. They were gone by day 10. They were exactly like the headaches I got when I kicked my diet coke habit a few years ago.

I found that chocolate (lots) helped in the first two weeks of being gluten free (and strangly, I still lost about 5 pounds)

Good luck. It will get better.

Cara

color-me-confused Explorer
color-me-confused
Posted
  • Author

I had really bad headaches (well, actually it was just one headache that lasted days) too. They were gone by day 10. They were exactly like the headaches I got when I kicked my diet coke habit a few years ago.

I found that chocolate (lots) helped in the first two weeks of being gluten free (and strangly, I still lost about 5 pounds)

Good luck. It will get better.

Cara

Yes! It feels just like caffeine withdrawal headaches. Speaking of which I am definitely cutting back on the caffeine, starting tomorrow, with the goal of 100% decaf intake in a week. I might as well, the headaches can hardly get worse, right?!

healinginprogress Enthusiast
healinginprogress
Posted

Coffee can be hard on the gut when you're trying to heal it, but probably isn't causing the headaches. I had really bad headaches, too...they're lessening now, so I believe they will get better for you, as well! Gluten withdrawal is the worst...but everyone tells me it gets better, and I am gradually seeing improvements. Good luck and keep at it!

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color-me-confused Explorer
color-me-confused
Posted
  • Author

The gluten headaches are fading away, thank goodness. As I posted in my other thread the final diagnosis is for gluten sensitivity but not actual celiac disease, so I will remain gluten free since it really seems to be having a positive health effect. My joint aches and digestive upset have gone away, I have more energy, and the mental fog has cleared a bit going back to my usual ADD baseline (it had been worse over the past year). I'm going to ramp back the caffeine too, it probably isn't helping anything. Thanks for the pep talks everyone!

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

      By knitty kitty · Posted

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    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

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      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! 
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    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

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

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      Contact them.
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