Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • 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

Brain Fog


WinterSong

Recommended Posts

WinterSong Community Regular

(Diagnosed a month ago - gluten free for 3.5 weeks)

I feel like over the last few months I've been having some problems. I often get side-tracked while telling stories and forget my place. Once I stopped talking mid-sentence and couldn't remember what I was talking about. Sometimes I also don't get the order of words right in a sentence (I'll flip the noun/verb and then correct myself), and it causes me to say stupid things. It's not a major issue for me and only happens occasionally, but it's annoying and embarrassing.

I'm thinking that this is what everyone calls brain fog? Or who knows, maybe I'm just a little loopy or tired - but I feel like it's just been happening over the past few months. If it is brain fog, when does it go away?


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



thleensd Enthusiast

(Diagnosed a month ago - gluten free for 3.5 weeks)

I feel like over the last few months I've been having some problems. I often get side-tracked while telling stories and forget my place. Once I stopped talking mid-sentence and couldn't remember what I was talking about. Sometimes I also don't get the order of words right in a sentence (I'll flip the noun/verb and then correct myself), and it causes me to say stupid things. It's not a major issue for me and only happens occasionally, but it's annoying and embarrassing.

I'm thinking that this is what everyone calls brain fog? Or who knows, maybe I'm just a little loopy or tired - but I feel like it's just been happening over the past few months. If it is brain fog, when does it go away?

Yeah... sounds like the brain fog curse. =) I had a case of it for a good couple years before diagnosis (my friends joke about those being my "lost" years, since I can't remember much from that time!). I still have trouble with it, but it's getting SO much better, and I'm "normal" for longer periods of time. I still have moments where I'll just stop mid sentence... "what was I talking about?" Some people find relief right away within weeks... for me it's been two years. Try to take it in stride and allow yourself to find humor in it.

I've also noticed it's worse when I'm tired/haven't eaten in a while. I need to eat much more often now (and if you're low-carb from the lack of gluten I guess that's kind of expected). Or, sometimes it's just one of those days.

Your body working hard - it is in the process of healing... that will throw some things off.

Hang in there.

jebby Enthusiast

I experienced brain fog a lot my first 5 or 6 months of being gluten free, it seemed like it got worse with every "slip up" I made with gluten. I did some reading and found that the neurologic effects of gluten can be attributed to not having enough Vitamin B12. I started taking Vitamin B12 500 mcg per day (this is the usual dose in over the counter supplements) and since then I have not experience brain fog with any of my accidental gluten exposures.

WinterSong Community Regular

Thanks for the advice. I'm looking forward to being a little more clear again.

keithceliac2010 Rookie

Hey Jessica. Sounds like the same type of brainfog that I experienced for many years, except mine was all the time. Almost got fired from work as a result(I am in telephone customer service so when you forget what you are talking about with a customer they are much less forgiving than friends would be-LOL!!) My brain fog subsided within 48-72 hours of going gluten free and after years of walking around in a stupor, I was finally able to process my thoughts and speech again(What a relief-I was scared that I was losing my mind-seriously) When I do get accidentally glutened, the brain fog comes back within a couple hours of ingestion, and can last for a few days. Good luck. Hope the fog lifts soon for you.

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,236
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Elaine Brostrom
    Newest Member
    Elaine Brostrom
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Zuma888
      I just got my test results after a less than 2-week gluten challenge consuming about 5 g of gluten per day on average.  Anti tTG-IgA: <0.2 AU/ml (<8 is negative) IgA: 180 mg/dl (Reference range is 70-400) I previously had been on a gluten-free diet for around 3 years or so, with occasional cheating and not being strict about cross-contamination. I am however still suffering from the effects of the gluten challenge (food sensitivities, slight brain fog, weird stool, fatigue, swollen thyroid, bodyaches). Is this likely to be NCGS rather than celiac disease given the test results and my history? Note: I have one copy of HLA-DQ8.
    • trents
      How long have you been strictly gluten free? Certainly, it would be good to look into vitamin and mineral deficiencies and supplementation. The B vitamins, magnesium and D3 are all very important to neurological health. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to reverse gluten-induced neurological damage damage if it has gone on for a long time. 
    • nataliallano
      Thanks Trents I'm strict with my gluten-free diet now. I just don't feel any better. I'm going to get tested for vitamins and minerals to see if I need some supplements. For sure I got some damage that doctors call Menier's and the only way they treat it is with medicine that does damage my body more than it helps.   
    • Zuma888
      Thank you Scott for your helpful response! Based on this, would you say someone who is on a gluten-free diet - but not strict about cross-contamination and occasional cheating - and tests negative for tTg-IgA while having normal total IgA is not likely to have celiac, even if they have been 'gluten-free' for years?
    • Scott Adams
      That’s a really insightful observation about antibody testing and the gluten challenge! You’re absolutely right that antibody levels can remain elevated for months or even years after going gluten-free, especially if there’s ongoing cross-contamination or occasional slip-ups. The immune system doesn’t reset overnight—it can take time for antibodies like tTG-IgA to normalize, which is why many doctors recommend waiting at least 6–12 months of strict gluten-free eating before retesting. For someone who’s been gluten-free for less than two years or hasn’t been meticulous about avoiding cross-contact, there’s absolutely a chance they’d still test positive, since even small amounts of gluten can keep antibodies elevated. This is partly why the gluten challenge (where you eat gluten before testing) exists—it’s designed to provoke a measurable immune response in people who’ve been gluten-free long enough for antibodies to drop. But you raise a great point: the challenge isn’t perfect, and false negatives can happen if the timing or amount of gluten isn’t sufficient to trigger a strong antibody response. This is why diagnosis often combines antibody tests with other tools like genetic testing or endoscopy. Your question highlights just how nuanced celiac testing can be! For people with celiac disease hidden gluten in their diets is the main cause of elevated Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Antibodies (tTG-IgA), but there are other conditions, including cow's milk/casein intolerance, that can also cause this, and here is an article about the other possible causes:      
×
×
  • Create New...