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

Stress + Symptoms

cait k

Recommended Posts

cait k Newbie
cait k
Posted

Hey everybody. This is my first time posting to the site.. i was diagnosed with celiac last summer (took them 5 years to finally diagnose it) and i have been gluten free since last may/june. My symptoms have improved but not completely gone away- i went to a specialist and he said sometimes it takes over a year so i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

However, i am in law school and at especially stressful times- like right now during finals- my symptoms become horrible. It is almost like i am back to pre-diagnosed times. I'm having digestive issues, bloating, cramping, headaches, extreme fatigue, skin issues, hair loss, bloody noses...basically you name it and i have it. I'm taking vitamins and normally eat pretty well.. my main question is does anybody else notice your symptoms getting much worse in times of stress? I'm generally a very stressed out person so maybe thats why my symptoms have not gone away totally..but in times like this i am completely miserable. And it makes studying for (already horrible) law exams that much more difficult.

I know that stress can make diseases worse in general, but i'm just wondering if anybody else has encountered this problem?

Thanks!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


tictax707 Apprentice
tictax707
Posted

first of all - welcome!! So the uh, "good news" is that you definitely aren't alone. I've found that my digestive system is much more sensitive in times of stress. And everything just funnels into my being really off balance (lack of sleep, etc). And then, at times when I feel like maybe I made it through a stressful episode with my system in tact, it goes all to peices right AFTER the stress passes. :huh: yeah. I can't win. But, I do think that with time the symptoms will get less severe even during stressful times. But for the big picture - just keep taking care of yourself the best you possibly can. :D

cait k Newbie
cait k
Posted
  • Author

Thanks! Well i guess there's comfort in knowing other people have the same issues.. it's just super disheartening and frustrating! Doing everything right and still feeling this badly. :(

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted

OOOH yeah, I al 5 months pregnant now and the stress is kicking up my symptoms. I'm sorry you have to deal with this!

cait k Newbie
cait k
Posted
  • Author

I cant even imagine how hard that must be!

sb2178 Enthusiast
sb2178
Posted

Have you been eating out more? I tend to eat out (or prepared/packaged foods) more when busy/stressed, and then the contamination adds up to enough to start symptoms over a few weeks even if any one meal would not affect me.

NorthernElf Enthusiast
NorthernElf
Posted

Seems to me that the intestinal tract is wired directly to your brain, ha ha. When one gets stressed out, the gut reacts. When I get stressed I actually eat less because things bother me - things that normally wouldn't.

I agree that processed stuff is gonna affect you even more so. In times of stress, try to eat 'clean' - food that still looks like it was originally ! Additives, preservatives, etc. just don't help gut function.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


tictax707 Apprentice
tictax707
Posted

"Seems to me that the intestinal tract is wired directly to your brain..."

Actually, it IS... we aren't nuts. it's called the enteric nervous system.

Open Original Shared Link

K8ling Enthusiast
K8ling
Posted

My husband says that all emotion is directed through my stomach first LOL

cait k Newbie
cait k
Posted
  • Author

haha yeah i have heard it is directly related. I do not eat out more when im stressed i am more like NorthernElf in that i just eat way less because i dont want to be sick all the time and dont have time to deal with it. So i definitely have not been contaminated bc i literally have been a hermit in my apartment studying and only have gluten-free food and gluten-free appliances in the apartment. :( wish we could cut the link between brain and digestion! would make life a lot easier

sb2178 Enthusiast
sb2178
Posted

Maybe look into one of the Mindfulness programs? I've heard pretty good things about them for general calming of stress-related symptoms for various things.

sunnydayzahead Rookie
sunnydayzahead
Posted

Maybe look into one of the Mindfulness programs? I've heard pretty good things about them for general calming of stress-related symptoms for various things.

I agree completely with sb2178- I have recently started using a mindfullness meditation for stress and it really is amazing. My celiac and colitis both seem to respond negatively to stress. Now I have started using an IPOD before bed and doing a lying down meditation for twenty minutes and wow the difference is amazing. The one I use is by Jon Kabat-Zinn (sp?) I have read that it can actually show changes with the brain on an MRI with before and after pictures of someone using mindfulness training, which really is a more modern/revised form of meditation. There are sitting up meditations also that you can do in the day in between studying - they say the brain is just like any other muscle - so if we practice with it using mindfullness it should be better for us all around. I think you can download them or do them right online - even the twenty minutes makes a huge difference for me.

Good luck with your studies!!

Korwyn Explorer
Korwyn
Posted

Also some of those symptoms could be related to hypoadrenia (impaired or low adrenal function). Not enough to measure as Addisons, but significantly low. This will affect your cortisol, insulin, estrogen/testosterone and all their precursors which will whack out all your hormones including your stress hormones.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,858
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Janet1234
    Newest Member
    Janet1234
    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

    • Rogol72
      Ibuprofen

      By Rogol72 · Posted

      Some interesting articles regarding the use of Zinc Carnosine to help heal gastric ulcers, gastritis and intestinal permeability. I would consult a medical professional about it's use. https://www.nature.com/articles/ncpgasthep0778 https://www.rupahealth.com/post/clinical-applications-of-zinc-carnosine---evidence-review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7146259/ https://www.fallbrookmedicalcenter.com/zinc-l-carnosine-benefits-dosage-and-safety/
    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      He is. Which makes everything even more difficult. I’m not a believer in “staying for the kids” but I have nowhere to go and it’s not just me, it’s me plus my babies. We live in a beautiful place, lots of land in the country and me and the kids love the place we’ve called home for their entire lives. But Im seeing that he’ll never change, that my kids deserve a happy healthy Momma, and that staying in this as is will be the early death of me. Then I look at the scars covering my entire body…this disease and the chronic stress I’ve been enduring for years that tell me I’m no longer beautiful and no one will ever look at me with interest again. I try self care, try to give myself grace so I can just start loving myself enough to gain strength but the slightest sparkle in my eye and skip in my step attracts his wrath and it all comes crashing ten fold. Life is just absolutely railing me from every single direction leaving me wanting to wave that white flag bc I don’t feel like there’s much hope no matter what happens. 
    • trents
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By trents · Posted

      Is this man the father of your children?
    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      Hi, I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis after years of suffering without answers. I lost my mind. I lost my job. I lost so much time. I lost Me. Conventional doctors are opulent come near me and the one who did sat across the room, misdiagnosed me, pumped me full of steroids which collapsed my entire hip for 6 months. So without answers I began my holistic journey. Fast forward a couple of years and still struggling with a mysterious whole body itchy, crawling “skin hell”, perfect teeth now deteriorating, thick hair now thinning rapidly and no more than a day or 2 at most relief….An acquaintance opened up a functional medicine practice. Cash only, I found a way. Within a month tests clearly showing my off the charts gluten allergy/sensitivity as well as the depletion of vital nutrients due to leaky gut and intestinal damage. dermatitis herpetiformis was more than likely what I was experiencing with my skin. I was happy. I thought this is easy, eat healthy Whole Foods, follow the diet restrictions and I finally get to heal and feel confident and like myself again very soon! 😔 Supplements are very pricey but I got them and began my healing. Which leads to the other major issue: not working, stay at home Mom of young kids, entirely financially dependent on my man of 7 plus years. He’s never been supportive of anything I’ve ever done or been thru. He controls everything. I’m not given much money ever at a time and when he does leave money it’s only enough to possibly get gas. His excuse is that I’ll spend it on other things. So my “allowance” is inconsistent and has conditions. He withholds money from me as punishment for anything he wants. Since being diagnosed, he’s gained a new control tactic to use as punishment. He now is in control of when I get to eat. He asked for proof of my diagnosis and diet bc he said I made it up just to be able to eat expensive organic foods. Then after I sent him my file from my doctor he then said she wasn’t a real doctor. 😡. I go days upon days starving, sometimes breaking down and eating things I shouldn’t bc I’m so sick then I pay horribly while he gets annoyed and angry bc I’m not keeping up with all the duties I’m supposed to be doing. His abuse turns full on when I’m down and it’s in these desperate times when I need his support and care the most that I’m punished with silence, being starved, ignored, belittled. He will create more of a mess just bc I’m unable to get up and clean so that when I am better, I’m so overwhelmed with chores to catch up that the stress causes me to go right back into a flare from hell and the cycle repeats. I’m punished for being sick. I’m belittled for starving and asking for healthy clean water. I’m purposely left out of his life. He won’t even tell me he’s going to the grocery or to get dinner bc he doesn’t want me to ask him for anything. I have no one. I have nothing. Im not better. My supplements ran out and I desperately need Vitamin D3 and a methylated B complex at the very minimal just to function….he stares at me blankly…no, a slight smirk, no words. He’s happiest when im miserable and I am miserable.  this is so long and im condensing as much as I can but this situation is so complicated and disgusting. And it’s currently my life. The “IT” girl, the healthy, beautiful, perfect skin, perfect teeth, thick and curly locks for days, creative and talented IT girl….now I won’t even leave this house bc Im ashamed of what this has dont to my body, my skin. Im disgusted. The stress is keeping me from healing and I think he knows that and that’s why he continues to keep me in that state. He doesn’t want me confident or successful. He doesn’t want me healed and healthy bc then how would he put the blame of all his problems on me? This journey has been hell and I’ve been in Hell before. I’ve been killed by an ex, I’ve been raped, robbed, held hostage, abused beyond nightmares but the cruelty I’ve experienced from him bc of this disease is the coldest I’ve ever experienced. I’ve wanted to give up. Starving and in tears, desperate…I found a local food pantry in our small town so I reached out just saying I had Celiac and was on hard times. This woman is blessing me daily with prepared gluten free meals, donations, educational info, people who know this disease and how they manage life and the blessings just keep coming. But it’s overwhelming and I feel like I don’t deserve it at all. He just glared and I know he’s going to sabotage it somehow. I don’t even know what to do anymore. I’m so broken and just want peace and healing. 
    • cristiana
      Ibuprofen

      By cristiana · Posted

      @Colleen H   I am just curious,  when you were tested for coeliac disease, did the doctors find out if you had any deficiencies? Sometimes muscle pain can be caused by certain deficiencies, for example, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium.   Might be worth looking into having some more tests.  Pins and needles can be neuropathy, again caused by deficiencies, such as iron and B12,  which can be reversed if these deficiencies are addressed. In the UK where I live we are usually only tested for iron, B12 and vitamin D deficiencies at diagnosis.   I was very iron anemic and supplementation made a big difference.  B12 was low normal, but in other countries the UK's low normal would be considered a deficiency.  My vitamin D was low normal, and I've been supplementing ever since (when I remember to take it!) My pins and needles definitely started to improve when my known deficiencies were addressed.  My nutritionist also gave me a broad spectrum supplement which really helped, because I suspect I wasn't just deficient in what I mention above but in many other vitamins and minerals.  But a word of warning, don't take iron unless blood tests reveal you actually need it, and if you are taking it your levels must be regularly monitored because too much can make you ill.  (And if you are currently taking iron, that might actually be making your stomach sore - it did mine, so my GP changed my iron supplementation to a gentler form, ferrous gluconate). Lastly, have you been trying to take anything to lessen the pain in your gut?  I get a sore stomach periodically, usually when I've had too much rich food, or when I have had to take an aspirin or certain antibiotics, or after glutening.  When this happens, I take for just a few days a small daily dose of OTC omeprazole.  I also follow a reflux or gastritis diet. There are lots online but the common denominators to these diets is you need to cut out caffeine, alcohol, rich, spicy, acidic food etc and eat small regularly spaced meals.   When I get a sore stomach, I also find it helpful to drink lots of water.  I also find hot water with a few slices of ginger very soothing to sip, or camomile tea.  A wedge pillow at night is good for reflux. Also,  best not to eat a meal 2-3 hours before going to bed. If the stomach pain is getting worse, though, it would be wise to see the doctor again. I hope some of this helps. Cristiana    
×
×
  • 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.