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Could Gi Cause Depression And Anxiety?

Cinderella64

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Cinderella64 Newbie
Cinderella64
Posted

Hi,

I'm from Germany, female, 46 years old. 10 days ago my health practitioner diagnosed me with gluten, lactose and fructose sensitivity. My main symptoms ( since july) were pains in the stomach after almost every meal, strong gases, heart burn, feeling bloated all the time, fatigue, exhaustion, pasty stool, sleeping disorder and anxiety with depressive moods. I also have increased prolactine levels and a hypothyroidism, which are both treated.

I have visited few doctors, but at the end all of them said I'm just stressed or burn out or depressed and they wanted to give me antidepressants as the cure for all my symptoms :-/

So I accepted what the health practitioner said to me, because it makes much more sense and I started immediately with the diet. The first results are- no more gases, no more pains in the stomach, heart burn is also much better. But I'm still very anxious and have depressive moods with sleep problems. The physical symptoms are for me the sign, that the health practitioner has right, so I'm ready to follow the strict diet. Next week I will visit a gastro, to make some blood test.

My main concern are at the moment anxiety and depression. I have two kids and I'm just functioning, my marriage is in a crisis too, because I have absolutely no sex drive anymore, for the first time in my life. Tomorrow I will visit a psychotherapist, but I don't want to take normal antidepressants, I'm to afraid of the side effects. I would rather try St. John's Wort.

Is it possible, that my depression and anxiety are caused by GI ( or lactose intolerance)? Did someone also experience this problem, while having undiscovered GI? Is there a hope that with the diet I will be "normal" again? How soon those psychic symptoms can disappear?

Sorry for so many questions, I'm just desperate and I don't trust no doctor anymore...

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Lori2 Contributor
Lori2
Posted

My sleep problems clear up 100% when I am gluten free. Anxiety and depression are not major problems for me, but when present are absolutely related to gluten.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

Yes, depression and anxiety and also a lack of interest in sex can be related to gluten problems. Things will get better soon.

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis and have always been told NOT to use SJW. You should read this article Open Original Shared Link

Also, it can take a while - months or more to heal from gluten issues.

You need to be strict with your diet and have patience.

Good luck!

Cinderella64 Newbie
Cinderella64
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for your answers! So, there is hope that my anxiety, depressive moods and fatigue will disappear with the time? I have another question- I read that the antibodies stay in the blood even after few weeks on gluten free diat, so it's not necessary to interrupt the diet for the blood tests.I just don't have the courage to start with gluten again, only to make the tests...Did some one make this experience too?

Thanks!

Cinderella64 Newbie
Cinderella64
Posted
  • Author

Sorry, another question- during last 8 weeks I have lost 4 kg weight. I thought, now on a gluten free diet this will stop, but during last 10 days I'm still loosing my weight-another 2 kg. I'm already slim, (173 cm, 58 kg) so I'm quite concerned about it. Well, since 10 days I don't eat bread, cookies, diary products, chocolate and no sugar at all, my health practitioner told me to avoid lactose and fructose too for the next 4 weeks till he will tests me again.

Is it normal to loose the weight on a gluten free diet? I would be unhappy to loose all my curves ;-)

thanks!

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Thank you for your answers! So, there is hope that my anxiety, depressive moods and fatigue will disappear with the time? I have another question- I read that the antibodies stay in the blood even after few weeks on gluten free diat, so it's not necessary to interrupt the diet for the blood tests.I just don't have the courage to start with gluten again, only to make the tests...Did some one make this experience too?

Thanks!

You do have to be actively consuming gluten for the antibody tests to have a chance of showing positive. For the blood work you need to go back on gluten. Your health practioner should have tested you before telling you to go gluten free.

However if you find relief from the gluten free diet then you have the answer as to whether you need it or not.

It can take some time for the neuro effects to resolve but for many of us they do. For myself depression is one of the first symptoms I have that I have gotten glutened.

As to the weight issue. What are you eating? Go with as much whole unprocessed foods as you can. Meats, rice, potatos, beans etc in their whole unprocessed form are going to be safest. Your weight should normalize after you have been on the diet for bit.

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lemontree1 Rookie
lemontree1
Posted

I've only been gluten free for a few days now, but already my depression and anxiety are gone, and I have moments of actually feeling happy. It's been a really long time since I actually felt like smiling or laughing. Though I don't yet have the energy I want, I am getting glimpses of "the good life". I'm really looking forward to the next few months as my body heals, so I can be back to doing the things I love.

eyedltr Newbie
eyedltr
Posted

Cinderalla64,

Weight loss is very, very common especially if you are having issues with anxiety. Even after going gluten-free you may still lose some weight.

As far as the antibody test, you do not necessarily need to go back on gluten. Depending on your antibody levels (initial diagnosis can be above 180 - normal is <10), they will still be above 10 up to 6 months to a year.

However, antibody tests miss about 10-15% of those that should be positive.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I had not only depression and anxiety but bipolar illness on gluten. It took quite a while for me to figure out that I needed not only a gluten-free diet but a lot of vitamins and minerals for my mental health to improve. Once I stopped taking meds and started on a potent vitamin, mineral, and trace element supplement designed for people with bipolar, it took about three months for my mental health to return to normal.

As far as an antidepressant, if you need one for a bit, take it! Side effects can be quite mild from some of the newer antidepressants and you won't know until you try. Depression is really hard on you and your family and I've personally found minor side effects far preferable to suffering through a depression. I thought I was done with antidepressants for good and then my thyroid started fluctuating this summer. I got hyperthyroid, then very hypo. My doctor talked me into trying a low dose of Welbutrin while we were trying to figure out what was going on and whether it was safe to treat me with more levothyroxine. It messed up my sleep a little BUT it pulled me out of a bad depression in only a week. I stayed on it for about a month while we started me on a new dose of thyroid. The antidepressant was a very helpful tool while we were figuring things out.

Antibodies should be still around after a few weeks gluten-free. If you wait a couple months and get a negative test you might always wonder if the test was real, though. When I talked to my doctor I had been gluten-free for four months and he said it wasn't worth testing.

You are probably losing weight because you have cut out a lot of rich foods. Also, we tend to be a little bloated from inflammation so you probably lost some water weight. For bread and cookies you should be able to find Schär brand products in Germany. Open Original Shared Link Nuts and avocados are also good for keeping weight on, and drizzle some olive oil on your salads. You can also add calories with richer meats than you might have been eating. Once you're allowed sugar again, have some marzipan for me. It's hard to find good marzipan in the states! I think you keep it all in Germany. ;)

ArtistinChina Newbie
ArtistinChina
Posted

Well, I am at the opposite of you guys I think. I am right now depressed and some kind anxious because I am on a GI diet. I am usually highly energetic, self-motivated. Right now, I am so discouraged because after each meal I must take a 2 hours sleep...I have no energy anymore. It seems like my battery is so low. I got my blood test done, waiting for results in a day or two. I cooked for myself gluten free, soya and corn free too. But at this stage, it seems like my internal organs are so inflammated that nothing goes smooth. Any tips to recover from that stage? I am sick of eating rice and quinoa...please...

Cinderella64 Newbie
Cinderella64
Posted
  • Author

I had not only depression and anxiety but bipolar illness on gluten. It took quite a while for me to figure out that I needed not only a gluten-free diet but a lot of vitamins and minerals for my mental health to improve. Once I stopped taking meds and started on a potent vitamin, mineral, and trace element supplement designed for people with bipolar, it took about three months for my mental health to return to normal.

As far as an antidepressant, if you need one for a bit, take it! Side effects can be quite mild from some of the newer antidepressants and you won't know until you try. Depression is really hard on you and your family and I've personally found minor side effects far preferable to suffering through a depression. I thought I was done with antidepressants for good and then my thyroid started fluctuating this summer. I got hyperthyroid, then very hypo. My doctor talked me into trying a low dose of Welbutrin while we were trying to figure out what was going on and whether it was safe to treat me with more levothyroxine. It messed up my sleep a little BUT it pulled me out of a bad depression in only a week. I stayed on it for about a month while we started me on a new dose of thyroid. The antidepressant was a very helpful tool while we were figuring things out.

Antibodies should be still around after a few weeks gluten-free. If you wait a couple months and get a negative test you might always wonder if the test was real, though. When I talked to my doctor I had been gluten-free for four months and he said it wasn't worth testing.

You are probably losing weight because you have cut out a lot of rich foods. Also, we tend to be a little bloated from inflammation so you probably lost some water weight. For bread and cookies you should be able to find Sch

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

As I mentioned, for me there were nutritional problems. I had enough malabsorption that apparently I was short all sorts of vitamins and trace elements and it affected my mind. I did NOT heal until I figured this out with the help of a friend who is a naturopathic psychiatrist. Many of us celiacs are deficient on B12, D, selenium, and other nutrients. Even moderate B12 deficiency can make you depressed. I am still on my EMPowerPlus vitamin/trace/mineral supplement, vitamin D, and fish oil. The fish oil is incredibly important. If I don't take enough I don't sleep well! I take a triple-strength mercury free fish oil, 1-2 capsules a day. I think the EMPowerPlus I take ships internationally. Open Original Shared Link It is expensive, but for me it cost less than meds and doctor visits.

I would strongly encourage you to start taking the best multivitamin you can find and some fish oil. Don't get a cheap multivitamin. Half the time the tablets don't even dissolve. Get EMPowerPlus or another high quality brand with plenty of B-complex and trace elements. You'll also want to go onto a probiotic for a bit to help heal the gut and improve your absorption of the vitamins. Another trick is inositol. Inositol powder is very safe and has been tested up to 12g/day for depression and anxiety. It's mildly sweet and you can put a few grams in water and sip it over the course of the day.

Thanks for the virtual marzipan! I'm going to have to go to an import store this weekend and see if I can find something good. B)

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    • trents
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