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

Brain Fog

Gluten Free Traveller

Recommended Posts

Gluten Free Traveller Newbie
Gluten Free Traveller
Posted

Hi everyone,

I know there have been posts on brain fog before but nothing too recently so I wanted to ask if anyone could help me..

I was diagnosed as celiac a little over 2 years ago and have been completely gluten free ever since. I am extremely careful about what I eat and have been feeling great since all my horrible symptoms left.

Recently however I've been getting really bad brain fog. It makes it difficult to concentrate and I feel as though I'm only half here. I feel spacey and out of it. I have no idea whats causing it. Could it be stress? Something I'm lacking from what I eat? I was at my doctor for a physical less than 4 weeks ago where they did lots of blood tests and everything came back normal except that I have low iron. I'm not anemic as my red blood count is fine but it was suggested I take multi vitamins which I do now.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Any tips on how to get rid of it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Laura

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GlutenDude Newbie
GlutenDude
Posted

Hi Traveller. Brain fog is a big symptom for me and really hard to explain to other people, but I totally understand it. While it certainly could be something non-celiac related, my assumption is that it is not. Whenever it happens to me now, and especially if I am also really tired, it means I've been glutened somehow. I'm as careful as they get, but I can only assume some gluten sneaks in at times, whether thru cross contamination or some other innocuous way.

saintmaybe Collaborator
saintmaybe
Posted

Hi everyone,

I know there have been posts on brain fog before but nothing too recently so I wanted to ask if anyone could help me..

I was diagnosed as celiac a little over 2 years ago and have been completely gluten free ever since. I am extremely careful about what I eat and have been feeling great since all my horrible symptoms left.

Recently however I've been getting really bad brain fog. It makes it difficult to concentrate and I feel as though I'm only half here. I feel spacey and out of it. I have no idea whats causing it. Could it be stress? Something I'm lacking from what I eat? I was at my doctor for a physical less than 4 weeks ago where they did lots of blood tests and everything came back normal except that I have low iron. I'm not anemic as my red blood count is fine but it was suggested I take multi vitamins which I do now.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Any tips on how to get rid of it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Laura

Have you started using any new skin or hair products recently? Many times, a sudden change can be as a result not of diet, but of the beauty regimen. I would recommend throwing away any gluten-containing conditioners, lotions, soaps, lip balms, makeups, etc. Major, major source of overlooked cross contamination.

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

I've been going round and round with iron and vit d - blood work shows im low on both.

I noticed a big increase in energy and clarity and "wanna go go go" when I started taking higher doses of them. So maybe the iron will help??

Btw - iron does make me a bit sick at my stomach but it improves every day.

Gluten Free Traveller Newbie
Gluten Free Traveller
Posted
  • Author

Hi Traveller. Brain fog is a big symptom for me and really hard to explain to other people, but I totally understand it. While it certainly could be something non-celiac related, my assumption is that it is not. Whenever it happens to me now, and especially if I am also really tired, it means I've been glutened somehow. I'm as careful as they get, but I can only assume some gluten sneaks in at times, whether thru cross contamination or some other innocuous way.

Interesting. Yes, it really is difficult to explain to others who don't experience it. How long does your brain fog usually last? For me it's currently been over a week but at certain times it's worse than others...not sure why. A lot of people have been suggesting that it could be that I'm not getting enough fatty acids like omega 3. I'm going to try to incorporate more salmon, etc and see if it makes a difference.

Gluten Free Traveller Newbie
Gluten Free Traveller
Posted
  • Author

Have you started using any new skin or hair products recently? Many times, a sudden change can be as a result not of diet, but of the beauty regimen. I would recommend throwing away any gluten-containing conditioners, lotions, soaps, lip balms, makeups, etc. Major, major source of overlooked cross contamination.

I haven't started using anything new as far as I can remember. I'm not a big make-up wearing person and I've been using the same type of shampoo for a long time.

srall Contributor
srall
Posted

The vitamins B and D, plus iron supplements help me a lot. A few weeks ago I was trying to give up coffee. So I switched to tea. I noticed that I was having brain fog, not terrible, but feeling a little "drunk" and out of it. So I switched back to coffee and I feel better. I don't think it was caffeine withdrawal b/c my coffee is mostly decaf. I believe the tea bags were a problem.

I hate that feeling and I really hope you get it figured out quickly.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GlutenDude Newbie
GlutenDude
Posted

Interesting. Yes, it really is difficult to explain to others who don't experience it. How long does your brain fog usually last? For me it's currently been over a week but at certain times it's worse than others...not sure why. A lot of people have been suggesting that it could be that I'm not getting enough fatty acids like omega 3. I'm going to try to incorporate more salmon, etc and see if it makes a difference.

It really varies, and I'm pretty sure it all depends on how much gluten I ingested. It's been five years and I still can't figure this crazy disease out.

o2guy Rookie
o2guy
Posted

I seem to have more brain fog when my B12 levels are low I have been on B12 injections for over 10 years and that's one of the symptoms I have when I'm low

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

I get brain fog as an indication of contamination. I've recently been doing a bunch of eliminations to get rid of mine. I eliminated stuff one thing at a time for a few days each to see if it went away. I finally figured it out. It was my tea. Glad I did. I need a clear head for my work.

Leper Messiah Apprentice
Leper Messiah
Posted

Hi Traveller. Brain fog is a big symptom for me and really hard to explain to other people, but I totally understand it. While it certainly could be something non-celiac related, my assumption is that it is not. Whenever it happens to me now, and especially if I am also really tired, it means I've been glutened somehow. I'm as careful as they get, but I can only assume some gluten sneaks in at times, whether thru cross contamination or some other innocuous way.

I agree with GlutenDude, this is a surefire sign for me that I've been glutened. It's never actually eating gluten so to speak for me - avoiding directly eating gluten is generally the easy part of my daily gluten fight, it's always CC, I have to be uber careful with food and food preparation areas. Hope this helps you start avoiding the fog - oh and I generally correlate brain fog with having just been glutened (as opposed to a delayed reaction caused by a historic glutening) my reactions last for 2 weeks so this distinction is vital for me, it might be that your reactions are shorter/different though.

Katrala Contributor
Katrala
Posted

and I generally correlate brain fog with having just been glutened (as opposed to a delayed reaction caused by a historic glutening)

I'm the same way. I get brain fog and usually pinpoint it to a recent CC.

The best thing I've found that helps me is lots of water. I've tried caffeine, etc. but nothing else seems to help. The water thing could be completely mental, but it does seem to make a little bit of a difference.

cyberprof Enthusiast
cyberprof
Posted

Hi everyone,

I know there have been posts on brain fog before but nothing too recently so I wanted to ask if anyone could help me..

I was diagnosed as celiac a little over 2 years ago and have been completely gluten free ever since. I am extremely careful about what I eat and have been feeling great since all my horrible symptoms left.

Recently however I've been getting really bad brain fog. It makes it difficult to concentrate and I feel as though I'm only half here. I feel spacey and out of it. I have no idea whats causing it. Could it be stress? Something I'm lacking from what I eat? I was at my doctor for a physical less than 4 weeks ago where they did lots of blood tests and everything came back normal except that I have low iron. I'm not anemic as my red blood count is fine but it was suggested I take multi vitamins which I do now.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Any tips on how to get rid of it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Laura

Others may be right about the CC but some sub-lingual B12 couldn't hurt. The tested levels may not be accurate. Magnesium is another one that I take that could be helpful.

Leper Messiah Apprentice
Leper Messiah
Posted

I'm the same way. I get brain fog and usually pinpoint it to a recent CC.

The best thing I've found that helps me is lots of water. I've tried caffeine, etc. but nothing else seems to help. The water thing could be completely mental, but it does seem to make a little bit of a difference.

Yeah water helps me too, takes the edge off it, although need to be near a loo :)

George Knighton Apprentice
George Knighton
Posted

Have you tried eating more foods with iron in them?

Gfresh404 Enthusiast
Gfresh404
Posted

It's a little scary how much you sound like me. I'm having the same exact issues and people were suggesting that it might have been my thyroid but all tests came back normal except my iron was low. I've started taking iron supplements and i can't tell yet if they're working or it's just placebo effect.

For me mild brain fog is not CC. Severe brain fog is when I am glutened.

I really don't KNOW what causes it - I think it's just from having a slightly damaged gut - I know that's really vague but I am sorta out of ideas at this point

Gluten Free Traveller Newbie
Gluten Free Traveller
Posted
  • Author

Have you tried eating more foods with iron in them?

I'm eating a huge spinach salad right now. :)

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,398
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Megannnnn
    Newest Member
    Megannnnn
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Coeliac UK Research Conference 2025

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Thanks for sharing this!
    • Scott Adams
      Shingles - Could It Be Related to Gluten/ Celiac

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had the same thing happen to me at around your age, and to this day it's the most painful experience I've ever had. For me it was the right side of my head, above my ear, running from my nerves in my neck. For years before my outbreak I felt a tingling sensation shooting along the exact nerves that ended up exactly where the shingles blisters appeared. I highly recommend the two shot shingles vaccine as soon as your turn 50--I did this because I started to get the same tingling sensations in the same area, and after the vaccines I've never felt that again.  As you likely know, shingles is caused by chicken pox, which was once though of as one of those harmless childhood viruses that everyone should catch in the wild--little did they know that it can stay in your nervous system for your entire life, and cause major issues as you age.
    • trents
      Blood tests low iGA 4 years later digestive issues

      By trents · Posted

      Keep us posted.
    • Clear2me
      Gluten free nuts

      By Clear2me · Posted

      Thanks for the info. I recently moved to CA from Wyoming and in that western region the Costco and Sam's /Walmart Brands have many nuts and more products that are labeled gluten free. I was told it's because those products are packaged and processed  in different  plants. Some plants can be labeled  gluten free because the plant does not also package gluten products and they know that for example the trucks, containers equipment are not used to handle wheat, barely or Rye. The Walmart butter in the western region says gluten free but not here. Most of The Kirkland and Members Mark brands in CA say they are from Vietnam. That's not the case in Wyoming and Colorado. I've spoken to customer service at the stores here in California. They were not helpful. I check labels every time I go to the store. The stores where I am are a Sh*tshow. The Magalopoly grocery chain Vons/Safeway/Albertsons, etc. are the same. Fishers and Planters brands no longer say gluten free. It could be regional. There are nuts with sugar coatings and fruit and nut mixes at the big chains that are labeled gluten free but I don't want the fruit or sugar.  It's so difficult I am considering moving again. I thought it would be easier to find safe food in a more populated area. It's actually worse.  I was undiagnosed for most of my life but not because I didn't try to figure it out. So I have had all the complications possible. I don't have any spare organs left.  No a little gluten will hurt you. The autoimmune process continues to destroy your organs though you may not feel it. If you are getting a little all the time and as much as we try we probably all are and so the damage is happening. Now the FDA has pretty much abandoned celiacs. There are no requirements for labeling for common allergens on medications. All the generic drugs made outside the US are not regulated for common allergens and the FDA is taking the last gluten free porcine Thyroid med, NP Thyroid, off the market in 2026. I was being glutened by a generic levothyroxin. The insurance wouldn't pay for the gluten free brand any longer because the FDA took them all off their approved formulary. So now I am paying $147 out of pocket for NP Thyroid but shortly I will have no safe choice. Other people with allergies should be aware that these foreign generic pharmaceutical producers are using ground shellfish shell as pill coatings and anti-desicants. The FDA knows this but  now just waits for consumers to complain or die. The take over of Wholefoods by Amazon destroyed a very reliable source of good high quality food for people with allergies and for people who wanted good reliably organic food. Bezos thought  he could make a fortune off people who were paying alot for organic and allergen free food by substituting cheap brands from Thailand. He didn't understand who the customers were who were willing to pay more for that food and why. I went from spending hundreds to nothing because Bezo removed every single trusted brand that I was buying. Now they are closing Whole foods stores across the country. In CA, Mill Valley store (closed July 2025) and the National Blvd. store in West Los Angeles (closed October 2025). The Cupertino store will close.  In recent years I have learned to be careful and trust no one. I have been deleberately glutened in a restaurant that was my favorite (a new employee). The Chef owner was not in the kitchen that night. I've had  a metal scouring pad cut up over my food.The chain offered gluten free dishes but it only takes one crazy who thinks you're a problem as a food fadist. Good thing I always look. Good thing they didn't do that to food going to a child with a busy mom.  I give big tips and apologize for having to ask in restaurants but mental illness seem to be rampant. I've learn the hard way.          I don't buy any processed food that doesn't say gluten free.  I am a life long Catholic. I worked for the Church while at college. I don't go to Church anymore because the men at the top decided Jesus is gluten. The special hosts are gluten less not gluten free. No I can't drink wine after people with gluten in their mouth and a variety of deadly germs. I have been abandoned and excluded by my Church/Family.  Having nearly died several times, safe food is paramount. If your immune system collapses as mine did, you get sepsis. It can kill you very quickly. I spent 5 days unconscious and had to have my appendix and gall bladder removed because they were necrotic. I was 25. They didn't figure out I had celiac till I was 53. No one will take the time to tell you what can happen when your immune system gets overwhelmed from its constant fighting the gluten and just stops. It is miserable that our food is processed so carelessly. Our food in many aspects is not safe. And the merging of all the grocery chains has made it far worse. Its a disaster. Krogers also recently purchased Vitacost where I was getting the products I could no longer get at Whole Foods. Kroger is eliminating those products from Vitacost just a Bezos did from WF. I am looking for reliable and certified sources for nuts. I have lived the worst consequences of the disease and being exposed unknowingly and maliciously. Once I was diagnosed I learned way more than anyone should have to about the food industry.  I don't do gray areas. And now I dont eat out except very rarely.  I have not eaten fast food for 30 years before the celiac diagnosis. Gluten aside..... It's not food and it's not safe.  No one has got our backs. Sharing safe food sources is one thing we can do to try to be safe.        
    • Mmoc
      Blood tests low iGA 4 years later digestive issues

      By Mmoc · Posted

      Thank you kindly for your response. I have since gotten the other type of bloods done and am awaiting results. 
×
×
  • 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.