Why Am I So Tired After Eating?

[birdie22]

The past few days I've been exhausted after a meal. I've been mostly gluten-free for about 3wks now (though I know I've been glutened a few times). Yesterday I was exhausted immediately after breakfast which was an Udi bagel w/ laughing cow cheese and coffee w/ soy creamer and then again immediately following dinner which was beef chili and baked potato w/ non-dairy butter and sour cream. This afternoon I was exhausted immediately after lunch which was Udi grain bagel with tuna salad (gluten-free mayo), and green grapes.

I feel the fatigue behind my eyes like I just want to put my head down. My body doesn't feel fatigued and I wouldn't classify it as foggy brain because I can think clearly, but the exhaustion feels limited to/centered in my head if that makes sense.

I take a daily multivitamin. Any thoughts as to why this is creeping in after 3wks gluten-free?

[sariesue]

This might be unrelated but why are you switching back and forth between dairy and non-dairy products? Do you have a problem with dairy products? Cheese, sour cream, and mayo all contain dairy.

[birdie22]

This might be unrelated but why are you switching back and forth between dairy and non-dairy products? Do you have a problem with dairy products? Cheese, sour cream, and mayo all contain dairy.

I don't believe I have a dairy issue. I just happen to like soy creamer

[bartfull]

I was that way before I went gluten free. I had terrible insomnia most nights, but I'd finally just get up and start my day at one AM. After a while I would get hungry and eat an english muffin. About fifteen minutes later, I couldn't keep my eyes open and I would go take a nap.

I even tried eating before bed and yes, I could get to sleep! Unfortunately, I'd wake up two hours later and be wide awake for hours.

I DO remember that when I first went gluten free I was eating a lot of fruit, and that made me really tired. My sugar was spiking, then dropping. Maybe the Udi's carbs are causing it. Try staying away from sugars and carbs for a few days and see if there's any improvement. Then, after you've been on the diet for a while, you can start adding them back in.

[birdie22]

This might be unrelated but why are you switching back and forth between dairy and non-dairy products? Do you have a problem with dairy products? Cheese, sour cream, and mayo all contain dairy.

Ok, I may need to take back what I posted earlier. I think maybe I do have a lactose issue...either primary or 2ndary to the gluten. After work I had a glass of skim milk and some Pirate Booty and w/in 15-20min I was uncomfortably bloated and visibly distended...which has been my main symptom I've been trying to solve for about a 1yr. I've had small amounts of dairy here and there, hard cheese, low fat ice cream, creamer, that haven't seemed to affect me. But maybe the small amounts are causing the exhaustion and the straight dairy causing the bloating?

Now I'm thinking I need to go gluten-free and DF and then trial adding gluten back in and see if it's gluten and dairy or just dairy or what. AAAHHHH so confusing!

[GlutenDude]

Be careful on your servings. If I eat too much, I get blindsided by exhaustion. Otherwise, it could be that your body is working double overtime as it begins to heal so it saps the energy a bit. Hang in there.

[Skylark]

For me too much starch will do it. I'll sometimes have an overwhelming need for a nap after eating a bunch of white rice. Gluten-free baked goods like Udi's are quite a bit starchier than wheat so you may have shifted your diet to too much starch. White potatoes are also terrible for blood sugar if you tend towards hypoglycemia.

You can see if it's blood sugar by limiting high glycemic index foods like potato starch and rice flour for a few days. Have only small servings of starchy foods and fruits, more protein, and lots of veggies. For breakfast, have an egg for protein and only half the bagel for example. Have your chili but fill up on salad and only have a little potato. Choose lower glycemic foods like brown rice over white, sweet potatoes over white, and so forth.

I also wonder about soy sensitivity.

[birdie22]

Thanks all for the advice and suggestions. This morning I had an Udi's bagel with PB and J and coffee w/ soy creamer and didn't experience the exhaustion but did feel bloated and uncomfortable following. Can't figure out why as I haven't had the bloating after Udi's or PB before. All of this trial and error of what causes what is so frustrating. Could I just be still recovering from yesterday and reacting to everything?

[Reba32]

it all is rather high in carbohydrates, with not a lot of protein, and very little fat. Your body NEEDS fat and proteins in order to function properly. Try getting rid of about half the refined and starchy carbs, and replace with healthy fats and proteins, and full fat cheeses rather than low fat.

[birdie22]

I tried the lactose again just to see what would happen. Yesterday I had a glass of milk on an empty stomach and w/in 20mins a wave of exhaustion hit me and my stomach ballooned. Then I felt fine about 1-2hrs later.

Now I need to figure out if I have a gluten and lactose issue or just a lactose issue.