Neurological Symptoms And Gluten Free Diet?

[175comet]

In April this year, I started experiencing neurological symptoms including numbness/tingling, myoclonic twitching, muscle spasms, occasional trouble walking, extreme fatigue, vertigo, trouble swallowing and more. My family doctor stated all signs pointed to Multiple Sclerosis. Luckily all my tests came back negative for MS as well as Lupus, Lyme, heavy metals, etc... (tested me for about 20 different things). My neurologist was stumped. Her last round of tests included a celiac panel. Given that she hasn't called me back, I'm assuming it was negative as well.

I've been researching on the internet and read an article from a naturopath which stated celiac disease can mimic MS so closely that it should always been ruled out before a diagnosis of MS. So I decided to see a naturopath who put me on a "cleanse". This cleanse was not 100% gluten free but reduced gluten as well as dairy and sugar. In the first week ate rye toast one day and my face was numb and I was sooo bloated (looking 6 mths pregnant). The same occured with Quaker Oats and a packaged rice mix. So for the last 2 weeks I've tried to be gluten free. On Friday I ate a granola bar just to test it out. I was sooo naustious yesterday. 36 hours later and my stomach is still aching and my tingling seems worse.

My neurological symptoms are about 90% better (just some tingling), but it was getting better before I started the diet anyway. For about 6 weeks in the summer it remitted then came back in July. The symptoms remitted again in September. So I don't know for 100% sure if the diet is helping these symptoms or if it was naturally going away on its own. I've only been on the diet for 3 weeks. By the way I lost 6 pounds the first week and I only started at 148 pds. My energy is 100% better.

Interestingly, 15 years ago I went to my family doctor for extreme bloating and she brushed it off as IB. Years later I figured I had a sensitivity to lactose. So I never bothered to mention my on and off again bloating to the neurologist. I'm also of Irish decent (which I understand to be a risk factor)

I guess my questions are:

1) Can you experience an improvement in neurological symptoms this quickly into the diet?

2) Can you such an extreme reaction to accidental gluten occur only 3 weeks into it?

3) Just before I started to get neurological symptoms in April, I had gone on the Atkins diet (having put on 15pds of extra weight this year!!!). Could that reduction in carbs (particularly gluten) THEN returning to a normal diet have caused these neurological symptoms?

My first reaction to the possibility of it being celiac was AWESOME as it beats MS or Lupus etc.... But now I'm realizing this will be a HUGE challenge!!! And we are going to Disney next week! I will have to be creative!

Thanks

[pricklypear1971]

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

If you search "Disney" in the boards you'll find information about restaurants, etc.

[Chiana]

Pretty much all of my symptoms were cognitive/neurological. (When I was a child I had stomach problems, but they went away when I hit high school.) What finally drove me to start looking for a solution on my own was the crippling fatigue and inability to focus on things. My mother is in the same boat but hasn't come to terms with it - she feels much much better on a low carb diet, because it coincidentally keeps you from eating large amounts of gluten. Of course you feel better eating nothing but broccoli and steak, mum!

[AVR1962]

You've described the symptoms of alot of us here, including myself. It would be interesting to know if when you felt relief from your symptoms if you were supplementing? spending more time in the sun? or had to be able go a length of time without ingesting gluten? All could make the difference.

When I had my MRI and braced myself as I felt there would be leaisions on the brain that would indicate MS. However, I got my diagnosis for Celiac before I got my MRI results back. I call my symptoms MS ticks. I have found that supplementing with vitamins does help.

Enjoy your trip to Disney!

[175comet]

Thanks!

Do you mind telling me what type of vitamins are you taking? I have been taking acidopholus - Ultra Flora Plus - 7.5 billion, Omega 3 oil and B6 Complex all recommended by the naturopath. However I find the plastic capsules irritate my stomach (although it could be the Vit . The very first blood test looked at my mineral/vitamin levels and I was moderatly low in B. Everything else was normal.

I

[AVR1962]

Thanks!

Do you mind telling me what type of vitamins are you taking? I have been taking acidopholus - Ultra Flora Plus - 7.5 billion, Omega 3 oil and B6 Complex all recommended by the naturopath. However I find the plastic capsules irritate my stomach (although it could be the Vit . The very first blood test looked at my mineral/vitamin levels and I was moderatly low in B. Everything else was normal.

I

For the nuero issues I am taking a B Complex called WSN Nerve Support. B12 wasn't enough and the coenzyme B complex didn't work as well as the nerve support for my symptoms.