Mental Disorders & Gluten

[waterlily-]

I was gluten free for two weeks and I noticed a difference in my moods (I'm depressed a lot) but not for long, it would be like a high I suppose, I'd feel really great but then I'd level out to just being in between. I realize that there might be an underlying problem but I cannot see a doctor anytime soon so I need to do what I can in the mean time.

Has anyone here with diagnosed, depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety attacks seen an improvement when switching to gluten free? How long did it take to see a difference & how long did it last?

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

[GroomieC]

I was actually on Prozac and Elavil intermittently before being diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I had previously been diagnosed with both anxiety and depression (but never bipolar), but my moods have leveled out considerably since going gluten-free, and I have not needed any prescription medications for anxiety, depression, or chronic insomnia (which was attributed to my anxiety) since. However, I do notice that my moods are drastically affected by accidental ingestion of gluten (through cross contamination or mislabeling).

Best of luck to you!

[Lisa]

I was gluten free for two weeks and I noticed a difference in my moods (I'm depressed a lot) but not for long, it would be like a high I suppose, I'd feel really great but then I'd level out to just being in between. I realize that there might be an underlying problem but I cannot see a doctor anytime soon so I need to do what I can in the mean time.

Has anyone here with diagnosed, depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety attacks seen an improvement when switching to gluten free? How long did it take to see a difference & how long did it last?

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Waterlily, you have been a member for a while now. How can we help you stay on the gluten free diet for a while....so you know what feeling good feels like?

Going gluten free is not the answer to everything. But taking care of yourself is so very important, gluten free or not. Eating a healthy diet is so very important to a healthy mind.

Are you ready to feel better?

[Skylark]

It took me a long time to recover from gluten-caused bipolar illness. I was gluten-free for a year and only got a little better. After a year on the diet I dropped all my meds (which weren't really working anyway) and started taking a multivitamin/mineral/trace element supplement called EmpowerPlus that's designed to cure mental illness. It freaked out my body, flared up a candida problem, plus I had some withdrawals/detox from years of psych meds. After about three months of misery everything settled down and I wasn't bipolar any more. After about six more months of psychiatric visits my amazed shrink said he didn't need to follow me, wished me luck, and sent me on my way. I'm at six years with only one major depressive episode when my thyroid got really screwed up.

[waterlily-]

Thank you for the replies!

[Strawberry-Jam]

I had really terrible insomnia coupled with hypnogogic/hypnopompic hallucinations and excessive daytime sleepiness even when I didn't have any insomnia. (I took the narcolepsy sleep study, and while I didn't have narcolepsy--no dreaming--I did fall asleep within 12 minutes at each stage of it. Despite having slept perfectly fine, according to the study, the night before.)

I also was depressed my entire life, pretty much, and had a really bad breakdown in my sophomore year of college which led to self-mutilating behaviours and one or two seemingly psychotic episodes. This lasted for one semester until I moved in with my parents again to get back on my feet and started taking low-dose elavil for the sleep issues. I was prescribed anti-depressants, but I never took them and preferred to talk to counselors.

I also had some recurring depression for a while about six months gluten-free, but that slowly abated as I cut out dairy and sesame and started taking more probiotics and supplements. Most days I feel great and have a lot of hope.