Cramping after going gluten free?

[benj 1]

I discovered I was gluten sensitive in January. I've been gluten free for just over 5 months now.

I lost 35lb within the first 3 months. My joint pain vanished after 48 hours and has never returned. I used to take advil frequently for minor headaches but found I didn't need to any more.... I also had significant problems sleeping for the last 10 years of my life, probably averaging 7-10 nights per month and I noticed that completely went away. In 4 months I had 2 difficult nights and both of them had legitimate reasons behind them.

So I'm curious. Last week I had 3 troubled nights in a row. There was some reason behind 2 of the 3 (lightning with a scared child and pets) but the 3rd night I was awake at 3am for no reason at all. Interestingly some short time before that was also my first definite mistake with gluten. I ate 3 Twizzlers before reading the package to find bleached white flour at the top of the list.

I did not think too much of it at the time and I do not remember exactly when I ate them or when I started having this recent trouble sleeping but they must have been close. SO... I'm wondering if anyone has any idea if my gluten poisoning and sleep issue are related? Does gluten effects on the brain linger longer than other issues like joint pain? Could 3 Twizzlers give me sleeping issues for 3 days?

[IrishHeart 1,640]

Gluten can cause ANY of your symptoms to return.

How long they last varies from person to person.

Yep, Twizzlers are a no no!!

I used love those.... In fact, when I was very ill (and before I knew I had celiac disease) I used have hubs get me bags and bags of those. Sometimes, it was all I could choke down. Those and sun chips. Little did I know those were keeping me awake all night and causing everything else, too....

Like you, I suffered from wicked insomnia for years. It is good to get sleep again, isn't it?

Sorry you got "hit". It will pass.

You are very fortunate your gluten-related symptoms resolved so quickly! Joint pain vanishing in 48 hours?---never happens that fast---not that I have heard anyway.

[benj 1]

You are very fortunate your gluten-related symptoms resolved so quickly! Joint pain vanishing in 48 hours?---never happens that fast---not that I have heard anyway.

Really? The joint pain was the main reason I decided to try gluten free. I had constant sharp pain in my knee for 4-5 weeks before seeing a doctor who looked at it for 30 seconds and told me I had arthritis... "you're kinda young for arthritis" he said, then told me all I could do was take Advil 4 times a day for the rest of my life.

I then researched gluten free diet for about a week and prepared myself. It was the holiday season so I waited until Jan 1st (seemed appropriate). Jan 2nd my knee felt significantly better and on the 3rd there was no pain at all, and none since. The weight loss and sleep was a bonus I was not expecting.

You know what really surprised me however? 3 months into the diet I was visiting my father and talking about it. He said to me "well that makes sense because you always had trouble with wheat when you were little." I had forgotten all about that but it was true! I felt sick after eating certain pancake mixes, dark wheat bread and certain cereals like wheat checks and wheaties.... even to this day I avoided them but never put two and two together.

[IrishHeart 1,640]

I look back and my whole life makes sense. Every single problem is related to the celiac/gluten. I had to stop being angry about what happened to me and thinking "wish I had known sooner". I was very ill from celiac disease for many years and was slowly dying, but I'm getting better now.

I am so glad you are feeling better off gluten!

and oh, geesh....where are my manners? Welcome to the forum!!