Newly (Mostly) Gluten-Free And Acting Wacky

[tommysmommy]

My 21 month old son was just diagnosed with celiac after a terrible 2 month long illness. Our family of 5 has quickly gone gluten-free at home, and I'm obsessed with reading and learning more.

My husband has had stomache issues for 20 yrs, always baffled doctors, has rectal prolapse and likely bi-polar disorder (also sought help hot bit never diagnosed). I believe he has celiac too (havent tested yet), which would explain and help do many of his issues.

He has been eating gluten-free at home but has been cheating occassionally when out, mostly out of ignorance (this is so new to us). Last night he went put with a friend for a drink, got a gluten-free beverage but without thinking, ate a couple pretzels. He doesn't remember much else - his friend says he has 1 drink but threw up and went home. He remembers making 1 stop and came home 5 hours later, completely oblivious to time and not checking hid phone (not like him). Today he tried to work (he had hid own home improvement business) but can not remember doing the work, even though he got paid for it. He got lost in our own neighborhood on his way home. Came home and went to sleep, has little appetite.

Clearly he needs a doctor asap. It seems to me that after yrs of problems his body has so accepted the mostly gluten-free choices this week, he is getting wildly sick from gluten that didn't affect him the same way last week. I also suspect a serious vitamin deficency.

Sound familiar to anyone out there? Celiac is scaring us to death!

[kareng]

I would call the doc right away! It may have nothing to do with gluten. He may have had a stroke or something else that needs to be looked at right away.

[jerseyangel]

I agree with Karen, I think he needs a workup to determine what, exactly, is going on. Best of luck to him

[ravenwoodglass]

I agree with the others. Take him to the ER and tell them what has been happening. If he is hard to wake up call an ambulance.

[rosetapper23]

I agree with the others....but, after being checked out, if the doctors find "nothing" wrong, it's important to know that ingestion of gluten can cause reduced blood-flow (oxygen) to the frontal lobes of the brain. This was only discovered a few years ago and accounts for some of the neurological symptoms suffered by people with celiac. And, yes, it could be that your husband is suddenly being bothered by this symptom because gluten was removed for a bit and then reintroduced. It's odd, though, that he would be reacting so soon after the gluten was removed. For many of us, after we've been on a gluten-free diet for a while, we become dizzy and suffer headaches when we accidentally ingest gluten. Celiacs sometimes suffer from depression or bipolar, too.

When your husband visits the doctor, he should request a thyroid test while he's there. His behavior might be explained by a hypothyroid condition like Hashimoto's.

Please let us know what happens!