Gluten Free Depression

[kaki-clam]

I haven't posted on here in a while...I sort of fell off the gluten free wagon.  I went to the doctor for severe constipation, got diagnoised with Celiac, spent two years strictly gluten free, still severly constipated, threw in the towel and started eating gluten again....

 

It has been about a year of gluten binging...and along with it came an episode of severe anexity (still constipated...)  went to the doctor, she put me on some meds...anexity handled.  My boyfriend said that he notices I am "better" when I am gluten free...he doesn't mean that negitively, he just isn't sure how to discribe it....and I am not entirely sure what he means..but i think he is refering to my attitude, ambition, drive, etc...

 

anyway, with his love and support, i am now back to a strict gluten free eater.  I have been doing this for about 2 weeks now....i am almost through my second week and I am severly depressed.  (seems all my emotions are severe...)  i haven't left the house in a week.  I have no desire to leave the house.  I have called out sick from work the last 4 days.  I can't say i feel sad..i just don't really feel anything.  i have no interest in doing anything.  Normally I like to knit, crochet, cook, go to the gym, but this last week, getting up off the couch is a chore.  I don't know if this is diet related or not.... I know i need to see my doctor, but then..that would mean leaving the house so i don't know....  I am hoping i will just snap out of this...anyone got any thoughts or ideas?

[shadowicewolf]

Yep, sounds like you are going through the gluten with drawl. Your body likes the gluten, even if it makes you sick. So, it throws a temper tantrum when it doesn't get it. Generally, from what i went through and what i've heard, mood swings, depression, and so on.

[Takala]

Of course, the entire thing is diet related. 

 

Are you taking a gluten free vitamin B complex, and a gluten free calcium (citrate is good) magnesium, and D mineral complex ?  Your unresolved symptoms really are screaming that you were getting cross contaminated before you fell "off the wagon,"    that and eating gluten = malnutrition and cravings, and the doctor just chose to treat the results of the problem by giving you mood meds, instead of exploring your nutrition status.  

 

Constipated...  that's also a thyroid disease auto immune symptom, along with the anxiety and binging.  Thyroid problems go with untreated celiac.  Besides needing a full thyroid panel done, including antibodies, not just the partial blood tests for TSH the docs will tend to do,  there are all sorts of tricks you can do with drinking enough water, certain foods and natural supplements (see what I just said above about vitamins/minerals)  to get you regular again, while trying to get that sorted out. 

[nvsmom]

I agree with everything Wolf and Takala said. Really good advice IMO.

 

Withdrawl was bad for me and I was not a happy camper. I was extremely grumpy but I was able to recognize it as withdrawl so I waited it out. I think it lasted from week 1 to week 3 for me. Hang in there.

 

Definitely request thyroid tests. Your TSH should be near a 1, Free T4 and Free T3 should be in the upper end of your lab's normal reference range (from 50-75% of the range), and TPO antibodies should be very low. Get copies of your labs when you get them done and research at what range most people feel their best.... I have a thyroid problem myself, and my constipation did not improve on the gluten-free diet until my thyroid was being treated; it's still not ideal, but neither is my thyroids meds yet. My fatigue, or lack of "get up and go" did not improve much on the gluten-free diet either, but it is slowly improving with thyroid treatment.

 

Best wishes to you. Hang in there and try to wait out this low. I hope the gluten-free diet will start to help you feel better and that you find your answers.

[cavernio]

Nutritional deficiencies. Just about every deficiency under the sun can cause depression. A nutritional deficiency could also explain the constipation that never went away too.