Reaction to smells and anxiety

[AAtroposP71]

So, new weird thing. I went into the kitchen, and my mom had a small pot of pasta cooking. Obviously I could smell it, and I started unconsciously holding my breath a bit, but otherwise didn't think much of it. I was in the kitchen for no more than 2 minutes. By the time I left the area, my heart was racing, I felt panic, and I felt more brain fog. Keep in mind that before celiac struck, I literally lived on pasta, it was my go-to means of sustaining myself, multiple bowls of it a day. It was also while I was eating the stuff that I had my "Aha!" moment that it was gluten that was making me feel so awful since the celiac switch had been flipped on. It's what I now associate with poison.

She's cooked pizza with me here, no reaction. Toast, no reaction. I smell her beer, no reaction.

It's been only about an hour and everything has subsided. Since there is no way that even if whole gluten peptides were floating around in the air that there would be any way that they'd reach my intestines within 2 minutes, I believe this is an anxiety driven, psychosomatic reaction. It's my brain protecting itself. WARNING! GLUTEN IN THE AREA! Plus, I highly doubt the symptoms would subside so quickly after an actual glutening.

But I know it can't hurt me unless I eat it, and it's not like there was flour floating around that I inhaled, stuck to my tongue and swallowed.

Anybody else have this happen to them? Has anyone had any success in training their brain to not flip out at the smell of someone else cooking something gluten containing? It would straight up be too much of a PITA to not be able to be somewhere someone is, god forbid, cooking something you can't eat. Sorry anxiety brain, but I'd like to live my life, thanks.

[Ennis-TX]

Yeah not sure of the exact cause I got this too, pretty much the extreme anxiety, the stuff scares me. pasta more so then pizza....the clean up, the gluten pots, water, utensils,......The smell used to make me want to "hold my breath and runaway" Seems illogical with pasta, I mean surly no gluten is in the air with it.....I would think. Anyway I do not think I noticed a fog with it....been 3 years since I was in a house cooking pasta. NOW I do get the whole foggy mess, anxiety. etc when I walk by the bakery like half the time at the grocery store....but they are making it fresh from flour there all day. I sometimes get home from the grocery store and have to go lie down.

[Victoria1234]

To me, the smells don't give me anxiety anymore- but they used to. Nowadays I often feel a bit angry when I smell gluten cooking. I know it's not a real reaction, just my little Lizard brain being annoyed. Still. After almost 10 years.

[ravenwoodglass]

You now know that something that was a vital part of your life was making you very ill.  I think some degree of anxiety when we are exposed to something that is poison is pretty normal. It's the fight or flight mechanism triggering to something your brain is registering as danger.  The severity of your anxiety should resolve the longer you are gluten reaction free.

[Ennis-TX]

2 hours ago, ravenwoodglass said:

It's the fight or flight mechanism

EXACTLY, that sums it up, same kind of panic I feel when cornered physically by someone or something. You just want to lash out, I think it is a subconscious fear that you know that can make your very sick and you body has learned "this smell used to lead to pain and misery for days" so now it smells it, you subconsciously start to feel fear, dread, anxiety. Sort of like that experiment with the dog and the bell making it salivate. Your body learned to associate the smell with following extreme pain, discomfort, and heightened antibody reactions........At least this seems logical to me.

[AAtroposP71]

6 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

NOW I do get the whole foggy mess, anxiety. etc when I walk by the bakery like half the time at the grocery store....but they are making it fresh from flour there all day.

Strangely enough, I never have a reaction walking by the bakery at the grocery store, even with the knowledge that they're using flour, and I'm forced to walk by it every time I go. It's right in front of the store. I don't react walking through the bread or flour isles either like I've read some people do. It seems to just be the smell of cooking pasta. Kinda weird, but at least it's ONLY that.

6 hours ago, Victoria1234 said:

To me, the smells don't give me anxiety anymore- but they used to. Nowadays I often feel a bit angry when I smell gluten cooking. I know it's not a real reaction, just my little Lizard brain being annoyed. Still. After almost 10 years.

 

6 hours ago, ravenwoodglass said:

You now know that something that was a vital part of your life was making you very ill.  I think some degree of anxiety when we are exposed to something that is poison is pretty normal. It's the fight or flight mechanism triggering to something your brain is registering as danger.  The severity of your anxiety should resolve the longer you are gluten reaction free.

I hope you guys are right. I'm also hoping I can find a safe way to train my brain that the smell isn't going to hurt me, to try to resolve it faster. I'm thinking it's worse now since I'm still not well, just slowly on the curve up, and every time I do feel kind of okay, it feels extremely fragile.

And I know what you mean about the anger at having stuff shoved in your face. I constantly see ads on TV for places like Little Cesars, Domino's, McDonalds, etc., and I have to admit it irks me. Even when someone tells me like, "Yeah we're having pizza for dinner", I usually respond with a sarcastic "Man, I wish I could have pizza." I know they don't mean anything by it but my jealous little brain sees it as insensitive and annoying.

4 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

EXACTLY, that sums it up, same kind of panic I feel when cornered physically by someone or something. You just want to lash out, I think it is a subconscious fear that you know that can make your very sick and you body has learned "this smell used to lead to pain and misery for days" so now it smells it, you subconsciously start to feel fear, dread, anxiety. Sort of like that experiment with the dog and the bell making it salivate. Your body learned to associate the smell with following extreme pain, discomfort, and heightened antibody reactions........At least this seems logical to me.

Yeah, it was like that. I felt cornered in my own kitchen by the scary little pot of pasta on the stove, like it was gonna jump off and pour into my mouth. Illogical, but unfortunately something the brain just does. Scary stuff.

I have an appointment with a psychologist coming up. I guess I'll mention all this.

[Victoria1234]

48 minutes ago, AAtroposP71 said:

Strangely enough, I never have a reaction walking by the bakery at the grocery store, even with the knowledge that they're using flour, and I'm forced to walk by it every time I go. It's right in front of the store. I don't react walking through the bread or flour isles either like I've read some people do. It seems to just be the smell of cooking pasta. Kinda weird, but at least it's ONLY that.

 

I hope you guys are right. I'm also hoping I can find a safe way to train my brain that the smell isn't going to hurt me, to try to resolve it faster. I'm thinking it's worse now since I'm still not well, just slowly on the curve up, and every time I do feel kind of okay, it feels extremely fragile.

And I know what you mean about the anger at having stuff shoved in your face. I constantly see ads on TV for places like Little Cesars, Domino's, McDonalds, etc., and I have to admit it irks me. Even when someone tells me like, "Yeah we're having pizza for dinner", I usually respond with a sarcastic "Man, I wish I could have pizza." I know they don't mean anything by it but my jealous little brain sees it as insensitive and annoying.

Yeah, it was like that. I felt cornered in my own kitchen by the scary little pot of pasta on the stove, like it was gonna jump off and pour into my mouth. Illogical, but unfortunately something the brain just does. Scary stuff.

I have an appointment with a psychologist coming up. I guess I'll mention all this.

I completely understand where you are coming from. Let us know what the psych says, maybe it'll help a bunch of us.

[ravenwoodglass]

6 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

 Sort of like that experiment with the dog and the bell making it salivate. Your body learned to associate the smell with following extreme pain, discomfort, and heightened antibody reactions........At least this seems logical to me.

I stopped feeling hunger years ago because of my reactions to food. I often refer to the effect as 'Pavlos dog in reverse'.  I have been gluten free now for over 13 years and that effect is still with me even though the anxiety about eating has cleared a bit. I am still very anxious and can have a panic attack if I have to eat out away from home though.

[ravenwoodglass]

2 hours ago, AAtroposP71 said:

Strangely enough, I never have a reaction walking by the bakery at the grocery store, even with the knowledge that they're using flour, and I'm forced to walk by it every time I go. It's right in front of the store. I don't react walking through the bread or flour isles either like I've read some people do. It seems to just be the smell of cooking pasta. Kinda weird, but at least it's ONLY that.

 

I hope you guys are right. I'm also hoping I can find a safe way to train my brain that the smell isn't going to hurt me, to try to resolve it faster. I'm thinking it's worse now since I'm still not well, just slowly on the curve up, and every time I do feel kind of okay, it feels extremely fragile.

And I know what you mean about the anger at having stuff shoved in your face. I constantly see ads on TV for places like Little Cesars, Domino's, McDonalds, etc., and I have to admit it irks me. Even when someone tells me like, "Yeah we're having pizza for dinner", I usually respond with a sarcastic "Man, I wish I could have pizza." I know they don't mean anything by it but my jealous little brain sees it as insensitive and annoying.

Yeah, it was like that. I felt cornered in my own kitchen by the scary little pot of pasta on the stove, like it was gonna jump off and pour into my mouth. Illogical, but unfortunately something the brain just does. Scary stuff.

I have an appointment with a psychologist coming up. I guess I'll mention all this.

You can still have pizza it just has to be gluten free. I had a Freshetta one last night. There are some companies that make gluten-free pizza that is dairy free also if you are avoiding dairy.

I hope all goes well with the psychologist. Do be sure to mention the panic attacks and don't downplay how stong they are. I found a very low dose of Alprazolam to be very helpful. One does have to be really careful with it and only take it when really needed though since it can be very habit forming.

[AAtroposP71]

2 hours ago, ravenwoodglass said:

You can still have pizza it just has to be gluten free. I had a Freshetta one last night. There are some companies that make gluten-free pizza that is dairy free also if you are avoiding dairy.

I hope all goes well with the psychologist. Do be sure to mention the panic attacks and don't downplay how stong they are. I found a very low dose of Alprazolam to be very helpful. One does have to be really careful with it and only take it when really needed though since it can be very habit forming.

Someday I'll hopefully be able to have pizza. Right now I'm avoiding all grains, dairy, and nightshades, so pizza of any sort isn't an option. I'm gonna wait until I feel pretty normal again before I start experimenting.

Mom tells me gluten free pizza is more like "trying to be pizza". Having been a delivery driver for 10 years before getting sick and having constant access to real pizza, I'm not too excited for it.

I'd prefer to stay completely off any drugs if at all possible. No more chemicals. The psych appointment isn't until the 26th, but I'll let you guys know.

[Ennis-TX]

1 hour ago, AAtroposP71 said:

Someday I'll hopefully be able to have pizza. Right now I'm avoiding all grains, dairy, and nightshades, so pizza of any sort isn't an option. I'm gonna wait until I feel pretty normal again before I start experimenting.

Mom tells me gluten free pizza is more like "trying to be pizza". Having been a delivery driver for 10 years before getting sick and having constant access to real pizza, I'm not too excited for it.

I'd prefer to stay completely off any drugs if at all possible. No more chemicals. The psych appointment isn't until the 26th, but I'll let you guys know.

Califlower Plant crust is more like a new york style extra crispy and grain free, and dairy free. I like to have the crust by itself sometimes, you cook it light ofr doughy crust and 15-20mins makes it extra crispy. just toppint it with dairy free cheese and veggies is pretty good. I do this to keep in ketosis and enjoy it..

[Alexacourtney01]

Hey,      I don't know what the whole thing is, but I get anxiety a lot when it comes to smells and touch.  I get a rash when I come into contact and even walking through places like bakeries or bread sections and stuff give me really bad migraines.   Since I have gone back to work after my sick leave, I got sick a lot before I left, I now have to sanitize my computer every time I leave or come back to it in case someone who has eaten something touched it. And I refuse to basically come into contact with it at the doors or returns bc I never know what I may react to or have a panic attack to.  It's crazy what your body and brain can make u do and how you react to some situations.   I feel like a crazy person half the time because I go out of my way to be so careful.   I am also waiting in hopes it somewhat gets better or subsides!!  

[artistsl]

On 8/31/2017 at 9:56 PM, AAtroposP71 said:

So, new weird thing. I went into the kitchen, and my mom had a small pot of pasta cooking. Obviously I could smell it, and I started unconsciously holding my breath a bit, but otherwise didn't think much of it. I was in the kitchen for no more than 2 minutes. By the time I left the area, my heart was racing, I felt panic, and I felt more brain fog. Keep in mind that before celiac struck, I literally lived on pasta, it was my go-to means of sustaining myself, multiple bowls of it a day. It was also while I was eating the stuff that I had my "Aha!" moment that it was gluten that was making me feel so awful since the celiac switch had been flipped on. It's what I now associate with poison.

She's cooked pizza with me here, no reaction. Toast, no reaction. I smell her beer, no reaction.

It's been only about an hour and everything has subsided. Since there is no way that even if whole gluten peptides were floating around in the air that there would be any way that they'd reach my intestines within 2 minutes, I believe this is an anxiety driven, psychosomatic reaction. It's my brain protecting itself. WARNING! GLUTEN IN THE AREA! Plus, I highly doubt the symptoms would subside so quickly after an actual glutening.

But I know it can't hurt me unless I eat it, and it's not like there was flour floating around that I inhaled, stuck to my tongue and swallowed.

Anybody else have this happen to them? Has anyone had any success in training their brain to not flip out at the smell of someone else cooking something gluten containing? It would straight up be too much of a PITA to not be able to be somewhere someone is, god forbid, cooking something you can't eat. Sorry anxiety brain, but I'd like to live my life, thanks.

Probiotics help with anxiety.

[Victoria1234]

19 hours ago, Alexacourtney01 said:

Hey,      I don't know what the whole thing is, but I get anxiety a lot when it comes to smells and touch.  I get a rash when I come into contact and even walking through places like bakeries or bread sections and stuff give me really bad migraines.   Since I have gone back to work after my sick leave, I got sick a lot before I left, I now have to sanitize my computer every time I leave or come back to it in case someone who has eaten something touched it. And I refuse to basically come into contact with it at the doors or returns bc I never know what I may react to or have a panic attack to.  It's crazy what your body and brain can make u do and how you react to some situations.   I feel like a crazy person half the time because I go out of my way to be so careful.   I am also waiting in hopes it somewhat gets better or subsides!!  

Quick question for you... how do you sanitize against gluten on your computer?

[Ennis-TX]

2 minutes ago, Victoria1234 said:

Quick question for you... how do you sanitize against gluten on your computer?

I question this also, gluten is a protein that is not effected by bleach, alcohol, or antibacterial agents. Only way to destroy gluten proteins is via 500+ degree heat. SOO my mental image with a blow torch is quite amusing. Joking aside, I got new keyboards when I went gluten free as was the suggested approach. At work or when using other keyboards I bulk buy vinyl food service gloves for my bakery and they lead a dual purpose here (I also keep some in my pockets when I head out in case I need to handle something I am allergic to)

[Gemini]

16 minutes ago, Victoria1234 said:

Quick question for you... how do you sanitize against gluten on your computer?

You don't need to do that. Buy a new keyboard and no gluten eaters can use it if they eat while working on it or don't wash their hands beforehand!  No one is allowed to use mine except my husband as he is gluten free also.

[Awol cast iron stomach]

Wow you helped me realize how I was getting gluten at a prior job or two. The boss/ owners let others use the computer and phone at my assigned station , ( when I was not on shift-there) they must have eaten or not washed their hands.

one place I was even having problems with the copier (I think the ink contained corn) when I asked if it could be moved from behind my cubicle wall. I was told no.

I have no idea how I will enter the work force again. 

[Alexacourtney01]

22 hours ago, Victoria1234 said:

Quick question for you... how do you sanitize against gluten on your computer?

I use Lysol wipes, and sanitize my hands a lot.   If I have to come into contact with food I wear gloves. 

[Alexacourtney01]

21 hours ago, Gemini said:

You don't need to do that. Buy a new keyboard and no gluten eaters can use it if they eat while working on it or don't wash their hands beforehand!  No one is allowed to use mine except my husband as he is gluten free also.

I actually asked. But where I work, they have specific keyboards in the computer so I wasn't able to. So now I'm just beyond careful.  I wish tho!! 

[Alexacourtney01]

22 hours ago, Ennis_TX said:

I question this also, gluten is a protein that is not effected by bleach, alcohol, or antibacterial agents. Only way to destroy gluten proteins is via 500+ degree heat. SOO my mental image with a blow torch is quite amusing. Joking aside, I got new keyboards when I went gluten free as was the suggested approach. At work or when using other keyboards I bulk buy vinyl food service gloves for my bakery and they lead a dual purpose here (I also keep some in my pockets when I head out in case I need to handle something I am allergic to)

I am aware of what actually needs to be done to cleanse the gluten, but when I am unable to take a blow torch to it, I make due with what I have.  I stay In one spot and try to get away as much as I can.  Have to do what I have to do. So if I have to resort to cleaning with that till I have time to scrub my hands before break then I have to do.    

[ch88]

I can handle gluten and smell gluten and it doesn't give anxiety. I used to be much more worried about what I ate and cross contamination than I am now. I am still careful and read every ingredient list, but it isn't something I worry about or even think much about. The bodies immune system can wind up and wind down. Some people can get away with a single exposure without any symptoms appearing at all.  The immune system can wind up and wind down. Still only a strict gluten free diet is the only diet that is considered safe for people with celiac disease.  It very unlikely that gluten smells do anything at all to anybody other than on a physiological level.