Am I really bipolar or just celiac?

[Frenzy]

Storytime. So my whole life I have been diagnosed with some mental health problem or another. Growing up I was the tantrum king, I would go off over absolutely anything. It was so bad that I spent ages 8-17 in homes where I was restrained on a daily basis. Right now my diagnosis is schizo-effective bipolar disorder type 2 with PTSD. Which kind of feels like they are altering labels to fit the symptoms. I have been taking Depikote for 11 years and it has been  helping to reduce symptoms, until now. Now I'm 34 and I was diagnosed with celiac via a endoscopy about a month and a half ago. Now here is the strange part. Since going on a gluten free diet, my mood swings, mania, rage, and fear have all disappeared. But now I'm depressed, like all the time.  I have never had a depression episode last longer than four days, mania was always my problem. This has been going on for about a month now. I checked the side effects of Depikote and this is one of them, though it's one I have never experienced. I googled about it and found that their are studies claiming that bipolar and celiac are linked, they even go so far as to postulate that celiac CAUSES bipolar. So now I'm thinking I was misdiagnosed as bipolar and everything is related to my celiac. I am still taking my meds as I will go through a withdrawal if I stop. I have scheduled an appointment with my doctor but it's a ways out. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this or if it's just another delusion. Sorry if there is another article on here about this, I could not find it. Thank you for your time.

[trents]

Yes, it is well-known by now that celiac disease is associated with mood disorders. There is probably a strong link to vitamin and mineral deficiencies in this matter as people with celiac disease, because of the damage to the small bowel villi, do not absorb the nutrition from food efficiently. If I were you I would start taking a gluten free high potency multivitamin and a gluten free high potency B-complex. Costco's Nature Made products are good choices in this regard.

[knitty kitty]

@Frenzy,

Welcome to the forum! 

I agree with @trents.  Deficiencies in certain vitamins can cause alterations in brain function. 

Deficiency in Vitamin D can cause depression.  I know from experience.  I was extremely deficient in Vitamin D.  I took D3 and the black cloud over me started to lift rather quickly.  

Deficiencies in other vitamins can contribute to mood liability and PTSD, etc.  Been there, done that, got a t-shirt.  

Don't go off your meds just yet.  Do ask your doctor to test for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  More than just Vitamin D and B12.   It's proper follow up care for Celiac Disease patients. 

You'll feel better as your deficiencies are corrected by supplementation and you'll be able to come off your meds easily.  

I've got some articles for you....

"Neurological, Psychiatric, and Biochemical Aspects of Thiamine Deficiency in Children and Adults"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6459027/#idm140604396876032title

And...

Neurological manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of celiac disease: A comprehensive review

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3829244/

And...

The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Psychiatry

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3046018/#!po=10.0000

And...

Adjuvant thiamine improved standard treatment in patients with major depressive disorder: results from a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trial

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26984349/

And...

Some of my posts about my experience with vitamin deficiencies....

I hope this helps!

We'll be here if you have more questions.  Do keep us posted on your progress! 

 

[Scott Adams]

Welcome to the forum, and there is definitely a connection, and in many people celiac disease manifests itself as a brain/nervous system disorder, and here are some scientific studies we’ve summarized on this:

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-amp-related-diseases-and-disorders/schizophrenia-mental-problems-and-celiac-disease/

 

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-amp-related-diseases-and-disorders/depression-and-celiac-disease/

 

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-amp-related-diseases-and-disorders/ataxia-nerve-disease-neuropathy-brain-damage-and-celiac-disease/