Celiac or just losing my mind?

[Toparsenalfan]

I feel like I’m losing my mind, but after a bit of research am wondering if I might have celiac…does anyone recognise this combination of symptoms from their own experience???

*categorically do not feel full at meals unless I eat bread or pasta. Always unsatisfied despite eating a large plate of home cooked, nutritious food. 
*although finally feel full after the bread/pasta, it soon turns into an over full, bloated feeling. 
*despite the overfull sensation, am then having uncontrollable urges to binge, usually on sugar and more gluten containing foods….pizza, pastries, cakes etc. Often to the extent where I vomit as so uncomfortable.

*also having uncontrollable urges to binge on these foods when I haven’t eaten any gluten in a day. Any attempt I have made to stop eating eat just leads to uncontrollable cravings and binges 

*rash around chin/itchiness seems to be related 
*skin seems to be flaking off my scalp and ears lately in large pieces…wondering if that is linked 

*very rapid heartbeat after eating 

*tired, anxious and depressed all the time and I can’t really see any reason

*random sores have started appearing on my toes?

*brain fog 

*achy joints after eating 

I also have type 1 diabetes, which is well controlled. 

Does any of this sound familiar? Thanks very much 

Jon 

[Toparsenalfan]

1 minute ago, Toparsenalfan said:

I feel like I’m losing my mind, but after a bit of research am wondering if I might have celiac…does anyone recognise this combination of symptoms from their own experience???

*categorically do not feel full at meals unless I eat bread or pasta. Always unsatisfied despite eating a large plate of home cooked, nutritious food. 
*although finally feel full after the bread/pasta, it soon turns into an over full, bloated feeling. 
*despite the overfull sensation, am then having uncontrollable urges to binge, usually on sugar and more gluten containing foods….pizza, pastries, cakes etc. Often to the extent where I vomit as so uncomfortable.

*also having uncontrollable urges to binge on these foods when I haven’t eaten any gluten in a day. Any attempt I have made to stop eating eat just leads to uncontrollable cravings and binges 

*rash around chin/itchiness seems to be related 
*skin seems to be flaking off my scalp and ears lately in large pieces…wondering if that is linked 

*very rapid heartbeat after eating 

*tired, anxious and depressed all the time and I can’t really see any reason

*random sores have started appearing on my toes?

*brain fog 

*achy joints after eating 

I also have type 1 diabetes, which is well controlled. 

Does any of this sound familiar? Thanks very much 

Jon 

Also, if these cravings and out of control eating sound familiar to anyone, how did you get through it while getting off the gluten? It’s driving me crazy. 

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @Toparsenalfan!

Are you attempting to go gluten free now? You never actually state that but you seem to imply that in your second post when you ask, "how did you get through it while getting off gluten?"

Gluten has addictive properties and stimulates the opiod receptors. That is a well-known factoid in the celaic community. Many people experience withdrawal when attempting to go gluten free.

But you are putting the cart before the horse. First, you need to get tested for celiac disease. Several of your symptoms are common in the celiac population. You need to know what you are dealing with instead of guessing and experimenting. But please hear this. If you are eating gluten free when you go in for testing you will invalidate any testing for celiac disease. You must be eating generous amounts of gluten for the testing to be valid. And if you go gluten free now and then decide to get tested later, you will have to go back on gluten for a period of weeks or months leading up to the testing and you will likely have stronger reactions to gluten than before.

[Wheatwacked]

With your other symptoms it seems a slam dunk.  Getting tested now makes sense because of what trents said.  An official diagnosis can help your diabetes doctors with treatment options and other syndromes and symptoms.  In the UK there are financial perks to having the celiac disease diagnosis.

8 hours ago, Toparsenalfan said:

Also, if these cravings and out of control eating sound familiar to anyone, how did you get through it while getting off the gluten? It’s driving me crazy. 

Time. A consult with a dietition familiar with Diabetes and Celiac may give you guidence.  With addiction; and gluten is addictive; Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. "although finally feel full after the bread/pasta, it soon turns into an over full, bloated feeling."  Don't try to recreate a gluten diet by eating gluten free facsimiles.  In fact try to avoid processed foods altogether while you are healing, six months to two years is typical for adults.  If it is not in a box or bag it is likely gluten free.  Many of the symptoms you listed are probably vitamin and mineral deficiency, If your doctors don't suggest testing vitamin and mineral deficiency testing, ask for it.  Especially vitamin D, Thiamine and Choline for *tired, anxious and depressed all the time and I can’t really see any reason".  Celiac Disease causes malabsorption syndrome.  Low vitamin D is common.  Low Choline intake is common. Thiamine deficiency is common, especially on a high carb diet, although the medical industry is in denial.

Quote

Association Between Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Celiac Disease: Autoimmune Disorders With a Shared Genetic Background   Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and celiac disease (celiac disease) are one of the most recognized related autoimmune disorders as they share a common genetic background that has been found in the HLA genotype, more specifically DQ2 and DQ8 molecules. Studies have shown that environmental factors as early or late exposure to cereals in the first months of life or the acquired viral infections have been implicated in the risk of development of autoantigens. celiac disease, in most cases, is asymptomatic; therefore, it goes underdiagnosed. As a result, it has been linked to late consequences as decreased growth, delayed puberty, and anemia. Also, celiac disease has been considered an independent risk factor for nephropathy and retinopathy. Therefore, in T1DM patients, as high-risk individuals, a celiac disease screening has been recommended, especially to analyze their joint management. A gluten-free diet has been studied and linked to possible benefits in glycemic control or decreasing the hypoglycemic episodes in T1DM and preventing in celiac disease the late bowel mucosal damage as gluten has been well documented as the primary trigger of these autoimmune responses.  

 

[Russ H]

In the UK, NICE guidelines state that people with type 1 diabetes should be offered testing for coeliac disease on diagnosis as they share a common genetic predisposition.

[Toparsenalfan]

1 minute ago, Russ H said:

In the UK, NICE guidelines state that people with type 1 diabetes should be offered testing for coeliac disease on diagnosis as they share a common genetic predisposition.

Thanks…I do remember being tested on diagnosis…but was 25 yrs ago, and so I guess it’s possible for things to change?