Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Withdrawal Symptoms?

elaine33

Recommended Posts

elaine33 Apprentice
elaine33
Posted

Tuesday night I had a killer headache which I rarely get. I felt really good yesterday.

Today I feel weak and shaky and kind of diarrhish/faintish, just icky. I have been eating REALLY well... tuna, chicken or flounder for breakfast with rice or sweet potato and sometimes aspargaus, lunch hb without the bun, gluten-free fries or potato, veggie, fruits as snacks, something similar for dinner. I have lost about 4 pounds since Sunday which is not in the least what I care about but I'm wondering if this is why I feel weak today?

It could be coincidental, too, as I am having PMS symptoms, but it feels stronger than that. I am almost wanting to breakdown and have some gluten. I am not craving it at all, though, which is weird.

Does this sound like it could be normal?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


eleep Enthusiast
eleep
Posted

That sounds a lot like the symptoms of withdrawal. I also had this weird angry energy for a while despite the fact that I felt so lousy.

eleep

Budew Rookie
Budew
Posted

Oh yes. I have gone through this exactly.

I never had headaches until I cut out gluten. Not long ago I realized that corn and soy might be triggering migranes. I had increased the amounts of soy, corn and rice as gluten substitutes. Okay for many but bad for me.

The other thing I noticed was that you are using white potato. You might want to look into eliminating night shades (white potato, tomato, eggplant, peppers) It made a big difference for me too.

I just read an article on lectins. All of theses foods are linked on the lectin page. I now see that rice might be the last piece of the puzzle.

I am so excited to be feeling better. Hope you do too.

I think we all go through wondering if we have to go 100% and are tempted to have something on the don't eat list. It took me a while to realize that I feel so much better without these foods that it is totally worth it!

Sweetfudge Community Regular
Sweetfudge
Posted

I don't remember my first few days gluten-free, cuz I was so sick. But my cousin said every time she's tried "quitting wheat" she goes through withdrawals. So that is definitely possible. Make sure you are eating food that is easy to digest and absorb, so your body doesn't have to work so hard. I hope you get feeling better!

elaine33 Apprentice
elaine33
Posted
  • Author

eleep, yes I have the weird energy, especially yesterday. Then I've been exhausted. My heart rate has been up (which is an issue for me). I feel better today but am wondering how long this can go on and why would I feel so bad eating so healthy?

Bud- I don't think white potatoes are a problem for me but I'll keep an eye on it. If anything, I think corn chips might be an issue.

I am supposed to be spending the day with my husband today as he took off and I feel crappy.

Fudge, I ate really bland white fish and some chicken with some asparagus and chips for the most part all day, and applesauce. I do feel a bit better today so I will try to keep it as light as possible.

Thanks! :)

eleep Enthusiast
eleep
Posted

On top of what you're already doing, drinking lots of water and getting exercise are good ways to speed up any withdrawal process. As for how long it will take, I may not be the best example because my withdrawal symptoms lasted at least three months -- possibly more. This was, in part, because it took me that long to fully eliminate all the gluten from my life -- I balked for a while because it took the Enterolab results for me to fully realize that this was serious and real -- and I didn't get those until May despite having stopped eating gluten intentionally in February.

So, I think I went through progressive stages of withdrawal -- I would recommend being scupulous about checking all your vitamins, medications and personal toiletries and such as soon as possible. This isn't what I did and I definitely suffered quite a bit because my vitamins were clearly labeled as having gluten and I kept taking them through mid-May. I also realized, somewhat later, that I had panic attacks after getting my shampoo in my mouth.

Again -- I knew all this stuff could be an issue, but I was going through some pretty intense personal stuff at the time and had a lot of trouble distinguishing between what was illness and what was genuine emotional reactiveness -- I also had no idea that there was a withdrawal process involved.

On the positive side -- you do get through it and things feel a whole lot better once you have!

eleep

Guest cassidy
Guest cassidy
Posted

It took me two weeks after going gluten-free to feel better at all. All sorts of weird things happened during that time but by the end of two weeks I could definitely tell when I glutened myself because I was having periods of feeling good for the first time ever.

Like others, I would recommend a simple diet hopefully you will be feeling better soon.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Nantzie Collaborator
Nantzie
Posted

Also keep in mind that Pamprin, Midol, etc, all (I'm pretty sure it's all..) have gluten in them. So if you're taking anything like that, you're getting glutened.

Nancy

Audiori J Newbie
Audiori J
Posted

I've been off gluten or trying to be for the last week, I am yawning, tired, sore, I have a headache, and my skin feels like its burning like a slight sunburn feeling even though I have no sunburn. Thats my experience.

Looking for answers Contributor
Looking for answers
Posted

Hi,

If it becomes too ovewhelming, you may want to refer to a book called The Diet Cure by Julia Ross. I read it when I was going through withdrawals, and the supplements she recommended helped me tremendously.

Good luck!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to Sunshine4's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      5

      Neurologic symptoms - Muscle Twitching and Hand Tremors

      I'd like to second supplementation. Around the time of my diagnosis and for a good while afterwards I had twitching muscles, including my face, as well as pins and needles and numbness. We do have tremors in my family anyway, regardless of being coeliac, so I can't really comment on that. If you can find out where you are with your iron levels and...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Itsabit's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      11

      SkinSafe

      Hello, @Itsabit, Your journey sounds very similar to mine. I'm very concerned about your diet since you say you don't eat a lot of meat, which is the main source of B vitamins. Nutritional deficiencies go along with Celiac Disease. Blood tests are not accurate measurements of deficiency states. The body robs stored vitamins from organs to circulate...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jack Common's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      34

      What should I do with these test results?

      Hello, @Jack Common, I know how frustrating health mysteries can be. Perhaps you're having a reaction to the medication you were given for the giardiasis you mentioned in another post. The giardiasis infection would account for the high Igg results. Have you been reinfected? The site I've linked below has lots of information about the long...
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jack Common's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      10

      How many grams is there in one slice of wheat bread?

      Hello, @Jack Common, I know how frustrating health mysteries can be. Perhaps you're having a reaction to the medication you were given for the giardiasis. The giardiasis infection would account for the high Igg results. Have you been reinfected? The site I've linked below has lots of information about the long term consequences of being treated...
    5. Itsabit
      - Itsabit replied to Itsabit's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      11

      SkinSafe

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      128,337
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    jojocle
    Newest Member
    jojocle
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.1k
    • Total Posts
      70.8k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      Neurologic symptoms - Muscle Twitching and Hand Tremors

      By cristiana · Posted

      I'd like to second supplementation.  Around the time of my diagnosis and for a good while afterwards I had twitching muscles, including my face, as well as pins and needles and numbness.  We do have tremors in my family anyway, regardless of being coeliac, so I can't really comment on that. If you can find out where you are with your iron levels and B12, that's a good start.  I am not sure where you are posting from but in the UK normal lab results for B12 are quite a bit lower than in other countries, so you might find if you are borderline you will get some improvement by continuing to supplement that.   I found taking magnesium also incredibly helpful against facial twitches. I don't know about you, but all these symptoms increased my anxiety levels as I was worried about them.  That only served to make the symptoms worse.  So it might be worth looking into addressing any underlying anxiety issues.   I still notice that if I'm nervous, or worried, my blood sugar levels are down, some of the symptoms comes back temporarily.  It's like there is still a bit of a weakness there.
    • knitty kitty
      SkinSafe

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Itsabit, Your journey sounds very similar to mine.   I'm very concerned about your diet since you say you don't eat a lot of meat, which is the main source of B vitamins.  Nutritional deficiencies go along with Celiac Disease.  Blood tests are not accurate measurements of deficiency states.  The body robs stored vitamins from organs to circulate in the bloodstream to supply the brain and heart.  You can have deficiency symptoms before blood levels change. I have a hypersensitivity to sulfites, so much so that I had to switch my toothpaste to one that doesn't contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.  SLS can cause oral irritation as a side effect, too.   My mouth would burn and I avoided certain foods.  Dapsone contains sulfites, as do antibiotics.  Treatment with sulfites can precipitate a Thiamine deficiency disorder because sulfites cut thiamine in two making it useless. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35506963/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10506142/ I have an allergy to nickel, also.  Zinc helps keep other metals in balance in the body.  Zinc is also terribly important to skin health and oral health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8445075/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11274920/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1977254/ Thiamine (Vitamin B 1) deficiency disorder symptoms and altered thiamine metabolism can occur after radiation or chemo.   Thiamine and Niacin B 3 are important in nerve conduction.  When I was very malnourished, I had paresthesia that made me feel itchy all over, and made my dermatitis herpetiformis extremely unbearable.  The form of Niacin that causes flushing, Nicotinic Acid (not the same as nicotine in cigarettes) is beneficial because the flushing helps open the small capillaries in the skin which allows the antibodies to be cleared and disposed.  Pellagra can occur in Celiac Disease.   I had it, and my doctor didn't properly diagnose it, either.   I had a rash around my neck, Casal's Necklace, along with a blistering rash on my arms and any skin exposed to the sun.   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8445075/ https://cgp.iiarjournals.org/content/10/4/169 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11722086/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6780714/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10229844/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1977254/ You should be checked for more than just B12 deficiency.  The eight B vitamins work together, and we need more of them when we're trying to heal.  They are water soluble, so the body can easily excrete them if not needed. Have you had your Vitamin D level checked?  Vitamin D regulates the immune system and lowers inflammation.   I hope you can find some benefit from my experiences.  Keep us posted on your progress.   P.S.  When trying not to itch the dermatitis herpetiformis, if you press gently on a large area (press with your whole hand) above the itchy spot, the itchiness goes away.  The bigger area of stimulation drowns out that one jangling dermatitis herpetiformis itchy nerve in the brain. For skin care products, I use tallow balm which is absorbed better into the skin than petroleum products or plant products.  Tallow balm (Vintage Traditions is my favorite) helps my Dermatitis Herpetiformis spots look and feel better quickly.  Tallow soap and olive oil soap is beneficial as well.
    • knitty kitty
      What should I do with these test results?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jack Common, I know how frustrating health mysteries can be. Perhaps you're having a reaction to the medication you were given for the giardiasis you mentioned in another post. The giardiasis infection would account for the high Igg results.  Have you been reinfected? The site I've linked below has lots of information about the long term consequences of being treated with a medication frequently prescribed for giardiasis infection.   https://hormonesmatter.com/metronidazole-toxicity-doctor-denial/ https://hormonesmatter.com/?s=metronidazole https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3870550/ Please let us know if your symptoms may be due to this reaction to the prescription for giardiasis. Best wishes.
    • knitty kitty
      How many grams is there in one slice of wheat bread?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jack Common, I know how frustrating health mysteries can be. Perhaps you're having a reaction to the medication you were given for the giardiasis. The giardiasis infection would account for the high Igg results.  Have you been reinfected? The site I've linked below has lots of information about the long term consequences of being treated with a medication frequently prescribed for giardiasis infection.   https://hormonesmatter.com/metronidazole-toxicity-doctor-denial/ https://hormonesmatter.com/?s=metronidazole https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3870550/ Please let us know if your symptoms may be due to this reaction to the prescription for giardiasis. Best wishes.
    • Itsabit
      SkinSafe

      By Itsabit · Posted

×
×
  • Create New...