Newly Diagnosed Celiac, Long Time Diagnosed Depression

[sherylj]

hi all!

I am totally new to posting boards and am newly diagnosed celiac. I suspected celiac for 10 years (my father was diagnosed) but my dr was not willing to do testing!!! I wish I had been more assertive!!! Finally after being hospitalized with severe stomach/intestinal pain he finally agreed to biopsy of small intestine.

My question: I have been diagnosed major/chronic depression for 10 years and bipolar type 2 for the last 2 years. I take a variety of meds. Does anyone have an opinion about easing off the medications?Ha,,that is of course if I can pick up on the gluten free diet!!!!!!!! So far I'm reading labels,,and eating meat, veg and fruit. oh, I want Taco Bell tonight,,are the taco's gluten-free?? Hopefully the shell is cornmeal.

I am so irritable and anxious now,,,is this adapting to new diet,,,?? I guess I will make lots of mistakes. I am hoping the sunshine begins to penetrate the cloud of depression as I cleanse the gluten from my system.

Replies and suggestions welcome! Sheryl

[Lisa]

Hi Sheryl:

Welcome. You found the perfect place. You will learn more here than anywhere else.

I would not to tamper with you meds until you see improvement from a gluten free diet, and then, I would suggest discussing this with your doctor (or new one that understands Celiac!). Going off anti's can cause some pretty rough reactions.

You might not want to eat out for a while. Taco Bell has very little gluten free items and if I recall correctly, their shells are not gluten free (I need to check on that).

Gluten can hide everywhere...your shampoo, lotions, lipsticks, soy sauce...

You are smart to keep your initial diet simple. Meats, Seafood, Veggies, Rice, Potatoes. Oatmeal is not considered safe, as to cross contamination. Limit your seasonings to salt and pepper for a while until you inside heal a little. They you can gradually add new things to your diet. By then you will be a pro at reading labels.

Dairy is frequently difficult to digest in the beginning (lactose is absorbed on the tips of the villi - which get burned off from Celiac - Nancy taught me that).

Again welcome to our world and the rule here is that "there are no stupid duestions", always feel free to ask when in doubt or just share something.

[ravenwoodglass]

hi all!

I am totally new to posting boards and am newly diagnosed celiac. I suspected celiac for 10 years (my father was diagnosed) but my dr was not willing to do testing!!! I wish I had been more assertive!!! Finally after being hospitalized with severe stomach/intestinal pain he finally agreed to biopsy of small intestine.

My question: I have been diagnosed major/chronic depression for 10 years and bipolar type 2 for the last 2 years. I take a variety of meds. Does anyone have an opinion about easing off the medications?Ha,,that is of course if I can pick up on the gluten free diet!!!!!!!! So far I'm reading labels,,and eating meat, veg and fruit. oh, I want Taco Bell tonight,,are the taco's gluten-free?? Hopefully the shell is cornmeal.

I am so irritable and anxious now,,,is this adapting to new diet,,,?? I guess I will make lots of mistakes. I am hoping the sunshine begins to penetrate the cloud of depression as I cleanse the gluten from my system.

Replies and suggestions welcome! Sheryl

The most important thing you need to do about your meds is get ahold of your pharmacy and check and make sure they are gluten-free. Then make sure if you want to get off of them that you do it under your doctors direction.

I suffered from depression for over 30 years. I have been med free, literally all I have taken is asprin since I went gluten free.

The only time I get depressed now is if I get glutened. I hope you find the same hold true for you. It is like being a different, calm and pain free person.

[celiacgirls]

I've been on the diet for about 10 months now. I was taking an a/d for about 18 months before that. I could tell in 2 days that I didn't need my a/d any more. I felt giddy, not in a good way. I tapered off pretty quickly with no bad side effects. I did get a little dizziness when I tried to do it too fast.

My daughter is also on an a/d. She has been tapering off but is only down to 1/2 the dose after 10 months. She was on a higher dose than me to begin with and I think she keeps getting into gluten and casein by mistake (or not). She is not as strict as I am with her diet. There is a definite difference in her mood when she has been glutened and it has happened often enough that we've been unable to pick a good time to reduce her dose again. She is a different kid since she has started the diet, though, even with the mistakes made.

For me, the only time I feel that way now is when I get glutened. I am very strict because I don't want that depression to come back. It only takes a tiny amount of cc and the bad mood lasts for more than 2 weeks. It has always been at a restaurant so I avoid them when I can.

So it's very possible you will be able to reduce or eliminate your meds but I agree that I wouldn't do it without seeing the benefit from the diet or new problems with your current medicine. And of course, consult with your doctor about tapering off.

[sherylj]

[

Dairy is frequently difficult to digest in the beginning (lactose is absorbed on the tips of the villi - which get burned off from Celiac - Nancy taught me that).

Again welcome to our world and the rule here is that "there are no stupid duestions", always feel free to ask when in doubt or just share something.