If Your Biggest Symptom Is Depression, How Do You Cope With That?

[wilem008]

Im a self diagnosed celiac/gluten intolerant.

(im having more tests done tomorrow because im not completely well)

When I get glutened one of my biggest symptoms is depression.

Within an hour of eating gluten I get stomach cramps

Within 2-3 hours of eating gluten I get terrible depression which can last from 2 hours to 2 days.

How do I cope with the depression? Its starting to effect my relationships and socail life.

I could handle feeling physically sick, if I didnt feel mentally sick too.

Please help.

[luciddream928]

t terrible depression which can last from 2 hours to 2 days.

How do I cope with the depression? Its starting to effect my relationships and socail life.

I could handle feeling physically sick, if I didnt feel mentally sick too.

Please help.

I have similar issues. I noticed being gluten-free for about a month, maybe more, and finding significant improvements in my mood. I had a slip-up and within minutes my mood shifted to complete rage. The following few days I was depressed... the negative self-talk, the thought distortions, the anger and despair, it was all back. I was frightened that something was wrong with me until I realized what had happened - it was the gluten incident that completely fogged up my mind.

I read a lot of Buddhist books and when I slip up and experience the depression, I remind myself over and over again that it's not me. The depression is an illusion, it's some "thing" that convinces me that "I am" sadness/anger/despair/whatever. . . it's false. Underneath all of that, I realize that's not who I am at all. My body/mind reacts to gluten in such a way that this is what happens, but it's not me.

Maybe this is too heady or philosophical for your taste, but it's how I deal with it. To answer your question, I just forgive myself for judging myself for feeling like crap, and I either stay away from people or explain what is going on with me.

NO JUDGEMENT. Judging yourself is worse than being depressed, IMHO.

[DingoGirl]

I I remind myself over and over again that it's not me. The depression is an illusion, it's some "thing" that convinces me that "I am" sadness/anger/despair/whatever. . . it's false. Underneath all of that, I realize that's not who I am at all. My body/mind reacts to gluten in such a way that this is what happens, but it's not me.

Maybe this is too heady or philosophical for your taste, but it's how I deal with it. To answer your question, I just forgive myself for judging myself for feeling like crap, and I either stay away from people or explain what is going on with me.

NO JUDGEMENT. Judging yourself is worse than being depressed, IMHO.

this is something I'm working on......but it doesn't always help.

Depression and then mania were my only symptoms of celiac, for decades, so it really wreaked havoc with my life. Things improved considerably with gluten removal, but I still have bad periods or really bad days.

If things are just moderately bad, I just try and wait, get through the day, and tell myself it will pass. Pray a lot. Stay away from phone and friends. If I'm working (I just work part-time), I tell my boss that I'm psychotic that day and he's quite understanding.

but, I"ll be quite honest, if things are really really bad, I will resort to drugs. There are some days that I just don't have the energy to be with myself and battle the horrible thoughts and self-condemnation, for days on end, and so I will take an emergency tranquilizer (clonazepam or lorazepam) to calm my nervous system and thoughts. It usually works and I get a very welcome reprieve.

Goign to the gym, working out helps too, gets the endorphins going. I wish I did that more.

[dilettantesteph]

I had that problem in my first months of being gluten free. I would lie in bed thinking that I would be better off dead. I kept from killing myself by telling myself that it was just the gluten etc. It would last a week. After a year gluten free it hasn't happened for months. It is a combination of getting better at knowing what to eat and maybe not having such serious reactions. I just wanted you to know that it will go away. Meanwhile hang in there. Get some hugs. Do some journaling. Good luck to you.

[wilem008]

Thanks guys.

Getting practical advice and knowing you're not alone is really helpful.

I feel really dumb/silly trying to explain why I feel depressed. Even admitting it is hard.

I know a lot of people dont believe me and I am worried i'll get labled with depression or with bi-polar.

I know its gluten. As soon as I mess up on my diet I feel it. It can get pretty bad some days. Negative thoughts, feeling like id be better off dead, feeling the temptation to hurt myself. etc. But then, it all goes away and I wake up the next day or a few days later feeling happy and myself again!

Its frustrating. Knowing I can get depression just from eating the wrong foods is often depressing in itself!

I know what you mean with the buddist readings. Im not trying to start anything religious but the more these incidents happen the more ive found myself reading my bible. I guess im just looking for comfort.

I have a great, supportive family and boyfriend which helps.

I know I just have to be more careful with my diet....I know what gluten does to me but sometimes, the temptation to eat a small piece of cake becomes too much! :-(

Thanks again.

[frec]

I don't get depressed when I am glutened, but I had trouble with chronic depression for several years. Taking vitamin D3 has really helped. It is good for your immune system and for depression, and, thanks to malabsorption, a lot of gluten-intolerant/celiac types are low on vitamin D. I also am slowly learning to see what luciddream mentioned. I hope you feel better.

[DingoGirl]

I have a great, supportive family and boyfriend which helps.

I know I just have to be more careful with my diet....I know what gluten does to me but sometimes, the temptation to eat a small piece of cake becomes too much! :-(

Back away from the cake!!!!!!! Find g f substitutions!!!! There are all kinds of good things, do you have a Trader Joe's near you? And - plenty of good recipes on this site if you don't mind baking.

I was placed on disability for severe bipolar depression a few years ago. I have had an extremely heinous battle but mostly stabilized on a gluten-free diet, it will be three years this January. I do now firmly believe that bipolar disorder is just one of the many manifestations of a brain and neuro system gone horribly awry from a toxin, which in this case is gluten, an opioid polypeptide. I take very minimal medications now and, if I eat a very pure diet and don't make bad choices (made a bad one earlier this year and suffered terribly for it), I stay sane and calm and actually experience joy. There are many facets of stable mental/emotional health, spiritual issues greatly come into play but I will not go into that here; the gluten-free diet for those susceptible to the ruinous power of gluten is where we must begin, or all other attempts will be for naught.

You WON'T go further into any sort of "bipolar abyss" if you maintain a very pure diet! And by that I also mean, minimal or no processed foods/chemicals.....Cheetos, for example, don't contain gluten but - they're nearly solid chemicals and, with me, wreak havoc on brains and intestines.

You can do this! I don't know your age but you sound young, you can nip this in the bud!

[mysecretcurse]

I have suicidal feelings from being glutened too. It's 1/2 frustration and 1/2 whatever the gluten does to my mind. But I am NOT myself, when I get glutened. I have anxiety attacks, sometimes severe ones, and depression and severe irritability. I wish I could give advice on a proper way to deal with it but I haven't found one yet.

[Guest joshua gregory]

i understand what everyone here is saying about depression and its relation to our little problem. i have been dealing with some very hard times (all in my head i guess) lately and have been looking for some relief from these horrible feelings.

it is so hard to explain to someone about depression because we have created a taboo of the mind being separate from the rest of the body but it is still an organ functioning on the fuel it is given.

i am currently dealing with my first thanksgiving gluten free and have come away very down yet now that i think about it i have been down for awhile. recently i have tried some "gluten free" processed foods for my work lunches and i wonder if that has been part of the problem. i am going to go back to simple foods now and see what happens.

this is a hard time of year for people who naturally decline into a depressive state and adding this problem certainly does not help.

some of you have expressed suicidal thoughts and i will tell you that i have been on that edge as well but what we have here (if you are reading this) is a wonder of technology that allows us to band together and share our experiences. that in itself is a positive. we have built a community that never existed before and we can make it work for each other. through this we can find hope in others on the same path.

my motto since i have been diagnosed has been "keep moving, keep breathing", i should add to this statement " go beyond yourself". what i mean is that, to merely function is not enough, find an outlet that involves others and their experiences. we are and always will be social animals. find something you can enjoy that involves other people that you can get to know. good medicine. dont hide yourself away.

thank you all for your posts on this subject and good luck.

[SGWhiskers]

I've battled with depression I "think" is not related to gluten, but time on my new gluten-free diet will tell. On my worst days, forcing myself to get some sunshine and physical activity helps me reflect back on the day on a better note than if I had not gotten outside. I think that is part of why winter is hard for me.

If your depression is only going to last a few days at a time, I like the idea of warning others, doing damage control by not offending people, and I would add the following in hopes that one of them works for you.

1) Rent a comedy

2) Tea with mint

3) sex (does it say something that this is only 3rd on my list?)

4) a novel

5) excercise

6) Chocolate

7) stay away from dangerous activities (don't do excess driving, veggie chopping, hunting, sky diving, snowmobiling, lawn mowing, woodshop, bonfire, etc.) Accidents are more likely to happen when we are not thinking clearly or say "forget it" to safety measures because of emotions. Don't spend money for a shopper's high unless you budget ahead for that or spend it on a just as high inducing new box of special tea or new gluten-free brownie mix.

8) play with your pet or the neighbor's pet (You can't offend a puppy)

9) turn on music in the house

10) turn off downer TV (skip the news, Jerry springer, and depressing movies. TiVo your favorite homicide show).

11) do something creative: paint, bake, get a "kit" from the craft store to put together. Have something on hand to use when you are glutened. If you prefer, sand, varnish, or design something for the workshop, put up a birdhouse, build a snowfort with the kids, play music.

12)Do something distructive: (preplanned), clean all the crap out of the garage, rip out a bunch of weeds, throw away all the junk in the basement, pack up all the too young kids toys, make a pile of clothes for good will, shovel the snow, clean the junk drawer, purge old paperwork, dig in the garden, These things are the best for me when I'm anxious/angry/PMS feeling. It is better to pull the grass out of the garden than want to pull the hair out of your husband. Mmmm and I LOVE digging. My mind goes numb, and I get an excercise high.

Good luck and plan ahead.

SGWHISKERS

[mysecretcurse]

On my worst days, forcing myself to get some sunshine and physical activity helps me reflect back on the day on a better note than if I had not gotten outside. I think that is part of why winter is hard for me.

Me too. Winter (NOW) is the time of absolute misery to me. I fall into a depression and dont come out til April.

[Guest joshua gregory]

i dont remember it being mentioned but does anyone take a vit. d supplement. my doc recommended 2000 i.u.s during the winter months and it seems to help.

[aliciatakescare]

Hello everyone! I did not realize how common depression is with celiac disease - I am realy good at thinking I am different in a bad way -- working really hard to overcome it though. I too feel extreme depression that lasts for up to a week any time I have been glutened. NOt only depression, but foggy brain, poor memory, migraines and more. I have found the best thing is to talk to my wonderful support system of my totaly supportive and problem solver boyfriend, family and a true friend. I have tried so many times to "just get through" and "suck it up" which have failed tried and true. The only way that I can cope is to drink tons of water, gator ade and milk in combination with sleep, rest and Bible reading. This forum has been totally awesome to me and I thank each and every one of you...thank you so much.

Alicia Williams

Aurelia, IA

Diagnosed with IBS 1988

Diagnosed with migraines 1995

Diagnosed with diverticulitis/diverticulosis 1/08

Diagnosed with cedliac disease 2/08

Gluten free since 2/08

[LuvMoosic4life]

The best thing for me is to stay as active as possible and away from home as much as possible. I get depressed when i am stuck in one place too long, add gluten and its thoughts of not wanting to live.

When I was on gluten I was so depressed at times that I often didnt recognize that underneath it all I am a happy person with many goals. If I fall into depression now, what keeps me going is knowing that there will be a tomarrow, a chance to get better, start over,build my spirit up ...before I saw it as there will never be a better and I suck at life and feel miserable. I rememeber so many times I would literally lock myself in a secluded place and just cry, bashing myself for sucking at life, feeling ugly, bloated, miserable, brain fogged,ect......

I look back at it now and just can't believe I was in that state of mind. The hardest part is nobody really knew it was that bad for me....maybe they got the clue when I constantly turned down offers to go out and do things...but people still dont get it that gluten really caused me hell.

[Guest joshua gregory]

it is so hard to relay to others what depression really means to us. i think that we have to remember that in that state we are so overcome with ourselves and we forget the rest of the world. its so easy to fall into that downward spiral but to get even the smallest break helps to rebuild ourselves.

when i get into that state the only thing i am consumed with is the things i am or have not done right, yet when i get a chance to step away it is so different.

there is a good quote: depression is the absence of novelty. i now understand what that means, if you perceive that you have nothing left to keep you going then it is all downhill.

our particular situation with this disease gives us an edge: we are by our own need living better than most. i will explain- we have to go back to the simple foods that we are supposed to eat, therefore making us better beings all around. we also have a disease that can be dealt with without the use of the pharma industry.

i have friends who know about my condition but admit to never being able to submit to the dietary changes needed. i wonder, quite often, what they could become if they did. our modern world has taken us away from the essential basics and given us a world based on convenience but at what price?

i think we are all on the right track, even if we have to spend a little down time but each time we learn a little more. particularly here on this site. thank you all for your posts.

just wanted to say i am not naturally a sappy optimist but i do look at this problem as an opportunity and i love to cook, so hey, great!

[detox]

I have discovered that B Vitamins make me feel much better, it smooths out the effects of being glutened. I usually take a B 50 Vitamin. Usually if i am feeling unwell/lightheaded in a glutened manner it takes 15 min or less to allow me to focus better. They will turn you pee into a very bright yellow/green. Seem to recall hearing somewhere that your body just gets rid of the vitamins that it does not need. I don't get the same drastic effect with multi vitamins though. Something for some of you frustrated people to look into. It certainly helps me cope.

Scott

[converge]

If you live in close quarters with people and you get sick, tell them. Its fair. When I get sick, I can be a miserable prick. I will straight up say "I'm glutened. I dont feel good, I'm sorry if I'm cranky." That will at least warn people what is up.

As far as depression... since yours is so short term, one idea would be to work on creature comforts. Do things that a) make your happy or take your mind off issues. Depression gets worse when you dwell. The more active and busy you can keep yourself and your mind, the better. Escapism is cool, too. Watch a movie. Have a beer (gluten free, of course).

Sex is good too, although I have personally found that being glutened destroys the highs of it.

[LynziMarie]

woah. I'm not gonna lie, this whole things fits me so well that it's scary!

I have been diagnosed with severe depression and even have been considered bi-polar as well and have been off and on of anti-depressants and mood stabilizers since I was 9.

I guess never put that in to the equation... I thought I was just dealing with what a bunch of people deal with...

interesting.

[MyMississippi]

Antidepressants can help a lot------- Many people who are anxious and depressed do not want to take "drugs"--- so they struggle along for years on the roller coaster of depression, anxiety, and some days feeling almost " normal " but most always "worried" and "anxious" about themselves or any and everything.

Tell your doctor how you feel------- medication may help you tremendously. Depression can be a CHEMICAL IMBALANCE---- and "drugs" can get you back in balance again.

[aliciatakescare]

I agree totally with the warning the people you live in close quarters with when you have been glutened. I, too, just say, "I got glutened" and the people close to me know exactly what that means. It also helps them to understand and be prepared better - they are getting to where they even will help me by getting me a ferrous fumerate and gatorade to help me -- plus they clear the way to the bathroom too. When I get glutened, it is evident within minutes and lasts for days or longer. I am very fortunate to have such an understanding family/friend network that help watch out for gluten and do not make me eel strange for my issues.