<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

About 10 days ago, I wrote:

JL> I am posting this message for the benefit of someone in my local
JL> support group.  She is in her fifties, was an undiagnosed celiac for
JL> most of her life, but was diagnosed and has been GF for about seven
JL> years.
JL>
JL> In the last year or so she has been experiencing neurological
JL> problems:  unsteady gait, weakness of hands and limbs, and muscle
JL> spasms...
JL>
JL> If you have or had neurological symptoms such as I described
JL> above, even though you were on a GF diet; and then found or received
JL> treatment which eliminated or relieved these symptoms, could you
JL> send me the details privately?...In a week or so I will post on the
JL> list a summary of what I learn from the private messages I receive.

I'll share what I've learned so far.

Karen Hughes wrote:

KH> I find that if I get an accidental dose of wheat, it sets
KH> off a chain reaction of problems that lasts 2-3 months and
KH> includes the neurological problems.  Especially interesting are
KH> the muscle spasms.... I had assumed that the problem was a
KH> deficiency in minerals or vitamins but the finding of other
KH> autoimmune disease as well could suggest other possibilities.
KH> For example, a search of medline suggests that hormonal factors
KH> may play a role in autoimmune disease....

John Dennis posted a MEDLINE abstract.  Part of that follows:

ML> Central or peripheral nervous system complications are occasionally
ML> observed in adult patients with celiac disease.  Several mechanisms
ML> have been proposed including vitamin deficiency, vascular
ML> inflammation and a direct effect of gluten intolerance.  Typical
ML> nerve fiber damage due to demyelinization has been suggested....

Julie May wrote:

JM> She has a neurological problem  - dopamine is a neural transmitter
JM> and would cause trouble.  Too high of seratonin would do the same
JM> thing.  She is best off to contact Dr. Hitzig....and do some
JM> research on seratonin and dopamine.  A large percentage of our
JM> population has this problem, and only recently has it been truly
JM> recognized.  There are many dopamine enhancers and seratonin
JM> inhibitors that could help your friend.  In fact she's probably on
JM> some, but there's only one guy who seems able to achieve the
JM> balance of the two...

I've tried contacting Dr. Hitzig, but I've gotten no reply so far.

REMEMBER:  These comments did not come from medical experts.  See your
own doctor(s) before acting on any of the information posted here.

I don't expect any further responses to my request, but if I get any
I'll pass them on to the list.

--- Jim Lyles, [log in to unmask] ---
---------- Holly, Michigan, USA ---------