<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
>He has always been quite absentminded. But now it is getting worrying and
>some symptoms have reappeared in a mild form. He does not feel sick, but he
>feels more tired than usual, sleeps more, has difficulties to concentrate
>and forgets many things everyday. This has not cause any major problem, yet,
>but we are concerned.
I got 16 responses with suggestions of what the cause could be for my
husband's symptoms:
Gluten ingested while eating out (3 persons suggested it)
Depression (2 persons)
Another food intolerance such as casein or soy or corn (6 persons)
B12/B6 deficiency or B12 overdose (6 persons)
Neurorological problems (3 persons)
Candida infection (1 person)
The solutions that some people have suggested are:
Take B12/B6 vitamins. Particularly B12 injections seem to be of a great help.
Avoid eating out
Test for other food intolerances
>Restrited diet: No gluten containing foods, no lactose products (butter and
>heavy cream are all right, it is milk protein that causes our problems).No
>sugars except pure maple syrup. Very little or no caffein. NO synthetic
>sugars. Then we take many vitamin supplements. Among those, a strong
>multiplevitamin, a strong B-complex, B-12 sublingual pills, vit. K, Tri
>Boron, Evening Primrose Oil, and niacin.
>I would ask for a list of all medicines he is taking as many good medicines
>have bad side effects. I would also like to do a psychologic and physical
>exam with specific attention to nervous system function and to blood
>circulation to his brain. Then a group of tests to evaluate his general
>health and his brain. If all of these are of no help, then make sure he
>gets extra magnesium and vitamins (B-6 pyridoxine specifically) as these
>can be depleted in cd >and are easily replaced by taking supplements.
Three people suggested consulting with a neurologist. One person had a very
similar course, with certain mental functions deteriorating even after the
diet was in effect. It turned out that he had diffuse demyelination of the
cerebrum (but not MS), cerebral atrophy, and Parkinsonian symptoms (unknown
whether it's "Parkinson's disease", but it does seem to respond a little to
medication). The other had a friend with the same problems and is on
medication that is marvelously effective.
The third gave a detailed account of the problems and steps taken to solve
them:
>We travelled to see Dr. Joseph Murray at the Univ. of Iowa. I spent four
>days there getting tested. I had a a nerulogical exam to assess cranial and
>peripheral nerves. Then I had a neuropsychiatric test to determine where
>the lesions were in my brain. I was told that I had a multifocal
>encephalopathy which means my problems were in different areas of the brain.
>Dr. Murray advised us that the neurological problems could be nutritional
>or immune-mediated damage or some other problem not related to celiac
>disease. He recc's the following vitamin tests: Vitamin E on a fat biopsy,
>not blood; Folate on red blood cells, not serum or plasma; Thiamine, B6 and
>B12. The way I understand the neurological problems with CD is the question
>of "Is it nutritional or autoimmune antigen/antibody damage?" It takes a
>combination of rebiopsy, vitamin levels, perhaps a test to determine the
>"leakiness" of the gut with oral xylose, etc. as well as evaluation by a
>neurologist to determine where the neurological problems are based.
>Sometimes the therapy is straightforward with vitamins; sometimes it is not
>that simple. Dr. Murray says there may be micronutrients that we do not
>recognize that may be responsible for the barin problems. If there is
>suspicion of auto-immune problems, then therapy questions become a little
>more difficult.
Last week my husband had an appointment with our GP. She was not that
convinced that CD could be the cause of my husband's problems, but still we
got her to refer him to the gastroenterologist. When we eventually find out
the cause of his problems, I'll let you know.
Thanks to all,
Ana Andres
Bilbao, Spain
|
