<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
I got such a huge response to my inquiry about neurological symptoms &
the GF diet, I don't know where to begin summarizing! Thanks to everyone
who responded. ~Valerie in Tacoma, WA
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Try peripheral neuropathy.
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[Neurological diseases associated with celiac disease]. [Article in
Norwegian] Hagen EM, Gjerde IO, Vedeler C, Hovdenak N.,Nevrologisk
avdeling, Haukeland Sykehus, Bergen.
During the period from May 1997 to October 1998, eight patients with
coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis and neurological disorders
were admitted to the Department of Neurology, University Hospital of
Bergen. The most frequent conditions were polyneuropathy (seven
patients) and spinocerebellar ataxia (three patients). Other conditions
were lower motor neuron disease, myelopathy, epilepsy and
encephalopathy. The patients used various degrees of gluten-free diet at
the time of admission. It remains unclear whether there is a shared
common pathogenetic mechanism or the neurological disorder is a
complication to the coeliac disease. Both vitamin depletion and
immunological mechanisms may cause neurological disorder. Neurological
manifestations may occur before the gastrointestinal symptoms. With
reference to our patients and available literature we discuss
prevalence, clinical picture, pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis.
Neurologists, gastroenterologists and general practitioners should be
aware that coeliac disease can cause neurological diseases, especially
polyneuropathy, cerebellar ataxia and encephalopathy. PMID: 10833932
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Our daughter, who had the unfortunate circumstance of having two grand
mal epileptic seizures, and was pronounced clinically dead the first
time suffered this because of undiagnosed celiac's disease. Her brain
has actually calcified because of this undiagnosis. She apparently had
tics (palpitations) around her eyes all her life and thought they were
normal. She has since stated that her mind is clear, and, I have to
remark, that even though I have not been diagnosed, and I went on the
diet with her to help her, I now have a remarkably clear mental faculty
and my daily, headaches have disappeared. My daughter has lost a lot of
her working memory, which makes it very hard at school. since going GF:
She has become a totally different person. From being withdrawn, an
underchiever, and not achieving to her potential, she has now got a part
time job, her first academic achievement certificate at college, and has
changed so much, she is a totally different child. Viva ladifference.
Also she has grown 4 inches in height. You would have to have known her
and then see the difference. She was always beautiful because she was
ours, but now she is magnificent. Need I say more?
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I had all the symptoms you listed including a lisp when pronouncing an
"sh" or "ch" sound, painful eye to eye contact & photophobia, heightened
sensitivity to light, sound, touch....everything hurt. Fear and panic
attack episodes, dizziness & vertigo (I would suddenly loose my balance),
tinnitus, acne, malaise and general misery. What a difference a diet
makes!
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Go to www.csaceliacs.org/neurocomp.html I found much more info than
this. Type in Celiac and epilepsy on a search engine.
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Temporary numbness of half of the face, one arm and one leg.
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I have lots of neurological issues going on. But I can tell you that
since going on the gluten free diet, all of my symptoms have virtually
disappeared, They raise there ugly head when I slip up. I have only been
on the diet for 4 months, so I am still learning. Brain Fog-also seen in
Fibromyalgia, which I have been diagnosed with. The brain fog has always
been present over the last 10 years, until the GF diet. I also have short
term memory loss, concentration and recall problems, fatigue makes it
worse. When I start to feel tired, ... I can become clumsy, fumble with
walking, not able to hold objects in my hands, drop things, ect. I also
have an awkward gait, and balance problems, like I am drunk or have CP. I
also have something a friend of mine calls "doing the neurological dance"
where my body follows a particular pattern (I have two very distinctive
patterns) I cannot control it nor can I tell when It is about to
happen-it just does with no warning.... I do have some seizure activity,
It is different then the "dance" There was one time in doing the "dance"
where it lead into a full blown seizure. When frustrated ... my body
does not work, or if stress is too great, I can become explosive, and
rage....The other biggie is the RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) and a sleep
disorder. I am on neurontin to control the "dance" the RLS and the sleep
disorder. The RLS is severe. On the GF diet, all of my symptoms
disappear, and I no longer need the neurontin too control the "dance,"
RSL or the sleep disorder. I am putting my life back in order, and I have
"normal" days.... My body is weak, but getting stronger. I am
emotionally calm, content, happy and self controlled. I can handle more
and more stress, exercise, have a social life, and date, I am goal
oriented and have plans for my future. I have hope. This diet gave that
to me.
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I have had tremors most of my life they have greatlly improved since
being gf.
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A lot of us have peripheral neuropathy because we don't assimilate niacin
well... If we take inositol bound niacin it improves or goes away.
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I have a stiffness in my left leg, occasional feelings of decreased
sensation in my arm or leg (usually left side), sporadic feelings of
electrical "zaps" in my extremities, sporadic tingling in my feet,
sporadic muscle twitches. My vision can get quite blurry for reading,
but this is also sporadic. Because of the sporadic nature of many of
these symptoms, I am investigating the role of food allergies (of which I
seem to have many).
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tingling and numbness in my hands and feet (neuropathy) and muscle
pain... migraine headaches. I've been really good at the GF lifestyle
for about a year and a half and don't see a lot of improvement in those
symptoms, although the headaches aren't as severe.
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I did ask for a blood test for Celiac, but that came back negative.
Nevertheless, I am 100% convinced that the following neurological
symptoms of mine are related to a gluten intolerance:
1) Brain fog (you know what this is if you experience it), Inability to
concentrate; Memory problems; Balance/dizziness problems; Vertigo
(actually more of a problem for me a few weeks after going GF); Pain in
legs, toes, arms - weak heavy feeling in arms; Stiff and sore neck (bad
once per year, usually February); Nerve problems (perhaps related) -
pain and tender spots especially by armpits, also pitiriasis and periodic
inflammation of nerve endings; Eczema (not sure that is "neurological" in
strict sense) 10) Twitches in leg and stomach (vasiculations); Speech
difficulties - difficulty finding the word I desired to use even though I
knew the word perfectly well, or sometimes they came out in reverse order
or my articulation was poor, and I even noticed that I would write things
in wrong sequence as if I were dyslexic.
ALL OF THE ABOVE HAVE EITHER COMPLETELY RESOLVED OR DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED
SINCE GOING GF.
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I was an extremely awkward child, with long gangly legs, and prone to
unreasoning outbursts of anger and frustration. Since my Dx at age 10,
I encounter extreme mental fog and irritability whenever I get the
slightest trace of accidental gluten, even if it's small enough not to
cause a noticable physical reaction... And now that you mention it, I
used to have tiny muscle ticks, especially on my face and eyelids
occaisionally when I was a child, but I haven't had them in years...
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I had some minor neurological symptoms, but until I went gluten free did
I realize the connection. I had a bluish tint to my finger tips (usually
in the winter), so the drs thought it was related to cold weather (not
so).
Also I was diagnosed with irritable leg syndrome, especially toward
evening. Dr. said it was stress related, etc.. etc... All neurological
symptoms went away after 2-3 weeks on a gluten free diet. Also not to
mention minor chest pain, had EKG, no problem. It too went away on a GF
diet.
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Twitches, visual disturbance (double vision, blind spot), no hearing
loss, but ringing in the ears.... Clumsiness, tremors, mental fog, loss
of short-term memory. Also numbness and tingling in the feet, face and
mouth ... Essentially my neurologist threw up his hands and said "I
dunno." So in desperation and on the advice of some friends I have tried
going GF. I have experienced some improvement, but hardly a dramatic
cure. The mental fog, memory loss and visual problems have improved. I
also had alternating diarrhea/constipation before going GF which has
shown drastic improvement...
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Dr Hadjivassiliou at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield England has
done the most work on CD and neurologic symptoms. He has published some
interesting articles. You can get them from Medline (at least an abstract).
One woman I met through this list has only neurologic reactions when
exposed to gluten. She lives in England. Her signs are cerebellar-wide
stance, staggering gait, tremors, can't stand, balance problems, can't
reach/grasp. She is a patient of Dr H's.
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I have had both central and peripheral nerve damage. My peripheral nerve
damage is in a glove/boot pattern. I have been tested twice with
EMG/nerve conduction tests and have permanent small fiber damage similar
to diabetics. It is both from not absorbing thiamine and also antibody
damage to nerve from anti-gluten antibodies.
My brain problems have been confusion, word-finding problems, short
term memory loss, fog, migraines, depression. I was told it would take 6
mos-2 yrs for the depression to get better after the GF diet. I have not
responded that well.
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My 21 month old son has celiac disease. (biopsy diagnosed) Prior to
diagnosis he went through a 3 to 4 month period of ataxia, off balance,
looked drunk. They did a brain MRI to check for tumor. His symptoms never
fully went away until 2 weeks on Gf diet and all gone. It was amazing. We
still occasionally see problems with balance, not like before, maybe from
a accidental gluten ingestion.
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My son the celiac suffers from ticks/twitches, and mental fog. I also
suspect he has suffered with memory loss as well. The Pediatrician says
he may be having 'small siezures'
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