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One person said that if you feel grouchy, you need to get over it and think about something else. That person obviously doesn't know what I'm talking about. One minute I'd be fine, dealing with the same old ordinary problems of life, like sloppy kids or the imperfect hubby, or the goats that did stupid tricks to get the feed without jumping up on the milking stanchion, and then suddenly I'd be in a rage, my brain would be experiencing a totally irrational response to this trivial input. I would want to kill all goats. I'd tell my husband I was going into our bedroom and not coming out till the kids were in bed, or I was gonna kill someone. In later years, I could feel my scalp prickle with anger when he'd say something irritating.
Vitamin B3 as either niacin or niacinamide was my lifesaver. My husband reached the point where he tried to make sure I took some every day so I was fit to live with. One dose a day seems to be sufficient to deal with mood problems like depression, grouchiness or perfectionism. The niacin is nice to take at night because it gives a warm glow that makes it easy to fall asleep. In the daytime, that glow is a "flush" that can itch and make your face red and have everyone asking if you are hot or sunburnt. My husband, son, and I all agree we prefer niacin, but there are times the amide form is just better for dealing with the public. I generally recommend the amide form to friends, not everyone appreciates the niacin flush.
I find it interesting that the B3 experts, like Hoffer and Kaufman, do not seem to be aware of gluten, and that the gluten experts don't seem to be aware of B3. I knew a woman who dealt with a few schizophrenics, and she said that you could always tell at first sight when they were having a bad day, as their hair would stand up in tufts. I would think about this when my scalp prickled with anger, as I knew that if my hair were short, it would have visibly stood up in places. Large doses of B3 can eliminate symptoms of schizophrenia or arthritis, which also often respond to a gluten free diet. In short, B3 stops something in some gluten reactions, probably the inflammation. If you want to read more on this subject, look up niacin and niacinamide on www.doctoryourself. The most dramatic article on what you can achieve with niacin is at http://www.doctoryourself.com/psychiatry.html I would like to hear about anyone's experiences with this vitamin. Donna
More responses:
I have wondered if grouchiness is a symptom of gluten intolerance, because
when I have unintentionally consumed gluten, I have noticed that I have
been cranky, nervous, depressed and irritable. I am curious if this is a
direct result of the gluten, or a reaction to feeling bloated and unhappy
with the weight gain that accompanies it.
Boy can I relate!
About day 7 after a gluten attack, I turn into a raging b****.
I feel like I could chew nails and spit bullets and I just seethe
with anger at anything and everything. I KNOW I'm being mean
but I just can't stop myself. I've tried so hard to be nice and
sweet, but just can't do it. It's like an organic thing with me.
After the attack is over (takes 10 to 15 days typically) then I'm
back to my normal quiet (and hopefully cheerful) self.
My husband really hates being around me after a gluten attack and
I can't blame him one bit.
When I first went gluten free, My personality change was dramatic. I
became happy, bubbly, even euphoric. I was so exuberant, I had to
suppress my happiness because it was interferring with my job
performance! Sick people don't enjoy the presence of an overly cheerful
nurse!
The other change that was so dramatic was that my sleepy drunken stupor
dissipated. My kids had teased me for years saying I looked & talked
like a drunk all the time. Indeed, I do look drunk in old family photos.
Even my speech was slurred at times. We just thought it was my
personality because it had come on so insidiously over such a long time.
But when I went GF, I was suddenly sober & alert!
Thank you so much for your post and your suggestion that niacinamide can be helpful. The first thing I did was run and look it up (niacin vs. niacinamide - not exactly the same, and one or the other can be used for the B-3 in supplements) - and the info is consistent with your findings (useful for anxiety, depression); next I checked our multi and our B-complex (which we do not use regularly but probably should) - looks as though we could stand to beef up the dosage on the niacinamide component, and I will go out today to look for some
In answer to your question, a resounding "YES!": grouchiness should definitely be listed as one of the symptoms of gluten sensitivity. Since my husband got his positive gene test back and has gone fully gf (which has really helped the skin problems), he is far less grouchy (no more major anger bursts from stupid things like the garbage bag breaking). And, you may not recognize my name, but I have posted even just recently wondering what if any drugs/solutions people have for the mood/behavior component of a gluten reaction, as my son has something which neurologists call "migraine with episodic dyscontrol", and gluten is his primary trigger (we have not challenged in years, but we think gf yeast and maybe high fructose corn syrup are also triggers). With this sort of migraine, the head pain is nothing as compared to the actual passing insanity: usually a 30-40 minute episode of all out rage/anger/destruction/aggression. It makes eating out rather problematic, and recent meltdowns have led us to decide that eating out is just not worth it (we end up with too many holes in the walls!). And then it usually takes quite a while to fully recover - I'm hopeful that supplementation with the niacinamide might improve not only his overall disposition (he spends too much time "in the dumps"), but possibly even give him a little more resilience if not resistance to a reaction from minor cross-contamination. The connection with tryptophan is really interesting, since folks with gut problems have a tendency to depression (our bodies can make niacninamide from tryptophan found in animal foods); also, my son instinctively craves a lot of meat and fish (sardines are a favorite snack) (dietary sources) - so much for my thoughts of going vegetarian!
I look forward to your summary and hope the word gets out to the medical community - it was so frustrating when the gastroenterologists were documenting his malabsorption (7 years ago) yet telling us we needed a psychiatrist because mood swings don't happen from food (naturally the psych said he seemed fine, must be neurological, neurologist diagnosed the migraine with episodic dyscontrol but had no interest in the fact that gluten was a trigger "you worry about his gut, I'll take care of his head" - long story short, the drug cocktails made matters worse; it was only the gf diet and prescription pancreatic enzymes (for six years) which helped. Still, we feel life could be better than it is, especially since reactions are so horrible (virtually criminal!), and we really worry about what will happen when he leaves the nest (he is almost 15).
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