I HAVE RECENTLY STARTED A GLUTEN FREE DIET, SUGGESTED BY MY CURRENT DOCTOR, IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIGURE OUT MY LONG TERM DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLY RELATED IRRATIONAL BOUTS OF ANXIETY, PANIC, AND PARANOIA-LIKE THOUGHTS. HAS ANYONE ON THE FORUM NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN MENTAL HEALTH AFTER DISCONTINUING GLUTEN?

3 1/2 YEARS AGO I WAS TESTED FOR CELIAC DISEASE AFTER A PERIOD OF STRESS (BREAK-UP/MOVE, GRADUATING COLLEGE, ACCIDENTAL DOSE OF HALLUCINOGEN) AND TRAVEL (GOT VERY SICK-SINUS-TOOK HEAVY ANTIBIOTICS THERE). THE TEST CAME BACK NEGATIVE, DESPITE PREVIOUS SUSPICION. I HAD NOTICED FEELING TIRED AND SLUGGISH AFTER MEALS WITH WHEAT AND PASTA FOR SOME TIME. DURING THIS TIME OF STRESS AND TRAVEL, I STARTED HAVING CHRONIC DIARRHEA (UPON RETURN). NUMEROUS TESTS WERE DONE FOR PARASITES BUT NOTHING SHOWED UP. I LOST 30 POUNDS IN 2 MONTHS AND WOULD GO DAYS WITHOUT SLEEPING DUE TO SEVERE ANXIETY. I BEGAN HAVING PANIC ATTACKS AND MANY IRRIATIONAL FEARFUL THOUGHTS. I KNEW I WAS NOT MYSELF DESPITE THE STRESS I WAS UNDER. I HAD DEALT WITH NUMEROUS STRESSFUL PERIODS IN MY LIFE AND MILD ANXIETY~THIS WAS DIFFERENT. (I DID TAKE A 10-DAY PRESCRIPTION FOR PARASITES AS A 'JUST IN CASE' MEASURE SUGGESTED BY A NATUROPATH)

SINCE THEN MY SYMPTOMS TURNED INTO BURNING GUT SENSATIONS AND I NOTICED A MARKED CHANGE IN WHAT MY BODY COULD HANDLE. I USED TO EAT SPICY FOODS ON A REGULAR BASIS BUT NOW MY BODY NO LONGER COULD TAKE IT. MY TASTE BUDS AND STOMACH SEEMED TO CHANGE OVERNIGHT. I WAS IN AND OUT OF SEEING DOCTORS FOR TESTS THAT CAME UP INCONCLUSIVE. THEY WOULD ONLY OFFER ANTI-DEPRESSANTS FOR THE ANXIETY. I WASN'T SATISFIED WITH THEIR RESPONSE BECAUSE I FELT/FEEL THAT THERE IS SOMETHING CONNECTED TO MY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM AND I DIDN'T WANT TO MASK IT! ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO I BEGAN HAVING SEVERE PAIN IN MY STOMACH THAT TOOK ME TO URGENT CARE AND THE EMERGENCY ROOM WHERE THEY DETECTED GALLSTONES. I CHOSE TO KEEP MY GALLBLADDER AND WENT OFF DAIRY AND KEPT MY DIET SIMPLE. I HAVE NOT HAD THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN SINCE BUT I DO STILL HAVE BOUTS OF DIARRHEA, OCCASIONAL HEADACHES (CHRONIC MIGRAINES WHILE IN SCHOOL 4 YEARS AGO), AND THIS STRANGE DISTORTED ANXIETY.

MY MOTHER HAS DONE ALLERGY TESTING AND HAS A HANDFUL THAT SHE DOESN'T ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE. SHE ALSO TAKES A LOW DOSE OF AN OLDER ANTI-DEPRESSANT THAT IS ALSO PRESCRIBED FOR ALLERGIES SO THIS COULD BE WHY SHE ISN'T AS READILY AFFECTED BY FOODS.

I AM VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR ANY POSITIVE "MENTAL HEALTH" IMPROVEMENTS YOU'VE HAD WITH A GLUTEN-FREE DIET. AND ANY GOOD SUGGESTIONS ON NOURISHING A DAMAGED GUT...


THANKS!