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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Can gluten cause sever depression?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Can gluten cause sever depression?
by soloco, May 10, 2009 12:39PM
+ELISA Test show I have IGG & IGM, gluten test showed and elevation, neuropathy in the toes and feet along with severe distention and bloating occured two years ago. I suffered with ischemic bowel, 5 different ulcers, some that bleed in the stomach.This was shown on a scope. Am lactaid intolerant. I saw this gluten insensitivity and tried eliminationg it from my diet. I improved so much I no longer needed a wheelchair. I became less bed ridden with sever back pain and intestinal problems. I refused all meds because i was convinced it was food doing all this harm to me.
The last month I have been eating gluten again. Breads, muffins, chips and pasta. I noticed swelling in my face first, then my feet hurt like before when I HAD neuropathy in my feet. My stomach distended and I felt reflux. I eat nearly a whole box of Wheat grain crackers in one day. All I can say is it was sudden and drastic. It came on me like a storm. Depresson so bad. Warm headed and extremly fatigued. I cried and was feeling useless. It never dawned on me about my diet anymore. I contined eating gluten and I became very withdrawn for almost a month. I dragged myself out of bed to the computer to read my email and saw this newsletter about gluten and depression. I laughed and thought, "yea, that's my problem". My mother died in 1964 from sucude. I was told me she had a problem with all kinds of allergies and a weight problem toward the end. I saw pics of my mom, 10 pds maybe. Could gluten be causing this? Anything on this I could read about would be very much appreciated.
I am refraining from gluten and feeling better. I cannot say for sure if it is what caused my sever depression which may lead me to eat gluten again exposing me to this harm again.I need to know if gluten could do this?
The last month I have been eating gluten again. Breads, muffins, chips and pasta. I noticed swelling in my face first, then my feet hurt like before when I HAD neuropathy in my feet. My stomach distended and I felt reflux. I eat nearly a whole box of Wheat grain crackers in one day. All I can say is it was sudden and drastic. It came on me like a storm. Depresson so bad. Warm headed and extremly fatigued. I cried and was feeling useless. It never dawned on me about my diet anymore. I contined eating gluten and I became very withdrawn for almost a month. I dragged myself out of bed to the computer to read my email and saw this newsletter about gluten and depression. I laughed and thought, "yea, that's my problem". My mother died in 1964 from sucude. I was told me she had a problem with all kinds of allergies and a weight problem toward the end. I saw pics of my mom, 10 pds maybe. Could gluten be causing this? Anything on this I could read about would be very much appreciated.
I am refraining from gluten and feeling better. I cannot say for sure if it is what caused my sever depression which may lead me to eat gluten again exposing me to this harm again.I need to know if gluten could do this?
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., May 11, 2009 11:01AM
, May 11, 2009 11:01AMTo: soloco
There is no definitive evidence that gluten causes depression, but it is certainly true that you started over eating the food that you knew was bad for you, and you did that for a reason, probably related to your mother and your age and your unconscious identification with her....now you are out of that trap, so just remember that what happened to your mother is not the template for your life...you have different options and diffferent choices to make.
Member Comments (2)
by Paxiled, May 11, 2009 05:10PM
The good doctor has apparently not studied up on both what allergies, intolerances, and ciliac disease. If there are forums for these on this site, go there, you'll get better information. Your immune system is fighting the protein in certain grains, which is what the gluten is. And of course wheat intolerances can cause depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, etc. Whatever throws your body out of whack can throw your emotions out of whack.
