For the past year I have had the worst eating habits. I would crave sweets and carbohydrates to no end. Plus... I was ALWAYS hungy. I not just talking about the 'hey I want a bite of that' hunger, I am talking my stomach was growling hunger. At first I decided I just had a bad relationship with food. So I tried to be careful about what I ate and how much I ate. My will power would only ever last a few days. The cravings and hunger would get to me and I would start to constantly eat again. I didn't know what was wrong with me or what to do about it. I felt like I had no control over myself. There was just something instinctive inside me the knew it had to keep eating. It got to the point where some nights I would be completely full and yet I would still have this internal need to keep eating, even though I didn't want to. In all honesty it really scared me.
Well, it makes much more sense now. Because of the damage in my intestines I wasn't absorbing any of the nutrients from the food I was eating. So in reality my body was starving even though I was eating. That explains the constant hunger and the need to keep eating. Also, because I was so fatigued (which I'll write about later), and again not absorbing anything, my body was craving quick energy, which would explain the cravings for sweets and carbohydrates. Understanding this has helped me handle the cravings and hunger. Knowing why I am feeling the way I am feeling has helped me be able to manage what I eat and how much I eat, to give my body what it needs and not necessarily what it wants. Over the past few months the cravings and hunger have subsided a lot. Now that my body is absorbing some nutrients it's not on constant alert for food. A more reasonable diet is coming slowly, although I still think I eat more than I should. Over time I think I will be fine. It's a relief to know that I can manage my relationship with food and that I don't have some sort of psychological disorder.
Showing posts with label Symptoms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Symptoms. Show all posts
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Intestinal Issues
I once overheard a conversation that went something like this:
Guy: "Did you know that the average american farts 14 times a day?"
Girl: "No way."
Guy: "Seriously, I'm not making this up."
Girl: "Really, I don't think so. I never fart, so how can that be true?"
Sorry everyone, I'm pretty sure I single-handedly skewed that statistic... for the entire nation.
I have had an array of intestinal problems. I won't go into great detail for the sake of those who actually read this blog, but I'll go ahead and give a brief overview. I've always had problems with gas. Since the time I was about 5 up until the present day. The past two years it got really bad. By the end of the day I was so distended that I looked 7-8 months pregnant. It got to the point that the distention never really went away and I was always gassy. I was uncomfortable all the time. I still have issues with gas depending on what I eat, but I am no longer permenantly distended and uncomfortable. As the bacteria overgrowth in my system works out I will have less and less gas. One day it is my hope to be like the girl in the conversation and say, "I never have gas."
When I was really young, like 5-7, I had issues with constapation. Luckily that worked itself out pretty quickly. Once I turned 13 I started having problems with diarrhea. I would occasionally have bouts of it but nothing to cause too much concern. I just figured it was the stomach flu or stress. When I started my junior year of college it started getting even worse. By the end of that fall semester I was constantly having diarrhea. Yes, that is right, I had diarrhea for 2 years straight. It was manageable most of the time. However, in my last semester of college it got really bad. I started having to plan around being sick. If I knew I had somewhere important to be or something important to do I just wouldn't eat. Even then I would sometimes be sick. After I finished college and came home I thought it would get better. I figured it was stress (even though I never actually felt stressed), or that I wasn't eating well (I'll get to that when I post about craving and continuous hunger). Unfortunately when I got home it just got worse. I was spending most of my time in the bathroom. It was so frustrating because I knew at that point that I wasn't stressed, plus I was eating better. Of course I had started snacking on Kashi cereals which are chalk-full of wheat, barley, and rye. It was finally the fact that I was constantly sick in the bathroom for 2 months that my mom made me go to the doctor. After starting the diet I immediately saw a difference. I still had diarrhea all the time but at least I wasn't in the bathroom all day, every day. Now I am back to bouts of diarrhea and bouts of being normal. I still have a ways to go to be constantly normal, but it has been a huge improvement over the last 4 months.
Stomach cramps; I get bad stomach cramps. Bad, bad as in, curled up on the bed crying, bad stomach cramps. I get cramps with gas, I get cramps with diarrhea, and sometimes I get cramps just for the sake of getting cramps. This was the one issue I talked to my doctor about when I was about 16. Here's how the conversation went...
Me: "I get really bad stomach cramps after I eat breakfast."
Doctor: "Do you get sick as well?"
Me: "No, It just hurts really bad for a while and then goes away."
Doctor: "You probably just have gas. Everyone has gas, just deal with it."
And so I did. I no longer have to curl up on my bed an cry, I just grit my teeth and 'deal with it'.
Gasterointestinal problems are classified as 'classical symptoms' of celiac disease. Amazingly enough only 40% of celiac patients have intestinal symptoms. Usually, only patients who had onset of the disease in childhood have intestinal sypmtoms. Onset in adulthood usually manifests itself in 'atypical symptoms' like mood problems, rashes, body aches, etc. (basically everything besides intestinal problems). Ingestion of gluten, once on a gluten free diet, does not always manifest itself in intestinal distress either. I have found that if I only ingest trace amounts of gluten, like licking an envelope, I get really bad headaches and mood swings for a few days. However, when I get prolonged trace amounts of gluten or large amounts at one time I get really bad intestinal distress. Nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, the works. Mostly I just try to avoid any ingestion of gluten. That's when I'm happiest and I like being happy. :) Now you may be thinking, "Wow, that was way too much information for me." Just remember, that was the brief overview edition. You really DON'T want to know the full story.
Guy: "Did you know that the average american farts 14 times a day?"
Girl: "No way."
Guy: "Seriously, I'm not making this up."
Girl: "Really, I don't think so. I never fart, so how can that be true?"
Sorry everyone, I'm pretty sure I single-handedly skewed that statistic... for the entire nation.
I have had an array of intestinal problems. I won't go into great detail for the sake of those who actually read this blog, but I'll go ahead and give a brief overview. I've always had problems with gas. Since the time I was about 5 up until the present day. The past two years it got really bad. By the end of the day I was so distended that I looked 7-8 months pregnant. It got to the point that the distention never really went away and I was always gassy. I was uncomfortable all the time. I still have issues with gas depending on what I eat, but I am no longer permenantly distended and uncomfortable. As the bacteria overgrowth in my system works out I will have less and less gas. One day it is my hope to be like the girl in the conversation and say, "I never have gas."
When I was really young, like 5-7, I had issues with constapation. Luckily that worked itself out pretty quickly. Once I turned 13 I started having problems with diarrhea. I would occasionally have bouts of it but nothing to cause too much concern. I just figured it was the stomach flu or stress. When I started my junior year of college it started getting even worse. By the end of that fall semester I was constantly having diarrhea. Yes, that is right, I had diarrhea for 2 years straight. It was manageable most of the time. However, in my last semester of college it got really bad. I started having to plan around being sick. If I knew I had somewhere important to be or something important to do I just wouldn't eat. Even then I would sometimes be sick. After I finished college and came home I thought it would get better. I figured it was stress (even though I never actually felt stressed), or that I wasn't eating well (I'll get to that when I post about craving and continuous hunger). Unfortunately when I got home it just got worse. I was spending most of my time in the bathroom. It was so frustrating because I knew at that point that I wasn't stressed, plus I was eating better. Of course I had started snacking on Kashi cereals which are chalk-full of wheat, barley, and rye. It was finally the fact that I was constantly sick in the bathroom for 2 months that my mom made me go to the doctor. After starting the diet I immediately saw a difference. I still had diarrhea all the time but at least I wasn't in the bathroom all day, every day. Now I am back to bouts of diarrhea and bouts of being normal. I still have a ways to go to be constantly normal, but it has been a huge improvement over the last 4 months.
Stomach cramps; I get bad stomach cramps. Bad, bad as in, curled up on the bed crying, bad stomach cramps. I get cramps with gas, I get cramps with diarrhea, and sometimes I get cramps just for the sake of getting cramps. This was the one issue I talked to my doctor about when I was about 16. Here's how the conversation went...
Me: "I get really bad stomach cramps after I eat breakfast."
Doctor: "Do you get sick as well?"
Me: "No, It just hurts really bad for a while and then goes away."
Doctor: "You probably just have gas. Everyone has gas, just deal with it."
And so I did. I no longer have to curl up on my bed an cry, I just grit my teeth and 'deal with it'.
Gasterointestinal problems are classified as 'classical symptoms' of celiac disease. Amazingly enough only 40% of celiac patients have intestinal symptoms. Usually, only patients who had onset of the disease in childhood have intestinal sypmtoms. Onset in adulthood usually manifests itself in 'atypical symptoms' like mood problems, rashes, body aches, etc. (basically everything besides intestinal problems). Ingestion of gluten, once on a gluten free diet, does not always manifest itself in intestinal distress either. I have found that if I only ingest trace amounts of gluten, like licking an envelope, I get really bad headaches and mood swings for a few days. However, when I get prolonged trace amounts of gluten or large amounts at one time I get really bad intestinal distress. Nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, the works. Mostly I just try to avoid any ingestion of gluten. That's when I'm happiest and I like being happy. :) Now you may be thinking, "Wow, that was way too much information for me." Just remember, that was the brief overview edition. You really DON'T want to know the full story.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Rashes
Yes, I used the plural form on purpose. I have had multiple rashes since I can remember.
Eczema - I have had eczema since I was a baby. This is a dry, flaky, itchy rash. Luckily, I usually only have a few little spots. I know some people who get huge spots everywhere. Lotion and Hydrocortisone cream will help relieve the itching and dry feeling temporarily. The only thing you can do for it permantly is, find out what the cause of it is, usually some sort of allergin, and stay away from it. Eczema is a known symptom of celiac disease and since I have been gluten free I have noticed that my spots are going away.
Hives - The chronic hives started when I was about 11 years old. The only way I can think to describe hives is itchy welts... everywhere. After going to the doctor and getting extensive allergy testing done they threw their hands up and said they didn't know what was causing it. Over the years I figured out that I got hives when I was exposed to cold or when my hormones fluctuated. After becoming immune to Benedryl the doctors put me on a daily, sometimes twice daily, dose of Claritin to try to keep it under control. Hives are not on the list of known symptoms for celiac disease. However, I have not had hives once since I have been gluten free. Plus I stopped taking Claritin when I started the diet. That means that the hives are gone!!
Dermatitis Herpetiformis - This is by far the worst rash I have ever had. It started around first or second grade. Most people who have it get it on their elbows, knees, and rear end. Over the years I have gotten it everywhere. However, since high school I have mainly gotten it on my face. If you have dermatitis herpetiformis, you have celiac disease... period. For patients with this rash it is usually the only symptom of celiac disease they have. (Not in my case, I guess I'm just lucky) This is an intensely itchy rash that appears as watery blisters. I have been really lucky with this because I usually only get small outbreaks of it and it does clear up for short periods of time. Usually people get large breakouts and it rarely goes away. Since I have been gluten free it has pretty much gone away! Every once in a while I will get one or two spots that clear up very quickly.
I am amazed that cutting out one thing from my diet has cleared up all the rashes I have had since the time I was little. I can take a lot of things but itching all the time was one thing that really got to me. I am so excited that I don't have to spend the rest of my life scratching!
Eczema - I have had eczema since I was a baby. This is a dry, flaky, itchy rash. Luckily, I usually only have a few little spots. I know some people who get huge spots everywhere. Lotion and Hydrocortisone cream will help relieve the itching and dry feeling temporarily. The only thing you can do for it permantly is, find out what the cause of it is, usually some sort of allergin, and stay away from it. Eczema is a known symptom of celiac disease and since I have been gluten free I have noticed that my spots are going away.
Hives - The chronic hives started when I was about 11 years old. The only way I can think to describe hives is itchy welts... everywhere. After going to the doctor and getting extensive allergy testing done they threw their hands up and said they didn't know what was causing it. Over the years I figured out that I got hives when I was exposed to cold or when my hormones fluctuated. After becoming immune to Benedryl the doctors put me on a daily, sometimes twice daily, dose of Claritin to try to keep it under control. Hives are not on the list of known symptoms for celiac disease. However, I have not had hives once since I have been gluten free. Plus I stopped taking Claritin when I started the diet. That means that the hives are gone!!
Dermatitis Herpetiformis - This is by far the worst rash I have ever had. It started around first or second grade. Most people who have it get it on their elbows, knees, and rear end. Over the years I have gotten it everywhere. However, since high school I have mainly gotten it on my face. If you have dermatitis herpetiformis, you have celiac disease... period. For patients with this rash it is usually the only symptom of celiac disease they have. (Not in my case, I guess I'm just lucky) This is an intensely itchy rash that appears as watery blisters. I have been really lucky with this because I usually only get small outbreaks of it and it does clear up for short periods of time. Usually people get large breakouts and it rarely goes away. Since I have been gluten free it has pretty much gone away! Every once in a while I will get one or two spots that clear up very quickly.
I am amazed that cutting out one thing from my diet has cleared up all the rashes I have had since the time I was little. I can take a lot of things but itching all the time was one thing that really got to me. I am so excited that I don't have to spend the rest of my life scratching!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Osteopenia
During the process of diagnosis the Doctors decided to test several of my nutrient levels. My Vitamin D level (among others) came back low. Because of this they decided that I needed to have a Bone Density test. I must admit that I am truly grateful that we have the technology we do because all that was recquired of this test was to lay on a bed and be scanned. I went into this test thinking "No problem, what could go wrong with this?" (I didn't even have to have my mom come with me!!)
So, the day of my appointment came. I happened to be getting the test done in a Breast Health Clinic. That made sense to me; Old ladies need regular mammograms and bone scans, why not have it in the same place. When I walked in I was definitely the youngest person there, by about 40 years. I got some pretty odd looks. After a few minutes I got called back and was given some instructions to prep for my test. It went something like this:
Nurse: "Undress, completely from the waist up and put your clothes on one of the hangers."
Me: (If I needed to undress at all wouldn't I have to completely undress?)
Nurse: "Here is a gown for you. The opening goes in front."
Me: (Why would it really matter? It's not like I'm gonna have to take it off.)
Nurse: "Are you wearing deodorant?"
Me: "Yes." (Why wouldn't I be?)
Nurse: (Giving me a look of 'you should know better') "Well, use one of those wipes there and clean the underarm and breast area completely.
Me: (Getting slightly nervous as my worst fears are realized) "Why do I need to take off my deodorant?"
Nusre: (With exasperation now) "Because it gets all over the machine and messes up the results of the test."
Me: "I just want to make sure we are on the same page. I'm here for a bone scan, not a mammogram."
Nurse: "Oh... well then I guess you can keep your deodorant on then."
Me: (Right, because that is really what I was worried about. Not, the fact that you were about to send me through the squish-o-matic 20 years too early.)
So everything turned out fine and I ended up getting the right test done (although I did have an escape plan ready just in case). The bone density test was the easiest test I have done yet; No poking with cold hands, no needles, and best of all, no squishing!! All you do is lay on a table and this arm-thing passes up and down you (you seriously feel like you are in a computer scanner; makes the same noise too).
Alright, getting to the whole point of this post... The results came back and I have Osteopenia. The medical definition for Osteopenia is a bone density that is 1.0 to 2.5 standard deviations below the norm. Osteoporosis is anything below 2.5 standard deviations. The norm is the average bone density for a 30 year old woman. The reason the norm is set at 30 years old is because up until 30 you increase your bone density. After 30 you start to lose bone density. So what is the big deal with Osteopenia? Well, nothing really. If you are over 30 and you have Osteopenia your risk for later Osteoporosis is VERY high. In this case doctors may start you on some treatment or just wait and see if Osteoporosis set in. Luckily for someone like me, who has several years before I hit 30, it's not a big deal at all. I have plenty of time to build back bone density once I start absorbing nutrients again.
Here are some things that help increase bone density: Calcium supplements Vitamin D supplements Daily exposure to the sun, unprotected (15 minutes in unprotected sun exposure will give you 1,000 IU of Vitamin D) Weight bearing exercise (This could be something as simple as walking) So right now I will be taking a lot of sunny walks! What could be better than that? :)
An interesting side note... For anyone who has malabsorption problems DO NOT take any Osteoporosis medications like Boniva or Fosamax! When your body can't absorb the calcium it needs from what you intake, it turns and takes it from your bones instead. The way Osteoporosis medications work is it seals off your bones so that your body can't take the calcium from them. If you can't get the calcium from what you intake or from your bones this leads to a serious depletion of calcium which could cause things like strokes. No good!
So, the day of my appointment came. I happened to be getting the test done in a Breast Health Clinic. That made sense to me; Old ladies need regular mammograms and bone scans, why not have it in the same place. When I walked in I was definitely the youngest person there, by about 40 years. I got some pretty odd looks. After a few minutes I got called back and was given some instructions to prep for my test. It went something like this:
Nurse: "Undress, completely from the waist up and put your clothes on one of the hangers."
Me: (If I needed to undress at all wouldn't I have to completely undress?)
Nurse: "Here is a gown for you. The opening goes in front."
Me: (Why would it really matter? It's not like I'm gonna have to take it off.)
Nurse: "Are you wearing deodorant?"
Me: "Yes." (Why wouldn't I be?)
Nurse: (Giving me a look of 'you should know better') "Well, use one of those wipes there and clean the underarm and breast area completely.
Me: (Getting slightly nervous as my worst fears are realized) "Why do I need to take off my deodorant?"
Nusre: (With exasperation now) "Because it gets all over the machine and messes up the results of the test."
Me: "I just want to make sure we are on the same page. I'm here for a bone scan, not a mammogram."
Nurse: "Oh... well then I guess you can keep your deodorant on then."
Me: (Right, because that is really what I was worried about. Not, the fact that you were about to send me through the squish-o-matic 20 years too early.)
So everything turned out fine and I ended up getting the right test done (although I did have an escape plan ready just in case). The bone density test was the easiest test I have done yet; No poking with cold hands, no needles, and best of all, no squishing!! All you do is lay on a table and this arm-thing passes up and down you (you seriously feel like you are in a computer scanner; makes the same noise too).
Alright, getting to the whole point of this post... The results came back and I have Osteopenia. The medical definition for Osteopenia is a bone density that is 1.0 to 2.5 standard deviations below the norm. Osteoporosis is anything below 2.5 standard deviations. The norm is the average bone density for a 30 year old woman. The reason the norm is set at 30 years old is because up until 30 you increase your bone density. After 30 you start to lose bone density. So what is the big deal with Osteopenia? Well, nothing really. If you are over 30 and you have Osteopenia your risk for later Osteoporosis is VERY high. In this case doctors may start you on some treatment or just wait and see if Osteoporosis set in. Luckily for someone like me, who has several years before I hit 30, it's not a big deal at all. I have plenty of time to build back bone density once I start absorbing nutrients again.
Here are some things that help increase bone density: Calcium supplements Vitamin D supplements Daily exposure to the sun, unprotected (15 minutes in unprotected sun exposure will give you 1,000 IU of Vitamin D) Weight bearing exercise (This could be something as simple as walking) So right now I will be taking a lot of sunny walks! What could be better than that? :)
An interesting side note... For anyone who has malabsorption problems DO NOT take any Osteoporosis medications like Boniva or Fosamax! When your body can't absorb the calcium it needs from what you intake, it turns and takes it from your bones instead. The way Osteoporosis medications work is it seals off your bones so that your body can't take the calcium from them. If you can't get the calcium from what you intake or from your bones this leads to a serious depletion of calcium which could cause things like strokes. No good!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Insomnia
Seeing as I couldn't sleep, again, I figured it would be a good time to write about insomnia. The insomnia started in second grade. I remember lying in bed at night thinking "I have to sleep so I can go to school tomorrow." I tried listening to soothing music, counting sheep, and even praying. However, sleep continued to evade me, though the prayer did help on occasion.
The insomnia has continued throughout my life, and I still try listening to music and praying; I've given up on the whole sheep thing. I've always thought that I just had an overactive mind that was keeping me awake. I figured I just needed to learn how to relax and quiet my mind so that I could sleep. Obviously, none of that has worked since I am writing this post. The most frustrating thing about it is that when I am tired during the day and go to take a nap I have no trouble falling asleep. However, when I go to bed at night, even if I am exhausted, I lay in bed for hours on end before I finally drift off.
The good news? I found out that insomnia is a symptom of Celiac Disease; shocking, right? Now, normally I like to explain why a symptom is connected to Celiac Disease but the truth is I have no idea how insomnia is connected. All I know is that autoimmune diseases mess up your whole body, which includes sleeping patterns. Why is this good news you ask? Well, if it's a symptom of Celiac Disease there is a chance that when I get better the insomnia will go away and I'll be able to sleep. That would be wonderful!!! But for now I'll go back to bed and see if writing this all out will help me sleep tonight.
The insomnia has continued throughout my life, and I still try listening to music and praying; I've given up on the whole sheep thing. I've always thought that I just had an overactive mind that was keeping me awake. I figured I just needed to learn how to relax and quiet my mind so that I could sleep. Obviously, none of that has worked since I am writing this post. The most frustrating thing about it is that when I am tired during the day and go to take a nap I have no trouble falling asleep. However, when I go to bed at night, even if I am exhausted, I lay in bed for hours on end before I finally drift off.
The good news? I found out that insomnia is a symptom of Celiac Disease; shocking, right? Now, normally I like to explain why a symptom is connected to Celiac Disease but the truth is I have no idea how insomnia is connected. All I know is that autoimmune diseases mess up your whole body, which includes sleeping patterns. Why is this good news you ask? Well, if it's a symptom of Celiac Disease there is a chance that when I get better the insomnia will go away and I'll be able to sleep. That would be wonderful!!! But for now I'll go back to bed and see if writing this all out will help me sleep tonight.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Mood Swings and Depression
The mood swings started when I was 11 or 12. You may be thinking, well duh... puberty. We thought so too for a while. When I got older and the mood swings got worse my mom suggested going to the doctor and getting medication for it. But some things about it just didn't add up. Half the time the mood swings didn't even coincide with my cycle. Plus, this was more than just a change in mood, I was like a completely different person. This was way beyond normal puberty or PMS.
Normally I am very level headed and rational. I hardly ever get irritated with people and almost never get angry. This is not the case when a mood swing hits. And when I say hit I mean a switch flips from one second to the next. One second I am happy, the next I am irritated with whoever happens to be near me. One second I am hanging out with friends, the next I just know that they really don't like me and are just being nice to me because they feel sorry for me. One second I am working hard and am confident in myself, the next I don't know how I am going to do what I need to. My perspective also switches. I perceive everyone else around me as irritated and irrational too. If I stop and logically think about things I realize that I am making no sense. But I can never snap myself out of it. I am just certifiably crazy for a while. For example... my grandparents were in town visiting. My mom, grandma, and I were all sitting at the table having a good time talking about harmless things like recipes. All of a sudden the switch flipped. I literally was so annoyed with my mom and grandma that I thought I was going to pull my hair out. They hadn't done anything but all of a sudden I saw them as irritated with each other and making sharp comments to each other; not at all the case. I just had to excuse myself and completely leave the house.
It has gotten to the point that when I am venting to my mom during these times she has stopped trying to understand me and make it all better. Instead she tells me "Don't make any life changing decisions, don't sign any legal documents. Just go watch a movie, read a book, and go to bed. Tomorrow, you'll feel better and it will all work out." She's always right. The next day, or sometimes even just hours later, I am my old self again and everything is alright again.
Luckily the depression isn't quite as bad. It tends to come as a byproduct of the mood swings and goes away with them too. There have only been two times in my life where I was depressed for extended periods of time. Those times were due to a combination of stress and other symptoms.
Why are mood swings and depression symptoms of Celiac Disease? Autoimmune diseases effect your entire body. Especially your hormone levels and functioning. Your body is mass producing antibodies, hormones, or other chemicals trying to fix what's going wrong inside you. Thus, sometimes you get spikes or drops in hormone levels causing things like mood swings and depression. Another reason is that if you're undiagnosed you may be dealing with symptoms that you don't understand. You can become frustrated, worried, and feel like you are crazy (been there, done that). This can cause severe depression in some people, especially if they don't have a strong and understanding support system behind them. Thankfully, I have had an amazing, understanding family which helped me avoid the depression. Not everyone is so lucky. So the outlook for me is hopeful. I figure once my antibody levels come down and my body isn't on alert all the time my hormones will be able to level out as well. Thank goodness!!
Normally I am very level headed and rational. I hardly ever get irritated with people and almost never get angry. This is not the case when a mood swing hits. And when I say hit I mean a switch flips from one second to the next. One second I am happy, the next I am irritated with whoever happens to be near me. One second I am hanging out with friends, the next I just know that they really don't like me and are just being nice to me because they feel sorry for me. One second I am working hard and am confident in myself, the next I don't know how I am going to do what I need to. My perspective also switches. I perceive everyone else around me as irritated and irrational too. If I stop and logically think about things I realize that I am making no sense. But I can never snap myself out of it. I am just certifiably crazy for a while. For example... my grandparents were in town visiting. My mom, grandma, and I were all sitting at the table having a good time talking about harmless things like recipes. All of a sudden the switch flipped. I literally was so annoyed with my mom and grandma that I thought I was going to pull my hair out. They hadn't done anything but all of a sudden I saw them as irritated with each other and making sharp comments to each other; not at all the case. I just had to excuse myself and completely leave the house.
It has gotten to the point that when I am venting to my mom during these times she has stopped trying to understand me and make it all better. Instead she tells me "Don't make any life changing decisions, don't sign any legal documents. Just go watch a movie, read a book, and go to bed. Tomorrow, you'll feel better and it will all work out." She's always right. The next day, or sometimes even just hours later, I am my old self again and everything is alright again.
Luckily the depression isn't quite as bad. It tends to come as a byproduct of the mood swings and goes away with them too. There have only been two times in my life where I was depressed for extended periods of time. Those times were due to a combination of stress and other symptoms.
Why are mood swings and depression symptoms of Celiac Disease? Autoimmune diseases effect your entire body. Especially your hormone levels and functioning. Your body is mass producing antibodies, hormones, or other chemicals trying to fix what's going wrong inside you. Thus, sometimes you get spikes or drops in hormone levels causing things like mood swings and depression. Another reason is that if you're undiagnosed you may be dealing with symptoms that you don't understand. You can become frustrated, worried, and feel like you are crazy (been there, done that). This can cause severe depression in some people, especially if they don't have a strong and understanding support system behind them. Thankfully, I have had an amazing, understanding family which helped me avoid the depression. Not everyone is so lucky. So the outlook for me is hopeful. I figure once my antibody levels come down and my body isn't on alert all the time my hormones will be able to level out as well. Thank goodness!!
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