Celicac and headaches?

[Throck]

Hi, all,
I'm so glad to have found this site, and read about other people's experiences!

After knowing of a dairy intolerance for years, at around age 20 I began experiencing horrible headaches for most of the day, most often after meals. My search to figure it out eventually led me to an acupuncturist who referred me to a naturopath for blood tests. My tests came up as intolerant for gluten, dairy, as well as 50+ various other fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. Overwhelming and depressing! I subsequently went on an extreme elimination diet (was vegan except for fish), and felt so much better.

However, the process of adding items back into my diet has been very difficult, due to the extensive list of random foods I "reacted" to. During the times I broke the diet, my symptoms of bloating, constipation, diarrhea, headaches, etc. came back either immediately, or after a day or two, or most often, both.

I went to the other end of the spectrum and decided to give western medicine a try, and got other blood tests run with my doc. Was referred to a GI specialist, who told me that the only way of a sure diagnosis is to eat 3+ servings of gluten for 2 weeks, then get an endoscopy to check things out. I am unsure as to whether or not it is worth it, and frustrated because he was very unhelpful about identifying a relationship between my intolerances and the symptoms of headaches. He said there is just no research being done, thus no data to support the correlation between celiac disease and headaches.

I'm wondering if other people have these symptoms, and if anyone knows of research that is happening? I am still debating about the endoscopy mostly for the fact that I know it will be so debilitating. Having stomach pain, and a throbbing head for two weeks just sounds awful.

[aklap]

Hi Throck,

Welcome to the board. I'm on my way to bed right now, so I dont have time for a full answer...but I wanted to leave you with some info on gluten and headaches. There is research being done...it just a matter of looking it. Which it sounds like he's not. My GI dismissed my food journal (after looking back at it...it's plain to see). Most of these links are from a simple Google (gluten migraine)...I hope this helps

Clan Thompson - Is Gluten Giving you a Headache

Dr. Mercola on Wheat & Headaches

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3044

http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=1125&p_catid=99&sid=91hH9H1Fi5N068t-25105543344.eb

http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=826&p_catid=99&sid=91hH9H1Fi5N068t-25105543344.eb

http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=123&p_catid=99&sid=91hH9H1Fi5N068t-25105543344.eb

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/62/71709.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12650798&dopt=Citation
Am J Gastroenterol. 2003 Mar;98(3):625-9. Related Articles, Links

Erratum in:
Am J Gastroenterol. 2003 Jul;98(7):1674.

Association between migraine and Celiac disease: results from a preliminary case-control and therapeutic study.

Gabrielli M, Cremonini F, Fiore G, Addolorato G, Padalino C, Candelli M, De Leo ME, Santarelli L, Giacovazzo M, Gasbarrini A, Pola P, Gasbarrini A.

Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy.

OBJECTIVES: Subclinical celiac disease (CD) has been associated with various neurological disorders, the most common being neuropathy and cerebellar ataxia. The aims of the present study were to assess the following: 1) the prevalence of CD in patients affected by migraine; 2) whether there are regional cerebral blood flow abnormalities in migraine patients with CD compared to migraine patients without CD; and 3) the effects of a gluten free diet in migraine patients with CD. METHODS: A total of 90 patients affected by idiopathic migraine were enrolled, and 236 blood donors were used as controls. Serum IgG antitransglutaminase (TgA) and IgA antiendomysial (EmA) were measured. In positive cases, diagnosis was confirmed endoscopically. A gluten free diet was started in the patients diagnosed with CD, who were followed for 6 months. A single photon emission CT brain study was performed before and after a gluten free diet. RESULTS: Four of 90 (4.4%; 95% CI = 1.2-11.0) migraine patients were found to have CD compared with 0.4% (95% CI = 0.01-2.3) blood donor controls (p < 0.05). During the 6 months of gluten free diet, one of the four patients had no migraine attacks, and the remaining three patients experienced an improvement in frequency, duration, and intensity of migraine. Single photon emission CT studies showed a regional baseline reduction in brain tracer uptake in all four patients. Such reduction in uptake completely resolved at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that a significant proportion of patients with migraine may have CD, and that a gluten free diet may lead to a improvement in the migraine in these patients.

MeSH Terms:
Adult
Brain/blood supply
Brain/metabolism*
Brain/radionuclide imaging
Case-Control Studies
Celiac Disease/complications*
Celiac Disease/diet therapy*
Celiac Disease/physiopathology
Cerebrovascular Circulation
Female
Gluten/administration & dosage*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Migraine/etiology*
Migraine/physiopathology
Migraine/prevention & control*
Migraine/radionuclide imaging
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Substances:
Gluten

PMID: 12650798 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/451164?mpid=11726



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15825133&query_hl=2

1: Gastroenterology. 2005 Apr;128(4 Suppl 1):S92-7. Related Articles, Links

Neurologic presentation of celiac disease.

Bushara KO.

Neurology Department, Minneapolis VA Medical Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. busha001@umn.edu

Celiac disease (CD) long has been associated with neurologic and psychiatric disorders including cerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, epilepsy, dementia, and depression. Earlier reports mainly have documented the involvement of the nervous system as a complication of prediagnosed CD. However, more recent studies have emphasized that a wider spectrum of neurologic syndromes may be the presenting extraintestinal manifestation of gluten sensitivity with or without intestinal pathology. These include migraine, encephalopathy, chorea, brain stem dysfunction, myelopathy, mononeuritis multiplex, Guillain-Barre-like syndrome, and neuropathy with positive antiganglioside antibodies. The association between most neurologic syndromes described and gluten sensitivity remains to be confirmed by larger epidemiologic studies. It further has been suggested that gluten sensitivity (as evidenced by high antigliadin antibodies) is a common cause of neurologic syndromes (notably cerebellar ataxia) of otherwise unknown cause. Additional studies showed high prevalence of gluten sensitivity in genetic neurodegenerative disorders such as hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia and Huntington's disease. It remains unclear whether gluten sensitivity contributes to the pathogenesis of these disorders or whether it represents an epiphenomenon. Studies of gluten-free diet in patients with gluten sensitivity and neurologic syndromes have shown variable results. Diet trials also have been inconclusive in autism and schizophrenia, 2 diseases in which sensitivity to dietary gluten has been implicated. Further studies clearly are needed to assess the efficacy of gluten-free diet and to address the underlying mechanisms of nervous system pathology in gluten sensitivity.

Publication Types:
Review
Review, Tutorial

PMID: 15825133 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14716525&query_hl=2

Neurol Sci. 2003 Dec;24(5):311-7. Related Articles, Links

Clinical and neurological abnormalities in adult celiac disease.

Cicarelli G, Della Rocca G, Amboni M, Ciacci C, Mazzacca G, Filla A, Barone P.

Department of Neurological Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Via S. Pansini 5, I-80131 Naples, Italy.

We assessed the occurrence of neurological signs and symptoms in adult patients with celiac disease and evaluated the correlation between neurological features and diet. A total of 176 patients and 52 age-matched controls underwent a semistructural interview and a neurologic examination. The effect of gluten-free diet was evaluated by comparing the prevalence of signs and symptoms among patients adhering to a gluten-free diet and patients on an unrestricted diet. The occurrence of headache, dysthymia and signs of peripheral neuropathy was significantly higher in patients with celiac disease than in control subjects. Adherence to a strict gluten-free diet was associated with a significant reduction of headache, dysthymia, cramps and weakness, but did not modify the occurrence of paresthesia or hyporeflexia. Neurological signs and symptoms are associated with celiac disease and can be ameliorated by a gluten-free diet.

Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Controlled Clinical Trial

PMID: 14716525 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[Judy]

Al, you're too much!! How much information would you have provided had you NOT been on your way to bed?? LOL!! You're the best! As always, very informative.
_________________
Judy

[skbird]

Just to add some anecdotal info, I have lived my whole life always having headaches or migraines. When I am completely gluten free I don't get them. Every so often I'll get accidental gluten and then I get the migraine. It is one of the surest signs for me because I also get stomach discomfort from some other foods, but not all foods give me a migraine.
_________________
Stephanie

[Al]

bump to the top

[CKiddings]

I have suffered horribly with migraines for years. I can say that since I have followed a GF diet for the last three weeks I have not had a migraine the last week. Which is a miracle. The first week I think I was going through withdrawls as I was making some significant changes to my diet, the second week I think I was still accidentally getting gluten (the whole learning curve) and this last week I have stuck mostly with unproccessed whole foods and am really starting to notice a change. It may sound crazy, but for the first time in a long time I am feeling thinner. I have lived so long with a bloated sluggish feeling that I think that is what it is because I haven't lost any wieght, but no headaches this last week and my tummy feels better!

[aklap]

[aklap]

bump for GAMom

I hope this helps!!
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[aklap]

I added 2 links to Clan Thompson & Dr. Mercola. I thought I had them in there - but saw they were not.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[emilyallsz]

wow!
i am currently undergoing some testing for celiac and the more i read the more "right on" it sounds. until my teens i was entirely healthy except for migraines that started when i was about 8years old... it's crazy to read all these studies with such an intense link between migraines and celiac.

[aklap]

Hi Emily,

If those tests come back negative...please strongly consider going GF to see if it helps your problems. It's well worth the effort if you feel better!!
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[emilyallsz]

thanks!
i have been going GF for over a month or so now (not including messups and trials tastes) and really feel it is the culprit to my issues.now of course i am starting the hassle of testing.no reaction to the skin prick wheat and an allergist who was blase to say the least about blood tests. i asked for them anyway but ofcourse now that i have done more reading on celiac sites adn am more and more convinced that its a possibility for me, i am irritated that i don't know what tests were ordered and also bummed because i asked the doc if it mattered that i was on glluten or not. he said no. all the sites say yes. i just read a new book at my work tonight called celiac the hidden epidemic (have to check the exact title) adn it said all tests should absolutely be done on gluten eating times... sigh. this site has been a boon. even if i turn out to just be gluten sensitive or just have some all around gut issues right now, i have to rule things out. thanks to everyone on this site!

[aklap]

[emilyallsz]

thanks for your info. I read most of Dr. Green's book (while I await some test results !) so that I can at least understand what tests have been done and what they might mean.

I have a mother with hypothryoid (her sister with type1 diabetes and graves and their two brothers with possible excema) and am of irish ancestry. I have been diagnosed/treated for vulvadynia which is a nervous system/chronic inflammation reaction (possibly from recurrent yeast infections) causing all sorts of vaginal pain problems. I have suffered from fungal infections like ringworm and and toe/fingernail fungus as well as seen my doctor for cold hands and feet that hurt so badly I cried one winter- and I am not a weepy person! He told me it was Raynauds. Most recently- though I believe this was still a reaction to being on Diflucan for 3 yrs- I have had constant borderline diarhhea and stomach issues, muscle aches, abdominal and chest pain, and hair loss. I was also concerned about my iron intake as my menstrual period had become increasingly less red until it was black. My gyn said this is normal because of being on the pill but I was not convinced & it has improved with supplements from my naturopath and immediately during my period when I eat red meat. Other supplements that have helped were magnesium and Bcomplex which turns out Dr. Green also mentions can be deficient in celiacs. These issues have improved expect for the stomach/diarhhea by being off the Diflucan and more recently the stomach has improved wtih the GF diet. Of course, have always have suffered from the headaches.

In any case, it seem quite a possiblity that I am celiac and I am just wondering about the tests Dr. Green mentioned in his book. He lists all the blood tests and separately talks about the HLA genetic markers. Are the HLA tests something that can be run routinely from a blood sample? Or is this something that has only been found only through groups/genetic studies> thanks!

[gamom]

Since going GF (or really trying hard at it), the kid's headache is down to a very minimal level (instead of an 8, she stays at a 3 on a 1-10 scale) but she can function with that. We were on the verge of having to pull her out of school, but did not end up having to do so, thank goodness. She fought the diet and snuck food at school for a couple of weeks, so we did not get the best results at first. However, Taylor, is now in a self-help mode (not too bad for a 10-yr old). She wants to stay well, since even the tiniest bit of gluten puts her down for at least two full days. The light is shining at the end of this tunnel. I cannot say thank you enough, especially to you Al, for the encouragement and the info. We would not have made it otherwise....