Neuropathy (Pins and Needles on your feet, legs, arms and skin)

by Marilyn
(Florida)

Long story, be foreworned.

My mother, an R.N., was diagnosed with Celiac Disease when she was in her late 50's or early 60's. She's still alive at 87, but has lived in a nursing home for several years because she can't walk and it takes a minimum of two people to transfer her from wheelchair to bed or bed to wheelchair. You get the gist.

I always felt like she really had M.S. but it was never diagnosed. She probably doesn't have M.S., but that is one of the many autoimmune diseases affiliated with celiac disease.

She has diabetes and is a breast cancer survivor. Mom was not compliant with the GF diet.

My first symptoms were a tingling feeling all over my body after showering. Then I started having tingling feelings in my feet and ankles, and my fingers and lips. At the worst times, I felt like my legs were being stabbed repeatedly by little razor blades and there were times I'd have to lift my legs with my arms to get out of the car or a chair. I'm 50 years old.

Then I got massively depressed, and had low energy. My PCP ordered a blood work up and it showed that I had high calcium. She ordered more blood work and my PTH was within normal limits, so she said I was ok.

I self referred myself to an Endocrinoligist. She had me do a 24 hour urine test and the results were off the chart for calcium. Next, I had surgery. Hyperplasia, the surgeon said, and he removed 3.5 of my parathyroid glands. I was supposed to recover and live an entirely normal life. Hyperparathyroidism is another autoimmune disease that is apparently commonly connected to uncontrolled celiac diseae.

I didn't get better. Can you believe that I had blueberry pancakes at a chain restaurant on my way home from the hopsital?

Next, more blood tests. I self referred myself to a gastroenterologist after enduring several weeks of daily nausea, vomitting and diarreah. I was supremely depressed and fatigued, and had insomnia. I thought I was dying and really wanted to die. My hair was falling out practically in clumps. I have osteopenia, a predecessor to osteoporosis.

Things are looking better on a gluten free diet. The insomnia was solved immediately, as was the gastro problems. The tingling has subsided from a 8 or 9 to a 1 or 2 on a scale of 1-10. I have hope, and don't feel as depressed. My first clue when I have a problem with something I've consumed that isn't gluten free is the tingling sensations.

Gin, by the way, is one of those things, even though the ADA says it is gluten free. I've been sick for 19 months or more, now I'm finally looking forward to life! I do not crave even anything not on the diet, with the possible exception of blueberry pancakes.