I've been struggling lately. To be honest, it's been a rough six months, particularly this last month. On top of dealing with professional concerns about my employer's solvency, I've been battling almost-constant migraines and fatigue for more than a month now. Talk about debilitating. And to make matters worse, I didn't know what was causing the headaches.
Migraines are one of my symptoms of a reaction to gluten, but they also can be caused by neck misalignment or other physiological issues. For almost six weeks or so, I've been trying figure out what possibly could be the problem.
Migraines are one of my symptoms of a reaction to gluten, but they also can be caused by neck misalignment or other physiological issues. For almost six weeks or so, I've been trying figure out what possibly could be the problem.
My chiropractor checked my neck, and all is well. So that wasn't the cause.
I did understand what was causing my fatigue. I have a problem with iron-deficiency anemia. I try to eat an iron-rich diet because finding suitable supplements for me has proven to be a challenge (frustrations about which I blogged last July). People with compromised immune systems, like those of us with celiac disease, also need to be careful that they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need. Because celiacs have a problem with the small intestine where a number of minerals, including iron, B12 and others, are absorbed into the body -- even after following a gluten-free diet -- mineral deficiencies still can be very common.
When I saw my doctor in February, blood tests confirmed I was anemic, and she suggested a six-month regime of double doses of iron. Easier said than done. But I was feeling so crummy that I set out to find an iron supplement that would work for me. Fast-forward a couple months, and I finally did find an iron I could take -- a NOW Foods iron supplement that is gluten-, dairy- and soy-free. And I could tolerate it!
About the same time, I resumed taking my B-complex supplement from another brand that according to its label, contained nothing but what was listed in the ingredient legend. Vitamin B is another vitamin that many people with chronic digestive diseases need in supplement form because their bodies don't get enough of it from food absorption. It's also supposed to provide energy and help in weight-loss efforts. Only good could come from taking it, right?
When I am introducing something new to my system, I do it gradually to avoid problems and also to be able to pinpoint the cause, should a problem occur. (Very much like the elimination diet process.) So, for about a week, I took the B-complex, with apparently no trouble. I then introduced the NOW iron supplement; again, no problems.
Shortly thereafter, though, the migraines began.
For a long time, it didn't occur to me that one of the supplements could be the cause because I'd been so careful introducing them. Over the course of the month, I did eliminate a couple of processed foods that were giving me trouble (I'd experience shortness of breath shortly after eating them), but still the headaches persisted. After several weeks of nearly constant migraines, something told me to stop the supplements and give my body a break. I stopped taking the vitamins, and wouldn't you know, the next day, my migraine was gone. When I reintroduced the vitamin B a few headache-free days later, that night, it came back with a vengeance -- and I had my answer.
Outside of not being able to function normally for more than a month -- for anyone who has never had a migraine, take it from me; you don't want one -- it's frustrating to realize that I brought them upon myself, just trying to get healthier. The irony of it still bites a bit -- I don't willingly consume anything with gluten, or any of my other allergens for that matter, but I still got sick. And why I didn't get an immediate migraine the first time around when testing the vitamin B, I'll never know.
Yes, it was a miserable several weeks, but the good news is that I was able to identify why I was feeling so crummy, and I've found a brand of supplements that I can take, which makes me very happy and, quite frankly, relieved. I'm taking the iron again and have added more NOW brand supplements, including B complex, all which are working for me. If you're looking for a new vitamin line, you may want to check out NOW Foods -- www.nowfoods.com. I'm glad I did.
My last thought on this experience is that even when processed foods are supposedly safe to eat -- whether they claim to be free of gluten, common allergens, etc. -- because of the current labeling laws, they may not be as safe as they say. I strongly believe that we all have to be our own biggest advocates: In short, if I don't feel good after eating something supposedly safe -- and if cross-contamination hasn't been a possibility -- I won't eat it again because it means it isn't safe for me. And doing so means my migraines stay away.
About the same time, I resumed taking my B-complex supplement from another brand that according to its label, contained nothing but what was listed in the ingredient legend. Vitamin B is another vitamin that many people with chronic digestive diseases need in supplement form because their bodies don't get enough of it from food absorption. It's also supposed to provide energy and help in weight-loss efforts. Only good could come from taking it, right?
When I am introducing something new to my system, I do it gradually to avoid problems and also to be able to pinpoint the cause, should a problem occur. (Very much like the elimination diet process.) So, for about a week, I took the B-complex, with apparently no trouble. I then introduced the NOW iron supplement; again, no problems.
Shortly thereafter, though, the migraines began.
For a long time, it didn't occur to me that one of the supplements could be the cause because I'd been so careful introducing them. Over the course of the month, I did eliminate a couple of processed foods that were giving me trouble (I'd experience shortness of breath shortly after eating them), but still the headaches persisted. After several weeks of nearly constant migraines, something told me to stop the supplements and give my body a break. I stopped taking the vitamins, and wouldn't you know, the next day, my migraine was gone. When I reintroduced the vitamin B a few headache-free days later, that night, it came back with a vengeance -- and I had my answer.
Outside of not being able to function normally for more than a month -- for anyone who has never had a migraine, take it from me; you don't want one -- it's frustrating to realize that I brought them upon myself, just trying to get healthier. The irony of it still bites a bit -- I don't willingly consume anything with gluten, or any of my other allergens for that matter, but I still got sick. And why I didn't get an immediate migraine the first time around when testing the vitamin B, I'll never know.
Yes, it was a miserable several weeks, but the good news is that I was able to identify why I was feeling so crummy, and I've found a brand of supplements that I can take, which makes me very happy and, quite frankly, relieved. I'm taking the iron again and have added more NOW brand supplements, including B complex, all which are working for me. If you're looking for a new vitamin line, you may want to check out NOW Foods -- www.nowfoods.com. I'm glad I did.
My last thought on this experience is that even when processed foods are supposedly safe to eat -- whether they claim to be free of gluten, common allergens, etc. -- because of the current labeling laws, they may not be as safe as they say. I strongly believe that we all have to be our own biggest advocates: In short, if I don't feel good after eating something supposedly safe -- and if cross-contamination hasn't been a possibility -- I won't eat it again because it means it isn't safe for me. And doing so means my migraines stay away.
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