rls and celiac

[valeriedee]

I have just been told I have celiac and during searches on this problem there seems to be a link between gluten and rls. I am going gluten free and will see if it helps

[Joolsg]

I have been gluten free for 24 yrs, since MS diagnosis and it hasn't stopped my RLS but as we are all completely different, what works for one may not work for another & vice versa.

As you are coeliac, you have to stop eating gluten & if it helps your RLS as well, RESULT!

A low FODMAPS diet excludes gluten & a lot of people on here have controlled their RLS by following low FODMAPS so there is definitely a link. Put FODMAPS diet in the search engine & you'll see the people who have followed the diet ( & excluded gluten) and alleviated RLS.

Good luck,

Jools

[valeriedee in reply to Joolsg]

thank you for response. I looked at the fodmaps and I have stopped consuming most of the items just on a gut feeling but noticed no improvement but very interesting. I get a good night of sleep with the help of temazepam at bed time along with the Relaxis Pad. The pad only helps if I lay on my side with pad between legs but still suffer when ever I sit to rest. I have tried all treatments for 30 yrs with no relief. I will be gluten free to the best of my ability, it is not going to be easy.

[Graham3196 in reply to valeriedee]

The FODMAP diet can be a bit deceptive. If you just avoid a whole lot of foods you might still be eating the ones you shouldn't. If you are going to enjoy the thrill of a fairly boring diet then I recomend that you go all the way and follow the FODMAP exclusion diet strictly for no more than 12 weeks. If that doesn't help or only partly helps then there is a variation called the Low Chemical Diet that might be more appropriate. Give that a go for another few weeks. Get your doctors approval and its best to have a dietician's advice to help you. Both these diets are exclusion diets where you eat food that is almost guaranteed not to do you any harm and then re-introduce (Challenge your body) with other foods. The re-introduction must be done methodically and with a knowledge of the chemistry or you will be all over the place. Your reaction to a FODMAP depends on the amount of it you eat. You might have to limit yourself to 50 grams of celery a day. Thats not so serious. You can still eat meat and eggs and some cheese ..... The end aim is a diet that your body will accept. Its not a cure it just avoids the symptoms in some lucky cases. Search for info on both diets on this forum.

Give it a try and let me know if you need any help.

Good Luck

[Sillyak in reply to valeriedee]

I have celiac, so have been gluten free for 8 years. It's easier than you think when eating at home. I have gone back to meat and vegetables as I grew up with....no more casseroles, too much work anyway. When eating out stick with restaurants that have a gf menu...the know about cross contamination in the kitchen. For fast food Culver's has a yummy gf burger and gf salads. They have an allergy brochure with gf on the last page. (Hope you have one in your location!) Udi bread and buns are the best, and there are tons of gf products available. The hardest to manage is dining in other people's homes because they don't have gf kitchens and aren't used to the care needed to prevent cross contamination. Remember the cure is in the diet...no drugs needed here! And remember there are lots of us out there! Good luck and God bless!

[Sillyak in reply to valeriedee]

I should mention that I have rls despite being strictly gluten free for 8 years. But, as someone else said, everyone is different.

[Hidden]

I've been gluten free for a couple of years, (with a few slips here and there) and haven't noticed any difference, but as Joolsg says we are all different and hopefully it will help you.

Best of luck.

[Eryl]

Thanks for sharing this. I found that I had a1casein intolerance a few years ago, and tried reducing my gluten intake about a year ago just because I'd read that there was a link, though I wasn't clear what it was. I found an improvement in health, such as sleep patterns and bowel function, but it doesn't appear to affect the rls, unless it's quite subtle.

[Retren]

20June I have had RLS since I was 10 and am now 80 I have had it very severely until I had recently thought that maybe eating a beolie for breakfast every morning was contributing to it.My spouse had mentioned years ago that the gluten in another bread would be a problem.I posted a while ago that eliminating these breads had miraculously cut down the episodes.This is not to say that it will work for everyone but it is certainly worth a try and hopefully will have some benefit to someone.I have not seen any articles about this and mentioned it to both my cardiologist and neurologist who were interested.Of course the input from patients when they listen is always of use.

[march1044]

I avoid gluten due to an intolerance, and avoiding it has helped lots of gastrointestinal problems, but not my RLS. A tip: Glutino gluten-free English muffins are fabulous, better than regular ones. I use them for everything I used to use bread for. They are kept in the freezers in grocery stores.

[Retren]

March1044 I live in US these days and I am partial to a company called Happy Campers which does gluten free bread I like the one called hemp which amuses me on top of the liking the bread.It is on line .I am not coeliac but must be sensitive the things are never ending.