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Gluten intolerance and peripheral neuropathy
Neuropathy | Last Active: Mar 27, 2022 | Replies (22)Comment receiving replies
Welcome @scootwagon, It's good to hear that the gluten free diet is providing some relief for you PN symptoms. I don't think anyone can say for sure that there's a link between gluten sensitivity and Parkinson's Disease but then it's just my thoughts based on what I've read. Here's some information from 2020:
"Does gluten affect Parkinson's disease?
There's also currently no medical evidence that people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity—a condition in which people react to gluten-containing foods but do not have celiac disease—are more likely than average to develop Parkinson's disease."
--- Parkinson's Disease and Gluten-Free Diets - Verywell Health: https://www.verywellhealth.com/parkinsons-disease-and-gluten-free-diets-4148442
Just the fact that the gluten free diet is helping your PN symptoms would be enough for me to do more research on the cause of my PN. Are you able to share a little more about your PN diagnosis and any treatments suggested or started by your doctor or neurologist?
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Just one other thing. Though it was some years ago, I was tested for celiac disease, and I didn’t have it. I then ignored gluten. in my diet. I guess I shouldn’t have, but I didn’t know any better.
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Thanks for the information about PD. I hope there really is no connection to gluten sensitivity.
I have had some intermittent tingling in my feet over the last two years, but in the last month, it suddenly became much worse — burning, tingling, sometimes feeling cold like someone rubbed menthol on my skin — and my calves and hands began to be affected. I went to the doctor, she diagnosed polyneuropathy but could not determine the cause. She ruled out diabetes, kidney disease, throid problems, and peripheral artery disease. She referred me to a neurologist.
I have not yet seen the neurologist (I am waiting for an appointment), but doing my own research I became curious about the possibility that my PN might be caused by gluten sensitivity. I decided to start a restrictive diet. I am following the auto-immune protocol, except that I have not excluded dairy products.
The improvement was almost immediate. The feet, whose burning had kept me awake, calmed down enough for me to sleep through the night after only two days of dieting.
I should probably add that I have had intestinal problems for a long time — chronic diarrhea for the last five years. I could not figure out what was causing that, but I am hoping that this diet is going to fix that.