gluten and peripheral neuropathy
 

I just learned I have gluten induced peripheral neuropathy in my feet and it is very paiinful. I've had it for about 4 yrs and the docs tested me for a variety of disorders before a integrative medicine docter suggested the possibility of gluten intolerance. I've been strickly gluten free for 3 months and have not seen much improvement in the neuropathy. Has anyone else been able to overcome the pain from the neuropathy by eating a stirct gluten free diet? Will the diet ever help? Am I doomed for a life time of painful/burning/cold/numb feet? Can nerves regenerate and heal? I take a variety of supplements too, including B12 injections and other homeopathic meds. I also take Lyrica and it helps some. Has anyone ever received relief from the pain of the PN by going Gluten free?

Ummmmmmmm, yeah. I have been gf for almost 6 years. Nothing happens overnight. It takes a long time for nerves to heal, if they heal. Many people who go gf do notice a great improvement in their neuropathy. I started with carpal tunnel over 9 years ago, whick progressed to my toes. When I was working a job where I was on my feet the entire shift, my feet burned. For over 2 years now, I have been taking B12. First I was taking 1200mcg daily, now I take 2400mcg daily. My feet rarely burn anymore, nor do they go numb--they generally ache now, one often feels like its all broken bones and I have a vibration similiar to a cellphone on vibrate.

I also want to remind you--going gluten free is not just for your nerves. Did you have any other health issues before going gf? 3 months is not a long enough time to judge. If your doctor thinks gluten intolerance may be the cause of your neuropathy, then you probably are deficience in other vitamins too. Gluten is a nasty thing, it effects so much of your body. Please do not give up after only 3 months. Visit the gluten forums too.

mommab--
 

--you should take a visit to the Gluten Sensitivity/Celiac board here at Neurotalk; there are several people who can talk about gluten sensitivity and neuropathy, and The Gluten File has a lot of information on the topic.

This is the link to the board section:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13

And here's the section of the Gluten File on neuropathy:

http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com...eralneuropathy

PN from gluten
 

Thanks for the info. Yes I had other health problems besides the PN like fatigue and inflammatory arthritis which resolved after following the diet in the book called, Breaking the Vicious Cycle. Never did seem to help the PN even though it was a stiricter diet than strickly gluten free. The intergrative medicne doc prescribed it; the arthritis resolved (every joint in my body swelled after a stick from a fish I caught) and the fatigue and neuropathy kicked in with vigor about that time. I am not ready to give up, but I think I am looking for some hope that the neuropathy will improve at some point. I will continue to study everything I can find on neuropathy.

I have pretty severe PN, which was caused by gluten. I've been gluten-free for 4 years now, and feel only marginally better. But it has stopped the progression of damage, and I have hope that the nerves will re-grow( the estimated rate of 1mm per month is not a breath-taking rate). But everyone's different. I do believe that gluten is harmful to everyone for many reasons. Whether or not my nerves ever fully re-grow, I'm glad I stopped the destruction.