Schizophrenia related to MC

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:22 pm

I've written about my niece many times here, she was a Presidential Scholar at 18 and then descended into schizophrenia. There is much suspicion that many of the brain disorders, schizophrenia, ADHD, Autism, are connected to diet and especially to gluten intolerance.

My niece died 2 hours ago while sitting in a chair, her mom, my sister, had talked to her at noon, her sister found her dead at 12:30. Guess I'll never know if she's yet another death in my family that can be related to Gluten Intolerance, but at nearly 300 lbs. they figure her heart just gave out. Tried to get them to look into a lack of Vit B-6 as a cause over 25 years ago, and we now know that gluten intolerance also robs us of Vit D as well. Tried to get them to look at the family history since my dx/w/MC over 3 years ago and despite the family history only my immediate family and one niece have gone GF. The sister who found her dead is classic gluten intolerance. Nothing I can do about that now, is there?

Just venting here, so frustrated that so many people in my family are ignoring what should be obvious by now, they've all seen my Enterolab results as well as the results of my daughter and grandson. Just frustrated that despite the medical knowledge on the part of the MD and RN's in the family - all of whom have bowel problems - and the genetic dx/via Enterolab of my own immediate family, so few have been willing to try diet as an answer to their ailments.

Wouldn't want to give up pizza and Kentucky Fried, who's next?

Deanna in CO · Post by **Deanna in CO** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:40 pm

So sorry to hear this, Connie! I'm sure you are frustrated that your family is so insistent; my family is also unwilling to really consider gluten as a problem either. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Deanna

carolm · Post by **carolm** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:54 pm

Stanz,
I am sorry for your loss. When I was a therapist on an inpatient psychiatric unit I saw the onset of schizophrenia in many young people (onset is typically between ages 15- 25). Your description that she descended is an accurate description. It is a disease that robs people of their ability to function. I'm sorry that this has happened to you and your family.

Carol

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:20 pm

Thank you, Deanna and Carol, I know you both know how frustrating this is. She was my first baby, born when I was just 9, back when a 9 year old would be OK to babysit an infant and they lived just a block away so I was with her since day one. I loved her as if she was my own and it was so sad to see such a brilliant mind descend over the years since then into someone who lived for consumption of food she likely couldn't digest and become the person she became, totally delusional, sending me mail weekly about one atrocity or another. She was on SSI, she had her own $ to spend on pizza's in the middle of the night. Her Mom is my only sister that I don't think inherited 2 GS genes, but she had this daughter, and also the sister who found her dead, who both show signs of mental illness and I'm worried for my sister, have been for quite some time. Their other sister has a son who is autistic, don't think she got both GS genes, but think she passed them on and clearly I don't know.

Just would be nice to have a medical system here in the US that isn't run by the drug companies, that actually cares about treating illness. Twisted my ankle yesterday morning when I got out of bed. I've had problems w/peripheral neuropathy for years, but this was the first time I got up and my leg was asleep. Went to the urgent care clinic this morning for exam and xrays and the NP who saw me is gluten intolerant, understands about peripheral neuropathy, said she uses a Naturopath and that she and her immediate family are all gluten free. She understands the frustration at western meds refusal to deal with it. Don't know if you've seen this chart, but it's pretty shocking: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =1&theater

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 6:50 pm

I'm so sorry Connie! DH's mom was schizophrenic. I know the helplessness you felt. My hugs and prayers are with you. Love Deb

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:28 pm

i have some friends whose 21yo son has been in and out of the hospital with bipolar. He's in right now, and I sent his father the following articles:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22386570

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21320252

The son's doctor says that's it's rare that gluten can cause acute mania or bipolar, but he's going to do some more research. In the meantime, the parents have agreed to have electric shock therapy done on him.

I'm sorry for your loss, Connie.

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:00 pm

Hi Connie,

I am extremely sorry for your loss. I'm sorry her sister found your niece. I understand first hand the delusional aspect of schizophrenia and the day to day toll it takes on a family. Mom's brother was schizophrenic. Mom is celiac.

Mostly I wanted to express how sorry I am for you and your family's loss.

Hugs, Brandy

marihabs · Post by **marihabs** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:09 pm

So very sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers go out to you and yours, Connie.

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:09 pm

Connie,

I'm so sorry that another tragedy has happened in your family. I'm sure that your heart is aching right now. I hope your sister is able to get through this.

Gloria

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:29 pm

Connie I'm very sorry to hear of this tragic loss in your life. We are certainly here with you as you deal with this event.

Take care and best wishes Connie

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:18 pm

I'm going to delete this thread in the morning because many people in my family know who I am here and would surely recognize this. My sister is 83 and the stress of living with this was huge. It is sad that her sister found her, but they hated each other. I just hope that my sister can now get the other daughter out of her house, as she's also abusive. My sister is a saint, she didn't deserve this kind of a life.

Thanks for the condolences, I am not mourning this, my niece was abusive and frankly this is a blessing, hope that doesn't make me sound harsh, it's just a reality. There would have been no one to care for my niece should she have outlived her mom.

Post by **tex** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:39 pm

Connie,

I'm so sorry to hear of the tragic life and death of your niece. I have a hunch that you are probably correct about the main issue. Beginning soon after birth, and continuing for virtually every day of our life, we are flooded with ads and propaganda that train us to crave the very foods that we should avoid, and many of the safe, wholesome foods are condemned as "unhealthy". It's the dietary equivalent of an Orwellian nightmare, and it's no wonder that most people are caught in the trap.

Thinking of you and your family,

Hugs,
Tex

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:42 am

Connie,
Mourning or not, it's still an "event". It has to have kicked you in the gut. I am really sorry!

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:30 am

Thanks for all your kind thoughts. I've bookmarked those links, Marliss. You're right, Lesley, each death in my dysfunctional birth family has been followed by months of controversy. I haven't spoken to my brother [whose twin was the most recent suicide] since he was just arriving at our sister's house and the ME and her body were still there. He's been taken advantage of repeatedly by the niece who found her, who is nearly as crazy as her sister was, and has tried to take over her Mom's life. We've all been worried about this situation but he has been the one most actively fighting for our sister and he is still grieving the loss of his twin. I haven't talked to him again today and am frankly afraid to find out what happened there.

The next born sister went into a convalescent home a few weeks ago with a collapsed spine. Her bipolar son, who'd been banned by his Dad, moved in with her after his Dad died last year and took over her life. She swore he was "helping" but his siblings say otherwise, and now he has the house and he won't leave.

I've been cleaning unnecessary things out my office recently, as I am likely getting divorced, and just last week I threw out the packet of letters my niece had sent me over the years. She was fanatically religious, yet she was convinced that she'd been raped by Billy Graham and Bob Hope while on a plane to VietNam when she had to have been about 10. She would call me at all hours of the day or night to talk about it. I kind of wish I still had her letters now, not that they'd likely make any more sense now, just feel bad that I gave up on her.

It's always something. Just grateful that my daughters and grandkids are OK.

JFR · Post by **JFR** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:25 am

Connie - I am very sorry for all the trouble in your family and for the loss of your niece. There are numerous mental health issues in my family and they are so hard to deal with. I wish you strength through these difficult times.

Jean