[aaascr]

Can you get "glutened" transdermally?

Recently I had a fiberglass cast put on my broken wrist - which meant that I couldn't get it wet. I used packing tape over a plastic bag to protect the cast, did this for 2 weeks. The tape did stick to my skin each time. I didn't get any symptoms until about 10-12 days later. I have a gluten free home, products, prepare all of my own foods, etc. Added nothing new - pain meds were gluten-free as well. I actually had a dh bump come up on the other arm (how weird!), as well as intestinal issues.

Any thoughts??

[lovegrov]

Everything I've ever read says the molecules are too large to be absorbed through the skin. And if it could be absorbed, how would it make its way to your intestines? I've touched gluten numerous times and never had a reaction.

In addition, the packing tape in unlikely to have gluten. However, all kinds of tape, including surgical tape, can cause DH-like bumps and blisters. This happened to me when i had hernia surgery.

Just my opinion. I know others here will disagree with me.

richard

[Sophiekins]

Richard and I disagree on this one.

Since celiac disease is a SYSTEMIC auto-immune reaction, it doesn't have to actually reach your intestines to cause a reaction. Richard and I also disagree on whether the molecule can penetrate skin or not. . .I'm of the opinion that since it clearly makes me ill following skin only contact (and because it makes me so very ill, I am absolutely anal about hand washing, and skin to mouth contamination), that yes, gluten can make you ill after skin contact. Once the immune reaction starts, it can express as symptoms anywhere. . .like your other arm, or your brain, or your intestines.

BUT. . .just because you got symptoms doesn't mean that it was the packing tape. It could easily have been one of your meds (I know they checked, but CC is a possibility. . .or generics) or one of the products you buy could have been CCd, or had the formula changed, or maybe that day you kissed someone who ate a sandwich or one of your coworkers used your keyboard and left toast crumbs. . .. The fact that it took 10 days to show up though makes me inclined to think it was the smooch factor (or CC of some kind) rather than the packing tape.

[aaascr]

Thanks for the replies! I'm still trying to see if there is anything else to have caused the outbreak - (definitely no smooching) - could be a paranoid boss though....