What Happenes When You Are "glutened"?

[SLB5757]

I am looking to gain insight as to what happens when each of you are glutened. How long does it typically last and what are your biggest tell-tale symptoms?

For me - I have noticed severe stomach bloating looking almost pregnant, nausea, insomnia yet very fatigued at the same time, crankiness/moodiness, skin breakouts, grumbling stomach and feeling of constant hunger, ancy/anxiousness, and sometimes "d" but not always. This has lasted for the past two days even though I eliminated gluten after exposure. Also - does the amount that is consumed play a role?

Just hoping that other peoples experiences may shed some light or give others who have had slip-ups some insight. I myself had gluten on purpose to see if it was truly the culprit - so I know it is my fault - but would love to know there is an end in sight. The set back has been terrible this time.

[Watercolor]

Before diagnosis I had IBS-A and depression, fatigue and brain fog as my major symptoms.

I delibrately glutened myself once out of frustration of not being able to eat what I wanted.

3 hours later I had stomach pain and threw up several times. It took me 3 days to really feel back to normal.

A doctor told me it might not be the gluten and the only way to know for sure is to do it again. So, like an idiot, I did it again. 2 hours later I had projectile vomiting at work. When I say projectile, I mean the bathroom door and floor. All over it. I finally stopped throwing long enough to drag myself back to my desk. Then it started again. The wall and carpeting in my office, the paper shredder, and I half filled my wastepaper basket. Oh, and I threw up again in the car on the way home. DH came to get me because I was too sick and dizzy to get myself home. I was in bed for 48 hours. I took about a week to really feel completely better.

Needless to say, I won't be delibrately eating gluten ever again. I'm done.

[darkhorse]

Wow, Watercolor, that really sucks. My symptoms are not that severe (thank goodness) but they do knock me down pretty bad.

My symptoms are bloating, gas, abdominal pain especially across the top of my stomach, pain after eating anything, nausea, sometimes D although it usually takes a few days, fatigue and feeling run down, really bad insomnia, skin break-outs, irritability and general malaise. These symptoms last four to five days after being glutened or dairy-ed. I get all these symptoms just from being cross contaminated. I would like to test to see if I am lactose intolerant or casein intolerant, but I am too afraid of the symptoms that will follow if I do.

[OptimisticMom42]

I'm not brave enough to intentionally eat gluten or dairy.

I have been CC'd at least three times and poisoned by a co-worker who thinks I'm a hypocondriac once.

within minutes - my tounge feels scauled in a stright line across the center and my elbows itch

within an hour - my left side hurts like there's a medicine ball in there pressing on everything else, the pressure on my bladder makes me feel like I have to pee but can't

within 24 hours - my elbows are scratched open and the backs of my knees have blisters and burn like I put bleach on them (I did that once when I was young and stupid to get rid of poisin ivy)

for about a week - abdominal swelling, can't pass anything, not even gas without laxatives and suppositories, looks like I'm prego, gas pains under my rib cage. Tired, headachy, grouchy because I don't feel good. Oh, and my daughter says,"don't forget the cleared out the game store at the mall nasty gas!"

Yep, I will never, ever do that on purpose. It was humiliating

Hope this is helpful

[tarnalberry]

My symptoms last 4-7 days. The chemical reaction going on in the gut can self-sustain itself for up to 2 weeks.

You are definitely not alone on this one; two days in no way abnormally long.

[SLB5757]

OptomisticMom - I almost forgot about my biggest symptom (the left sided pressure/pain)!! Glad Im not the only one who has that issue. That has been the one constant throughout and my biggest complaint. I also get the constipated/can't pass gas for days (hence the pregnant look I think) and then after about day three or so get the diarreah/stools. Sounds like you know exactly what happens when you have gluten. I only wish mine was as predictible so I knew when it would STOP I just know I feel terrible for days and it's not worth ever eating again.

DarkHorse - your symptoms seen to be the most similar to mine. I have all of the same symptoms - especially the high pain. The first sign for me seems to be that the upper half of my stomach is very bloated/full - not just the lower half. It's literally like someone has placed a ball in my tummy. About the lactose intolerance - I know that is my issue. If you are newly gluten free I would definitely reccommend lactose free for a while. One less thing that could cause the gas/bloat issue!

Watercolor - I have never had vomiting thank the lord. I have never been one to vomit even when I was a child (except when I needed my tonsils out and the one time I had mono). I get extremely nauseus and will have some regurgitation - but never do I actually throw up. Im so sorry you get such severe symptoms.

I think these posts will be very beneficial to "newbies" wondering if there are others out there who are having similar experiences. It lets us know there are more people going through the same trials and tribulations.

Thanks!!

[SLB5757]

My symptoms last 4-7 days. The chemical reaction going on in the gut can self-sustain itself for up to 2 weeks.

You are definitely not alone on this one; two days in no way abnormally long.

Thanks Tarnalberry for your input I knew I had some days of recovery ahead (most likely months to fully heal) but wondered what others felt when it happened. I am sure it varies from instance to instance - but it's always good to hear others experiences. I may be at the tail end of it bc I had extreme bloating for two days - alond with gas pains and pressure and nausea and fatigue. Now today it is just nausea and diarreah. Maybe it's finally exiting my body and I will feel better soon. I'm eating very bland right now.

[sixtytwo]

My symptoms are different as they are neuological. I get light headed, dizzy, and so sick to my stomach (without throwing up) that I just have to go to bed and sleep it off, kind of like a stupor. I cannot hold my head up. Then I feel lousy for the next day. It just happened to me recently when I had regular oatmeal (which tasted so good, darn). My reactions can be delayed too before they catch up with me. Barbara

[Jonbo]

Mine are "relatively" mild compared to others. Right above belly button region (upper left area of abdomen if looking at me) bloats/swells majorly and becomes brick hard, literally. Also become extremely constipated (and yet relieving myself once it starts to calm down usually dulls the problem) and constant dulling pain with short bursts of pain every 30 seconds-few minutes that causes me to lurch forward when it does. Also VERY visible to see it. Very gassy too.

The creepiest thing is that since I'm a very hairy male, the region where it "freaks out" has thinned out the hair so it looks like I have something even worse going on. Overall it lasts anywhere from 20 minutes to 4 hours and then I'm "normal" again.

[gabbi]

Hi everybody! This is my first post, although I've read a lot on this forum. I'm gluten intolerant, and probably Celiac, but self-diagnosed. I've been on a gluten free diet for a month now, and I'm not going back just to get a diagnosis. When I get accidentally glutened, the symptoms get worse each time it seems.

I get really tired and can't hardly even remember my name. Lying in bed with my iPhone, I end up putting it up because my arms get too tired to even surf the net. I have trouble with my hands and feet going numb too. I get prickly sensations in my legs and arms, and they are awful after I take a bath or exercise. I suffer from tons of water retention, and I always gain a few pounds. I usually have a dull headache and maybe D, but not always. At night, I have these weird itchy, crawly sensations.

I hate it, and I try not to eat anything with gluten, but I keep messing up. It's been a month, and I guess I have a long way to go. I think I'm anemic, and may have pernicious anemia. I'm not sure, but I'm on B12 and magnesium as well as iron and a multivitamin. I was having back spasms at night and sciatic nerve pains, but that has gone away since going gluten free and taking supplements. I may need to eliminate other things from my diet. I have to do something to stop the water weight gain. It's horrible.

[GlutenGuy36]

I am looking to gain insight as to what happens when each of you are glutened. How long does it typically last and what are your biggest tell-tale symptoms?

For me - I have noticed severe stomach bloating looking almost pregnant, nausea, insomnia yet very fatigued at the same time, crankiness/moodiness, skin breakouts, grumbling stomach and feeling of constant hunger, ancy/anxiousness, and sometimes "d" but not always. This has lasted for the past two days even though I eliminated gluten after exposure. Also - does the amount that is consumed play a role?

Just hoping that other peoples experiences may shed some light or give others who have had slip-ups some insight. I myself had gluten on purpose to see if it was truly the culprit - so I know it is my fault - but would love to know there is an end in sight. The set back has been terrible this time.

After I eat gluten I know because my stomach really starts to grumble and I will feel pain on my lower right side. Within an hr or two I get alot of anxiety, and pressure from gas that is usually expelled by belching in my case. What is odd for me is that I seem to get worse as the days go on. It usually lasts for 2-4 weeks for me. I was so bad off by the time I was diagnosed I know its going to take me a long time to get better.

Just to let you know that I had so many symptoms from being misdiagnosed that I thought I had something really serious. I hurt all over in my body. neuropathy, weird sensations and pains in my head, muscle pain, joint pain, heart palpitations, feeling like I couldn't breathe, mouth sores, insomnia and horrible fatigue.

[SLB5757]

After I eat gluten I know because my stomach really starts to grumble and I will feel pain on my lower right side. Within an hr or two I get alot of anxiety, and pressure from gas that is usually expelled by belching in my case. What is odd for me is that I seem to get worse as the days go on. It usually lasts for 2-4 weeks for me. I was so bad off by the time I was diagnosed I know its going to take me a long time to get better.

Just to let you know that I had so many symptoms from being misdiagnosed that I thought I had something really serious. I hurt all over in my body. neuropathy, weird sensations and pains in my head, muscle pain, joint pain, heart palpitations, feeling like I couldn't breathe, mouth sores, insomnia and horrible fatigue.

I completely relate with everything you have stated here. I have the same symptoms and know it had been going on for so many years that I had really created a monster. This all started when I was young and had diah after every meal. Everyone assumed I was just a sickly child and that was how it would always be. I was always sick at my birthday (probably bday cakes!), always getting things like mono. In my twenties they were trying all of teh anti-anxiety pills and even wen as far as to give me a spinal tap once to check my spinal fluid to see if I had any lingering diseases that would cause the neuro-anxiety issues I was having. I am only praying that now that I am Gluten-Free it will all subside. I do feel remarkably less ancy - but still get a little scared when I eat because I am always fearing another terrible episode with my stomach. The knee joint pain had become very bad for me and my dental enamel is shot. I am 32 and next week I get to go have a Route canal, and two teeth pulled for implants to be placed I was always the shortest in my class and weight 90 lbs all the way through highschool (102 after my babies were born), and even had a stillborn child (they say miscarraiges are common for Celiacs - dunno if Stillbirth is). I just wish the docs would have put it together sooner.

Good thing is tomorrow is a new day and each day it gets better and better. We have to stay focused and motivated

[greeneyes33]

I get pain up under my rip cage. Its interesting to see other people that have pain up that high too. Most people I know with celiac have lower abdominal pain and D. I never ever get D. I'm chronically constipated.

My stomach also feels like its eating itself. Thats the only way I can describe it. It grumbles and makes these horrible noises. Its not a real pleasant feeling...

I also get very fatigued and extremely crabby.

[jerseyangel]

I'm reacting right now--made a stupid mistake yesterday involving shampoo.....

Anyway, the exposure happened yesterday afternoon. By dinnertime, I had indigestion, painful trapped gas in my upper abdominal area, and restlessness.

Overnight, I tossed and turned--very anxious. Could not turn off my brain, worried about everything.

This AM--a bit lightheaded and brain-fogged, diarrhea all afternoon until exhausted and shaky. I got overly-sensitive during a conversation with someone today, too.

I made myself eat dinner tonight--having something in my stomach normally helps me. It did help--my slight nausea has gone away and I hope to get some sleep tonight.

I'm 4 years in, and don't get glutened very often so I'm not sure how long it will last. I'll probably take Immodium as a precaution if I go out over the weekend.

[mouse]

When I first was diagnosed (5 years ago), I would get sick within 10 minutes of eating gluten. Which made it easy to figure out where I slipped up as I was just learning. But, after I was gluten free for a long time, the symptoms took longer to show. Like sometimes an hour. Now if I get accidentaly gluten, I get severe (and I mean severe) heartburn. Then the day after, the neurological problems kick in. I stagger around like I am drunk, hit the walls, because I can't judge the distance and wind up with a black and blue body. I have even fractured my arm during one of these episodes. I have had them last from a week to 3 months. So, for me, the recovery time depends on how much gluten I have accidently ingested. The neuro problem that lasted 3 months, was from one pill that was suppose to be gluten free.

I am so sorry that you got glutened Patty. May you feel a lot better real soon.

[jerseyangel]

I am so sorry that you got glutened Patty. May you feel a lot better real soon.

Thanks Metta--I'll be ok.

How great to see you here!!!!

[Tiffany677]

Greeneyes, I am also chronically constipated. But do you think the gluten free diet helps you? I have been this way for half of my life. I am having endoscopy & repeat colonoscopy done next month. My Dr is finally ready to check me for celiac. I try to go gluten free but keep messing up, I don't cook & really cheat when I am at work at lunchtime. Sometimes I bring a frozen gluten-free meal but I get sick of those.

I tried it for few days & I do think it made my stool alot softer.

Has that been your experience? I am soooo bloated most of the time & I am skinny.

I also have candida & parasites. I'm all messed up.

[UnhappyCoeliac]

I become addicted to those jam donuts at the backery just around the corner, momentarily think about vandalizing the stupid gronks that dont know what gluten free fish and chips is and yeh

No really I naturally sleep more I wake up after 12hrs instead of 9. Some diarrhea when i relax

[SLB5757]

Greeneyes33 -

My symptoms are much like yours. I seem to get very "const". for a few days - will have xtreme upper left side pain under ribcage, feel like my stomach attacks itself, it grumbles and I have severe belching. Then a day or two later it usually turns into diah. and I will have that a day or two until my system cleans out I seem to react to even "processed in a facility" foods which really sucks!!!

[hannahp57]

My symptoms have varied. It usually does depend on the amount

For instance, last week, i mistakenly used wheat flour thinking it was brown rice flour (the lighting in my kitchen isnt great-it looked darker than wheat flour). needless to say ten or fifteen minutes after eating i had really bad cramps. I got home as fast as possible because i knew what was coming. Bad D fr about half an hour and it was less then thirty minuts after eating. thats a ling way for food to travel so quickly. After D i am generally fatigued for at least two days and i get weepy. not depressed exactly, just teary.

However, if it is only a small amount (also MSG does this to me only slightly worse) I get the fatigue and either a small case of gas or heart burn type feeling. that usually lasts a few hours

[greeneyes33]

Unfortunately no, I dont think that being gluten free helps with my constipation. Nor does it help my in the weight loss department. I'm exactly as I was before my diagnosis, only 20 pounds heavier. I really have about 50 pounds to lose.

I pretty much have to take miralax on a daily basis to have any sort of normal movement. I drink a lot of water too. Who knows???? Apparantly I'm just messed up!!

[kbdy]

My dd has been glutened a couple of times & within 15 min of eating it she is projectile vomiting for hours on end. The last time it was for about 8 hours & that was from eating about 1/4 of a muffin. She's miserable, poor thing.

[solarglobe]

Diarrhea within 30 minutes of eating, naseau, sometimes throwing up 1-2 hours after eating, extreme fatigue, crankiness, mental fog, and lately just really frustrated that it happened AGAIN! Symptoms used to go away within a few hours, now they come on faster and linger for a couple of days -- sometimes several days! Also, during all of this I can get really, really hungry -- but it's difficult because I'm afraid to eat anything.

[stillclueless]

Diarrhea within 30 minutes of eating, naseau, sometimes throwing up 1-2 hours after eating, extreme fatigue, crankiness, mental fog, and lately just really frustrated that it happened AGAIN! Symptoms used to go away within a few hours, now they come on faster and linger for a couple of days -- sometimes several days! Also, during all of this I can get really, really hungry -- but it's difficult because I'm afraid to eat anything.

I can't imagine biting, chewing and swallowing something actually made with gluten - my difficulties come from the unpredictable, sneaky, devilish cross-contamination. It bites. For me, my intestines become sensitive within a few hours and I can tell I'm in for trouble. I stay close to home; things get expelled in a most unpleasant fashion within about 5-6 hours, and I am left overwhelmed with fatigue, muscle weakness and general achey-ness as though I have a case of the flu. That lasts for 3-5 days. I, too, am afraid to eat anything, but get so tired. As a result, in a desperate attempt to increase the energy and speed up the healing process, I foolishly partake of "quick fixes" like caffeine and chocolate. So I'm progressively getting fatter and fatter... Until the 5 days or so are up, I eat a very gentle, bland, boring diet - maybe rice, bananas, herbal tea. I also get intolerably itchy "pickies" on my arms and within hours my joints ache. Dumb, dumb, dumb, but I'm getting smarter and it happens less frequently. It's helpful to hear about mental fog - yup, that's familiar, too.

[Karrin]

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this thread/site!

I was just given the news by an immunologist that my blood test was positive for celiacs. I immediately read up on it and started the new diet and felt incredible - better than I have my entire life! The pain in my lower back was gone, my reynaulds disappeared, as did the pain in my joints, the little bumps on my face and best of all I had TONS of energy and I could actually think clearly again! Before I couldn't even read a sentence in a book, the mental fog was so bad. But when I went to see the gastro doctor, he informed me he didn't think one of the three antibody levels in my tests were high enough and he wasn't convinced I had celiac sprue. I opted not to do the surgery (for money reasons, after all our years of searching for what was wrong with me, we're simply too poor to do this atm - even with insurance). The doctor told me it would be fine to just continue the diet, since I was feeling so good. But this Sunday, just two days later, I was at my grandmother's and was quite careful about what I ate (or so I thought), but toward the end of the day my skirt was so tight it was cutting into my sides and the next day I was terribly bloated and all my symptoms had returned. It only got worse yesterday and today, adding to it nausea and that gnawing feeling in my gut, and I was beginning to worry the second doctor had been right and I was doomed to be a zombie the rest of my days. After so many years, I was ready to give up. But reading all these responses I feel confident again this is what I have. The worsening symptoms were what had me fretting, I thought maybe it would be out of my system as quickly as when I'd first switched. It was pretty instantaneous the first time around - has anyone else had a similar experience? Or been unable to catch their breath after eating gluten? I've been tested for anemia countless times, but it is always negative. I've even fainted and fallen down stairs and still - negative for anemia. I'm also not sure how to proceed with the doctor side of things, the gastro doctor didn't even recommend me to a dietician!! Thank god blueberries are in season or I'd have starved that first week...

I think celiacs fits too well, from the enamel defects in my teeth to the prego belly. I think now I must have been cross contaminated when I put some sugar on my blueberries at my grandmother's, or maybe even from the Cook's ham (I'd checked and the only spice my grandma had added were cloves). I'd read Cook's hams were gluten free, but checking their site now, they won't guarantee it.

But thank you so much everyone! This has put my mind at ease and just made these symptoms easier to bear, knowing they'll eventually go away again!!