[dbates]

Hi this is my first time making a post on this forum. I was diagnosed as a Celiac about a month and a half ago. I have had some very bad symptoms without realizing where they came from for a really long time. I have been free from Gluten for about a month, and one thing I wanted to ask about is if I am maybe getting a little overboard. I am a Roman Catholic and since I learned I am a Celiac I have been trying to use low-gluten hosts from some Benedictine nuns that contain 100 ppms or 37 micrograms of gluten. I have come to understand that these have such a small amount of gluten in them that they should not bother Celiacs, but I am pretty sure I am having a reaction to them. I know that thirty minutes after receiving one I had bad migraines and then I was fatigued all the next day. I have had one person comment saying I am making myself believe I am going to get sick, so I start to feel symptoms, but I am pretty sure I can't think up migraines. My question is has anyone had a similar experience with the hosts, and is it possible to be that sensitive to such a low amount of Gluten?

I am trying to make sure that I am not getting gluten from anywhere else, so that I can test it, but since I don't know if it is even possible I am wondering if maybe I can think and thus feel Celiac Symptoms. Any comments would be great.

[jerseyangel]

Hi and welcome to the board!

It is entirely possible that you are reacting to the small amount of gluten in the low-gluten hosts. I know I would react which is why I've never tried them. The person who said you could not possibly be reacting to such a small amount was incorrect.

If you feel comfortable, you can receive Communion by taking the wine only. It is perfectly acceptable. Talk to your priest--perhaps you could get your own small chalice for your wine or he can use one for you that has not had any crumbs from the large Host mixed in.

Best of luck, and I'm glad you found us.

[dbates]

jerseyangel, on Sep 23 2009, 01:04 PM, said:

Hi and welcome to the board!

It is entirely possible that you are reacting to the small amount of gluten in the low-gluten hosts. I know I would react which is why I've never tried them. The person who said you could not possibly be reacting to such a small amount was incorrect.

If you feel comfortable, you can receive Communion by taking the wine only. It is perfectly acceptable. Talk to your priest--perhaps you could get your own small chalice for your wine or he can use one for you that has not had any crumbs from the large Host mixed in.

Best of luck, and I'm glad you found us.

Thank you, I am pretty happy I found this site as well. =) That is good to know that it is possible, now I don't feel like I am slightly crazy. I am still new to this whole thing so it is hard to know what does and does not have adverse affects. I think I will try first to recieve a smaller amount of the host and see how that goes, but if not I will talk to my priest about the wine option. Thanks so much for your response.

[tarnalberry]

You can definitely "think yourself" into a migraine. (I have chronic migraines, and have experienced this. It's annoying, because just because you can 'think' yourself into one, doesn't mean you can 'think' yourself out of one. And it's kind of misleading to phrase it as "thinking" into a migraine, because it has more to do with the idea that you might get one causing a physiologic stress reaction which does alter chemistry and physiology.)

BUT, you can most definitely react to small amounts of gluten. There's a debate about it on another thread, but I'll summarize what I've seen here and in published studies: *most* people don't react to gluten in doses less than around 20ppm (the exact amount in studies varies, and this conclusion is verified by intestinal biopsy), but some people DO react. We have plenty of representatives of the "really really trace amounts cause a reaction", and plenty who don't. Perhaps you can try having just a sliver of the wafer (an eighth of a piece or something like that) and see if you're in a grey zone, but perhaps you're better off with just the wine/juice instead.

Can you ever definitively prove if your reaction is psychosomatic in origin or not? Not really. But you have a good reason to think it might not be, so, IMHO, why not eliminate that reason?

[Cait6799]

Is it simply possible that the gluten is cross contaminating from the priest holding the other hosts first?

I know the issues behind being Catholic and their stance on the host. It was a disaster for my daughter's first communion.

While her sensitivity level is not one that is bothered by the trace amounts in the host I purchased, my concern is that because hers is separate - and she goes last - that there would be some left on his hands by the time he got to her.

[Squidge]

There are Catholic approved gluten FREE host wafers, supposedly. I'm sorry, I get really upset about situations such as this. Jesus never once commanded that the bread be made using wheat, rye, or barley. He also never commanded us to make ourselves sick trying to properly worship him. You do also need to have a serious talk with your priest about cross-contamination. Tell your priest the wafers are still making you sick and see what he can do. And 100 ppm is still a lot of gluten for someone with Celiac's.

[Nightingale8472]

It's definitely possible to think yourself into a migraine. I have chronic migraines and do it to myself all the time. Walking out of the house without my migraine meds is a surefire trigger. I start thinking "OMG, I don't have my meds... what if I get a migraine. I just know I'm gonna get a migraine, and I don't have my meds... OMG I'm gonna get a migraine." and BAM, I have a migraine because I've stressed myself into one.

I have no idea about the gluten in the hosts, though. I'm new at this gluten free thing.

[kareng]

I have a positive blood test for Celiacs but have been eating gluten until I get my biopsy Wed. Then I plan to go gluten-free. Sunday, I realized this was my last communion host & I started to tear up. Suddenly, an eyelash fell in my eye & it was watering from it. I think God is trying to tell me its OK take the wine.

[Brenda Bell]

kareng, on 08 February 2010 - 04:40 PM, said:

I have a positive blood test for Celiacs but have been eating gluten until I get my biopsy Wed. Then I plan to go gluten-free. Sunday, I realized this was my last communion host & I started to tear up. Suddenly, an eyelash fell in my eye & it was watering from it. I think God is trying to tell me its OK take the wine.

Most likely it is cross contamination... At our parish... the host is served first for Gluten Sentitive people at the handicap alter... The person who serves the Low_Gluten host does not touch the other host... Since they are following the precautions we are fine.... except sometime if I have the wine I get a reaction... maybe cross contamination there but I dont want think about that... Good Luck... We also keep Kinnicks Donuts in the freezer so the Celiacs in the parish can have coffee hour too.... just a thought