Crap! I Was Gluttened....

[pain*in*my*gut]

So I have been gluten free for 2 weeks, and in those 2 weeks I have been very careful with what I eat. I have not eaten out once, for fear of cc. I have had an AWESOME response to the diet!! No gas, cramps, bloating...it's like I had a stomach transplant!!!

So, today I got brave and went to Whole Foods and decided to try something different from their prepared foods deli area. I got a quinoa sweet potato patty with wild rice. I asked the lady behind the counter if it was gluten free, and she said yes, but they cannot guarantee anything because they have no designated gluten-free prep area. Annoying, because I thought they were all about alternative eating (vegan, dairy-free, etc.) and since they carry a lot of gluten-free stuff they should be aware of Celiac, right? Not so much...

It's been about 4 hours since I ate the patty (it was gross, BTW), and I have horrible smelly painful gas and nausea. My vision is extremely blurry tonight as well, which was a symptom that had gone away with the gluten-free diet. So, I guess it either had gluten in it and it wasn't listed, or it's cc. Either way, I am screwed.

I guess you really don't know how sensitive you are to cc until you experiment, right? For the record, my biposy was normal (my blood work was NOT normal), so I guess I don't "officially" have Celiac disease in my ignorant GI's opinion, but gluten makes me pretty darn sick!!

Ugghh...this stinks.....literally.....

[rosetapper23]

Oh....I've been there and done that. I'm so sorry you found out firsthand how dangerous prepared foods can be. I got cc'd on Sunday when I wanted to treat myself to something special--I bought some ginger snap cookies from Trader Joe's. They're supposed to be gluten free (at least, that's what the package says), but I was sicker than a dog on Monday....though I still had to go to work. I really do try to stay away from any processed foods because it's just not worth the risk of getting cc'd.

Hopefully, you'll feel better soon....

[AVR1962]

It takes awhile to figure out. I went to eating no boxed foods, no frozen entres, no fast food and no canned foods. Went I ate out it was salads, and still mostly is. Read every label. Amazingly I found wheat flour listed in my cookiung spray, in one of my favorite churizo sausage, in marinades, some ice cream and candy. Once your diet it tight and still get to feel bad and know it could not have been gluten then you have to figure what else could be giving you issues. I cannot eat high fructose, effects me like glutens.....it's in BBQ sauce, ketchup, candy, some drinks. One of my daughters cannot tolerate soy which in alot including mayo.

I have tried some of the gluten free products you can buy off the shelf like bread and cookies, and there is just something about them that does not set well with my stomach. It is not a gluten reaction, just like a yuck in my stomach so I don't eat them. I have done well with the mixes that are gluten-free and the pastas....I think it is alot of trial and error til you get it figured out.

[dilettantesteph]

I guess you really don't know how sensitive you are to cc until you experiment, right?

So true. I still keep finding out.

I hope you feel better soon. As time goes on you do heal more quickly.

[MaryJones2]

I don't trust anything prepared from Whole Foods. I'm always surprised how unaware they are of gluten-free in that dept as they label everything vegan, etc.

[Bubba's Mom]

I'm so sorry they got ya!

I don't feel safe eating anything I haven't made myself.

It seems when you first go gluten-free you aren't as reactive to cc because your system is tired from fighting the gluten you were getting on a regular basis. As time goes on those immune "soldiers" are rested up and even a small trace will have them up and fighting it in full force.

All you can really do is use this as a learning experience and go from there. It really stinks that you're trying to be so careful and you can't trust those in the food business to be aware and careful of cc!

[Skylark]

I don't know about your Whole Foods, but at mine employees are very specific that their prepared gluten-free foods are not safe for people with celiac disease. I don't see the point of gluten-free pizza, sandwiches, and salads if they're not celiac-safe but I guess there are enough people who are "gluten lite" that it helps their business.

[Gemini]

I don't trust anything prepared from Whole Foods. I'm always surprised how unaware they are of gluten-free in that dept as they label everything vegan, etc.

I think it really depends on the store and the education level of the employee's. The 2 Whole Foods I frequent are phenomenal about cc in their prepared foods section even though they have the same CYA statement on their prepared foods. They would have to as it's not a dedicated facility. The stores I go to have employees that work those sections that have more food issues than I do so I trust their judgment when I ask the appropriate questions and I have never been glutened by anything I have eaten there.....in 6 years. I am extremely sensitive also and don't usually buy from shared facilities. I also use common sense when making purchases and wouldn't eat something that has been placed too close to the wheat stuff. I live in an area of the country which has really high awareness so that helps make a difference.

[gigifree]

Whole foods is horrible! When I first went gluten-free-free (though not carefully) to see if I have a gluten intolerance, I would get prepared chicken and salads there. I never got better.

To make things worse, I went in looking for a multi-vitamine with iron that was gluten-free and the girl gave me a supplement that had gluten in it. Of course, I got nauseous, threw up and got sicker. Stay away from whole foods. Trader Joe's and henry's, I have has better luck with.

[norcal-gf]

I got "Gluttened" at Costco recently. They were giving out samples of Apple/Raspberry Juice that was suppose to only contain those ingredients. But hours later after drinking the juice I had a horrible stomach pain and the usual bathroom problems that followed. When I looked at the ingredients on the label they added "natural flavoring" which now I know to stay away from! No more samples of anything at grocery or supermarkets or Costco for me.

[mushroom]

Hopefully, you can still sample the wine