36 replies to this topic

[Googles]

I asked my uncle this question. He worked for a number of years at a prison. He said that they were required to provide gluten free meals for inmates with celiac because of the ADA. If not they could be sued. So they were very careful to attend to dietary needs because of medical disorders. It might vary by state or jurisdiction. I worked with juvinile offenders in a residentail treatment facility and we provided gluten free meals for those youth who had celiac.

[KikiB]

No, I was in hospital in the US and the kitchen staff didn't even know what gluten was. They had special diets for everything but gluten. So they put me on a cardiac diet which meant I couldn't eat anything

I was recently in the ER and when I asked about the medication they were giving me and whether it had gluten in it, they had absolutely no clue. One nurse said why would there be gluten in medication? I'm pretty sure the shot they gave me was full of gluten based on my reaction. It took me a week to fill the antibiotic prescription because first I had to wait until I was well enough to sit up and research it, then I had to get my pharmacy to special order it from a particular manufacturer. I've already had to do that with several medications. And I wind up paying more money because it is special ordered from a manufacturer that is not "preferred."

That's my rant. Why does there have to be gluten in medication at all? Why don't doctors or pharmacists have a clue?

[kareng]

I was recently in the ER and when I asked about the medication they were giving me and whether it had gluten in it, they had absolutely no clue. One nurse said why would there be gluten in medication? I'm pretty sure the shot they gave me was full of gluten based on my reaction. It took me a week to fill the antibiotic prescription because first I had to wait until I was well enough to sit up and research it, then I had to get my pharmacy to special order it from a particular manufacturer. I've already had to do that with several medications. And I wind up paying more money because it is special ordered from a manufacturer that is not "preferred."

That's my rant. Why does there have to be gluten in medication at all? Why don't doctors or pharmacists have a clue?

Gluten would not be in an IV or injected medication. It is a large molecule and likely would clog things up. Gluten must be in the intestines to cause an antibody reaction

http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/archives/faq/does-someone-with-celiac-disease-need-to-be-concerned-about-gluten-in-hospital-iv-medications

[KikiB]

Gluten would not be in an IV or injected medication. It is a large molecule and likely would clog things up. Gluten must be in the intestines to cause an antibody reaction

http://www.curecelia...-iv-medications

If it wasn't in the shot, it was in the pills they gave me.

[kareng]

If it wasn't in the shot, it was in the pills they gave me.

That is possible. They didn't feed you did they? Or give you a " contrast" for an X-ray to drink?

[KikiB]

That is possible. They didn't feed you did they? Or give you a " contrast" for an X-ray to drink?

No food. No x-ray. I had a ct-scan but nothing to drink for it. I was shocked that the nurse knew nothing about gluten in medication. Shouldn't medical personnel know that stuff?

[MJ_S]

Wow. This thread is fascinating. While someone "officially" diagnosed with celiac might be able to get a gluten-free diet while in prison, what about NCGS patients? I wonder if someone like myself, who never was officially diagnosed, would be able to get the diet, even though my doctor treats me as if I'm a celiac?