New At This Need Some Help!

[Kconnors54]

Hey everyone!

So I am 26 and new to being gluten-free. I was having an endoscope done to see if I was suffering from heartburn and while down there they tested me for gluten. Long story short I am intolerant. So I have been doing a lot of research and don't have any of the symptoms everyone else does.

I am actually having breathing problems for he last 4 months. i teach phys ed and in pretty good shape so asthma episodes are strange. Constant asthma attacks, coughing, mucus build up. I have been on oral steroids, antibodies, antihistamines, now singular for allergies and its still not helping. Is this all from gluten??? I have done my best to cut it out for the last 2 weeks but still not feeling better, it's like I have a upper respiratory infection constant and they cant figure out what's causing it. My allergist performed a skin test and the wheat allergy did not come up, but in the endoscope it did.

Is there any chance I'm allergic to other foods?? The skin prick test does not work on my skin?? Or is it all from gluten?

Thank you so much... Anything can help.

[1desperateladysaved]

"Is this all from gluten???"  KConners54

 

Greetings KConners,

 

I can't tell you that yet, but I hope that in the next months you will be able to tell us. I believe I have read about the symptoms you mention on the forum.  Not all of us have classic symptoms.  I had mostly bloating, fatigue, and foggy mind problems.  After gluten free my reaction to accidental glutenings became more obvious to me.  That is a good thing, because you can learn to avoid it better that way. 

 

I wish you to get well,  Get well soon ***

 

Diana

[Takala]

Make sure all your medications are gluten free, as well. 

 

I am surprised more medical professionals don't tell about the relationship between gluten and asthma, it could save a lot of kids a lot of grief, adults, too. 

 

Is your house/home/apartment and workplace clear of that nasty "black mold" that can get in the walls in warm climates?  When are the attacks happening the most ?

 

I've been off of gluten for about 10 years now, and my asthma is very infrequent and a lot better.  So is my tolerance to the assorted other allergen things that used to waylay me.  I had atypical symptoms (neuro) so no one suspected any gluten problems with me since I wasn't thin or wasting away.  No allergist picked this up, but they thought I had other food problems, but I don't really have trouble with the foods that I reacted to on the skin test- trying to eliminate them did nothing.   I don't know what "they" have told you about your situation already, but you may want to experiment with giving up dairy for at least a while, since problems with lactose go along with celiac and gluten intolerance.  And "dairy makes snot."    And you are on the right track in thinking about going to a simpler diet, so as to try to weed out any other possible culprits.  

[stanleymonkey]

Our daughters allergist uses skin prick tests but explained they aren't always accurate, your skin isn't your gut. Our daughter had a small hive for milk and a low igE blood test, but one sip of milk and she was a mess. The only true way to know if you are allergic to something is by ingestion. Talk to yor allergist about an elimination diet, and a food challenge for things you really have issues with

[GFinDC]

Hey everyone!

So I am 26 and new to being gluten-free. I was having an endoscope done to see if I was suffering from heartburn and while down there they tested me for gluten. Long story short I am intolerant. So I have been doing a lot of research and don't have any of the symptoms everyone else does.

I am actually having breathing problems for he last 4 months. i teach phys ed and in pretty good shape so asthma episodes are strange. Constant asthma attacks, coughing, mucus build up. I have been on oral steroids, antibodies, antihistamines, now singular for allergies and its still not helping. Is this all from gluten??? I have done my best to cut it out for the last 2 weeks but still not feeling better, it's like I have a upper respiratory infection constant and they cant figure out what's causing it. My allergist performed a skin test and the wheat allergy did not come up, but in the endoscope it did.

Is there any chance I'm allergic to other foods?? The skin prick test does not work on my skin?? Or is it all from gluten?

Thank you so much... Anything can help.

 

Hi KConners,

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

It sounds like they did an endoscopy of your upper small intestine and found villi blunting.  You should get a copy of your endoscopy results for your records.  Also get copies of blood antibodie tests for celiac disease.  Celiac disease is both a food intolerance and an autoimmune disease, but it is not an allergy.  The immune reaction in celiac is an IgA or IgG immune response, not an IgE response.  So allergy skin prick testing will not show celiac.  Allergy tests are for IgE immune responses only.  The immune response in celiac is started in the gut.  Anytime you eat anything with wheat, rye or barley proteins (gluten) in it the immune response will be kicked off in your gut.  It is possible to have both allergies and celiac disease but it sounds like you have only celiac disease.  That's good, less is more in this case!

 

One of the issues e run into with celiac disease is the damage to the gut makes it hard to absorb nutrients (vitamins/minerals) effectively.  Especially the fat soluble vitamins.  That malabsorption of nutrients can cause many symptoms by itself.  Fatigue is one common issue, but there are many others.

 

Another issue that the gut damage causes is possible leaky gut problems.  Leaky gut just means that small fragments of food proteins can sometimes enter the blood stream.  They then cause additional food intolerances to develop.  So we sometimes have to avoid other foods like, soy, dairy, nightshades etc.  Dairy is probably the most common one to have a problem with, especially at the beginning of the gluten-free diet.  Sometimes after people have been gluten-free for a while they can eat dairy again.

 

I had lots of allergy and hayfever symptoms in the past before gluten-free.  Since doing gluten-free my hayfever symptoms have practically resolved.  They are so minor I don't need to take anti-histamines anymore.  So I think it is possible your breathing issues will resolve on gluten-free and dairy free also.

 

Here are a few tips and some threads that might help with getting started.

 

Some starting the gluten-free diet tips for the first 6 months:

Get tested before starting the gluten-free diet.

Get your vitamin/mineral levels tested also.

Don't eat in restaurants

Eat only whole foods not processed foods.

Eat only food you cook yourself, think simple foods, not gourmet meals.

Take probiotics.

Take gluten-free vitamins.

Take digestive enzymes.

Avoid dairy.

Avoid sugars and starchy foods.

Avoid alcohol.

 

FAQ Celiac com

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/forum-7/announcement-3-frequently-asked-questions-about-celiac-disease/

Newbie Info 101

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

What's For Breakfast Today?

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/81858-whats-for-breakfast-today/

[bartfull]

It might just be a coincedence. You may have developed asthma AS WELL as celiac. Asthma has become much more prevalent too. Part of it is likely because our air isn't as clean as it once was, part of it is probably because our "food" is so full of chemicals, part of it is most likely because with climate change, there seems to be much more dust and/or mold spores in the air.

 

My Mom had celiac. My Dad had asthma. I take after my parents - I have both. My celiac has gotten better on the diet, and my asthma is much better now that I have moved to a drier and almost completely stress-free area.

 

You may find that your breathing problems get somewhat better on a gluten-free diet, but you may not. Dad reacted to certain foods, but he also reacted to smells, smoke, dust, exercise, and just about everything else. Be careful that those doctors don't OVERmedicate you. You need SOME meds, but they tend to give too many different things at once and often in doses that are too high.

 

Are you on any other medications for any different conditions? I ask because certain meds are bad for asthma. My poor Dad was given some eyedrops for his glaucoma that almost killed him because the eye doctor never thought to ask if he had asthma. (You wouldn't think eye drops could do that, but when we looked it up in the PDR, sure enough, it said not to give them to asthma patients.)

 

I would advise you to find a good asthma forum and see what folks over there have to say. And of course, stick around here too. Maybe with insights from both places you can get to feeling good again.

[Kconnors54]

Thank you all,

I never had asthma before or problems with any food. This all just came all of the sudden when I was put on steroids, antibiotics, steroid inhaler for a cough that was lasting a couple weeks back in November. Then I was put back on steroids and now again since november, total 3 times steroid 2 rounds of antibiotics, rescue inhaler using all the time now, singular at night and a verrrryy small respiratory stimulant pill.

I am going to cut out dairy and see how it goes.