Is This A Gluten Reaction?

[blmoreschi]

My 11 year old, who was diagnosed 6 weeks ago and has been gluten-free since, is not well tonight. She never had GI issues, so we don't really know what we're looking for in a gluten reaction.

 

For the first time since diagnosis, we went to our regular Thursday church dinner. It was a cookout tonight, and I was assurred that the grill had been sanitized first and that the hot dogs were "all beef". I was an idiot and didn't question that further. I did dig the pudding and mousse packages out of the garbage and read those ingredients (and the Knorr Milk Chocolate Mousse contains wheat). So the only thing she ate was a hot dog, lemon pudding that was okay, and a piece of corn on the cob that was steamed in the oven (so no colander used).

 

On our way home she started saying her stomach hurt. Within a half hour, she threw up and it was mainly hot dog. I've expected more of a diarhhea reaction if she gets glutened. Or could this be gluten? She's much better now.

 

I've been (secretly) hoping that she would get reactions if she gets glutened - because otherwise how will we know? Her main problem is osteoporosis, and we have to wait 6 months for another bone density scan to see if the gluten-free diet is helping - and of course we'll do repeat gliadin testing at that point. But 6 weeks into it I'm getting (understandably, I think!) anxious about whether we are really doing a good enough job. So part of me is really hoping this is a gluten reaction - especially the part of me that hopes she doesn't have a stomach bug! Thanks for any insight anyone can give me.

[shadowicewolf]

It certainly could be.

[Brandiwine]

Yes, throwing up can be a symptom. My son who is new to this found a friend on his baseball team who is gluten-free he got his diagnoses via blood test after his parents couldn't figure out why he was throwing up his morning bagel.

[blmoreschi]

Interesting. Thanks. I think I've decided that is what it must be, because she isn't a "throw up" kid - she's only had a stomach bug maybe 3 times and hasn't thrown up in years. She didn't have that look either - you know the one I mean where they look nauseous even after they throw up. It was like she got rid of the hot dog and then all was well.

 

Well, I guess this is a new phase of our adventure, and we all learned a lesson tonight.  

[Brandiwine]

I've learned to send my son with something I know is safe and try to come close to whatever everyone else is having if I know before hand. gluten-free cupcakes or pizza. It's going to happen though, we live in a world of gluten! I'm just thankful for this site. I don't know anyone else who is gluten-free except my son. At least we have each other though

[frieze]

sanitizing the grates is not the same as cleaning ALL residue off of them, which would be nie on impossible.  My bet would be gluten from the grates....

 

also, how are her calcium, vit D levels, and phosphorus and vit K?

[blmoreschi]

Yeah, we had even taken our own hot dogs, but I was talked into letting her eat the hot dogs that were already cooked. I went against my best instincts because I was getting the eye rolls. Big lesson learned for me.

 

All of her blood levels are fine, but we do major calcium and Vit D supplements because of her osteoporosis. We started that before her diagnosis, when they thought it was Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease) or just ideopathic juvenile osteporosis (and in 9 months her bone density only improved 5%). I'm not quite clear on why her blood levels of all the vitamins etc would be good if Celiac was keeping her from absorbing nutrients....I asked the endocrinologist at our last visit, but he didn't give me a very good explanation, and I was in a bit of a brain fog because we were 2 weeks post diagnosis and I had done nothing but read about gluten and celiac for 2 weeks.....He said something about the Vit D goes from the skin to the liver, from the liver to the kidneys and from the kidneys to the bones. But that doesn't explain to me why her blood calcium level would be okay if her villi aren't absorbing it. Makes me worried that the osteoporosis isn't JUST about the celiac. Does anyone have any insight?

[stanleymonkey]

I know it could be gluten, but there is always the possibility of food poisoning, especially if she threw up within 2-8 hrs of eating the hot dog, maybe it wasn't cooked properly. With food poisoning, once you've got rid of the offending item, you would feel better.

[ZBMom]

Isn't it just so hard to know?  I would recommend being mindful of soy products.  I wouldn't eliminate soy yet, just look to see if there is a pattern between soy and her reactions in the future. Her symptoms sound like a typical soy sensitivity reaction to me and processed meats tend to be high in soy protein. 

 

 (But I am not a doctor and am on the same confusing journey as you.  I am just trying to figure out what to feed my sons and keep them healthy too.)